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HomeMy WebLinkAboutDecember 3, 2020© ANL15 6V9 1685 CROSSTOWN BOULEVARD N.W.. ANDOVER, MINNESOTA 55304 • (763) 755-5100 FAX (763) 755-8923 . WWW.ANDOVERMN.GOV Regular Park & Recreation Commission Meeting December 3, 2020 7:00 P.M. Meet at Andover City Hall 1. Call to Order 2. Resident Forum 3. Approval of Minutes (11/19/20) 4. Agenda Approval 5. Consider Capstone/Sonsteby Sketch Plan/Park Dedication Requirements 6. Hold Public Informational Meeting/Hawk Ridge Park/21-12 7. Hold Public Informational Meeting/Woodland Meadows Park/21-13 8. Update of MNDNR Grant Opportunities/21-06 9. Outstanding Items 10. 11. Chair's Report 12. Adjournment Note: Some or all members of the Andover Park and Recreation Commission may participate in the December 3, 2020 Park and Recreation Commission meeting by telephone or video conference rather than by being personally present at the Park and Recreation Commission regular meeting place at the Andover City Hall, 1685 Crosstown Boulevard NW, Andover, MN 66304. Members of the public can physically attend, although there is very limited seating in the City Council Chambers as appropriate social distancing will be done by the Commission and visitors. u re - PARK AND RECREATION COMMISSION MEETING — DECEMBER 3, 2020 MINUTES The Regular Bi-Monthly Meeting of the Andover Park and Recreation Commission was called to order by Chair Lindahl on December 3; 2020, 7:00 p.m., at the Andover City Hall, 1885 Crosstown Boulevard NW, Andover, Minnesota. Commissioners Present: Chair Jim Lindahl, Commissioners Mark Miskowiec, Jake Widmyer, Tracy Strombeck, and Sophia Newton Commissioners Absent: None Also Present: Assistant Public Works Director, Todd Haas Associate Planner, Jake Griffiths Parks Maintenance Supervisor Jason Grode RESIDENT FORUM APPROVAL OFMINUTES November 19, 2020 Regular Meeting Commissioner Widmyer requested a change to page 5 to delete his name from seconding a motion, as he was not at the meeting. Staff will review the video and make the correction. Motion by Miskowiec, seconded by Newton, to approve the November 19, 2020 Regular Meeting minutes as amended. Motion passed 4 ayes, 1 present (Widmyer). APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA Motion by Miskowiec, seconded by Widmyer, to approve the agenda as presented. Motion passed unanimously. CONSIDER CAPSTONEISONSTEBY SKETCH PLANIPARK DEDICATION REQUIREMENTS Assistant Public Works Director Haas stated the Commission is asked to review and © recommend park dedication requirements for Capstone/Sonsteby property. Mr. Haas identified the location of the property and displayed the sketch plan. Regular Andover Park & Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes —December 3, 2020 Page 2 OTom Bakritges, Capstone Homes, came forward to present the sketch plan. He stated the new neighborhood will consist of detached townhomes with five series of homes. He stated they are priced low to mid $300,OOOs and HOA operated. The development is 8.3 acres and Capstone is applying for a PUD for a reduced lot width. Mr. Bakritges described the project, trails, and tree buffering. Commissioner Miskowiec asked what age demographic would be interested in these types of homes. Mr. Bakritges replied single, single parent, and young couples tend to purchase these homes. Mr. Haas identified the parks closest to the proposed development and stated staff recommends cash in lieu of land. Commissioner Widmyer asked if the street in the development would connect to 41"Avenue. Associate Planner Griffiths stated the City of Anoka does not plan on a connection to the development. Chair Lindahl stated there are several parks within walking distance and a park is not needed. Motion by Strombeck, seconded by Miskowiec, to recommend cash in lieu of land for park dedication fees. Motion passed unanimously. 0 Mr. Haas stated the Commission will review the preliminary plat at a later date. HOLD PUBLIC INFORMA TIONAL MEETING/HAWKRID GEPAPX121-12 Parks Maintenance Supervisor Grode stated the Park and Recreation Commission is requested to review survey results and hold a public information meeting for improvements to Hawk Ridge Park. He stated 48 properties were notified of the project and mailed a survey, with one property responding. Mr. Grode asked the Commission to decide on the improvements since there wasn't much participation from the neighborhood. He explained the swings and spring rides need to be replaced and recommends the playground structure be replaced as well. Chair Lindahl stated the park has a lot of usage because of the soccer fields. Luke Dupont, 2520 177th Lane NW, came forward and asked for objective reasons why the City is making improvements to the park. He asked for proof of people using the park. He stated he has lived in the neighborhood for a long time and does not see anyone using the playground. Mr. Dupont said kids use the playground at the school instead. Mr. Dupont informed the Commission that kids aren't doing what they think they are. He said kids are playing video games and on tablets. Mr. Dupont stated the park is in the middle