Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutJanuary 7, 2016kPNI T Y O F D OVE 1685 CROSSTOWN BOULEVARD N.W. • ANDOVER, MINNESOTA 55304 • (763) 755-5100 FAX (763) 755-8923 • WWW.ANDOVERMN.gov Regular Park & Recreation Commission Meeting January 7, 2016 7:00 P.M. 1. Call to Order 2. Resident Forum 3. Approval of Minutes (12/17/15) — Regular Meeting 4. Update of Kelsey Round Lake Park Draft Master Plan, Cont./15-11 5. Discuss Overuse of Fields/Public Works 6. Update of Joint Meeting with City Council 7. Outstanding Items/Maintenance Update 8. 9. Chair's Report p10.Adjournment ❑i PARKAND RECREATION COMMISSIONREGULAR MEETING JANUARY 7, 2016 MINUTES A Regular Meeting of the Andover Park and Recreation Commission was called to order by Chair Stenzel on January 7, 2016, 7:00 p.m., at the Andover City Hall, 1685 Crosstown Boulevard NW, Andover, Minnesota. Commissioners Present: Chair Shane Stenzel, Vice Chair Jim Lindahl Commissioners Ted Butler, Sarah Elstrom, and Angela Marinello Commissioners Absent: Commissioners Alisa Lewnau and Mark Miskowiec Also Present: Assistant Public Works Director, Todd Haas RESIDENT FORUM Ms. Jeannette DeWandeler, Andover Huskies Youth Hockey Association. They requested 10 additional hours at Prairie Knoll Park for the season. She has a total of 10 hours on various dates that the ice time is needed. 10 Mr. Haas stated currently Prairie Knoll Park and one of the City Hall Outdoor hockey rinks are available for open hockey 7 days a week. The hours at Prairie Knoll Park that will be necessary will be posted at the warming house. Ms. DeWandeler asked if the City would have any issues with putting barricades around the rink to discourage others to use the rink prior to the teams using the ice. Mr. Haas stated that has not been done in the past. Chair Stenzel stated the rinks are heavily used and he does not believe anything would keep others off the ice on the days practices are held (Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays). Chair Stenzel stated it is difficult to take out a rink when it is heavily used. Commissioner Butler stated he doesn't believe it would be effective. This is done sometimes for baseball fields. The Commission has been very hesitant about sealing off facilities from the public when the rinks are not scheduled by the associations. Motion by Butler, seconded by Marinello, to adjust the hockey schedule to include Prairie Knoll Park for 10 hours total on the dates of January 11, 28, & 25 and February 1, H Regular Andover Park & Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes—January 7, 2016 Page 2 © 8, 15, & 22. Motion carried on a 5 -ayes, 0 -nays, and 2 -absent (Lewnau and Miskowiec) vote. Ms. DeWandeler asked if the association could use a vehicle for cleaning the ice. Mr. Haas stated there is currently a sweeper for sale by the City on ebay which the association can research. Insurance for liability would be needed if AHYHA were to use a sweeper on City rinks. City Administration would need to make that decision. APPROVAL OFMINUTES —December 17, 2015 Motion by Marinello, seconded by Butler, to approve the minutes from the December 17, 2015 Park and Recreation Commission Meeting as presented. Motion carried on a 5 -ayes, 0 -nays, 2 -absent (Lewnau and Miskowiec), 0 -present vote. UPDATE OF KELSEY R0UND LAKE PARK DRAFT MASTER PLAN/15-11 CONT Mr. Haas reviewed the Park and Recreation Commission is requested to review the adjustments to the estimated cost and confirm the priority of each item per the table prepared by WSB. This table will be included as part of the Kelsey Round Lake Park Master Plan. Mr. Haas reviewed the plan. Chair Stenzel asked if the interpretive areas should be indicated or if they are flexible. Mr. Haas stated the proposed locations are flexible. WSB was not present at the meeting but the Commission was requested if there are any questions they should be addressed so City staff can follow up with WSB. The final draft of the Master Plan will be presented at the January 21, 2016 Park and Recreation Commission meeting before it is presented to the City Council. The Park and Recreation Commission is scheduled to present the Master Plan to the City Council at a joint meeting that is