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HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-06-2019 Park Commission Minutes MINUTES OF THE ORONO PARK COMMISSION Monday,May 6,2019 6:30 o'clock p.m. ROLL CALL The Orono Park Commission met on the above-mentioned date with the following members present: Chair Rick Meyers, Commissioners Jan Berg, Rick Carter, Casey Conrad Hudson, Bryce Johnson, Jennifer Klaahsen, and Brian Roath. Representing Staff were Public Works Director/City Engineer Adam Edwards. Council Member Victoria Seals and Mayor Walsh were present. Chair Meyers called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m., followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. MARCH 4,2019,PARK COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES Carter moved,Berg seconded, to approve the minutes of the January 7, 2019,Park Commission meeting as submitted.VOTE: Ayes 7,Nays 0. PUBLIC COMMENT Bill Dunlap, East Long Lake, stated he appreciates the public service that the Park Commission does as well as Mayor Walsh. Dunlap stated he is here tonight to speak about East Long Lake Road, and that he would like to keep the project as simple as possible. The less money that is spent,the better it would be. Currently it is a very nice trail and people are able to fish there. Dunlap indicated he is in favor of the boat club putting their boats in at the other end of the road since where they are putting their boats in right now is too steep. From a public standpoint, less money should be spent on the project overall, but that they should consider doing more improvements on the north end. Dunlap encouraged the City Council to take steps to keep the lake clean. Meyers noted the City will be looking to enter into partnerships with other government entities such as the DNR and Three Rivers Park on this project to help keep the costs to the City down. The project involves eliminating the road, constructing a new trail, and improving the lakeshore. Dunlap commented he would like to keep the area looking more natural. Meyers stated that is the intent and that the Public Works Director can send him the plans if he is interested. Dunlap indicated he would like to see those. Mike Feldman, Long Lake, stated he is also here tonight to speak about East Long Lake Road, and that he would like to echo some of comments made by Mr. Dunlap. Feldman noted Summit Beach is fairly well used and that there are swimmers who utilize the beach regularly during the summer. Feldman indicated he is a little concerned about putting boat houses for the rowers at Summit Beach since that will take away from the natural aesthetics of the area and that he would prefer something be done on the north side of East Long Lake Road since that area is flatter and would help keep Summit Beach more natural. Page 1 of 7 MINUTES OF THE ORONO PARK COMMISSION Monday,May 6,2019 6:30 o'clock p.m. STAFF REPORTS 2. PUBLIC WORKS PARKS UPDATE Edwards reported on the following activities of the Public Works Department: • Port-a-Pots and garbage cans have been placed at all parks. • Spring inspections have begun of all parks and are nearly completed. • One additional round of snow and ice removal was done on the trails. No major trail projects are planned for this year. • The golf course is now open for the season. Since opening, some irrigation repairs have been done, a new water softener was installed, and some flushing of the drain system was performed. • The City Council did award the drainage cart path project for the golf course. • A baby swing was installed at Antoine Park. • Big Island Park was inspected. Some dock repairs need to be performed and a dock modification to get the docks in and out easier. • Biweekly maintenance work will be commencing next week at the parks. • Gravel for the parking lot at French Creek was installed. • Tree removal was performed at Saga Hill. • The ice rink was removed at Crystal Bay and removal of the existing split rail fence is scheduled due to its deteriorating condition. • Closed the winter access points and opened the summer access points around Orono. Performed dock repairs at the Loma Linda access due to damage caused from a snowmobiler. An insurance claim has been submitted. • The sunshades were installed at Lurton Park and some fence repairs are scheduled. Prairie Restoration performed its 5-year burn of the prairie. Last year they performed a close mow, which does not work as well as the burn,but does not cause a lot of soot. • Tree removal was performed at French Creek. Edwards indicated he did meet with the Girl Scout who is interested in completing the memorial garden project at Lurton Park. Work on that project is expected to start in the near future. A meeting was also held with the Boy Scout who will be constructing a screen around the port-a-pot and some trail work. Johnson asked when the projects are anticipated to be complete. Edwards stated he expects the Girl Scout project to be completed by early summer and that he is not sure when the Boy Scout will be commencing his work. The surveying for the Bederwood sports field project has been completed and a design is underway. The draft design is expected to be completed in the next week and a half. The grant applications for the Big Island project and East Long Lake Road will be submitted to the DNR and grant awards are expected by the end of June/early July. The City Council approved the cooperative agreement for the Dakota Trail connection. Three Rivers Park District is the lead designer on that and they hope to have 60 percent of the design to all the partners by the end of July. Each of the three partners(Hennepin County,the City of Orono, and Three