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11.26.2024 Park Commission Meeting MinutesCITY OF SHOREWOOD 5755 COUNTRY CLUB RD PARK COMMISSION MEETING SHOREWOOD CITY HALL TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2024 7:00 P.M. MINUTES 1. CONVENE PARK COMMISSION MEETING Chair Wenner convened the meeting at 7:03 p.m. A. Roll Call Present: Chair Wenner, Commissioners Hirner, Garske, DiGruttolo, Bahneman; City Council Liaison Callies; and Parks and Recreation Manager Czech Absent: None B. Review Agenda Commissioner Garske moved to approve the agenda as presented. Commissioner Bahneman seconded the motion. Motion carried 5-0. 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES A. Park Commission Meeting Minutes of October 8, 2024 Commissioner Hirner asked if the picture submitted by Mr. Brown should be included in the minutes. Park and Recreation Manager Czech stated that the picture did not need to be included in the minutes. Commissioner Hirner moved to approve the minutes of the October 8, 2024 meeting as written. Commissioner DiGrutollo seconded the motion. Motion carried 5-0. 3. MATTERS FROM THE FLOOR There were none. 4. NEW BUSINESS A. Field Use Policy Parks and Recreation Manager Czech explained that in conjunction with formalizing agreements with the local athletic associations, the idea of having an actual Field Use Policy came up. He stated that the proposed policy includes details surrounding field usage, facility use objectives, season dates for field use, the reservation process, and the overall expectations for facility use. He noted that staff felt that the policy would allow the City to build and maintain relationships with the associations and also provide clarity to the user groups about use of the City’s facilities. He explained that one of the things that has come out of working with the associations on formalizing agreements is their concern about the number of private clubs that have been popping up that PARK COMMISSION MINUTES TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2024 PAGE 2 OF 7 want some of the premier times on the fields. He stated that the athletic associations would like to have a guarantee, on their end, that if they continue to maintain their partnership with the City they will be the ones that have primary access to the fields and this policy essentially outlines that kind of relationship and also provides structure for the new user groups. Commissioner DiGruttolo asked about the facility use objectives for the policy and suggested that they should possibly include something about equity to ensure that the City is allocating time equitably. She stated that she would like this policy to be very clear and transparent so nobody can say that anyone is receiving preference over another group. Park and Recreation Manager Czech confirmed that he would add some language related to equity. Commissioner Hirner read aloud the statement within the priority level of the document that stated, ‘Reservations for City-sponsored activities may be taken at any time for any date.’ He gave the example of somebody rolling in and one of the sports facilities has a big tournament going on and somebody wants that date and asked who would ‘win’ in that scenario. Park and Recreation Manager Czech stated that statement was referring to something like the City’s Oktoberfest event. He explained that those dates and events are known well in advance and are communicated and suggested that they could change the wording to say ‘in advance’ for the City-sponsored activities because that was the intent. He clarified that it was intended to communicate that before the reservation dates are opened, the City-sponsored activities and events will have primary access for what they need. He stated that he can clarify this language to make it more clear that this was referring more to the long-standing events. Commissioner Hirner referenced I.C. and the statement at the bottom of the page which says, ‘The City reserves the right to close fields for a period of time and/or season to properly rest and preserve the turf.’ He asked how that was being manifested into the partnership agreements because the associations tend to maintain many of the fields, for example, the baseball fields. He expressed concern about the City taking away game fields during their season. Park and Recreation Manager Czech explained that it would be sort of a collaborative effort and noted that those expectations were made clear from the beginning. He stated that, for example, if it is raining, the City will close the fields and reiterated that this was an expectation that was set forth from the beginning. He stated that they want to be able to maintain these spaces for long- term use and getting one night of games in would not be looking at the long-term approach. He stated that this statement gets to the point that it makes a stipulation that if a field does get to where it could be damaged beyond repair if it continues to be used, the City needs to be able to reserve the right to close the fields. He noted that this would not be something that would come out of the blue and reiterated that it was a collaborative effort and he has found that the associations have been very understanding of this reality in order to preserve the field. Commissioner Hirner stated that he felt that the language just needed to have a bit more clarification about the explanation of why the City wanted to be able to reserve the right to do that. He stated that he did not see anything in the document regarding the start-up times. He stated that every spring, baseball, and soccer want to get out on the fields as soon as possible, and he would like there to be some language that talks about how the City was going to address when their use can actually begin. PARK COMMISSION MINUTES TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2024 PAGE 3 OF 7 Commissioner Garske suggested that they also include some sort of statement related to maintenance such as, ‘The City reserves the right to determine when the fields are available for use’ to ensure that the fields are able to be supported for the long-term. Commissioner Hirner suggested that Planning Director Darling may be able to offer some assistance in sharing how she has handled this type of communication with the associations in the past. Park and Recreation Manager Czech stated that staff is in communication with the associations as things start to warm up and have weekly updates about the likelihood of when they may be able to get out on the fields. Commissioner Garske referenced the priority levels and asked if they should potentially add a statement about giving people priority for people with recurring use. He