09-11-2023 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING August 28, 2023 6:00 o’clock p.m. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Page 7 of 15 so much the parking as how people park. He suggested the area along Willow should be paved and striped. The parking along Hackberry has not been a problem, based on his conversation with the police chief. He also said there could be a green parking lot off Elm Lane where there could be parking on stabilized grass. He said that would provide more parking than the proposed lot and solve the drainage problems. The character of the park is multi-use and pure fun. Neighbors feel the current proposal will destroy the character. Those are the only T-ball fields in Orono, he said. Walsh said the next meeting at Hackberry would be 4:30 p.m. Aug 30 in the picnic area to go over plans with the neighborhood. Janie Delaney, 1315 Woodhill Avenue, said she used to coach T-ball at that park. She said she cares about the parks as she lives near the Golf Course and she does not think the neighbors will be happy with a parking lot in the center of the park. She is concerned about the development of pocket parks with facilities as kids do still just get together to play ball. She pointed out the park is in the middle of an existing neighborhood. Veach said Lemons told her the park concept is for multi-age use. Lemons said the image doesn’t make it clear but the intent is to keep a T-ball field. He said the vote tonight was just to be able to move forward and apply for grants. In response to Council questions Edwards said the City has been addressing drainage at Hackberry as it could over time. It had been a fill area and some parts settled. This plan gives the City a template and a concept, he said, along with a cost. Depending on costs and funding the City can prioritize at that point. He said parks are reviewed as part of the Comprehensive Plan that is updated every 10 years. The last time was in 2017. The use of that park has changed, he said, and updates have not been made because it was known the park would be redone, so things like backstops are not in the best shape. He said the City sees grant opportunities pass it by because of not doing the homework to have something ready. It needs to have concept plans. Benson said her concern is not that the park doesn’t need improvements, but the order in which the process is happening. She said she does not have sufficient data from residents to understand what sorts of grants might be appropriate for this park. She added she is aware that the City doesn’t have enough money to improve the park without grants, so would be dependent on grant money and then perhaps certain interests in the community would fuel the process. Walsh said this is a beginning process. The City can’t get statistically significant data because it never gets a high enough level of participation from the community. This would move the process forward on a very basic level. An unidentified resident asked if grants for a given item locks the City into that item. Edwards said if things were moved around in a plan that is typically not a problem. If a grant is gotten for a soccer field, for example, there needs to be a soccer field. Crosby said when a park is dilapidated it is unused because it is dilapidated. When parks are improved they are used. He said it is not the vision of the Council to leave parks unimproved but the City will get additional input from the neighbors.