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HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-01-2020 Park Commission PacketAGENDA City of Orono Park Commission Meeting for Monday, June 1st, 2020, 6:00 PM Orono Council Chambers, 2780 Kelley Parkway, Orono, MN 55356 952-249-4600 / www.ci.orono.mn.us This meeting will be held virtually. To participate in the meeting please follow the instructions below: Please register to participate in the June 1, 2020 Orono Park Commission Meeting. The Park Commission Meeting begins at 6:00 P.M. at: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3941244916979968268 After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. Brought to you by GoToWebinar® Webinars Made Easy® Meeting Participation Instructions for Applicants and the Public can be found at: https://www.ci.orono.mn.us/DocumentCenter/View/2255/Instructions-for-Orono-Public- Meetings-Held-Electronically APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA CALL TO ORDER. APPROVAL OF MINUTES. 1. March 2nd, 2020 Park Commission Meeting Minutes. PUBLIC COMMENT. CHAIRMAN’s REPORT. 2. 2020 Park Commission Committees and Goals Updates and review. 3. Parks Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) Review STAFF REPORTS 4. Public Works Parks Update. SPECIAL COMMITTEE REPORTS. 5. Trails Committee Update 6. Events Committee Update COMMISSIONERS REPORT. 7. Commissioner’s Updates ADJOURNMENT. MINUTES OF THE ORONO PARK COMMISSION Monday, March 2nd, 2020 6:00 o’clock p.m. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Page 1 of 20 ROLL CALL The Orono Park Commission met on the above-mentioned date with the following members present: Chair Brian Roath, Commissioners Jan Berg, Casey Conrad Hudson, Taylor Stephens, Jennifer Klaahsen, and Julie Ruegemer. Representing Staff was Adam Edwards. Councilmember Victoria Seals was present. Commissioner Rick Carter arrived at 6:25 p.m. Chair Roath called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m., followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. CALL TO ORDER APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. JANUARY 6TH, 2020 PARK COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES Hudson moved, Ruegemer seconded, to approve the minutes of the January 6th, 2020 Park Commission meeting as submitted. VOTE: Ayes 6, Nays 0. PUBLIC COMMENT None. CHAIRMAN’S REPORT - Brian Roath 2. PROPOSAL FOR BOATHOUSE IN SUMMIT BEACH PARK-LONG LAKE ROWING CREW Edwards noted the Commissioners tabled the item in November 2019 for further comment and refinement. He explained that the Park Commission is an advisory board to the City Council and gives a recommendation to them after the meeting. Regardless of the Park Commission’s decision, the applicant could bring the item to the Council for a decision. He discussed the process that would take place. Ms. Rachel Feldmann asked if there were only two or if there were more recommendations the Park Commission would be giving to the City Council. Edwards stated that there could be a wide range of recommendations. Ms. Feldmann asked if it could still go to the City Council if the recommendation was a no. Edwards said the Council holds the authority to say no while the Park Commission is simply an advisory board. The applicant can decide whether or not to go to the City Council based on their recommendation. Mr. Rob Burrell, President of the Long Lake Rowing Crew (LLRC), thanked everyone for the chance to talk about and explore a potential partnership between the City and LLRC. He stated that LLRC is a 501(c)(3), a non-profit, volunteer-driven, with a mission to bring the sport of rowing to Orono, Long Lake, and the surrounding communities. They provide community education classes for youth and adults and special programs for community groups. Their vision is to become the most all-inclusive fun and competitive rowing club in the Twin Cities. Their mission statement is to provide expert instruction to MINUTES OF THE ORONO PARK COMMISSION Monday, March 2nd, 2020 6:00 o’clock p.m. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Page 2 of 20 promote personal and competitive achievement and enrich members and the community through the sport of rowing. The project goal is to build a permanent home at Summit Park, which includes storage for boats and equipment, space to conduct indoor training, and an opportunity to better serve the community through the sport of rowing. He stated one of their core values is community service and described events they have participated in. They also constantly survey the lake for water quality and report safety concerns. All of their spots were filled in community ed in 2019. Classes in 2020 will only be offered to Orono residents to accommodate Orono’s residents. LLRC also brings retail patronage to Long Lake and Orono during their season. He noted in 2018 they received a special commendation from the Long Lake City Council for their commitment to service. Mr. Burrell stated in November 2019 the Park Commission charged the LLRC to educate, inform, let people ask questions, and listen. He feels they have done so by extending invitations and having meetings with the Park Commissioners and members of the Orono and Long Lake City Councils. They had a meeting with the Summit Park neighbors on January 8, individual meetings with a number of lakeshore and City residents, and fielded numerous phone calls from residents who could not attend the meeting. He displayed a revised site plan of 6,900 square feet, a reduction of about 24% from the original plan. The overall height of the building has decreased from 2 to 1½ stories. Public restrooms have been included in the rear of the building. They are flexible on the location of the docks; they will not be occupying the beach area. They will be working with the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District to minimize any environmental impact. Mr. Burrell explained the different programs offered by the Rowing Crew and how they operate in terms of traffic in and out of the park. They would require a long-term lease agreement for land and a guarantee that the current water hours of operation on the lake would transfer under a partnership with the City of Orono. Should the City elect to sell the property at Summit Park, there would need to be a guarantee that LLRC would retain water access and the right to continue operations at the park. Mr. Burrell described benefits to the community: LLRC will fund 100% of the building construction; there will be permanent public restrooms, reducing vandalism and providing a safer, more sanitary bathroom for park users; there will be a small resting/sitting area outside the restrooms for public use; they are willing to help with costs of the playground; they will be able to offer more indoor community fitness classes and training opportunities for Orono residents from November-April. He discussed the health benefits and that rowing is a very quiet, non-invasive activity. Rowing is an opportunity for children to excel in a sport while learning the lifelong skills of teamwork, discipline, commitment, and respect for the sport of rowing. Several rowing club members have received scholarships for college as well. He stated LLRC’s presence in the park will increase security and usage of Summit Park. They are open to offering free learn-to-row opportunities in the summer for Orono residents, and he discussed the possibility of special programming at the Orono Middle School. He noted public-private partnerships exist in the City of Orono with other sports and clubs. This would be an opportunity for the City to get assistance in financing other improvements it wishes to make at Summit Park. He listed examples of public-private partnerships in Minnesota with rowing clubs. Chair Roath opened the public hearing at 6:24 p.m. Mr. Larry Carlson, 965 Old Long Lake Road, said he was Bruce Dayton’s caretaker and property manager for 26 years. They had many discussions regarding how to keep the property along Old Long Lake Road in a natural state; and through his vision and generosity, it became Wood-Rill Scientific & Natural Area and will remain undeveloped and enjoyed by all in perpetuity. In the 1970s, Mr. Dayton MINUTES OF THE ORONO PARK COMMISSION Monday, March 2nd, 2020 6:00 o’clock p.m. