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050493 PK MINCITY OF SHOREWOOD PARK COMMISSION MEETING TUESDAY, MAY 4, 1993 MINUTES CALL TO ORDER BADGER PARK WARMING HOUSE 5755 COUNTRY CLUB ROAD 7:00 PM Following the 6:00 PM tour of Cathcart and Freeman Parks, and Crescent Beach, Chairman Dzurak called the meeting to order at 8:15 p.m. The Vice Chair's report on the tour is attached to these minutes for reference. 1:101NMOM N0 Present: Chairman Dzurak, Commissioners Fuller, Laberee, Lindstrom, and McCarty; Administrator Hurm; and Park Planners Koegler and Chamberlain (Public Works Director Zdrazil was present for the tour) Absent: Commissioners Andrus, Bensman, Wilson, and Council Liaison Benson 1. APPRROVAL OF MINUTES No minutes were approved at this meeting. 2. SNOWMOBILE REPORT FROM SLMPSD Present for this discussion was Dan Puzak, President of the South Tonka Snowmobile Club. Police Chief Richard Young and Southwest Trail Association Trail Coordinator Bill Kullberg sent written reports to the Commission. Those reports are attached to these minutes for reference. Mr. Puzak reported that the Sno Patrol is attempting to work more and more with the Hennepin County Water Patrol to increase enforcement. The Sno Patrol is not a vigilante organization, it is simply there to educate and encourage snowmobilers to follow the rules. He asked that the Police Department and City of Shorewood work with him to identify locations for speed signs for snowmobiling, and to find a way to minimize vandalism. He said that the Sno Patrol wants to emphasize curtesy, rules of the road, and respect, rather than passing laws and enforcing laws. He stated that the Snowmobile Organization does not intend to groom the trail. They purposely leave it rough so it is difficult to go more than 20 m.p.h. It was the consensus of the Commission that this is a good policy. He further stated that there are a number of issues which could be discussed further to emphasize courtesy and respect. One possibility would be to consider an ordinance requiring snowmobilers to pull over when meeting a pedestrian. CITY OF SHOREWOOD PARK COMMISSION MEETING TUESDAY, MAY 4, 1993 - Page two J. Hurm offered to communicate with Chief Young to work with the Sno Patrol members and Public Works Department to develop a plan for snowmobile signage. Mr. Puzak indicated that the Snowmobile Club would be interested in taking care of installation. Dzurak said he knows the Commission appreciates the fact that the Sno Patrol's aim is public relations, not chasing or stopping snowmobiles, or getting involved in physical disputes, because the latter would present grave concerns over City liability, as well as Sno Patrol liability and their physical safety. 3. MEET WITH PARK PLANNER ON REVISED PARK PLANS (CATHCART & FREEMAN) Following discussions it was determined that the volleyball area would be removed from the Cathcart Park drawing, and that the playground area would be located near the originally designated volleyball court location. It was determined that the trail near the soccer fields in Freeman Park should be moved further to the west some time in the future to allow utilization of additional fields. Hurm will request from Zdrazil an estimate of effort required. 4. FURTHER DISCUSSION BETWEEN PLAYGROUND AND BUILDING CONMITTEES AND PARK PLANNERS This item had been completed at the previous meeting. 5. REPORTS No reports. 6. MATTERS FROM THE FLOOR None. 7. AD JOURNME N T Lindstrom moved, Laberee seconded, to adjourn the meeting at 9:10 PM. The motion carried unanimously. RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED James C. Hurm city Administrator SHOREWOOD PARKS TOUR - MAY 4, 1993 by Jennifer McCarty Present: Commissioners Gordon Lindstrom, Steve Dzurak, Jennifer McCarty & Mark Laberee; Park Planners Bruce Chamberlain and Mark Koegler; and Public Works Director Don Zdrazil CATHCART PARK The Cathcart tour started at the basketball court. Condition of the court is satisfactory - recommendation is to leave the court in place. Comrnission would like to see if the court can be asphalted in a brick or green tone, if the cost is low. Sun makes the court extremely hot. PC anticipates moving the swing set located near the basketball court in the future so it will be with the rest of the playground equipment. The slide will be removed. Zdrazil reported that the tennis court is scheduled for resurfacing this summer. If possible, both courts might be done at the same time to save money. The northeast corner of the fence is pulled away and needs maintenance. Playground area looks good. Minor maintenance includes hammering down some nails on the existing equipment. Another concern was the parking situation on W. 62nd. Cars pull up on the grass all summer. Request is for two new "no parking" signs (The one current sign is quite faded). V -hk I Freeman tour began at the new Little League concession /storage building. PC had questions about the lack of soffets and fascia. Everyone agreed trim colors should be a wood