referenced F.7. and asked if that should also specifically call out that it includes field marking. He asked if the City cared if they marked the fields and noted that if there are 20 different lines out there from different associations, it can get confusing. Commissioner Hirner stated that he thinks all of the associations mark the fields and asked if the City may want to specify what kind of marking materials they use and noted that, for example, he didn’t think the City would want them using paint, especially with the City’s BeeSafe Policy, so it may be a good idea to specify that in this document. Park and Recreation Manager Czech stated he could make that change in the language, but noted that it would essentially be specifying what the associations were already doing. Commissioner DiGruttolo stated that there was only one fine listed in the policy and noted that she felt they should have fines for some of the other violations and listed off examples such as disposal of paint cans or trash being left. She suggested that they may want to implement a warning system where they give them two chances, but for the third time, there would be a fine for violations. She stated that she felt that you either needed to incentivize people or punish them and would like the consider implementing fines for some of the other items. Council Liaison Callies noted that she did not believe the Park Commission could set fines because they were actually set within the ordinance by the City Code. She noted that they would also need to consider enforcement. Park and Recreation Manager Czech noted that enforcement was the hardest piece and believed that outside of a fine, the City’s biggest control is essentially telling them that if they keep up this behavior then their field time will go away. Commissioner DiGruttolo stated that even making that statement would be helpful to have spelled out within the document. Park and Recreation Manager Czech referenced section D. and the paragraph that makes the statements that groups of all priority levels were expected to treat the facilities as their own which includes things like field maintenance and trash removal. He stated that this also says that damage to the fields beyond normal wear and tear will result in additional fees and/or loss of field time. PARK COMMISSION MINUTES TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2024 PAGE 4 OF 7 Commissioner DiGruttolo noted that this says that this would result in additional fees, but questioned what those fees would actually be. Park and Recreation Manager Czech noted that it is hard to spell them out because there are different levels and it would be hard to say there will be a $50 fee if there is trash left behind because that could mean that there is a whole dumpster’s worth on the field or just one water bottle left behind. Commissioner DiGruttolo noted that she did not think a fine needed to always be financial and could be not being able to use the field for a period of time. Park and Recreation Manager Czech agreed and noted that would be the direction that staff would be leaning toward field time consequences. Chair Wenner stated that she would think the fines would be commensurate with having City staff go out and the staff time it took to clean up the field. She suggested that they may want to add language that says ‘neglect or damage to fields beyond normal wear and tear’ and that they add language that the additional fees would entail covering the time it took City staff to clean up the field. Commissioner Hirner cautioned that if you put one in there, he felt everything else was excluded because it was not specifically stated, and if they left it worded in a general way, that meant they would all be on the table. He stated that if they just say that it would only relate specifically to City staff time, the City wouldn’t really have the flexibility to do what may be warranted based on the situation. He explained that he would rather leave this language more generic and give City staff the flexibility to do whatever is warranted rather than attempt to be very specific. Commissioner Garske referenced F.6 which calls out that the users were responsible for cleanup and may need to compensate the City for materials or labor if the City has to perform those cleanup services. He asked if most of the users were repeat users. Park and Recreation Manager Czech stated that recently there have been more private groups that have come in for specialty-type camps, but about 90% of the use would be the associations and repeat users. Commissioner Hirner asked if most of the users were non-profits and what the City’s position was on for-profit entities, such as a private coaching clinic. He asked if the City should make a differentiation between non-profit and for-profit like they do at the SCEC. Park and Recreation Manager stated that most of them were non-profits and noted that right now, if someone wants to come in and run a camp, they simply rent the field and pay the fees to the City. He stated that there is a fee schedule included in the agreements with the associations but there is also a separate daily rental rate for the fields as well, so there is already a difference between the traditional everyday user groups and someone who would just come in for a day or two. Commissioner Hirner asked if there would be an agreement that specifies everything for the occasional users. PARK COMMISSION MINUTES TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2024 PAGE 5 OF 7 Park and Recreation Manager Czech stated that there would not be and they would just submit a field use application. Commissioner Hirner stated that he would like there to be an agreement for both types of use because there is the potential for the same type of field damage whether it is associations or an occasional user for something like a camp. Chair Wenner stated that she was confused about the use of fields versus facility and asked if this agreement was just referring to fields and courts or if it also referred to buildings. Park and Recreation Manager Czech explained that this agreement was just referring to fields and courts but explained that there was also the intent to roll out a picnic shelter policy as well. He acknowledged that it may make sense to change the title for item F. to ‘Field Use Expectations’ rather than use the term ‘facility’. Commissioner Hirner noted that some of the associations were using the concession stand buildings and would assume that use of the building was part of their rental agreement. Park and Recreation Manager Czech noted that was true but they do have a separate concession agreement. Chair Wenner referenced the chart and asked if the soccer, lacrosse, and