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Page 3 of 20 gave the Summit Beach property to the City. He is convinced Mr. Dayton’s vision would be to remain a natural and public space as much as possible. He does not believe Mr. Dayton would think a private entity building and a dock complex as maintaining natural and public spaces. He read a letter from Ron Bowen, founder/owner of Prairie Restorations, Inc., who is familiar with the area. Mr. Bowen indicated it would be inappropriate to turn the public space into use for a rowing facility, since it would serve a small number of people and would not meet Mr. Dayton’s vision. He asked the Commission to seriously consider maintaining the area as intended. He does not view it as a case of “Not in my backyard” but views it as a sincere desire to maintain an unfettered public space per Bruce Dayton’s vision, generosity, and foresight. Carter arrived at 6:25 p.m. Mr. Neil Weber, 2280 Watertown Road, Long Lake, stated he and his wife use the park and future trail at least once a day. Referencing a plan of the park, he indicated the drainage area for the new construction completed is a Torrens piece of property and there is nothing on the property as far as he is aware. The proposed boathouse location is abstract property, although he has not found the abstract. He pointed out an area that was dedicated as a permanent easement to the City of Orono by the Daytons and today the current owners have the easement on the property. He read a portion of the easement that was filed in 1980: “No structure shall be constructed, erected or placed upon, above, beneath the land including, without limitations, principal or accessory buildings, fireplaces, etc. No trees or shrubs or other vegetation shall be destroyed, cut, or removed from that land.” He believes the land where the boathouse is and previous resort was donated in 1971 and the easement indicates it was originally registered August 17, 1972. If Mr. Dayton put that kind of restriction on a 90-foot strip, he believes there would be restrictions on the main part of the park, which requires finding the abstract. Mr. Weber said he knows there are public-private partnerships. As a former Three Rivers Park Commissioner, they encouraged public-private partnerships, but as far as he knows, they never leased land to a private entity. They have leased to entities that provide services to the public; in other words, facilities that are open to the public within certain hours. He said if the building is owned privately or by the 501(c)(3), they lease the land at whatever rate the City determines and they also pay property taxes. He named several sailing clubs in the area that pay taxes, most of which ranges from 2½-3½%. He said a lot of entities raise money for a facility and then have difficulty keeping it operating. There is also a liability issue the City takes on if they lease land to an entity. When he was on the Board, they went through the process of creating Lake Minnetonka Regional Park. Regional parks are unique because 20% is the maximum that can be developed. Aside from what Mr. Dayton wanted for this park, another problem is the vast majority of the area is not very usable because of the drainage circumstances. This is a neighborhood park, and the dominant use would be taken up by this particular use. He understands increasing the usage of parks; however, it’s not just the increased people, it’s how it is used. Given the setting it’s in, especially with the new improvements, it will increase the use of the park the way it is right now. Mr. Peter Vladimirov, 3236 Pin Oak Road, Medina, stated his family has been boating for 15 years and Long Lake is their favorite lake. They are aware of the algae, swimmers, jet skis, other boaters, and recognize almost every boat on the lake in addition to the rowers. He stated the row club has been successful with their outreach to members within the community, but not outside the community. He does not feel that is a fair outreach for the City’s consideration. He realizes the City’s position is that their responsibility ends at the dock and that everything else is DNR, but the City’s decision will impact the footprint of the lake. He stated that if a rowboat is in the water with their long oars moving at 20 mph, it MINUTES OF THE ORONO PARK COMMISSION Monday, March 2nd, 2020 6:00 o’clock p.m. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Page 4 of 20 could be lethal to a swimmer. A powerboat is elevated and loud, and the operator can see everyone around them. He felt one rowing boat was equal to four powerboats in terms of lake space. He said that every lake has a boat limit and with all of the rowboats, the lake would be useless because nobody else can use it. He stated 7½ hours does not look like much time, but people will get together and hang out 1½-2 hours before and 1½-2 hours after with friends. He asked how the rowers and people that want to use the beach will fit in the parking lot. Ms. Aimee R. Guidera, 2325 Willow Hill Drive South, said although she dislikes exercising, being in a rowboat on Long Lake is a very peaceful, quiet, spiritual experience and is part of her life. The only way she is able to find that peace, health, and joy is through the club. People are able to enjoy the natural beauty of Long Lake as residents of Orono while building intergenerational community and camaraderie; club members range in age from 15-85. She encouraged Commissioners to think about everyone’s access to the lake and the fact that this club, for many people, is the only way to access Long Lake. Ms. Eleanor Winston, 765 Springhill Road, said she has been looking at the lake for many years and enjoying the park. They love seeing the rowers when they walk around the lake every day; they are very quiet. She is concerned about a big building on the property because that is all anyone would see because it is a small park. She stated the amenities include the old-growth trees, and she is concerned about taking even just one tree off the hillside. She wondered how much activity would be in the building during the winter season and asked if it would be open year-round. She is concerned about the boats being walked back-and-forth, given the location of the building and the dock where they would be launched. Mr. Norm Hammond, 450 East Long Lake Road, reiterated Mr. Carlson’s comments: Mr. Dayton donated the property to everyone to preserve a natural and beautiful setting. He would strongly oppose any permanent special construction on the park land. Mr. Roger Adams, 1130 Underhill Circle, Long Lake, said they are long-term residents; he is the third generation. He grew up on the lake and has observed it for many years. He is the Chair of the Long Lake Planning Commission and has been observing the group's activities since its inception. He was instrumental in developing the plan and the hours that they could operate so they could work and share the resource with other users of the lake. In his experience, they have been great neighbors and community partners; there was a rough patch, but they got through that. He believes the lake is a precious shared resource for everyone in Minnesota, not just people in the area. He is in favor of activities that are beneficial to the lake and the community which use the resource in a very healthy and environmentally sound manner. He is not in favor of activities that harm this precious resource. He stated in the last decade he lost 2 feet of shoreline, even though he has riprap which has been there since the 1920s. He stated it was due to two reasons: unusually high-water levels and wakes. If he had to say he was against any activities, large boats producing 2-foot wakes that erode the shoreline all summer long are not beneficial to the lake, environment, or the use of the shared resource. He spends a lot of time on the lake in his pontoon boat. Most of the time when he goes by Summit Beach, there are 1-2 families or groups of teens there but it is not that big of a use. He thinks this activity would be great for Long Lake and the community. He thinks it is a reasonable proposal that can be refined and made better. When he was on the Planning Commission, he was told that 90% of his time would be spent on two issues: signage and parking. The City would need to make sure there is sufficient parking for the shared use of the resource. Mr. Eric Zoner, 1050 Cox Farm Road, said he came from Atlanta and has lived here for 16 years. They are glad they chose Orono and talk about staying in Orono for the rest of their lives. Their daughter was a member of the rowing crew when it first started in 2013. She benefited tremendously and was recruited MINUTES OF THE ORONO PARK COMMISSION Monday, March 2nd, 2020 6:00 o’clock p.m. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Page 5 of 20 by the University of Minnesota and rowed there through her college years. She also was an assistant coach and helped keep the club’s program alive. They were there during the club’s rough patch. This club was built on character. The rowing club is an ambassador of the community across the country as they participate in regattas and events. They have been given awards for their behavior and sportsmanship. They were proud to be part of this club; how it competed, worked, and succeeded. Mr. Zoner stated when the rowing club was started, it was just a bunch of boats with no home. The group took great pride in trying to make an impact on Billy’s Lighthouse to show the community they were interested in good stewardship to reclaim the property and beautify it as well as the lakeshore. They were in the water in hip waders pulling dumpsters of tires, pipes, and trash to bring the area back to life. There has been a tremendous amount of sponsorship by local businesses and residents in the general community. They will continue to support the club in any way they can. Mr. Mike Feldmann, 1010 Old Long Lake Road, said they bought their home in the summer of 2017 and the park was a major selling point. They have enjoyed a mix of activities on the lake. He attended one of the rowing club meetings and felt they were cordial and constructive. He realizes a lot of the parks do not serve the immediate neighborhood, a lot of people use the parks infrequently, and a majority of the time a small frequency ends up being the majority of the users. He noted it would be unrealistic to reach out to everyone and hoped the proxies would speak for everyone. He is encouraged to know that the statement written about the growth of the rowing