of nowhere and appears to be in good condition. He said he doesn't see any good reason to replace the playground. Chair Lindahl replied playground replacements are on a schedule. Mr. Grode stated the industry standard for playground replacement is around 15 years. Mr. Dupont asked when Regular Andover Park & Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes —December 3, 2020 Page 3 © the playground was last replaced. Mr. Grode replied he would look it up. Mr. Dupont asked if there were issues with the equipment. Chair Lindahl stated the plastic tends to crack and weaken over time and insurance coverage requires replacement. Mr. Dupont asked if there are signs of wear in the plastic. Mr. Grode replied the City looks at ADA accessibility and those standards have changed. Mr. Grode stated the platforms are peeling and there is rust on the equipment. Mr. Grode said the playground gets a lot of use during soccer games and the City has pictures and trail camera videos to demonstrate usage and wear. Mr. Dupont asked if the playground can be sandblasted and repainted. Mr. Dupont requested a time frame of when it was last put in and asked for images of the playground that demonstrates a need for replacement. Chair Lindahl asked Mr. Grode to email Mr. Dupont the information he is requesting: when the playground was installed, requirements for replacement, condition assessment, and visual evidence. Chair Lindahl stated the City cannot assume the liability if they don't replace playgrounds as needed. Mr. Dupont recommended the City call the insurance company and ask if they can sandblast and paint the playground instead of throwing it out. He said the Commission is © jumping on spending money on this. Chair Lindahl stated playground pieces are replaced as needed. He said they have 45 parks with playgrounds and provide regular maintenance and parts replacements. Mr. Dupont said Chair Lindahl is saying there is no choice for him if the City spends money on something that does not benefit the residents. Chair Lindahl stated the Commissioners are citizens and they make recommendations to the City Council. He stated Mr. Dupont can go to the City Council with his concerns. Mr. Dupont stated anytime he sees frivolous spending, he is going to make a big deal of it. Chair Lindahl stated the Commission is frugal and they watch every dollar they spend. He said they have an obligation to all residents of the City. Mr. Dupont said he is paying into this and the benefit should be to the people who are paying for it. He said this sounds a lot like communism. Chair Lindahl stated the City has over 900 soccer participants. Mr. Dupont asked how much money that brings into the City. Chair Lindahl replied it brings a lot of money to local businesses. He stated the soccer associations contribute to park improvements. Mr. Dupont said the soccer association should rent facilities from the City. © Commissioner Miskowiec stated the soccer association donated $100,000 to Hawk Ridge for soccer fields and they used it less due to COVID. He said his daughter participated in the soccer program. Mr. Dupont asked why he should pay for Commissioner Miskowiec's daughter to play. lip Regular Andover Park & Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes —December 3, 2020 Page 4 Chair Lindahl replied it is a City park and neighbors were contacted to see what improvements they were interested in. He said Mr. Dupont has indicated he doesn't want anything changed with the park. Chair Lindahl advised Mr. Dupont to contact the City Council if he has more concerns. Jim Spreigl, 2550 117'' Lane NW, came forward and said the park was renovated 5-7 years ago. He asked if the equipment was replaced at that time. Chair Lindahl replied only the fields were upgraded then. Mr. Spreigl asked why the playground wasn't brought up to ADA standards when the fields were put in. Mr. Spreigl stated the park does not get used much. Commissioner Miskowiec stated the Commission can move the playground equipment down the list of replacements. He said if the neighborhood doesn't want it, the Commission can focus on parks where the residents are interested in improvements. Commissioner Miskowiec stated the City has a regular maintenance and replacement cycle. Mr. Spreigl asked if the City performed monthly playground inspections. Mr. Grode replied the City completes at least two audits per year of every playground and they do a daily/weekly inspection if they are working in the area. Mr. Grode stated the playground was installed in 2004 and irrigation and fields were added in 2011. © Mr. Haas stated the City has 45 playgrounds to inspect and Hawk Ridge wasn't deemed to need an ADA upgrade when the fields were put in. Mr. Haas stated the park is a community playfield and has been used frequently by the soccer association. He stated this park serves a bigger area than the immediate neighborhood due to the soccer fields. Commissioner Miskowiec stated he is willing to move it back a year or two. Mr. Haas stated the staff are playground certified and Hawk Ridge is at the top of the list for replacement. Commissioner Strombeck asked what the