Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutOctober 20, 2011C I T Y O F p ND0AVE A 1685 CROSSTOWN BOULEVARD N.W. • ANDOVER, MINNESOTA 55304 • (763) 755 -5100 FAX (763) 755 -8923 • WWW.CI.ANDOVER.MN.US Regular Park & Recreation Commission Meeting October 20, 2011 7:00 P.M. 1. Call to Order 2. Resident Forum 3. Approval of Minutes (10/5/11) 4. Discuss Use of Fields by Other Associations and 2012 Fee Schedule for Parks 5. Discuss Sunshine Park West Parking Lot/Commissioner Miskowiec 6. Discuss Proposed Park Playground and Neighborhood Park Surveys 7. Update on Trail Plan and Policy 8. Anoka County Sheriffs Department 2nd Quarterly Report © 9. Park Dedication Improvement Fund 2nd Quarterly Report/Finance Department 10. Outstanding Items 11. 12. Chair's Report 13. Adjournment x TT Y j 0 F )OVE. H PARKAND RECREATION COMMISSIONMEETING —OCTOBER 20,20-11 MINUTES The Regular Bi- Monthly Meeting of the Andover Park and Recreation Commission was called to order by Chair Butler on October 20, 2011, 7:00 p.m., at the Andover City Hall, 1685 Crosstown Boulevard NW, Andover, Minnesota. Commissioners Present: Chair Ted Butler, Tony Kowalewski, Vice Chair Jim Lindahl, Andrew Melberg, Mark Miskowiec, and Shan Ramnath Commissioners Absent: Shaun Van Vark Also Present: Assistant Public Works Director, Todd Haas Others RESIDENT FORUM There were no comments at this time. Motion by Ramnath, seconded by Miskowiec, to close the resident forum. Motion carried on a 6 -ayes, 0 -nays, 1- absent (Van Vark) vote. APPROVAL OFMINUTES There were no changes. Motion by Melberg, seconded by Kowalewski, to approve the October 5, 2011 Park Commission minutes as presented. Motion carried on a 4 -ayes, 0 -nays, 2- present ( Lindahl and Ramnath), 1- absent (Van Vark) vote. DISCUSS USE OF FIELDS BY OTHER ASSOCIATIONS AND 2012 FEE SCHEDULE FOR PARKS Mr. Haas reviewed the Commission is requested to discuss the use of City parks and facilities by youth association programs that are not Andover teams and determine if the 2012 fee schedule should be amended to reflect a fee for use when 2 teams from other programs play each other on Andover fields or facilities. Regular Andover Park & Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes — October 20, 2011 Page 2 © Mr. Haas reviewed it has been brought to staff's attention recently that 2 teams from other associations played games against each other at one of the fields at Prairie Knoll Park. Staff did contact the Andover Football Association (AFA) about this and they indicated that teams from associations outside of Andover did get scheduled on Andover fields. Staff is not clear on the discussions that AFA had with the league scheduler at the beginning of the season about other associations playing against each other and using Andover's fields. Staff has received an email from the league scheduler as to how they schedule games and his opinion about having two teams from other associations playing against each other on other cities fields. A list of games that were scheduled for 2011 fall football season was provided for Commission review. The Andover Football Association has offered to pay the City for all the games but based on the 2011 adopted fee schedule, there are no fees required for teams from other communities that do not play an Andover team. The Park and Recreation Commission is requested to discuss the use of City parks and facilities by other youth associations programs that are not Andover teams and determine if the 2012 fee schedule should be amended to reflect a fee for use when 2 teams from other programs play against each other on Andover fields or facilities. Ms. Twila Hauck, Andover Football Association, had submitted some emails and was present at the meeting. Chair Butler stated there were games played by other teams in the league that Andover Football Association participates in. He asked if she had an estimate of how many games were played by Andover Teams in other communities. Ms. Hauck estimated 10% of games are played in other cities while they are not playing that particular city's team. Commissioner Kowalewski stated 9 of the 14 games that were scheduled were under the lights. Ms. Hauck stated last year research was done to determine the cost of having the lights on. Mr. Haas stated an estimate of $5- 7/hour /field to light a field is the cost. Ms. Hauck stated the lights are not a huge expense. Commissioner Kowalewski stated last year additional fill and seeding was necessary to make the fields ready for this season. Commissioner Miskowiec asked if there is reciprocity among the cities. Ms. Hauck stated it is reciprocal. Some communities need to pay for fields however their registration costs and equipment not provided are much greater. Ms. Hauck stated without having to pay for fields Andover can keep their fees lower. Commissioner Kowalewski wants to make sure Andover is not being taken advantage of. He noted 40% of all the games played in Andover by non - Andover teams were teams from Blaine. Ms. Hauck stated there is inter - community cooperation and she does not believe Andover is being taken advantage of. Regular Andover Park & Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes — October 20, 2011 Page 3 © Commissioner Kowalewski asked if the payment to the referees is paid out of the Andover football money. Ms. Hauck stated it is. Commissioner Lindahl asked if the fields would be available if the Andover teams were not traveling. Chair Butler