club was a mistake; the meeting he attended clarified that the expansion was not happening. He said he reviewed emails from the rowing members and it is very relatable in that the club has been a positive influence on them. He wished the rowing club members continued success. He stated the proposal was not about anyone’s feelings about the club; instead, it is about irreversibly modifying the face of the park the Orono community has come to enjoy. He realizes the trail will be evolving due to other improvements in the area. This proposal is for a massive building to be placed in the center of the park and there will be launches and docks close to where people will be swimming. If the proposal goes through, the nature of the park will fundamentally and forever be modified. Placement of a large boat storage facility, private offices overlooking the lake, and a fitness facility is outside the scope of what should be considered good public resource stewardship. It also sets a dangerous precedent for the future of Orono parks. Ms. Rachel Feldmann, 1010 Old Long Lake Road, stated they are the property next to Summit Beach. She said she appreciates that the Park Commission exists and promotes the usage of all parks in the area. She would like to leave the park as it is. Adding the boating equipment would not fit with its purpose and is not the best use of the park. They did receive notice from the rowing club to get together and get feedback, and that was great. She understands the rowing club has benefits: it’s a form of exercise and there are scholarships available, She noted there would be a lot more traffic and the situation would need to be assessed when it gets developed, because the City will probably have to make a bigger parking lot and they would already be taking away from the playground and grassy area. The teenagers use the hammocks in the trees. She said the park is very good the way it is now and asked the Commissioners to reject the proposal. Ms. Lisa McCarty, 3340 Graham Hill Road, stated eight years ago she and her husband wanted to move to Orono and looked at 1000 Old Long Lake Road. They loved the house, but because her husband is a surgeon and gone a lot, she was worried about the safety of the park since they had three young children at the time. She sat in the park after dark, and the activities she saw at the time were not things she wanted in her backyard so they did not buy the house. She believes there is a lack of perceived security in Summit Beach Park and believes having perceived security would change some of the activities occurring MINUTES OF THE ORONO PARK COMMISSION Monday, March 2nd, 2020 6:00 o’clock p.m. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Page 6 of 20 after dark. The park is known as the “Secret Beach” for a lot of secret reasons for the teenage crowd, and it is not just hammocking. She wanted to bring a different perspective: someone who chose not to buy a house in the neighborhood because of the park. Ms. Mimi Bendickson, 5500 Anderson Estates Road, Independence, said she grew up in the community and used to ride her horse down to swim in Long Lake. She was also part of the rowing club when it started and had two children involved. She said she thought it was neat that everyone could come together to voice their thoughts, their hopes, and their dreams for the amazing resource they have in their backyard. She stated the rowing club is transparent, folks are from the community, and they are focused on benefiting everyone such as 85-year-olds. It is the only club in the western suburbs so it meets the goal of a park reaching out to others. She thinks the City has a perfect partner with the rowing club because she knows the character behind the people. It was not an easy club to get going and they had to meet with two communities to prove themselves, and she feels they have proven themselves over and over again in doing the right thing and listening. She thinks there is an opportunity for people to come together to create something special which encompasses everything and keeps an environmentally sound use of the lake. She said she is a realtor and sensitive to what these proposals mean to everyone. When looking at real estate evaluations, marinas are difficult for people, but values are high for sailing clubs because it is beautiful, there are set hours, there is no partying, so it is a completely different feel. She noted this is a sport that respects the environment and encourages a continued conversation. Chair Roath closed the public hearing at 7:10 p.m. Klaahsen said she thought all the docks would be on the grassy part by the building and asked why there is a need for a dock right by the beach. Mr. Burrell said they can be flexible but thought if they come out of the boathouse and go through where it says “Summit Beach Park” and around to avoid the beach, it might be a place to have the launch dock. Hudson asked Mr. Burrell to comment on plans/lack of plans regarding public access to the amenities that are already available at the beach and if they have any plans for the actual beach itself. Mr. Burrell said to his knowledge they do not. They are encouraging people to use the park for whatever they want to use it for. They will not be using the beach in terms of launching boats/boats coming in. He mentioned some of the junior rowers may want to hang out at the beach after practice or rowing activities. Hudson asked Mr. Burrell to explain why they are no longer working with Birch’s. Mr. Burrell stated Birch’s has been an amazing partner, but in their view the partnership is not long-term nor ideal in terms of wear-and-tear on their equipment, which sits outside in the elements from late April until late October. Despite their best efforts to keep everything safe, people slip every season on the hill. At some point they need to get their equipment inside, and if the building is open all year, it is a big part of getting more people in the community involved in rowing in the off-season and offering community education. The fire station has limited room and limited hours available. They appreciate the access they have, but they can’t have any more than that. Roath indicated he heard two completely opposing thoughts regarding the possibility of coexisting at the park. He has read a lot of comments about privatizing the park and the beach and people not being able to use it versus Mr. Burrell saying it basically is not a big deal, they are only there a little bit of time. He MINUTES OF THE ORONO PARK COMMISSION Monday, March 2nd, 2020 6:00 o’clock p.m. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Page 7 of 20 asked Mr. Burrell to reconcile the matter and asked for more detail such as when they would be there, what does it look like when they are there, are the boats on the lawn, is the equipment on the dock, etc. Mr. Burrell said the boats would be in the boathouse and people would gather a little early to practice. During the summer, they have two morning practices for the boys’ and girls’ youth program, and in the afternoon, there is one combined practice for the more experienced rowers. There are three early-morning practices for the adult program: one is Saturday morning; the other two are during the week. There are also two nights a week where adults are rowing, Mondays and Wednesdays. At practice, most of the activity is going on inside the building. Rowers get their oars and set them down by a spot by the launch dock along with possibly a water bottle, etc. If it is a four-person boat, four people would go back up and get their boat off the rack, walk it down, drop it in the water next to the dock, grab their oars, get in the boat, and they are off the dock and gone. It takes 15-20 minutes to get everybody off during a practice because multiple boats would be launched at one time. In an entire week, it is a short period of time that boats are being taken to the dock and launched. On the way back the same process happens: they get to the dock, come out, take off their oars, put them on the lawn, the boat goes back in, they go back and get their oars and put them away. After that, the activity would be going on inside the building. Roath asked how he would be impacted if he had his kids at the beach. Mr. Burrell said he would not be impacted because they would not be accessing the beach because they would be using a different route. Carter asked what they would do if they were not able to use Summit Beach Park. Mr. Burrell said he did not know at this point. They would have to continue to row out of Birch’s and explore other opportunities. They do not have solid Plan B’s at this point. He reminded everyone it is a volunteer club; they all work jobs and it is off-hours for them, so they only have so many hours to explore other options. This option presented itself, so this is the path they are going down right now. Carter asked if they would be interested in Summit Park if there wasn't a building. Mr. Burrell said that at this point he did not see why they would move if there was not a building. Ruegemer noted kids are not just at the beach, it is a park and they are everywhere in the park. She expressed concern about safety for others at the park when they walk their boats to and from the dock. Mr. Burrell said there are people around the fire pit, throwing bags, and other stuff at Birch’s when they launch. They are very careful about telling people that they are coming and to watch out for them. If people are out on the dock, they respectfully ask them to move. They do not get too crazy if people want to be on their dock. They are used to activity around them while getting off and on the water because they deal with it on a weekly basis. It’s basically all hands on deck in terms of keeping people safe. Berg asked if there are any thoughts on increasing hours if they get the building. Mr. Burrell said there are no plans to increase hours on the lake. The growth could come in the off-season by getting more people involved in winter training on rowing machines. Another potential growth area would be offering more community education classes during the week in the summer just to give people a taste of it. Just like any other club, they lose and gain members continually. MINUTES OF THE ORONO PARK COMMISSION Monday, March 2nd, 2020 6:00 o’clock p.m. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Page 8 of 20 Berg asked if the new trail would impact parking. Mr. Burrell stated he did not think so. He was told that it might use potentially five spots. Stephens asked what the project cost would be. Mr. Burrell stated it is a bit of a moving target. When they talked about reducing square footage, they also talked about using materials that may be more cost-efficient. They want to make the structure look nice but be functional and cost-effective. They have the potential to get donated/discounted goods from different companies because they are a non-profit. He estimated it could be near the million- dollar range. Hudson asked if the organization could possibly leave the community if the proposal did not move forward. Mr. Burrell said he cannot say it’s not possible; it could happen. It would not be their desire to have that happen and they would look to any solution possible to stay. They would have to entertain other ideas and opportunities if necessary, but they love it here and they think of themselves as part of the community. Roath asked if the footprint of the building was to scale. Mr. Burrell indicated he believed so. Roath asked if the footprint changed since the square footage changed. Mr. Burrell said the footprint is fairly similar. The changes took place on the second level where the square footage and height was brought down in the hope the immediate neighbors had a better view. Roath asked if the plan said the words “public restroom” or “public toilets.” Mr. Burrell said he was correct; it is in the back of the building. Berg asked if the height stayed the same. Mr. Burrell noted the height has been reduced from 2 stories to 1½ stories. Stephens asked how the site was chosen for the initial proposal. Mr. Burrell said they looked at the park, walked it with different officials and the landscape and architect partner. The location was the only feasible location given the setbacks, the lake, and the wetlands. If they would have put it in the parking lot, another parking lot would have had to be dug. Roath asked if the boat launch was at the smaller northeast dock depicted on the plan. Mr. Burrell said it is farther up. Roath asked if Mr. Burrell considered having the garages on the upstairs level so the path for the boats could be out the east side of the building and down the hill and the longer dock could be located up near the other dock, allowing the path to be away from the park and beach. MINUTES OF THE ORONO PARK COMMISSION Monday, March 2nd, 2020 6:00 o’clock p.m. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Page 9 of 20 Mr. Burrell said he did not believe they explored that and could look at that as an idea. Roath asked how many boats the rowing club has today. Mr. Burrell stated it is 25. Roath asked what the boat capacity of the building was. Mr. Burrell stated it was maybe 25-30. Roath asked if growth was constrained by the size. Mr. Burrell stated he was correct, that they can only get so many boats in the building, about 20% more. Roath asked what the current agreement is on practice hours on the lake. Mr. Burrell said he did not have the exact verbiage in front of him. He believes it is sunup to sundown during the week except for Friday afternoon, Saturday morning until 11, and they are not there on Sunday. They do not come close to utilizing that much time on the lake. Roath and Mr. Burrell discussed that they don’t anticipate the number of practices increasing for the rowing club, but it was possible. Roath reiterated they are constrained by the number of boats they have. Mr. Burrell agreed and added they are also constrained by the number of coaches and safety launches. Roath asked how other lake users could know or anticipate when the rowing club would be on the lake. Mr. Burrell said he thinks the normal boaters on the lake pretty much know when they will be out there. They have been wearing more fluorescent, bright colors so it is much easier to see the rowers. Roath asked if Mr. Burrell could elaborate on his comment about partnering with the City regarding playground equipment. Mr. Burrell said originally the Park Commission was talking about a new playground which may have been pushed off to the side with this project. If there is an opportunity to help with that as part of a partnership, they are open to that. Berg commented that a playground is still part of the vision of Summit Beach. Mr. Burrell said they are more than happy to have discussions about how to help pay for some of that. They think it’s important to have that for family members of the club, and it gives more use to the beach. Berg and Mr. Burrell agreed that bike racks would need to also be looked at. MINUTES OF THE ORONO PARK COMMISSION Monday, March 2nd, 2020 6:00 o’clock p.m. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Page 10 of 20 Roath asked if Mr. Burrell could comment on the rough patch in the rowing club’s history that was mentioned and if it was financial. Mr. Burrell said he had no comment about the rough patch and that it was pre-2013. He has been involved with the second evolution of the club and it has nothing to do with the club now. It was a different culture and a different time, and there were some bad things that happened, but the people part of this club had nothing to do with it. An unidentified audience member stated there has never been a rough patch with the Long Lake Rowing Crew. That was the previous entity, and this club had to rebuild confidence in the community. Roath asked for comments/concerns based on the information regarding the rowing club and potential partnership. Ruegemer said she does not have any problems with the rowing club, it sounds like a wonderful organization, but that does not mean it is a good fit for Summit Beach. Her concern is this is a nature park and a swimming beach and this would change the use of the park. She would not feel safe if her children were swimming there and rowboats were coming and going. She noted Bruce Dayton was an environmental advocate and feels it would be a disservice to him to cut down old-growth trees to put in a boat storage facility. Part of the Park Commission’s job is to protect the environment in addition to serving the public. She does not feel it is in the best interests of the park to cut down old-growth trees to build a place to protect boats. She loves seeing the boats on the lake and wished the LLRC the best. Roath asked Ruegemer if she had problems with public-private partnerships. Ruegemer said she does not and a lot of times they work out great. It is a well-used park and this would change that use. She does have a concern that the building would be 100% private and the City would not have access to the building. Roath noted he heard there would be access through community education for the general public. He also recalled hearing earlier the deck would be open to the public and asked if that was still in the plans. Mr. Burrell said right now the deck is not in the plan. When they reduced the square footage, they could not get around potential liability and vandalism issues. Carter said he has no concern about the club activity or public-private partnerships. He would love to see their community and boat club come to the Commissioners with a presentation to say why they think it is a good idea. He stated if he had to choose right now between the proposal and not doing it, he would choose to not do it for a lot of reasons. Klaahsen stated she has no concerns with the rowing club. She noted Mr. Burrell has listened to concerns and questions from the Park Commission and the community outreach has been adequate. She has no concerns club-wise and the approach to the proposal. Roath asked for input on the design/location of the building. Ruegemer said the building has a huge footprint and the park basically consists of wetlands, which the City is already mowing, and old-growth woods. It would take down a big chunk of old-growth woods. MINUTES OF THE ORONO PARK COMMISSION Monday, March 2nd, 2020 6:00 o’clock p.m. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Page 11 of 20 Klaahsen asked how many trees would have to come down and whether any were currently diseased. Mr. Burrell stated the original plan had 6-8 trees coming down. After walking the park, some of the trees that would come down are either diseased or dying. The plan is to plant new trees in the park as well, more than would come out. Klaahsen asked Staff if there were any reports that could confirm there are diseased trees and if there were plans in the works to replace them. Edwards said a tree survey was done last year, and although he doesn’t recall the exact numbers, a large number of the trees at Summit Beach are diseased. The City does not have a tree planting program. Carter said if the Commission was introduced to the idea that there was an interest to develop the park possibly with bathrooms, playgrounds, parking lots, and a building and launches for the boat club, the Commission would get the right parties together, have an engagement process, develop a master plan, and then stand back and take a look at it. Instead, the Commission is looking at a proposal from the boat club and saying yes or no. He thinks it is a possibility but that it will take a lot more work. Roath stated that, as a Commissioner, he is not looking to change or impact any of the current users. The Commission has talked about doing something with the park for a couple years and would like to increase the benefit to the community and better utilize the beach and park. His biggest concern is how club activities would impact other people’s activities. Berg pointed out that it is a natural area; it is relaxing to go there. Most people are concerned about taking the feeling away that you are in a natural area. Ruegemer stated Bruce Dayton donated land specifically as a place for people to go to enjoy nature. She hates to see this land as an opportunity to build when his intent in donating it was opposite of that. Even if it is there, it doesn’t mean that it should be developed just because the City can and somebody wants to. Berg asked if Ruegemer opposed a playground. Ruegemer indicated that a natural playground has been in their plans for a long time but that is different than a 6,000-9,000 square-foot building. Berg said the playground was pushed to the side because of other developments. Her vision has always been to create a natural playground at that park. Hudson stated because it is so early in the planning process, a lot of questions cannot be answered -- what the finishes are, how it ties into nature -- and it makes it hard for the Commission. A big part of conserving nature is also promoting the use and interest of nature. The more people on the lake, the more people interested in the conservation of the resource. Ruegemer said the Commission is currently transforming a road into a trail and being careful with putting a lot of environmental aspects into it such as rain water gardens and new trees, which will bring more people into the park and increased use. MINUTES OF THE ORONO PARK COMMISSION Monday, March 2nd, 2020 6:00 o’clock p.m. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Page 12 of 20 Carter stated that this is a good plan that needs further development. He noted Dayton’s vision/intent needs to be figured out and the abstract found. There needs to be better engagement, and it would be better to do that in the summer when people are using the park so they can be reached out to. People in the community and the rowing club need to come together and be the client so the Park Commission does not need to decide if the client is the rowing club or the community, because it should be both. He suggested doing a trial period without a building with some amount of traffic from Birch’s moving to Summit to see how it works. A master plan needs to be created. He said it would not be that difficult to show the impact on the neighbors’ views. There is a lot of potential, but if the Commission rushes to judgment, it would be hard for him to make a choice to go in this direction. Stephens gave his initial impression: it is a large building and large impact on a small park. Some will view it as a positive impact; some will view it as a negative impact. He also would like to see more collaboration and creativity so it can be a more positive impact for everyone. He does not know if it has reached an “inspired design” at this time. He thought the rowing club would have a more favorable response if it was a more creative proposal. Hudson noted the letters/emails/conversations had nothing but the highest praise for the LLRC and he is proud to have them in the community. He would like to see increased outreach such as an open house and not just invitations to people. He agreed the abstract needs to be found. The Commissioners are concerned with the use of the park. He believes this promotes increased use, community participation, fitness, and well-being. The contact he received was 75% in support of the proposal. Ruegemer noted most of the letters came from the rowing club. The letters she received from neighbors were 99.9% the opposite. The Commission has to look at the broader community, not just the rowing club. The parks are neighborhood parks; they are meant to serve communities. She stated it sounds like a very positive club and she does not know of anyone that says anything negative about the club, but that does not mean it is a great fit for Summit. Ms. Victoria Seals, 3620 Eileen Street, said she thought the process to get here is unfortunate for everyone. As a Councilmember, she is looking for this to be compartmentalized. She is not worried about the design. What she wants to know is whether it is good to look at a partnership: yes/no. Do the Commissioners think this will expand usage of the park: yes/no. Are there things to figure out: probably. Do we want to maintain the nature setting: yes. She said the LLRC is doing their best to adjust to feedback and that feedback may put them in a doom loop. She asked the Commissioners to give some guidance because it helps the Planning Commission, who will dig into it and give some advice. She discussed the Commissioners’ views and noted the reason there are so many steps in the process is so that things can be vetted. If she was the LLRC, she would not know where to go and what their next step was. Basically, they want to know if the Park Commission is interested; do they want to go on a second date. Carter clarified that this is what he was talking to Roath about, providing guidance to the Council rather than voting. He requested Seals to repeat that specific set of questions. Ms. Seals stated she looks at the situation this way: Do I think it would be good to look at this partnership: yes/no. Do I think this will bring more people to the park and expand usage: yes/no. She referenced the “secret” park and noted if it’s everyone’s park, it should not be a secret. She asked if people wanted to increase usage. She suggested also including some callouts/watchouts/lookouts that might be important such as: make sure to preserve nature in a certain way; make sure there is a clear MINUTES OF THE ORONO PARK COMMISSION Monday, March 2nd, 2020 6:00 o’clock p.m. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Page 13 of 20 division for rowers as opposed to people who want access to the beach. She stated when it comes before the City Council, she wants to make sure she knows what was important to the Park Commission. Edwards indicated most of those considerations are in the packet under “Considerations.” Carter said he read the considerations and had a hard time answering them. In response to Ms. Seal’s questions, he can support a partnership. He would try to keep it natural and create divisions. Yes, it will bring more people to the park; but he is not sure if that is a good idea. He knows they have changed the park dramatically with the closing of the road and other developments, and he would like to see that play out. He reiterated there is a better process and he would support the idea of a second date, but he does not want to have a yes/no vote on this proposal. Berg said she agreed with Carter’s thoughts. Klaahsen stated that she is supportive of the partnership, and the time the club would be on the water and using the space is not prime family beach time. She is very concerned about swimmer safety and having a roped-off area and boats being diverted away from the beach. She believes there would be more use with the addition of the LLRC, including winter use and having a multi-use building with community ed. She thinks LLRC sponsoring part of the playground would allow the City to upgrade from their previous plan and make it more of a destination. She said Orono has a lot of “secret beaches” which offer no amenities other than access points, picnic tables, and sand. This is the only beach that has the opportunity to become more of a destination beach because it has a little more space. The City has an opportunity to put a playground there, the rowers would be out there, and there would be trail connections. She thinks it can be done in a responsible way, and the rowing club has demonstrated responsibility with the environment and community. She would want new trees to replace the trees that are coming down, swimmer safety, multi-usage of the building, as much public access as possible, and some playground sponsorship. Roath noted something could be put in place to restrict hours of practice/usage at the facility if needed. Carter indicated he is very involved in Big Island Park where they are developing accessible trails, a bathroom, and maybe a shelter. It has been a very long process with a lot of public engagement. When he lived in Minneapolis, he was on a citizens advisory committee for Brownie Lake. He recommended there be something like a citizens advisory committee that either represents the interests of the rowing club or works together with the rowing club to try to come up with a workable solution. Ms. Feldmann suggested “partnership” be defined because the agenda states the proposal is very specific for a boathouse in Summit Beach. She stated there needs to be guidance whether a boathouse in Summit Beach should continue to be discussed, because that would help decide how the committee could be formulated, and who would be put on the committee. It’s not about the partnership with Orono and the boating club, because that partnership is going on; there’s no need for a “second date'' for that. This would be to bring clarity to whether or not there should be a building that is going to take up space on Summit Beach Park to store boats. She suggested waiting until the playground was put in and the other developments and see what that does as far as use. She is worried about the safety aspect also. Berg commented that it is about a partnership as well as how the LLRC will develop what they need for their part of the partnership and how the Commission will approve it. With the partnership comes the building and how the LLRC will utilize the beach and park. MINUTES OF THE ORONO PARK COMMISSION Monday, March 2nd, 2020 6:00 o’clock p.m. