Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutOctober 5, 2011Regular Park & Recreation Commission Meeting October 5, 2011 (Rescheduled from October 6, 2011) 7:00 P.M. 1. Call to Order 2. Resident Forum 3. Approval of Minutes (9/15/11) 4. Consider Application for Scheduled Use of Recreational Facilities /Andover Athletics -Adult Men's Baseball 5. Outstanding Items 6. 7. Chair's Report 8. Adjournment © 7:10 P.M. or Shortly ThereafterMorkshoa Session A. Workshop Session 1. Discuss Use of Park Facilities with Athletic Associations and School Districts /11 -34, Cont. 2. Discuss Cell Tower @ Rose Park 3. Update Park Comprehensive Plan and Future Playground Equipment Replacement/Discuss Philosophy of Park Development, Cont. E ND OVE 0 PARKAND RECREATION COMMISSION MEETING — OCTOBER S, 2011 MINUTES The Regular Bi- Monthly Meeting of the Andover Park and Recreation Commission was called to order by Chair Butler on October 5, 2011, 7:02 p.m., at the Andover City Hall, 1685 Crosstown Boulevard NW, Andover, Minnesota. Commissioners Present: Chair Ted Butler, Tony Kowalewski, Andrew Melberg, Mark Miskowiec, and Shaun Van Vark Commissioners Absent: Vice Chair Jim Lindahl and Shan Ramnath Also Present: Assistant Public Works Director, Todd Haas Others RESIDENT FORUM There were no comments at this time. Motion by Melberg, seconded by Miskowiec, to close the resident forum. Motion carried on a 5 -ayes, 0 -nays, 2- absent ( Lindahl and Ramnath) vote. APPROVAL OFMINUTES There were no changes. Motion by Kowalewski, seconded by Van Vark, to approve the September 15, 2011 Park Commission minutes as presented. Motion carried on a 5 -ayes, 0 -nays, 2- absent ( Lindahl and Ramnath) vote. CONSIDER APPLICATION FOR SCHEDULED USE OF RECREATIONAL FACILITIES /ANDOVER ATHLETICS —ADULT MEN'S BASEBALL Mr. Haas reviewed this item is in regard to consider a request by the Andover Athletics — Adult Men's Baseball to play 10 games at Andover Station North Ball Field Facility. The submitted application was provided for Commission review. Mr. Haas stated this is an unusual request as most applications for the following year are not considered by the Park Commission until the 3` Thursday in March and generally youth has first priority on use of the fields. A home field is needed to be established before they would be io accepted into the league. Regular Andover Park & Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes —October 5, 2011 Page 2 4 C� Mr. Haas stated the options for the Park Commission to consider are: • Approve the application with the understanding that the games will have to be scheduled around the Andover Baseball Association tournaments and regular league games. • Table the request for use of the fields until March 15 which is the day the Park Commission considers applications from all associations or other groups that would like to use the facilities for upcoming season. • Deny the request and require the applicant to resubmit prior to the deadline of when applications are due which is March 1 2012. Commissioner Miskowiec asked if there was a priority for this request. Mr. Haas stated the applicant needs to secure a home field before being accepted into the league to play. There would be Andover residents on the team. Mr. Joe Ruhland, President of the Andover Baseball Association stated he did have some discussions with Mr. Dunham. His recommendation would be to accommodate this new amateur team and work them into the schedule. Mr. Ruhland stated the Andover Baseball Association is comfortable with working 10 games into the schedule at Andover Station North and possibly the high school fields. It was noted there is some maintenance that needs to be done to the ASN fields after each game that is played by this group. Chair Butler suggested this group go through field maintenance training along with the coaches. This team would be charged a fee and those funds received would go into the maintenance fund for the fields. Chair Butler suggested preliminary approval be given for Mr. Dunham to work with Andover Baseball Association in scheduling 10 games at ASN and the high school fields contingent on ABA getting priority for the use of the fields. Commission Melberg asked if this application is accepted at this time instead of in March when normally the applications would be reviewed. He would suggest tabling the request. Mr. Haas stated all they are looking for is a commitment from the City that 10 home games could be scheduled. Chair Butler suggested a motion in support of the idea of this amateur team having their home field in Andover. Commissioner Van Vark suggested we add that this was approved with specific circumstances which may address problems in the future. Chair Butler stated no schedule would be approved until next March and all we'd be doing is allowing them to use the fields as their home field and schedule with ABA. Mr. Ruhland stated Mr. Dunham needs to have commitment to have an amateur team and Mr. Ruhland would like to see an amateur team in Andover. U Regular Andover Park & Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes — October 5, 2011 Page 3 © Commissioner Kowalewski asked if the fields are locked now as there were