stated they should be careful about messing too much with the relationships the associations have with other city associations. He stated he understands how the situation comes up. He would request the schedulers attempt to reduce the number of games being played in Andover by non - Andover teams and that the fee schedule be adjusted to charge after 10 games. Commissioner Kowalewski asked Ms. Hauck her feelings on having to pay the referees for non - Andover games. Ms. Hauck stated some of the other communities pay more than Andover does and Andover does not need to pay the fees when playing outside of Andover. Mr. Haas asked what the boundaries were for the association. Ms. Hauck stated they accept Andover, Ham Lake, Oak Grove players with 92% being Andover residents. Ms. Hauck stated the City of Mounds View charges their own associations for field space. Commissioner Miskowiec asked about the Centennial fields. Ms. Hauck stated Centennial does not have any lighted fields and games are held at the middle school. They have no option to play a home game in the evening. Motion by Butler, seconded by Kowalewski, to request TCNYFL and the Andover Football Association monitor the situation and allow up to 10 league games free across all age groups and sports to be played on Andover fields. The fee after 10 games would be $20/hour /lights. Motion carried on a 6 -ayes, 0 -nays, 1- absent (Van Vark) vote. DISCUSS SUNSHINE PARK WEST PARKING LOT Commissioner Miskowiec reviewed some of the high school students have been parking at Sunshine Park west parking lot for the past few years to avoid paying the student parking lot fee at the Andover High School. He provided the Anoka- Hennepin School District No. 11 student parking lot fee policy and fees /procedures. Commissioner Miskowiec noted at the August joint meeting with the City Council the parking lot at Sunshine Park was mentioned. If improvements ($35,000) will be made to the parking lot, we need to determine who is using the parking lot. Commissioner Miskowiec suggested after the improvements are made a user fee should be charged to recoup some of the investment following the school fee schedule. Commissioner Lindahl asked how that would be monitored. Commissioner Miskowiec © stated he spoke with Anoka County and it was suggested a CSO patrol the lot. Regular Andover Park & Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes — October 20, 2011 Page 4 © Chair Butler stated his understanding is that the students are parking there to avoid paying the $100 fee. Commissioner Miskowiec stated there is a severe shortage of parking spaces at Andover High School. Commissioner Ramnath stated Anoka High School had students parking at Anoka Ice Arena and it got to the point where the Ice Arena did not allow any student parking. Chair Butler stated he has been in the Sunshine parking lot and questioned some of the activities going on after school. He suggested the Commission recommend to the City Council that a fee be charged for students parking at Sunshine Park. Commissioner Lindahl asked if the permits would be issued by the City or the school. Commissioner Kowalewski stated there is some parking near the baseball fields. Citations have been issued in these lots and also at Sunshine Park. Commissioner Miskowiec suggested both city -owned lots allow student parking for,a fee. Commissioner Melberg asked if this parking is preventing people from using the parks. Mr. Haas stated he does not believe it is an issue. Mr. Haas stated it is an absolute mess with litter that is left behind. Commissioner Melberg asked if the lots would be plowed during the winter if not for the students parking in the lots. © Motion by Miskowiec, seconded by Butler, to recommend adoption of a user fee for student parking in the Sunshine West Parking Lot and the Eveland Fields parking lot and explore cooperation with the School District. Motion carried on a 4 -ayes, 2 -nays (Melberg, Kowalewski), and 1- absent (Van Vark) vote. DISCUSS PROPOSED PARK PLAYGROUND AND NEIGHBORHOOD PARK SURVEYS The Commission is requested to consider the proposed park playground surveys for both mini parks and neighborhood parks that will be sent when a new park or reconstructed park is being considered for improvements. Mr. Haas stated at the direction of the City Council and the Park Commission is has been determined that before a new park or existing park is being considered for improvements, surveys are to be sent out to the neighborhood for their input as to what the neighborhoods would like to see in the park. Two draft surveys were prepared, one for mini parks and one for neighborhood parks. Mr. Haas stated the recommended process /policy that is being suggested by staff would be as follows. If the park is located in the rural area of the city (generally the 1.0 acre size lots or larger) the survey would be sent to everyone within 700 feet of the park boundaries. If the park is located in the residential area with lot sizes generally less than 1.0 acres (urban areas), a survey would be sent to everyone within 350 feet of the park © boundaries. Once the survey has been sent out, the neighborhoods would have 10 days to Regular Andover Park & Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes — October 20, 2011 Page 5 © respond (a date will be identified in the survey). The City will be responsible for all postage for the surveys to be sent out and will also responsible to pay postage for the survey that