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Page 14 of 20 Roath recapped the concerns regarding the proposal: legal aspects about the easement; Dayton’s intent for the park; growth of the club; impact of its usage relative to other users of the park; building size; environmental impact; whether it’s part of a master plan or if the Commission is being strategic enough; placement of the dock; and size of the parking lot. The next step is to decide if they want a second date. Hudson moved that the proposal as presented progress to step two of the process, taking into account all the concerns/considerations that have been highlighted during the entire process. Carter said if the motion was to support the proposal, he would vote no. However, if the motion was to bring the discussion to the Council with a series of suggestions, he would be able to vote for that. Hudson indicated it would be the latter scenario. Carter moved that the proposal be moved to the City Council with guidance from the Park Commission, including a recommendation of a completion of a master plan for Summit Park that contemplates the potential of the boat club and involves some kind of citizen group committee that represents the community. He would also like the proposal to come back to the Park Commission. Ruegemer stated it is the Park Commission’s job to vote on the proposal rather than pass the buck to the City Council, because then it’s out of the Park Commission’s hands. Carter clarified he was offering a friendly amendment. Carter moved to move the discussion to the City Council meeting with the caveat that the next phase is to develop a master plan for the park where the City includes the consideration of the rowing club and having some sort of community council or committee to represent the community at large. Hudson supported and accepted the friendly good amendment. The Commissioners discussed that the Park Commission is supporting that the proposal be brought to the City Council with the following conditions: a master plan be completed, likely to be done by the Park Commission; a citizen representative committee formed that has input into the master plan and process; the proposal comes back to the Park Commission at some point after task number two. They also discussed what the Park Commission should be voting on. Berg seconded the motion as amended. After discussion it was decided the motion should be restated. Carter moved, Berg seconded, to move the proposal to the City Council for review with the guidance that there needs to be a master plan created before there is any decision as to whether the rowing club is part of the park or not, it needs to involve a broader set of community input, and the Park Commission should have a role in that. VOTE: Ayes 6, Nays 0, Abstain 1 (Ruegemer). RECESS & RECONVENE Chair Roath recessed the meeting at 8:19 p.m. The meeting was reconvened at 8:25 p.m. 3. PARKS COMMISSION SCHEDULE - REVISED MINUTES OF THE ORONO PARK COMMISSION Monday, March 2nd, 2020 6:00 o’clock p.m. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Page 15 of 20 Roath stated at the last meeting they discussed revising the schedule. Currently, there is a formal meeting every other month starting in January and the alternate months are workshop meetings. There are no meetings in December. The proposed schedule is to have a formal meeting every three months/quarterly, the formal meeting in December moved to November, as it currently is. Workshops would take place February, April, May, July, August, and October. Roath asked if the pattern would be good with everyone, and members agreed it would be fine. After discussing conflicts regarding the 1:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. meeting times, Carter suggested switching the time in October. Edwards asked if the first month of the quarter could be the 6:00 p.m. time and the second month of the quarter be the 1:00 p.m. time. Carter moved, Berg seconded, to adopt the revised calendar with the change that was recommended. VOTE: Ayes 7, Nays 0. Roath asked if the September meeting could be moved from Tuesday to Wednesday. Hudson moved, Carter seconded, to move the September 8 meeting to September 9. VOTE: Ayes 7, Nays 0. STAFF REPORTS 4. PUBLIC WORKS PARKS UPDATE Edwards noted the sledding at the clubhouse seemed to go well and ended the past weekend. The department now has the challenge of hiring seasonal workers for the golf course and the parks. He encouraged anyone looking for work to apply. Ruegemer and Hudson asked what the hourly wage was. Edwards stated that it depended on the position, but around $15 an hour. Edwards said they are waiting for the snow to melt at Bederwood so they can get the playing surface seeded. After the weight restrictions are lifted, they will get the contractor back in to do the asphalt and finish the well. The City Council approved the design at Big Island at their last meeting and implemented the deed restrictions that were required for the grant. It should go out for bid this week. He is still looking to get the East Long Lake Road Trail out for bid, which will probably happen in April. He noted Three Rivers Park District is still working on finalizing the design for the Navarre Dakota Trail Access. There is an onus on getting it built this year because Three Rivers is using a grant which expires at the end of the year for their portion. Carter asked if the intersection would also be rebuilt this year. Edwards indicated it would be but that it is a separate project by the County. Edwards commented that the Dakota Trail crossing improvements at Orono Orchard Road is another project led by Three Rivers Park District and should be constructed this spring. MINUTES OF THE ORONO PARK COMMISSION Monday, March 2nd, 2020 6:00 o’clock p.m. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Page 16 of 20 Stephens asked what they were doing to that. Edwards answered that it is a trail realignment to get better sight lines for both bicyclists and vehicles. Edwards said there was direction from the Council for the City to look at maintaining some Three Rivers Park District trails beginning the winter of 2020-2021 such as plowing. Three Rivers does not maintain their trails but gives municipalities the opportunity to pick up the workload and cost. Orono declines this opportunity with the exception of the section of the Independence Trail which runs in front of the building, because it serves as a sidewalk for the school district. The City will be maintaining the Dakota Trail around the Wayzata intersection through potentially the far side of Spring Park. Roath asked what adjacent cities’ plans were. Edwards responded that other cities’ plans were not to do anything but one of the Councilmembers is trying to work with other elected officials to see if an agreement can be made that everyone does it or everyone applies more pressure on Three Rivers so they do it. He noted some people want the trail plowed so they can walk on it; some people want it to remain the same so they can go snowshoeing or cross-country skiing. The cost would come out of the operations and maintenance budget and would run $5,000-$6,000 per year. Roath stated there was a typo regarding “Crystal Bay Park Maintained for Skating,” indicating that it was not this year. Edwards agreed and said it should read “Casco Point Rink.” Roath commented it would be nice to see how financially successful the sledding at the golf course was. Ruegemer clarified whether Roath was referring to beverage sales. Edwards indicated they keep track of that and those numbers could be run. Ruegemer asked if the City was trying to make money or just break even. Roath said he was sure the City lost money. It is just an accounting of what the investment was to have Staff there and if it was offset by sales. Edwards stated that they did make sales but after paying the attendant $15 an hour, there is not much left. It is a service the City wants to provide. SPECIAL COMMITTEE REPORTS 5. LURTON PARK DOG DAYS EVENT Ruegemer asked if June 20 would be an option this year, noting last year the event took place on June 22 and it seemed to work well. Commissioners and Edwards indicated that date would work well. MINUTES OF THE ORONO PARK COMMISSION Monday, March 2nd, 2020 6:00 o’clock p.m. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Page 17 of 20 Ruegemer said the time frame would remain the same, 10:00-1:00. She will approach the participants from last year -- the different dog groups and different city businesses -- that donated. She listed several local companies she will be contacting. Roath suggested that posting something at the dog park and recruiting help would be a good idea. Ruegemer said she could use help promoting it and with setup. Roath asked if there were any projects that needed to be done at the park before then. Edwards said there were no special projects this year other than normal maintenance at Lurton. Roath brought up the outhouse enclosure. Edwards stated the Boy Scouts took care of it last fall. Ruegemer said the doggy bag apparatus at the front of the park always gets jammed, and people complain they cannot get doggy bags. Poop pickup is a big issue when that doesn’t happen. Edwards said he would pass that information on to the maintenance crew. Hudson asked if there was a parking issue at the event last year. Ruegemer said she has to make sure the police are contacted and will work on it. Berg suggested starting the process of the special event permit in April. 6. BIG ISLAND EVENT / BIG ISLAND LEGACY FUND UPDATE Carter asked the approximate dates of receipt of the bids and construction start for Big Island. Edwards indicated the third week in March for bid receipts. He noted the second Council meeting in March may not have a quorum so it may need to be brought to the first week in April. The construction start date would be discussed with the selected contractor. Carter asked if the project start date would have to wait until June. Edwards said if there are eagle issues, the start date would have to be mid-July/end of July. Carter stated the eagles are actively using the nest right now, so that would definitely be the case. Edwards clarified there are restrictions to certain activities; some things may be able to be started. Carter said he would like to have a groundbreaking event and schedule that on June 6 or June 20. He would like the inside of the building to be painted and the boards to be up for the event. It could be open to the public, but it would be promoted to the Park Commissioners and the Board of Directors and a few other key people. He asked specifically whether June 6 would work. MINUTES OF THE ORONO PARK COMMISSION Monday, March 2nd, 2020 6:00 o’clock p.m. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Page 18 of 20 Edwards stated he did not see any conflicts for June 6. When Roath asked if any Commissioners had any problems with the date, there was no objection. Carter indicated his understanding is if the full 120 is raised, the City can use up to 10% of the total grant for soft costs. That would limit them to 360 instead of 400, which means it would be nip-and-tuck, so there might not be both a shelter and bathrooms. If the Commission stopped collecting money today, they are at about 70 of the 120 and it reduces the project by 100,000 because it is a matching grant. Once the bid comes back and the Commission knows where they are with fundraising, they would go in front of the City Council and ask them to cover the difference, knowing the Park Commission will keep raising money and will come up with it. If the City Council agrees, he will ask them to also pay the soft costs and let the Park Commission have the whole $400,000. No matter what, there will probably be a Phase 2 for this project and he would like to talk about that at the work session in April. Hudson noted the Mayor’s annual letter stated there would be bathrooms. Carter commented he thinks everyone is in agreement that if only bathrooms or a shelter can be done, it will be the bathrooms. He noted there are two bathroom locations on the plan, one by the visitor center and one towards the shelter. There has been some debate about which bathroom makes more sense. The bid numbers need to come in before decisions are made. A grand opening event will take place in the summer of 2021. He said he will talk to the City Council and the Board to confirm the June 6 date and work with Edwards to communicate the date publicly. COMMISSIONERS REPORT 7. COMMISSIONER’S UPDATES Roath welcomed Stephens to the Park Commission and stated he will be getting him up to speed on things. He noted the Park Commission has set goals for the year and Stephens would be getting some assignments as far as parks. The Commissioners talked with Stephens about his interest in parks and how he became a Park Commissioner. In answer, Stephens said Roath talked him into it and that he was going to live next door to the Orono golf course, so it occurred to him that he does care about Orono’s parks. Stephens said he is from California and his wife grew up in Orono and they have been here 10 years. He is a pediatric dentist. Roath stated he has been working with Edwards regarding the agenda and at times he strikes things. He encouraged everyone to please let him know if they had things they wanted to talk about. Commissioners Roath and Carter discussed items for the upcoming April work session’s agenda, including putting a trails group together. Roath said the Bederwood Grand Opening is on the calendar and he is working with people that want to participate in that to figure out what the right day might be in September. Berg noted the split-rail fence was taken down on Lydiard Beach. MINUTES OF THE ORONO PARK COMMISSION Monday, March 2nd, 2020 6:00 o’clock p.m. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Page 19 of 20 Edwards clarified that vandals did that. He said the fence would be repaired or replaced with a rural-type fence but they are moving away from split-rail. Berg said that was a great idea because that area is almost as busy in the winter as it is in the summer. She commented that she is a proponent of the snowmobiling in the area. Edwards noted that after Berg brought that up at a work session, the gates were removed so snowmobiles could get in and out. They did not find anything in the records which restricted that site as a snowmobile access point. Klaahsen asked if the Commissioners would be open to revisiting the decision six years ago about removing the little swim docks from the beaches. The Commissioners and Edwards discussed where the decision may have been made, whether it was at the Council level or the Park Commission level, and that docks at beaches were removed although docks are maintained at lake access points. Klaahsen asked if the docks were still in the garage. Edwards said the parts of the docks are in the garage and they use the parts to repair docks in other places. Carter noted docks could be put back, but new ones would have to be bought. Edwards agreed with Carter. Berg recalled that the problem was people were fishing on the docks and people were pulling their boats up to the docks, which was the catalyst for the removal. Her neighborhood would love to see the docks back. They also would like to see the swim buoys stay where they are. Klaahsen said her neighborhood would also appreciate them. She asked, assuming it was a minimal expense, whether the Commissioners would be open to discussing it. Roath indicated since it has been six years it is worth revisiting, and asked Klaahsen if she would like to take the lead. Klaahsen agreed to do so. Berg indicated it would be at Sandy, Lydiard, and Summit. Roath asked if there would be a small dock at Summit as part of the reconstruction of the trail. Commissioners indicated there would be a fishing bump-out with rocks. Edwards commented at master planning it was discussed whether there would be a fishing pier off the trail but not in the park. Roath asked whether it would have been in the canoe launch area. MINUTES OF THE ORONO PARK COMMISSION Monday, March 2nd, 2020 6:00 o’clock p.m. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Page 20 of 20 Edwards said there was talk about improving it with timber-framed steps going into the edge of the water at the canoe site. The Commissioners talked about which docks could be affected as far as putting the docks back. Carter suggested making that a work plan item. ADJOURNMENT Carter moved, Berg seconded, to adjourn the Orono Park Commission meeting at 9:04 p.m. VOTE: Ayes 7, Nays 0. ATTEST: _________________________________________ Brian Roath, Chair Park Commission City of Orono The Park Commission advises the City Council on matters of maintenance and use of park facilities, preservation of natural resources and promotion of environmental awareness MISSION STATEMENT The City of Orono will provide effective guidance through public policy established from citizen involvement, by empowering staff to implement best practices to prepare Orono for any challenges of the future and by ensuring a positive customer experience, superior municipal services and provide a safe community for the residents, businesses and customers to live, work and play in. Fr o m C i t y C o d e Members. The park commission is composed of seven members, who serve staggered three-year terms. The director of public services and one council member shall be members of the commission ex officio and without vote and are in addition to the seven-member commission (Code Section 22-32) VISION STATEMENT To be the residential community