tone to blend in with the break away brick and timber blend shingles. Concerns indude the building footings, located in the porch area. The wood posts rest on the concrete - Jim Hurm asked if they will be able to breathe. Fencing will be removed and placed directly next to the building. PC recommends shrubbery where the fence is now. Also, the area around the building could use some ag lime so that people don't walk in mud. Going down the road all felt - at some undergrowth could be removed so that there is a better view and possible access to the marsh area. Some of the trees are perfect size and shape for relocating. Laberee and Wilson will tag them in the fall, as well as some on the north side of the wetlands. There are two pieces of metal protruding from the east dugout. Commission questioned the holding area at the parking lot - is there another space for the dirt, sod, chips, etc? Koegler pointed out the tennis court area and the fact that a water line is located there. The Little drainage area where the road curves is a magnet for four wheelers. Discussed putting in boulders or bollard to stop the vehicles from ripping up the grass. No one wants a long line of bollards. Hedges or trees are recommended to end the traffic on the sod. Laberee suggested bare root Columnar Norways - Lindstrom suggests Amur Maple. Fitting leaking on the water fountain. Zdrazil reports it has been vandalized and restored. Laberee would like to see a master plan for the tree relocation, 50 to 100 trees could be moved. With continuing problems with snowmobilers trespassing into the park via the entrance from the hiking /biking path, it is suggested that the bollards be placed so that walkers, bikers, etc. can gain entry. A metal strip, plank and pin system could be used so that maintenance vehicles can easily access the park. The trail from that could be moved closer to the trees so that a few more soccer fields can be added. The drainage area in the woods off the trail could be improved - perhaps as an Eagle Scout project? What is the progress on the trail markings discussed for the trails? What about upgrading the trail materials? The wood chips disintegrate quickly. Little stumps are left near the trail, someone could trip on them. Lindstrom suggests some kind of pathway between the two adjoining ballfields so that people can get to the north end of the park without going all the way around on the road. It seems one field would just need to lose the right field corner for the pathway to happen. When and if a parking lot goes in near there, that would be the time to do it. CRESCENT BEACH Crescent Beach looks fine. Should there be a picnic table there? Vandalism is a concern. Laberee suggests chaining a table to the log so that it cannot be moved. Does Tonka Bay have a spare table? / SOUTH LAKE NIINNETONKA PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTNLENT 810 Excelsior Boulevard Excelsior, Minnesota 55331 • A YOUNG (612) 474 -3261 Chief of Police -P?r, I J M E M O R A N D U M To: City of Shorewood Park Commission Through: James C. Hurm, Cit Administrator From: Chief Richard Young Date: April 15, 1993 Subject: 1992/1993 Snowmobile Season Your memorandum of April 5, 1993 asks me for a report on the snowmobile season, particularly as it relates to four areas. * How did the snowmobile season go? • It is our opinion that the season went fine. Details provided below are the basis for this opinion. * Number of complaints compared with previous years. The numbers for snowmobile related "Initial Complaint Reports" increased dramatically last year over the previous year. However, they were the same as the 1990/1991 season. I only went back three years. In my opinion, they were certainly within acceptable limits. Given the number of persons available to make complaints such as residents, other trail users and even other snowmobilers, I think 10 trail related complaints is extremely low for a complete season. I would also like to point out that there were at least two complaints of late night snowmobilers that were located by enforcement personnel who were on their way home and, therefore, not in violation of the Shorewood snowmobile ordinance. One can only guess how many other late night trail complaints that were called in by residents (and the snowmobiles not contacted), were actually not violations because they were going home. This department has increased its specific patrol of the trail over the past three years. Enforcement related Initial Complaint Reports- are highlighted in pink on the attached printouts. In addition to these specific cases, the officers observe the trail any time they have an occasion to be in the area. I also know that the Hennepin County Sheriff's Department and Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Conservation Wardens also patrolled the trail at various times last season. Of course, the City of Shorewood � ovER — Serving South Lake Minnetonka Communities of Excelsior, Greenwood, Shorewood and Tonka Bay Snow Patrol also would