scheduled for Tuesday, January 26, 2016 at 6:00 p.m. WSB will be at the meeting and will make a short presentation before the Commission addresses the Council on the plan. Mr. Haas reviewed staff has researched the various types of MNDNR Grant opportunities that cities are eligible to apply for. The two Park and Trail Grant Programs that can be applied for are the Local Trails Connections Program and the Outdoor Recreation Grant Program. Additional information was provided for Commission review on each of the grants. Applications are due in March. Staff is researching any other possible grants (legacy). Regular Andover Park & Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes —January 7, 2016 Page 3 © DISCUSS THE OVERUSE OF FIELDS/PUBLIC WORKS Mr. Haas reviewed the Park and Recreation Commission is requested to discuss the overuse of fields that has impacted the playing surfaces at Prairie Knoll Park. Because of the issues with overuse of fields and damage that occurred at Prairie Knoll Park, staff felt that this was important to bring this topic back up for discussion with the Park and Recreation Commission. The west and east fields at Prairie Knoll Park have been hit the hardest with overuse from playing football. Staff has received a copy of the playoffs that have occurred the past 5 years and for those past 5 years the number of games being played has been increasing during the playoffs. The following are the number of games that were played on each field: West Field 2011— 4 games in 4 days 2012 — 6 games in 5 days 2013 —1 game only 2014 —11 games in 6 days 2015 —12 games in 7 days East Field © 2011 2012 — 9 games in 5 days — 7 games in 5 days 2013 — 7 games in 7 days 2014 —12 games in 8 days 2015 —12 games in 6 days Mr. Haas noted a couple of these days had as many as 2-4 games a day on 1 field. Some of the games have been played in the rain and because of the tight playoff schedule and when the season ends games needed to be played and not rescheduled. Since the east field is off limits in the spring of 2016 until further notice because of the overuse of the field, the Lacrosse Association may need to make adjustments to use other city game fields or other fields at the local schools. North Metro Soccer Association (NMSA) uses the other 6 of the 8 full size fields (this does not include Prairie Knoll 2 fields) in Andover. The west field is closed for the spring and summer season and most likely through the fall to allow the grass to grow. The full size fields that were used in 2015 by NMSA for the spring -summer season are as follows: Pine Hills North (3 fields), Hawkridge (1 field), Sunshine Park (2 fields). The other 2 full size fields available are at Timber River Park (which is not irrigated and has been used by lacrosse for practice over the past few years) and Fox Meadows Park (which has been closed for the past few years due to the very poor condition of the field and is also not irrigated). For Commissioners that are not familiar with lacrosse, the boy's field dimensions are different than the girl's © dimensions and so using the same field for both boys and girls is a challenge for the players and the referees. Also overuse of the field will become an issue. So with that Regular Andover Park & Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes — danuary 7, 2016 Page 4 © Timber River Park and one field at Sunshine Park may need to be scheduled as game fields for lacrosse for the 2016 season. Ms. Twila Hauck, representing Andover Area Lacrosse Association (AALA) and Andover Football Association did indicate to the Commission that AALA needs two fields for the upcoming season. Last year AALA used both fields at Prairie Knoll Park for games and the one field at Timber River Park for practices. Chair Stenzel stated his recommendation is that soccer and lacrosse associations have a discussion amongst themselves to try to work it out. Ms. Hauck stated she has requested fields from the school. Mr. David Tarleton, North Metro Soccer Association, asked which fields were requested from the school and Ms. Hauck stated any fields. Only U9 players can play at the high school. AALA is hoping to have fields at Oakview Middle School or Andover Elementary School. Mr. Tarleton