of choice and remain widely recognized for its preservation of natural rural beauty, quality of life, and recreational assets. Powers & Duties. The park commission shall be only an advisory body to the City Council. The commission shall study and consider the continuing needs of the city for parks and recreation areas and facilities of all kinds, including but not limited to problems involving public use of Lake Minnetonka and other lakes in the city, and portions of its shorelines. The commission shall report to the council. (Code Section 22-33) CITY OF ORONO GOALS To provide consistent high levels of customer service to our residents and balance the enforcement of city codes To maintain sustainable funding for infrastructure while maintaining a stable tax levy To create a culture of continuous improvement by providing efficient and reliable government services To adopt best practices into city processes to ensure the high quality services are provided in an ever-changing environment 2020 Focus Parks / Function Purpose Committee Members Goals Timeline / Milestones (PC-Park Commission Lead; S-Staff Lead; CC-City Council, V-volunteers) East Long Lake Trail and Summit Beach Special steering committee for masterplan development and design guidance. Jan Berg * Julie Ruegemer Brian Roath 1. Complete the trail project. Jan 2020- Design complete/Approved (S,PC,CC) Mar 2020- Trail award (S) Mar 2020 –Playground grant due to HC (C,S) Jun-Oct 2020 – Trail construction (S) Lurton Park Standing Committee to explore opportunities for improvements at the park Julie Ruegemer * 1. Maintenance. Establish a weekly maintenance checklist. 2. Develop Plan for future upgrades. April-May 2020-Develop Maintenance checklist (PC) Community Events at Parks Special steering committee to develop a plan for an annual holiday tree lighting ceremony and other events at City Parks Jan (Tree Lighting)* Rick (Big Island) Julie (Lurton) Brian (Bederwood) Casey (“Brew Fest”) Special steering committee to develop a plan for an annual holiday tree lighting ceremony and other events at City Parks Goals for this subcommittee are: 1. Draft a 3-year schedule of community events held at Orono parks, hosted by the Commission/City Council. Some of the events might not begin in 2019, but should be recurring events. The plan should propose a budget for each event. 2. Once the schedule is developed, socialize the event listing with area organizations to drum-up interest in sponsorship. 3. Plan and coordinate the 2020 Holiday Tree Lighting event. 4. Plan and coordinate the 2020 Lurton Park dog Days event. 5. Plan and coordinate the Big Island Ground Breaking. 6. Plan and coordinate the Bederwood Sport Field Grand Opening. Feb 2020- Lurton Dog Days Plan Complete (PC) Apr 2020- Lurton Dog Days Event (PC) Apr 2020- Big Island Ground Breaking Plan Complete (PC) Jun 2020-Big Island Ground Breaking (PC) Jul 2020- Bederwood Sports Field Grant Opening Plan Complete (PC) Aug 2020-“Brew Fest” Plan Complete (PC) Sep 2020-Bederwood Sports Field Grant Opening (PC) Oct 2020- “Brew Fest” (PC) Oct 2020- Holiday Tree Lighting Plan Complete (PC) Dec 2020- Holiday Tree lighting Event (PC) ______- 3 year schedule of events complete (PC) ______- Sponsorship/ partnership for upcoming 3 years of events complete. (PC) Trails Standing Committee to explore opportunities for improvements and additions to trials throughout the community. Rick Carter * Beth Davis Julie Ruegemer 1. Discuss the community outreach required for each of the priorities. Reach out to the community when a project is being planned to do our Due Diligence. September, 2020 - Input to Capital Budget for 2021 August, 2020 – select a project and get community input (maybe Lakeview Legacy Park?) Big Island Special steering committee for masterplan development and design guidance of the Bid Island Improvement Projects. Rick Carter * 1. Complete Interpretive sign design and install. 2. Complete ADA Trail Improvement Project 3. Host a grand opening Jan 2020- Improvements design complete/Approved (S,PC,CC) Mar 2020- Improvements Award (S) Jun-Oct 2020 – Improvements Construction (S) Jun 2020-Groundbreaking July 2020-Interpretive sign design complete / installation (PC,S) Golf Course Standing committee for Golf Course Initiatives Brian Roath* 1. Develop New Plan / Goals Hackberry Park Master plan Special steering committee for masterplan development Crystal Bay Park Master Plan Special steering committee for masterplan development Seven Nations Park Master Plan Special steering committee for masterplan development As of May 29th, 2020 Park Assignments Park Lead Commissioner 2020 Focus / Activity / Initiative Antoine Park Jennifer Klaahsen Bederwood Park Brian Roath Big Island See Big Island Committee See Big Island Committee Goals Casco Point Park Julie Ruegemer Casco Point Rink Jennifer Klaahsen Casco Point Beach Jan Berg Crystal Bay Playground Casey Conrad Hudson French Creek Preserve Hackberry Park Casey Conrad Hudson Highwood Nature Trail Julie Ruegemer Golf Course See Golf Course Committee See Golf Course Committee Goals Livingston Tower Lowry Woods Julie Ruegemer Lurton Park See Lurton Park Committee See Lurton Park committee Goals Lydiard Beach Jan Berg New Gates Navarre Playground Julie Ruegemer Pleasant View Rick Carter Saga Hill Julie Ruegemer Sandy Beach Jennifer Klaahsen Seven Nations Park Julie Ruegemer Summit Beach Jan Berg See East Long Lake Trail and Summit Beach Committee Goals Donation Garden Functional / Activity Assignments Area Lead Commissioner 2020 Focus / Activity / Initiative Park Signage Increase Community Outreach Julie Ruegemer Trails Trail Lead 2020 Focus / Activity / Initiative East Long Lake Trail East Long Lake committee See East Long Lake Trail and Summit Beach Committee Goals Wayzata Blvd Trail City Engineer Landscaping for eastern segment Willow Drive Trail Brown Road Trail County Road 6 Trail Lake Access Points Site Lead Commissioner 2020 Focus / Activity / Initiative Capital Improvement Plan, City of Orono Parks Planning 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 Summit Beach Improvements (pave parking) $54,000 Assumes done with E. Long Lake Trail On hold. Summit Beach Improvements (Playground, tables, signage, toilet improvements)$41,280 Assumes playground grant of $15K Big Island ADA Trails, amenities, restroom 131,531$ BI Master Plan Plus Grant for $200K and assumes donation for $120K. City contribution increased by council at award based on fundraising not reaching goal French Creek Park (Tree Maintenance and Planting) $20,000 Crystal Bay Park Improvements (Scope to be determined)300,000$ Assumes Grant for 50% Basket Ball Court Surfacing - Crystal Bay $10,000 Assumes Grant for 50% Hackberry Improvements $300,000 Need Master plan Assumes grant for 50% Playground Equipment (Antoine) $65,000 Replacement Cycle Assumes Partial Grant for Playground equipment Playground Equipment (Crystal Bay, Navarre, Hackberry, Bederwood,Antoine)70,000$ Assume 20 year life cycle. GC Wetland and Fairway #4 Improvements $160,000 Grant with MCWD if available GC Outdoor Gas Fire Pit Area $26,885 CMP GC Priority 4 Council removed from CIP on 28 Oct 19. $26885 GC Lawn Bowling $80,000 CMP GC Priority 5 GC Tow Rope $102,000 CMP GC Priority 6 GC Perimeter Trail $214,700 CMP GC Priority 7 GC Miscellaneous improvements $10,000 $10,000 $10,000 $10,000 $10,000 $10,000 $10,000 $10,000 $10,000 $10,000 Added and Park Chair's request Dock Replacement (15 year life) $10,000 $10,000 Replacement Cycle Plan for one every 5 years Lake access Refresh (gravel, signage, fencing and gates) 10000 10000 Maintenance Cycle Plan for one every 5 years CR 6 Trail (OCB - Willow) Improvement $36,402 East Long Lake Road to Trail $134,000 CMP Trial priority 1 Plus Grant for 150,000 and funding from Stormwater Fund Trail Construction along CSAH 19 (Livingston to Dakota) $160,000 CMP Trail Priority 2 3 way cost share with HC and TRPD. Moved from 2019 to 2020 Moved to 2020 based on TRPD update Trail construction along North Arm drive to Lakeview Legacy Park $80,000 CMP Trail priority 3 Ideally tied to road project which HC has forcast for 2022 Trail committee recomends move to 2021. CSAH 112 PH 3 Trail (School to CSAH 6) $188,640 Connects to CMP Trail priority 4 Assumes 50% cost share with HC moved to 2022 with project. Trail Construction along OCB and North Shore (Luce Line to Dakota)$567,000 CMP trail priority 5 Assumes Cost Share with HC or TRPD Trail committee Recommends move to 2022. Trail Construction along Hunter or Ferndale Roads connection Luce line to northern boundary $133,890 CMP Trail priority 6 Assumes Cost Share with HC or TRPD Learend form TRPD that this would be part of their Diamond Lake Regional Trail Project. Trail Access to Lowry Woods $100,000 CMP Trail Priority 7 Aerator $24,000 Fertilizer Spreader $6,000 Sprayer $34,300 Skid loader $53,500 Tee Mower $38,000 Top Dresser $16,800 Greens Mower $9,700 Rough Mower $65,500 Mower (Big island)$8,961 Greens / Turf Roller $13,000 Totals $353,531 $217,280 $279,342 $534,885 $40,000 $235,000 $190,000 $334,390 $543,661 $657,000 Lurton gravel trails $20,000 Lurton gravel trails 20,000$ Parking Lot Repave 50,000 Prairie Maintenance Contract 4,000$ 4,000$ 4,000$ 4,000$ 4,000$ 4,000$ 4,000$ 4,000$ 4,000$ 4,000$ 2020 NotesJustificationCommentsProject Lu r t o n P a r k Fu n d Pa r k s Go l f C o u r s e La k e A c c e s s Po i n t s 5-Year CIP Planning Period Tr a i l s Eq u i p m e n t