top three parks are for replacement. Mr. Haas replied Sunshine, Hawk Ridge, and Woodland Meadows. Chair Lindahl told Mr. Dupont that he would talk to him after the meeting and stated some of the questions Mr. Dupont asked weren't under the purview of the Park and Recreation Commission. Chair Lindahl stated Hawk Ridge is a community park and gets used frequently during soccer games. Commissioner Strombeck stated she agrees that it was used a lot pre-COVID. She stated she is looking at the big picture and asked the cost of the park replacement. Mr. Haas stated © the budget has $100,000 for three playground replacements. Chair Lindahl suggested downsizing the playground as it is not a draw for the neighborhood. u Regular Andover Park & Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes —December 3, 2020 Page 5 Commissioner Miskowiec asked the ages that use the soccer fields. Mr. Haas stated there is a full-size field and a medium field. He said the association normally breaks the full-size field into smaller fields. Commissioner Miskowiec suggested installing equipment for younger ages. Chair Lindahl asked staff to bring playground options to the January meeting. HOLD PUBLIC INFORMATIONAL MEETINGIWOODLAND MEADOWS PARK/27- 73 Parks Supervisor Grode stated the Park and Recreation Commission is requested to review survey results and hold a public information meeting for improvements to Woodland Meadows Park. He stated 39 properties were notified of the project and sent a survey with eight responses. Mr. Grode stated the park is in a rural area and there appears to be interest in replacing the playground equipment. Mr. Grode reported the playground has a concrete border in place, so the replacement cost does not have to include a border. John Anderson, 17231 Uplander Street NW, came forward and said the park doesn't get used much. He stated he is an engineer and the playground appeared in good condition. He asked if the City needs to spend the money now and if it is a wise investment. Mr. © Anderson asked how the replacement is paid for. Chair Lindahl replied playground replacements are budgeted through the City's General Fund. Chair Lindahl stated new parks are built with funds from Park Dedication Fees paid by developers. Mr. Anderson said he is curious about what is planned. Chair Lindahl replied the neighborhood survey along with playground companies help plan what goes into a park. Mr. Anderson stated he is not against having fun things for kids in the community. Mr. Anderson said he wouldn't let his kids walk to the park on their own until they were older and asked what impact that is having on City parks. Chair Lindahl agreed that parents accompany their children and that is why benches are installed. Chair Lindahl stated he would like to see the process of selecting parks for playground replacement be more transparent. He suggested staff implement a decision tree and provide the Commission and the public with more information about the condition of the playgrounds and why they are slated for replacement. Diane Hammond, 17231 Uplander Street NW, stated the City needs to be extremely critical about how they are spending their dollars during COVID while businesses and residents are struggling. She said Woodland Meadows does not have athletic events and is not a highly used park. She asked if the City was getting enough return on their investment. Regular Andover Park & Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes —December 3, 2020 Page 6 © Chair Lindahl asked how big their lot is. Ms. Hammond replied it is 2.5 acres. Chair Lindahl stated with bigger lots, people put play equipment in the backyard. Ms. Hammond stated her children played at the school playground more than the park playground. Mr. Anderson stated the park is a nice amenity to their neighborhood and he really likes the Little Library. Commissioner Miskowiec agreed with Chair Lindahl regarding more detailed information on playground replacement. Mr. Grode stated he can provide the Commission with replacement information and put an article in a City newsletter to educate the public. Mr. Grode stated they look at the condition of the equipment, the age of the playground, the number of parts needing replacement, and if parts are attainable. Mr. Grode stated some of the Woodland Meadows playground parts were installed in 1995 and some in 2010. He said this playground replacement has been pushed down the list and replacement parts are hard to find. Mr. Grode stated the City has documentation from the past five years on playground maintenance. He stated most manufacturer warranties are typically 10 years. Chair Lindahl stated certified playground inspectors document the condition of the playgrounds and the Commission trusts staff to bring forward playgrounds that need © replacement. He said the Commission bases their decisions on staff reports. Commissioner Strombeck asked what happens to the space if the City were to take out the equipment and not replace it. Chair Lindahl replied it is park property for perpetuity. Commissioner Widmyer stated the area would become a grass field. Chair Lindahl replied it