stated there were 1,400 players last year for spring/summer season. They paid over $8,000 to use fields in St. Francis, fields in Ham Lake, Oak Grove and at Anoka Hennepin School District. Mr. Tarleton stated he is willing to sit down with lacrosse and work it out to everyone's benefit. Mr. Tarleton stated one of the fields at Sunshine Park for sure would be available for lacrosse. Chair Stenzel noted 3 additional soccer fields were added last year. Chair Stenzel asked the associations to come back before the Commission before March as to how the fields were distributed. If irrigation was added to Timber Trails, Timber River, Terrace, and Fox Meadows this would add available fields. Mr. Haas asked if Timber River Park could be used for soccer and Ms. Hauck stated it would not be a first choice because if it rains the field is not usable. Ms. Hauck stated they are 100% Andover with a very few number of St. Francis youth in the program. There were 21 teams with an addition of 5-7. There were 300 last year and it is anticipated to be up to 400 this year. Mr. Tarleton stated their 1,400 kids are from Andover and other communities. They have two seasons Spring/Summer and Fall. Ms. Hauck stated the fields at Prairie Knoll Park are difficult not to be overused as they only had three weeks off in August. She feels fields need to be designated for a specific use. Commissioner Butler stated there is an increasing growth in the associations and the need for good game -quality fields. 1 Regular Andover Park & Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes —January 7, 2016 Page 5 Chair Stenzel asked if there is a policy that restricts the number of games played on a field. Mr. Haas stated the associations have been good about canceling games when a field is saturated by rain and in bad shape. The meeting minutes from August 7, 2014, regarding advice from John Hopko, an expert in grass turf/athletic field construction and rehabilitation were provided for Commission review. The primary concerns that Mr. Hopko discusses are compaction, drainage and over scheduling of fields. Mr. Hopko is also an advocate of designating fields and parks to sports. This concern by the Public Works Department is scheduled to be discussed with the City Council at the joint meeting on January 26, 2016. UPDATE OF JOINT MEETING WITH CITY COUNCIL Mr. Haas reviewed a joint meeting has been scheduled with the City Council on Tuesday, January 26, 2016 starting at 6:00 p.m. To date the following items are scheduled to be discussed: • Presentation of the Kelsey Round Lake Park Master Plan/15-11 • Consider Applying for MNDNR Grants/Kelsey Round Lake Park/15-11 • Discuss 2017 — 2021 CIP for Parks and the Future of the City Park System • Discuss Overuse of Fields/Public Works Mr. Haas asked if the Commission had any other items that they would like to discuss at this joint meeting. Chair Stenzel stated it is a good idea to discuss the CIP with the Council before it is done to get their input. Mr. Haas stated the Park and Recreation Commission will begin working on the parks portion of the Comprehensive Plan (March — April). REVIEW OUTSTANDING ITEMS /MAINTENANCE UPDATE Mr. Haas reviewed on projects and other items of interest along with the weekly parks maintenance update. Commissioner Lindahl stated there is still a gap in the fence at Pine Hills South Park that should be closed to prevent access to the field by vehicles. Mr. Haas will review with maintenance. Chair Stenzel asked if the trails are set and Mr. Haas stated the dates are flexible. Informational; no action required. Regular Andover Park & Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes —January 7, 2016 Page 6 CHAIR'S REPORT Commissioner Butler stated he was at Crooked Lake School rink and the ice isn't perfect but the layout of the area is great. The fencing has never been finished. Mr. Haas will discuss this with the Parks Maintenance Department tomorrow. SII/]7��AL/DI��YII Motion by Lindahl, seconded by Elstrom, to adjourn the regular meeting at 7:50 p.m. Motion carried on a 5 -ayes, 0 -nays, and 2 -absent (Lewnau and Miskowiec) vote. Respectfully Submitted, Debbie Wolfe, Recording Secretary TimeSaver off Site Secretarial, Inc. H