football fields were combined at Manor Park. Park and Recreation Manager Czech stated that in Manor Park there is just one green space that could be utilized for those uses. Chair Wenner asked if there was any use for a basketball court. Park and Recreation Manager Czech clarified that the City did not permit the use of the basketball courts. Commissioner Garske asked if there were activities that were not allowed on the fields, for example, if someone rent out the field in order to have a petting zoo. Park and Recreation Manager Czech explained that those requests would be handled on a case- by-case basis. Commissioner Hirner noted that parking was not included in this document and asked if they should say anything about ‘acceptable’ parking locations. He gave the example of the baseball season or a soccer tournament where vehicles are parked all over the place. Park and Recreation Manager Czech noted that he was not sure that would fit into this document and would be more of an issue for SLMPD to handle and explained that they do patrol and have issued tickets related to parking. Commissioner Hirner stated that he felt this issue was something that they should spend some time thinking about how it may be able to be addressed. PARK COMMISSION MINUTES TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2024 PAGE 6 OF 7 Park and Recreation Manager Czech noted that for tournaments, there is a special application process that includes fees for things like the City marking the parking areas, for example, putting out no parking signs along area streets, such as Eureka. He suggested that he make the updates that were discussed by the Commission tonight and bring it back for possible approval at their next meeting. B. Shorewood Community & Event Center Capital Improvements Parks and Recreation Manager Czech gave an update on the ongoing improvements that are taking place at the SCEC including the purchase of new conference chairs, the mechanical system upgrade so they have a functioning furnace system, and some updates and replacement of toilets and faucets in the restroom. He noted that there were additional funds remaining from the restroom portion of the improvements that will be used to replace countertops, sinks, and possibly some light fixtures. 5. OLD BUSINESS A. Off-Leash Dog Signage Parks and Recreation Manager Czech explained that staff has been working on developing options for signage and other educational materials for both short-term and long-term efforts in order to address concerns regarding dogs that were off-leash. He reviewed the options that staff had come up with for more permanent signs to be posted at places such as the dog waste stations. There was consensus of the Commission that they had a preference for the wording on sign Option 2 with the picture from Option 3, if possible. Park and Recreation Manager Czech gave an overview of the options staff had come up with for more temporary signage that would be placed on a sandwich board or yard sign placed and moved around different areas of the City. The Commission discussed the possibility of utilizing all 3 options in order to catch people’s attention more readily, that there may be too many words used on the signs, that people should be able to tell what the sign is about just by looking at the graphic, suggested some possible graphic changes and text that they would like to be highlighted or emphasized, that they would prefer, but shared that they liked the overall messaging in Option 2 the best. Park and Recreation Manager Czech stated that he understood the concerns that have been raised about the amount of text on the signs, but one of their intentions was to educate people which is hard to do with just a few words. He stated that the goal would be that the larger message of keeping their dog leashed would be easily seen, but was hopeful that people would take the time to read the remainder of the text as well that explains the ‘why’. Chair Wenner stated that she also liked the message in Option 1 because it also included a reference to protecting wildlife. She stated that she really liked all three options and would like to see them switched out between different parks or trails in order to grab attention. Commissioner Garske stated that he was also a fan of having multiple options. PARK COMMISSION MINUTES TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2024 PAGE 7 OF 7 Park and Recreation Manager Czech thanked the Commission for their feedback and noted that he would bring them back for consideration after they have been adjusted a bit based on their input. 6. STAFF AND LIAISON REPORTS / UPDATES A. City Council Council Liaison Callies gave an overview of recent Council discussions and actions. B. Staff Park and Recreation Manager Czech stated that the park maintenance update will take place at the next meeting. He noted that he will also present a year-end slide show of things that have been accomplished this year. He asked the Commission to spend some time thinking about what they felt would have been nice to have when they joined the Commission as part of their onboarding process in serving on the Park Commission. He noted that the Council had approved an e-bike ordinance and shared some of the details that were included in the ordinance language. 1. Association Agreement Updates Park and Recreation Manager Czech stated work was ongoing for getting agreements in place with the various associations. 2. Arctic Fever Updates Park and Recreation Manager Czech stated that they are working hard on Arctic Fever and noted that the new sponsorship guide and policy has been approved, so they were actively looking for sponsors. He noted that they will have a dog sled vendor coming back this year and were planning to work with the Minnetonka Community Education to hold their winter chase event prior to Arctic Fever with the hope that it will garner some additional interest from families. He stated that they are hoping to be able to place a banner at Excelsior Elementary which will help with their promotion efforts. Commissioner DiGruttolo suggested that the City reach out to Tom Nelson at the VFW because they were interested in sponsoring Arctic Fever. She suggested that the City also speak with the Minnetonka High School band teacher because they are always looking for venues for the band to play in public. Chair Wenner asked for the dates for Arctic Fever. Park and Recreation Manager Czech stated that it would be January 17,18, 2025, and gave a brief explanation of the planned activities and contests. 7. ADJOURN Commissioner DiGruttolo moved to adjourn the Park Commission Meeting of November 26, 2024, at 8:11 p.m. Commissioner Garske seconded the motion. Motion carried 5-0.