would still need maintenance, such as mowing. Commissioner Strombeck stated it is a tough decision for her because the neighborhood has large lots. Commissioner Newton agreed but said the surveys helped her become aware that it gets used and is important to the neighborhood. Commissioner Miskowiec said if people want them to pull the equipment because it is not getting used, he is fine with that. Commissioner Widmyer stated four of the surveys said they want active facilities for children. Chair Lindahl suggested downsizing the swing set. Mr. Grode stated Strootman Park was scaled back due to neighborhood feedback and the © Commission can do the same thing with Woodland Meadows. Mr. Grode said they look for ways to refurbish equipment and if that is not possible, they look at replacement. Regular Andover Park & Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes —December 3, 2020 Page 7 © UPDATE OFMNDNR GRANT OPPORTUNITIES121-06 Assistant Public Works Director Haas stated the Park and Recreation Commission is requested to consider Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Recreational Grant opportunities. He provided a list of grants and suggested the Local Trail Connection Program and the Outdoor Recreation Grant Program. Mr. Haas identified Kelsey Round Lake Park as a good candidate for the Outdoor Recreation Grant Program. He stated there is a section of the trail that is low and gets flooded. Mr. Haas also stated the boardwalk needs replacement at some point. Mr. Haas reported there is nothing identified in the capital improvement program for replacement right now. He said projects need to be in the Capital Improvement Plan before the DNR will consider approving a grant. Commissioner Strombeck asked that these items be included in the CIP discussions. Commissioner Widmyer asked if the grant can be used for pickleball. Mr. Haas stated pickleball would qualify. The Commission supported acquiring a grant for outdoor pickleball courts. OUTSTANDING ITEMS 1. Andover Community Center Advisory Committee Update: Commissioner © Strombeck stated the Community Center is closed through December 18 due to the Governor's Executive Order. She reported Community Center staff are taking the closed time to finish items from the expansion project. The ice is out on the old rink and staff are working on maintenance projects. The pro shop is moving to a new location to service both rinks for skate rental. She stated the Community Center is moving to online reservations for all activities and users need to purchase tickets prior to coming to the Community Center. She stated the Advisory Committee will meet in December. 2. Completed Projects: nothing to report. 3. On -going Projects: Mr. Haas reviewed the remaining on -going items. He said the Council approved the 2021 Park Dedication Fees and asked the Commission to review and reduce projects in the CIP. Mr. Grode updated the Commission on playground equipment. Mr. Grode stated staff walked through the bike trail and identified trees and brush that needs to be removed. Mr. Grode said a couple dozen larger trees will need to come down. Mr. Haas reported staff will meet with a consultant to begin the feasibility study of pickleball courts. 4. On -Hold Projects —nothing to report 5. Other Items of Interest —Mr. Haas provided an update on pedestrian trails projects. © 6. Parks Maintenance Update: Mr. Grode provided a report on maintenance completed since the last meeting. He stated the City is getting warming houses ready Regular Andover Park & Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes —December 3, 2020 Page 8 so they can be open if allowed. He stated picnic tables have been delivered to rinks to be used for skate changing. Mr. Grode said they are hoping to start flooding December 13 with the goal of opening at the end of December. Commissioner Widmyer asked if it was okay to have outdoor ice if the Governor's order is still in effect. Mr. Grode replied they are moving forward with preparing for rinks hoping they will be open. He said they are looking at installing timers on the rink lights if warming houses are not open. Mr. Haas stated rink information will be posted on the City's website. CHAIR'S REPORT Commissioner Strombeck said there was tree down at Round Lake by the public access. Mr. Haas stated staff will check it out. Commissioner Strombeck said she recommends bumping the pickleball study back another year because the Commission is being conservative on how it spends their dollars. Mr. Haas reported the City Council has approved the pickleball courts in the Capital Improvement Program. Commissioner Strombeck asked if the City Council can look at it again. Chair Lindahl stated the City Council strongly supported the study and they want it built earlier than planned. Mr. Haas recommended the study be done so the Park Commission can have a better understanding of the cost and allocate funds in the CIP. a ADJOURNMENT Motion by Miskowiec, seconded by Strombeck, to adjourn the meeting at 8:27 p.m. Motion passed unanimously. Respectfully Submitted, Shari Kunza, Recording Secretary TimeSaver Off Site Secretarial, Inc. C