need to be returned back to the City. The survey will also identify the date when the Park Commission will hold a public input hearing with the neighborhood. Once the hearing is complete, the Park Commission will need to recommend to the City Council the park improvements that should be made. Mr. Haas stated as far as when new community playfields or community parks are being considered for improvements, this will need to be discussed with the City Council at the November workshop which is scheduled to include a joint meeting with the Park Commission. Mr. Haas stated the Park and Recreation Commission is requested to consider the proposed park playground (mini and neighborhood parks) surveys that will be sent when a new park or an existing park is proposed to be reconstructed for possible improvements and the process /policy for notifying the neighborhoods. Commissioner Ramnath suggested there may be some modifications to the surveys. Chair Butler asked if for a particular park other questions could be inserted in the survey. Commissioner Lindahl asked if the Commission could review the survey before it was © sent out for a specific park and possibly make some modifications. Mr. Haas stated the surveys would contain postage for returning to the City. Chair Butler suggested an online option be offered. Mr. Haas with review with the City's IT person on options and bring back to the next meeting. UPDATE ON TRAIL PLANAND POLICY Mr. Haas reviewed the Park and Recreation Commission is requested to discuss current regional trail plan and policy that have been adopted by the City Council in regards to involvement by the Park and Recreation Commission. Mr. Haas provided the protocol for the planning, design, construction and financing of pedestrian trails that was approved by the City Council in November 2002. He also provided a copy of the most current proposed Regional Trails Plan that was done just a few years ago by the Transportation Committee and approved by the City Council. The trail plan just so the Commission knows was prepared with parks in mind so that some parks could possibly be linked up at some point in the future with some of the regional trail systems. Mr. Haas reviewed staff does not feel that any changes should be made to the plan since it has gone through extensive review just a few years ago. The next time the trails plan will be reviewed is when the overall city comprehensive plan needs to be updated sometime in the next few years. C MS J Regular Andover Park & Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes — October 20, 2011 Page 6 © Commissioner Miskowiec stated residents come to the Commission with trail requests. He would not hesitate to ask the City Council to consider returning authority to the Commission for trails as they go along with parks. Commissioner Lindahl stated all requests can be directed to the City Council regarding trails. Mr. Haas stated currently there is only $50,000 in the trail fund. Grants have been applied for. Commissioner Miskowiec stated he would like to see the planning for the trail system be given back to the Park Commission. Commissioner Ramnath stated he would not want to mess with it by adding time to the grant process by having to go through the Commission also. Commissioner Lindahl stated the Commission is an advisory commission to the Council. Commissioner Kowalewski asked if the City is notified of available grants. Mr. Haas stated the City is notified. Chair Butler suggested a discussion be held with the Council on the overall trail plan and grant plan. © Mr. Haas stated trails are about $50 /foot to construct. Commissioner Miskowiec referred to Councilmember Trude's list of items she'd like to see the Commission discuss. Mr. Haas stated the protocol would be discussed at the November joint meeting. Chair Butler stated he would be in favor of having the Park Commission have a role in the trail planning. It should be discussed at the joint meeting. ANOKA COUNTYSHERIFF'SDEPARTMENT 2nd QUARTERLYREPORT Mr. Haas presented the 2 °a Quarterly Anoka County Sheriff's Department Report. He reminded residents not to leave valuables in their cars. He also reminded residents to report any suspicious activities they observe. PARKDEDICATIONIMPROVEMENT FUND 2ND QUARTERLY REPORT/FINANCE DEPARTMENT Mr. Haas provided the Project Commitment Listing Report, Balance Sheet and Revenue and Expenditure Reports for the Park Improvement Fund as of September 30, 2011. OUTSTANDING ITEMS © Mr. Haas reviewed the outstanding items providing updates on On -Going Projects, On- Hold Projects, Task Force Updates and Other Items of Interest. Regular Andover Park & Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes — October 20, 2011 Page 7 u CHAIR'S REPORT Commissioner Kowalewski stated 27 bluebird houses are close to completion. He will speak with Mr. Starr about placement in parks. Responsible residents are needed to monitor the houses. He thanked Home Depot for all the supplies. Commissioner Ramnath stated he is moving to Alaska and added this will be his last Commission meeting. He stated it was a great honor to serve the community on this Commission. Commissioner Kowalewski provided a report on Andover High School sports. ADJOURNMENT Motion by Ramnath, seconded by Lindahl, to adjourn the meeting at 8:30 pm. Motion carried on a 6 -ayes, 0 -nays, 1- absent (Van Vark) vote. Respectfully Submitted, Debbie Wolfe, Recording Secretary TimeSaver Off Site Secretarial, Inc. H