Rivers) Page 2 of 7 MINUTES OF THE ORONO PARK COMMISSION Monday, May 6,2019 6:30 o'clock p.m. has tentatively agreed to contribute$100,000 each but a better estimate will be gained after the plans are provided. The plan for the Dakota Trail Crossing at Orono Orchards Road is approximately 90 percent complete. A total of 331 passes for Lurton Park have been sold so far for 2019; 117 were from residents and 214 were from nonresidents. Bill Dunlap asked how much the grant is for and whether there is money for a culvert on the north end of East Long Lake Road. Edwards indicated he is not sure of the exact grant amount at this time but it is basically a match type grant and that he can provide that information to Mr. Dunlap. Edwards stated a culvert will be installed at the entrance to Summit Beach, which is the new north end of the road. There will be potentially one to two parking spaces constructed there as part of the project. SPECIAL COMMITTEE REPORTS 3. BEDERWOOD SPORTS FIELD Roath asked what the next steps will be after the plans are completed. Edwards stated there will be a staff review of the plans and then he will reach out to the committee. Once that is approved, Staff will go out for bids, with the City Council awarding the final bid hopefully sometime in June. The design is expected to be completed in May, with the expectation that by next spring there will be a playable field. 4. EAST LONG LAKE TRAIL Edwards stated the timeline for the project was to have the grant application submitted in March,which was done, and the City is now waiting to hear back from the DNR. If the grant is approved, work on the design will be commenced. If the City is successful in obtaining the grant,the goal is to award the project in March of 2020,with the work beginning that spring. Edwards noted the Park Commission also discussed looking at applying for the Hennepin County playground grant,which is due in November. The Long Lake Rowing Club has also asked for potential use of the park. Edwards indicated he expects over the summer to do some site walk-throughs with the club. 5. WINTER ACTIVITIES Edwards reported the City Administrator put together a winter activities survey that was sent out in April, but he has not seen the results from that at this point. Recommendations are needed from the Park Commission on what they feel should be done with the ice rinks by June or July. Meyers asked how much use the ice rinks got this year. Page 3 of 7 MINUTES OF THE ORONO PARK COMMISSION Monday,May 6,2019 6:30 o'clock p.m. Edwards indicated there was some usage, but that Staff encountered a number of challenges with the ice due to the warmer weather in January, followed by heavy snowfalls the remainder of the winter. Berg asked what the expectations are for the ice rink at Casco Bay. Edwards stated if the Park Commission and City Council would like to see an ice rink at Casco Bay,the goal would be to install a more permanent ice rink. Berg asked whether the City Council has indicated a desire for a permanent rink. Edwards stated the City Council would like to see some recommendations from the Park Commission before going forward with something more permanent. Meyers stated his concern relates to the amount of manhours that are required to maintain the ice rinks. Roath suggested this topic be discussed at the next work session. Johnson asked where the interest is coming from for the ice rinks. Edwards stated the survey will help determine that,but that the impetus for installing the temporary ice rink this winter was due to some interest expressed from a resident to one of the Council members. The City will need to decide how much in resources they want to devote to this. 6. LURTON PARK Johnson stated a date has been set for the dog-related adoption event on Saturday,June 22,from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Commissioner Ruegemer has contacted the daughter of Susan Lurton,who indicated she has a dog adoption project dedicated to her mother and that she was happy to hear that Orono was planning this event. The committee will be getting together to discuss this event and what they hope to accomplish. Johnson encouraged the individual Park Commissioners to attend this event. One of the other things that was discussed was using this event to perhaps establish a Friends of the Park group and perhaps having a meeting at some point for people interested in helping out at this park. Roath stated he likes the idea of forming a Friends of the Park and that the adoption event might be a good kickoff for that. Meyers stated some type of information on Friends of the Park should be created and then call anyone who expresses an interest in being a part of the group. Meyers stated they will also have dog permit applications available and that he will welcome everyone to the event. Meyers asked whether any local businesses will be approached about participating in this event. Johnson stated they will be approaching Lunds, Often Brothers, and perhaps a food vendor of some type. A poster will be made for the event and perhaps that could be included in the newsletter. Johnson suggested having a couple of animal rescue groups there as well. Page 4 of 7 MINUTES OF THE ORONO PARK COMMISSION Monday,May 6,2019 6:30 o'clock p.m. Meyers stated Wright County Animal Humane Society could also be approached to see if they are interested in being part of the event. Meyers stated the committee will be getting together to discuss things in more detail. Klaahsen suggested dog biscuits be available as well as some food trucks. Klaahsen stated she could contact a couple of vendors. Another option would be to perhaps have an index card available that people could take with them about Friends of the Park or perhaps creating a Friends of the Park Facebook page. Johnson stated Chuck and Don's will be approached about donating some dog treats. Edwards reminded the Park Commission that they will need to submit the necessary paperwork for an event permit. Since it is a city-sponsored event,the fees would be waived. 