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081208 PK MIN JT CITY OF SHOREWOOD 5735 COUNTRY CLUB ROAD JOINT PARK COMMISSION AND SOUTHSHORE COMMUNITY CENTER CITY COUNCIL MEETING 6:15 PM TUESDAY, AUGUST 12, 2008 MINUTES 1. CONVENE JOINT PARK COMMISSION AND CITY COUNCIL MEETING A. Roll Call Present City Council: Mayor Lizée; Council members Woodruff, Turgeon, and Bailey; Acting City Administrator Brown; and City Engineer Landini Absent: Council member Wellens. Present Park Commission : Chair Davis; Commissioners Young, Hensley, Norman, DeMers, and Trent Absent : Commissioner Quinlan B. Review Agenda 2. STATE OF THE PARKS Park Chair Davis presented a State of the Parks PowerPoint presentation for the City Council and Commission’s review with a brief recap of each park. Manor Park: Not filamentous Algae in the pond Playground equipment in excellent shape All tennis courts need to be rehabbed in all parks Reshingling of the roof needed Bathroom and shelter expansion for warming houseneeded Updated and uniform signage for all parks necessary Chair Davis commented that a neighboring resident to the rear of the park requested that the City plant some screening along the back property line. Davis stated that the resident is in new construction and built near the park knowing where and what they would be looking at, with this in mind, she would encourage the resident to donate plantings to the City Park, similar to what other residents have done, if they chose. Bailey concurred, stating that it is not the City’s responsibility to provide them with screening from the park. Chair Davis asked CRR Representative Kristi Anderson to share how the park is currently used. Though heavily used for a neighborhood park, Anderson stated that the fields are utilized by Minnetonka Girls Softball (MGSA), South Tonka Little League (STLL), and Lacrosse cooperatively during the summer months. She pointed out that, it would be the cities intent, to move Lacrosse to Badger Park next year. JOINT PARK COMMISSION AND CITY COUNCIL MINUTES TUESDAY, AUGUST 12, 2008 PAGE 2 OF 6 Turgeon asked whether the Commission has a price tag for the Manor Park shelter expansion. Hensley stated that they had not gotten past the design phase and were unsure whether the Commission should hire a designer or have staff put together a plan. Chair Davis reiterated the need to design uniform signage throughout the City. Turgeon stated that there was discussion to make all signs consistent in design way back when the County Road interchange was completed as a part of the gateway to Shorewood look. She asked staff to find out where this is at. Norman mentioned that, by adding the improvements to Manor Park including restrooms, more programming offered to this side of Shorewood will be able to be added to the MCE schedule. Lizée stated that the upgrades make sense. Silverwood: Sign and garden both in poor condition How can the drainage and pea gravel be improved near the slide Need for a shelter here and at all parks Would a designer be helpful to redesign this park Bailey asked what the price for a shelter is. Chair Davis was uncertain, but expected roughly $40,000 for a slab and cover. With regard to the pea gravel and maintenance, she questioned under what expenditure category these would qualify, as they were not necessarily capital improvements. Bailey stated that, although he would like to find a way to build shelters and budget for that long term, on the other hand, he questioned why the maintenance piece is not getting done as it appeared in the photos. Brown pointed out that a storm had recently rolled thru town prior to the park tours and the parks were not in perfect shape. He maintained that the public works department does replace gravel and maintain the parks, noting that the erosion near the slide is a drainage issue which must be addressed. Chair Davis suggested they consider some form of walk able pavers or groundcover to hold the hillside in tact. Bailey pointed out that the tennis practice board is way too short. Southshore Skate Park; Highly used park, kids are always there using the amenities Some pieces are in a rotation to be replaced Installation of signage stating the park is under surveillance JOINT PARK COMMISSION AND CITY COUNCIL MINUTES TUESDAY, AUGUST 12, 2008 PAGE 3 OF 6 Brown noted that landscaping of the berm or island was never completed in order to keep the park safer and visible. Lizée suggested planting some of the low lying prairie plantings as another experimental site. Minnewashta Dog Park: Chair Davis included some photos of the dog park in order to show what it was the City invested in. Badger Park: Not much of a park feel Need for new park as well as tennis court signage Courts in need of rehab, highly used Update the warming house Lizée commented what a nice neighborhood park this is, however, shared other comments that there is no where to sit and watch kids play on the tot lot. She believed a shelter would be a nice addition to Badger. Chair Davis stated that she felt the garage near the senior center is an eyesore in the park. Cathcart Park: Follow-up to meeting with Chanhassen Park Commission, also concurred that shelters in all parks is a must Lights will need to be repaired or replaced The addition of a permanent shelter or warming house Chair Davis acknowledged that the City of Chanhassen would need to be approached to help share the cost of redevelopment. Bailey stated that he would not support any improvements until a new more equitable agreement with Chanhassen has been hammered out. Turgeon agreed that no more development should take place at Cathcart until we renew our partnership agreement with them. She noted that the new 50-60 home development in Chanhassen near the park is having an impact. Bailey encouraged the Commission to be proactive with Chanhassen and approach them with a real design plan. Freeman Park: Plaza is one of the best additions to the park done there There is a mess left at the ball fields near fields 1-3, debris behind buildings and sheds not being utilized Drainage area or walkway between Freeman and Shorewood Oaks is in need of repair Trails