motorcycles going around the bases. Chair Butler stated he would not support locking the fields as members of the community should be able to use the park facilities. Mr. Ruhland stated more softball players are being chased off the baseball fields. Motion by Miskowiec, seconded by Kowalewski, to approve the application with the understanding that the games will have to be scheduled around the Andover Baseball Association tournaments and regular league games giving this Amateur team the ability to call Andover its home field. Motion carried on a 5 -ayes, 0 -nays, 2- absent (Lindahl and Ramnath) vote. 71 001019 ii'_ICl Mr. Haas reviewed the outstanding items providing updates on On -Going Projects, On- Hold Projects, Task Force Updates and Other Items of Interest. CHAIR'S REPORT Chair Butler stated he received an inquiry from a resident on the dog park website. Mr. Haas stated there have been $600 in donations received. Commissioner Kowalewski stated there are 15 -20 bluebird houses that Mr. Starr needs to approve locations for. Commissioner Miskowiec stated he would like to add to the next meeting a discussion regarding the west parking lot at Sunshine Park and who is using it. Commissioner Kowalewski stated homecoming is tomorrow night 7 p.m. against Blaine. Commissioner Van Vark stated Dan Coe placed 3` in the X Games who uses the skate park in the City. Chair Butler congratulated Tony Howard as being named the new Councilmember replacing Don Jacobson. ADJOURNMENT OF REGULAR MEETING Motion by Melberg, seconded by Miskowiec, to adjourn the regular meeting at 7:25 pm. Motion carried on a 5 -ayes, 0 -nays, 2- absent (Lindahl and Ramnath) vote. A Special Work Session Meeting of the Andover Park and Recreation Commission was called to order by Chair Butler on October 5, 2011, at 7:25 p.m. Commissioners Present: Chair Ted Butler, Tony Kowalewski, Andrew Melberg, 0 Mark Miskowiec, and Shaun Van Vark Regular Andover Park & Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes — October 5, 2011 Page 4 © Commissioners Absent: Vice Chair Jim Lindahl and Shan Ramnath Also Present: Assistant Public Works Director, Todd Haas Others DISCUSS USE OFPARK FACILITIES WITHATHLETICASSOCL4TIONSAND SCHOOL DISTRICTS /11 -34 CONT. Chair Butler reviewed the options discussed at the previous meeting with the associations. The options discussed were the addition of new fields, putting in outdoor artificial turf on one of the fields or constructing a year -round covered dome. The City would need support from the associations for a feasibility study. All attendees introduced themselves and their organizations. Twila Hauck Brad Schotzko Joe Ruhland Tom Redmann Scott Skrypek O Kris Hoberg John Maurstad Rich Wilkie Barb Anderson Andover Football Association. Andover Area Lacrosse Association Andover High School Lacrosse Booster Club Andover Baseball Association (ABA) ABA Anoka Hennepin School District ISD #11 North Metro Soccer Association (NMSA) Andover Traveling Boys Basketball Andover Boys Basketball Andover High School Football Program NMSA Twila Hauck stated at her board meetings football felt an indoor facility would be preferred with second preference being outdoor turf. Youth lacrosse felt an indoor facility would be utilized for tryouts. The Andover Lacrosse Booster Club would use 200 hours at an indoor facility. Ms. Hauck stated outdoor turf would be better than nothing. Fees would need to be raised to help pay for the use of the space. Rich Wilkie representing Andover High School Football Program stated since the school does not have an indoor field house, there would be a fair number of hours between November and March that would be used for training. Summer football training could also be done in the indoor facility. There may be times during the season when there are weather issues. He stated the Andover Football Booster Club could commit to 50 hours in an indoor facility. Currently they are renting the National Sports Center in Blaine for training. The turf fields at Osseo and Maple Grove were very nice to play on. Andover Traveling Boys Basketball was represented and Chair Butler asked if the facility could be used for anything without hoops. Ms. Hoberg stated it has been difficult to find places to play. They would like to see the facility have multi -use and have some © basketball courts within the facility. In some existing dome facilities sport court is put on Regular Andover Park & Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes — October 5, 2011 Page 5 top of the artificial turf so that they can play basketball. Andover Traveling Boys Basketball indicated they would use the indoor facility a lot if basketball courts were provided and they could commit to quite a few hours (50 -60 a week) from October to March and fewer hours during the off season but they could use it year round. There are not enough facilities within the City to meet their demands. The scheduling in the schools is done district wide so if someone wants to play at Oakview Middle School they are not necessarily an Andover team. Portable baskets could be utilized in an indoor facility. The girls teams and in -house teams were not represented at the meeting but it was