have had contacts on the trail. these efforts indicate a very strong enforcement presence trail system during the past snowmobile season. However, driver of a car knows, short of stationing an enforcement every half mile on every street 24 hours a day, there violators. The following is a breakdown of the ICR's by season: Enforcement Trail ICR's Related 90/91 15 8 91/92 11 1 92/93 25 10 * Effectiveness of Snow Patrol All of on the as any officer will be Non -Trail Other Unknown Related 12 1 0 4 0 0 7 2 2 While I emphasize that the Snow Patrol reports to the City of Shorewood and not to the Police Department, it is our perception that the City of Shorewood Snow Patrol is doing what it was organized to do. I know they have followed up on complaints received by this office. I also know they have conducted public relations check points along the trail. There has been no conflict between their members and officers of this department. As part of our agreement with the City of Shorewood and the Snow Patrol, we did conduct another training session for new members this past season. We also did background checks on quite a few new applicants for the City of Shorewood Snow Patrol. One can only guess of what the complaints might have been without the Snow Patrol. I also do not know how they were received when • they contacted various complainants. I would suggest the Park Commission ask for a report from the Snow Patrol themselves, if they have not already done so. * Comments and recommendations for improvements. Speaking only from our limited perspective, I have no urgent recommendations for improvements. I would like to suggest that some City of Shorewood staff member or perhaps a member of the Park Commission be assigned responsibility to work with the Snow Patrol and be their official contact with the city, if this has not already been done. That person would then be much more knowledgeable of the overall performance of the Snow Patrol. Again, technically they are an organization recognized and approved by the City of Shorewood and are only peripherally connected to the police department. This department has always had very good cooperation from the Snow Patrol. We support their continued mission. SOUTHWEST Southwest Trail Association S s o L � P.O. Box 34 Navarre, Minnesota 55392 April 28, 1993 Shorewood Park Commission 5755 County Club Road Shorewood, MN 55331 RE: SnoPatrol Report for the 1992 -93 season. Dear Chairman and Fellow Commissioners: The Shorewood SnoPatrol had a very positive snowmobile season with good participation of its members. The establishment of a new snowmobile club in Shorewood has enabled us to increase our membership to 15. All have been through - orientation -with the South • Lake Minnetonka Public Safety Department. The SnbPatrol. was :very %visi.ble on . the - t.:rail -at the beginning of the season. Attached is a report submitted to Chief Young for issues arising in late December and the first half of January. We were not contacted again until the middle of February. A letter sent to the City Council from a lady resident living on Woodside Road was investigated and we reported directly to the City Council on February 22, 1993. Briefly, the woman complained of snowmobile tracks cutting across the corner of the property at Woodside Road and Howard's Point Road. The person complaining was not the proper land owner. Following up on the complaint, we contacted the owner of the property. The impression we received from him, was that we were more concerned about the problem than he was. We gave him two NO SNOWMOBILING signs to post on his property for next year if wanted to use them. The last item we received in February dealt with the wet lands east of Howard's Point Road and north of Smithtown Road. We addressed this issue last June (see attached) and the same resident contacted the City again _In February. No official complaint was filed. Please note that he is not the property owner. He was however contacted by phone and a drive by of the area was done by the SnoPatrol. SnoPatrol Report page 2 Since the official land owner did not make the complaint, is an absente land owner and the wet land issue deals' with a city ordinance, the SnoPatrol did not post this property. We request that the Park Commission discuss this issue and if it needs attention, pass any recommendations on to the City Council. Suggested course of action for the wet lands: Have the City post signs on City right away that abuts the property stating the area is a protected wet land, (eg. the red signs in Freeman Park for no motorized traffic on the cross country ski trail). As Trail Coordinator for the Southwest Trail Association, I would like to thank the City Council and the Park Commission for dealing with snowmobile issues objectively. In the future I believe we should work together on an official map outlining where the proper signs should be place in the City. Please feel free to contact me at any time. Sincerely, Y Bill Kullberg, Tra' koord cc: Chief Young, SLMPSD