are a wonderful addition although the trails within the woods are in poor condition, down trees and debris clutter the walkway, drainage pond is in bad shape JOINT PARK COMMISSION AND CITY COUNCIL MINUTES TUESDAY, AUGUST 12, 2008 PAGE 4 OF 6 Brown stated that the public works department is in the process of recouping the gravel to fill and stabilize the walkway area. Bailey asked if the Commission anticipated any big expenditures at Freeman. Chair Davis stated that they did not anticipate any big expenses, other than perhaps improving the trail area within the woods by carving out some more natural pond areas like some of the nicer examples shown on the slides, as opposed to the drainage swamp pond that exists currently. Hensley asked if staff or Council had any design firms they would recommend the Commission contact to begin the planning phase. Lizée suggested they consider bidding out designs and tap into an environmental fund. Chair Davis reiterated the need for standard shelters being built throughout the community and suggested they ask a consultant to look at their ideas to create a standardized look for shelters and signage. She also suggested the City consider entering into trail talks again, maintaining that it is a different time and place than it was years past. She stressed the need for safe passage for kids and people using the roadways. Lizée pointed out that Shorewood does not own the right of ways on many parcels. She hoped the greater community might be engaged to build support to make it happen, but cautioned it would take time. Discussion: Woodruff pointed out that the Council held a budget meeting the previous evening and stated that he’d hoped the Commission would present the Council with a prioritized list of items and cost breakouts for them to look at and consider tonight. He noted that all of the items and projects hinted at this evening were brought up last year too and had not yet been even embarked on in some form. He stated that the Council needs a plan from the Commission to act on, if it is new shelters, then the Council needs a recommendation from the Commission which can be voted on. Chair Davis stated that she has found it extremely difficult to get prices and plans from staff to act on. Lizée stated that it sounded as if the Commission had priorities it would like to accomplish, including building a relationship with Chanhassen. She encouraged the Commission to make some recommendations to the Council with regard to what they’d like to accomplish at Badger and Manor Parks. Woodruff stated that maybe the Commission needs funding to add more maintenance dollars to the budget, but if so, the Commission must make a recommendation and plead its case. Chair Davis stated that the Commission has been hesitant to spend any money because it is all of the money the Commission has left for life. Woodruff stated that until the Council has plans or recommendations to look at to know what the priorities are nothing can get done. He stated that, to him, roads and parks are high priorities. JOINT PARK COMMISSION AND CITY COUNCIL MINUTES TUESDAY, AUGUST 12, 2008 PAGE 5 OF 6 Bailey stated that he would be open to increasing the annual investment of $15,000 to parks if there is a need and the infrastructure demands it. Hensley asked if the cost of a consultant is covered. Lizée stated that the City is willing to work with professional services if there is a need that is not being met in house. Brown stated that there is only a limited amount of staff time available to spend on each priority, especially when the priorities continue to change. He noted that, while tennis courts have taken a great deal of time, other items have gotten in the way of getting RFP’s out or meeting numerous directives. Woodruff stated that if the only way to break the log jam that has been created is to hire someone to write the RFP’s, then the City can do so. Hensley stated that he would like to have an RFP written to include the design of structures in certain parks, and if the Commission recommends the need, and the City Council budgets it, then each item should go out to RFP Trent stated that the Commission has already identified a lot of things it wants to get done, but it does not have a plan or have them listed by priority. Woodruff stated that the Council needs to see the wish list with prices tag assigned to each priority. Brown stated that some of this work is done and that the estimates on the wish list thus far are good numbers, noting that they cannot get actual price quotes for everything. Brown stated that he understood the Commission’s angst, there is only $280,000 available and that is it, the Commission is concerned that when this is gone that will be the end of the road. He noted however, that what he was hearing from the Council was that additional funding will be available as needed. Trent asked what the deadline was to get the funding into the budget cycle. Lizée stated that the deadline is September 15, as this is the date a tentative budget must be completed in draft form. Woodruff asked whether the Commission would like to have the Council put some budget holders in place for some of the things they’d like to accomplish. He noted that there would be a budget thth meeting on August 25, and a Council meeting on September 8 at which they would be adopting there draft budget. Bailey stated that it sounded to him as if the Commission was experiencing analysis paralysis. He pointed out that the Commission must be willing to spend what it has before concerning itself with the what if’s when the budget is gone. Chair Davis stated that the impression she has gotten over time has been not to spend the Commission budget. JOINT PARK COMMISSION AND CITY COUNCIL MINUTES TUESDAY, AUGUST 12, 2008 PAGE 6 OF 6 Woodruff encouraged the Commission to lay out its priorities and price tags accordingly, with a portion of dollars for unexpected incidentals set aside. 11. ADJOURN The City Council and Park Commission Joint Meeting adjourned to the Regular Park Commission Meeting at 7:32p.m. RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED, Kristi B. Anderson Recorder