determined the facility would be used. Barb Anderson, North Metro Soccer Association stated an indoor track program would also be most likely using the indoor facility. Scott Skrypek stated currently they run 40 soccer teams. Currently they commit to the training facilities around $20,000. The Soccer Association is currently spending $60,000 outside of their community for training facilities. They could probably commit to 500 — 600 hours of an indoor facility. There might be some last minute requests if the weather were bad. Commissioner Van Vark stated if a domed field is available and an outdoor field is being over -used there may be an issue of limiting some of the time being used on some of the outdoor fields. © Rich Wilkie does not believe an indoor facility would be not utilized. If you scheduled the indoor facility for a practice you would know you'd be able to have that practice no matter what the weather is. Other communities may want to use our facility. The North Metro Soccer Association board is in support of an indoor facility with turf. Rich Wilkie stated the Vadnais Heights dome managers stated they wished they would have built a dome twice as large as they currently have. Basketball would need to know how long and how much money it costs to convert from a turf football field to 4 basketball courts. North Metro Soccer Association representative said that if full size indoor field were built, games could be scheduled inside during the summer season. Baseball could use it for training, tryouts and could commit to year round utilization. Mr. Rubland stated there are a number of trainers in the area and utilization would not be an issue. If batting cages were included they would be used. There are 72 baseball teams in the City. Softball was not represented and Mr. Ruhland stated they would most likely utilize an indoor facility. The height of the dome would need to be at least 75' high. Tom Redmann from the Anoka Hennepin School District stated the big issue is cost. The © turf life is approximately 10 years. There is maintenance for the turf. If all the hours that Regular Andover Park & Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes — October S, 2011 Page 6 were expressed tonight that would take care of the depreciation. There are many costs associated with heating, cooling and other utilities for a facility. A feasibility study would be critical. Chair Butler stated he is certain other communities and associations would be interested in using a facility. He asked if the associations would be willing to pay for outdoor turf rental. Soccer said they would and youth football agreed if that was the option. Commissioner Miskowiec asked if volleyball could use the same floor as basketball. Mr. Haas stated volleyball sent an email stating they would use the indoor facility. Commissioner Kowalewski asked if there was a possibility to add an indoor track. Perhaps a yearly fee could be charged for runners. There could be corporate rentals also for events. Commissioner Van Vark stated it is surprising a for profit company isn't seeing the need and building something like this. Rich Wilkie suggested the Commission look at Lake Barrington, IL facility. © Commissioner Kowalewski suggested those associations that are not represented be contacted for input. Chair Butler thanked everyone for coming to the meeting. The next step would be to meet with the City Council and invite the associations to attend that meeting. The Commission will make a recommendation on how to pursue this with the City Council. A successful outcome of that meeting would be approval for a feasibility study to be prepared. DISCUSS CELL TOWER @ ROSE PARK Chair Butler has been discussing the concern that he has raised with the City Administrator over the last couple weeks concerning why funds that are being collected are going to the utility fund and not to the park improvement fund for Rose Park since the elevated water tower is located on dedicated park property. The Council approved the lease agreement with Clear Wireless LLC stating the funds would go to the utility fund. There is no current plan to remove the elevated water tower as there had been. Mr. Haas suggested this be discussed with the Council at the upcoming joint workshop meeting. UPDATE PARK COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND FUTURE PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT REPLACEMENTIDISCUSS PHILOSOPHY OF PARK DEVELOPMENT, CONT. Regular Andover Park & Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes — October 5, 2011 Page 7 Mr. Haas stated staff was able to address everything that was raised at the joint meeting. Councilmember Trude submitted a list of comments that were not representative of the entire Council's thoughts. Mr. Haas will work with staff to assign dollar amounts to the park improvements. The October 20'' meeting will be held and Mr. Haas will pull together the agenda items. ADJOURNMENT Motion by Miskowiec, seconded by Melberg, to adjourn the meeting at 8:45 p.m. Motion carried on a 5 -ayes, 0 -nays, 2- absent (Lindahl and Ramnath) vote. Respectfully Submitted, Debbie Wolfe, Recording Secretary Timesaver Off Site Secretarial, Inc. H [,III