7. COMMUNITY EVENTS Berg stated she met with Council Member Victoria Seals about the tree lighting ceremony and that they have set December 6 at 6 p.m. for the event. At the meeting they discussed getting a tree planted at the golf course. Council Member Seals has a contact where they can obtain a 25-foot tree for$500 delivered and installed. More lights will need to be obtained. Santa will be present as well as a reindeer. Also discussed was the possibility of getting a smaller fire truck and delineating the lower parking lot to help with traffic flow. Berg asked what time the Park Commission would like Santa be there. Meyers noted last year they had Santa at the fire station, which is probably the easiest. Roath stated the other event being contemplated is Oktoberfest. Will be speaking with Excelsior Brewing Company about being involved in the event. Berg stated a tentative date for the Oktoberfest is October 12. 8. TRAILS Carter stated the committee has a list of three things: One was to get the Comprehensive Plan updated. The proposed language has been given to Staff. Edwards indicated the Comprehensive Plan still has to be approved by the Metropolitan Council and then it can be amended. Carter stated the next step is to come up with a 5-year plan that ties into the Capital Improvement Plan and then a plan for community outreach. The committee will be reconvened to discuss those items. 9. BIG ISLAND Carter reported they are making progress on the panels and that he hopes to have something for the June work session to present on that. Overall there will be seven 24"x 36"panels and the committee is waiting to hear back on the grant. Page 5 of 7 MINUTES OF THE ORONO PARK COMMISSION Monday,May 6,2019 6:30 o'clock p.m. The 501(c)(3)board has met twice and has begun discussions about what is being envisioned for the Veterans Memorial. Edwards stated Staff will be commencing maintenance work on Big Island and performing some dock work. Carter reported there was a lot less snowmobilers out on Big Island this past winter and that there was not as much damage done. Security cameras have been installed to help deter vandalism. Johnson suggested some benches also be installed in the building. Meyers stated the committee should also consider holding an event on Big Island to showcase all the work that has been done out there. Edwards noted the City has received a grant from the Minnesota Historical Society to conduct an archeological survey,which is due to start in the next couple of weeks. 10. GOLF COURSE Meyers stated the golf course is looking very nice. A lot of tree trimming has been performed and the basement in the clubhouse has been cleaned up. Meyers suggested one additional picnic table be purchased. Edwards indicated he met with Commissioner Roath about forming a committee to develop a strategic plan for the golf course. COMMISSIONERS' REPORTS 11. COMMISSIONER'S UPDATES Meyers reported French Creek Park is looking good except for a big white pine at the entrance that is totally dead, which will need to be removed. Meyers noted the Boy Scouts planted a perennial garden at the Marie Antoine Park that has not been maintained and will need to be cleaned up. A Memorial Day picnic is held at the park every year and it would be nice to have that cleaned up before then. The drainage ditch at Crystal Bay needs to be cleaned out. In addition, some stumps around the playground need to be leveled out. Roath asked what the status of the trees is from the Rotary. Edwards indicated he and Commissioner Johnson met with the Rotary group a couple of weeks ago and that the Rotary Club will be submitting a grant to obtain some money to purchase trees. Otten's will provide the materials at cost. A preliminary plan has been developed for where the trees will be planted and the tentative planting schedule so far is September. Page 6 of 7 MINUTES OF THE ORONO PARK COMMISSION Monday,May 6,2019 6:30 o'clock p.m. Edwards stated they also discussed French Creek and possibly clearing out the buckthorn and then plant some native specimen trees. Signs could be installed providing information on the trees and the water fowl that are in the area. Klaahsen indicated she visited Sandy Beach recently and a few of the neighbors are interested in having the roll-away dock reinstalled. Berg stated Lydiard and Sandy Beach were the two city-owned beaches that had docks and the issue they ran into at Lydiard Beach is that boats would go through the buoys delineating the swim area,which would cause problems. Berg stated the residents in the Lydiard Beach would also like the dock reinstalled. Klaahsen stated Sandy Beach is somewhat shaded and that the dock allowed people to go out further to be in the sun. Meyers noted it was decided a few years ago that Sandy Beach and Lydiard Beach would simply be swim beaches due to issues with boats at the dock. Meyers stated if there is enough interest in the docks,they could perhaps discuss it again. Berg noted there was some vandalism at Lydiard Beach and that the Public Works Department has replaced the gate and the split rail fence. Berg stated she has requested the Police Department do more patrols of the area. ADJOURNMENT Carter moved,Berg seconded,to adjourn the Orono Park Commission meeting at 7:34 p.m. VOTE: Ayes 7,Nays 0. ATTEST: C—\(_ Rick Meyers, air Page 7 of 7