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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPRNRC Minutes 09-19-18 DRAFT CITY OF LAKEVILLE PARKS, RECREATION & NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES September 19, 2018 Co-Chair Peterson called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. in the Lake Marion Conference Room. Members Present: Jeanne Peterson, Jim Storms, Holly Weberg, Lori Bovitz, Tom Goodwin, Alternate Tony Wotzka Members Absent: Bob Swan, Patty Zuzek Staff Present: Parks and Recreation Director John Hennen, Recording Secretary Stella Eskelson 1. Approval of September 5, 2018 minutes Minutes approved as written. 2. Citizen comments No citizens present. 3. East Community Park Concepts: Representatives from WSB and Associates were in attendance to review the preliminary concepts for East Community Park Phase II Master Plan. The original Master Plan concept was completed in 2006 and required significant updates. Bailey Krause provided an overview of two Master Plan concepts for committee comments and review. A neighborhood meeting was held on August 22nd, residents expressed strong interest in keeping that park space as natural and open as possible. Committee members were able to review the results from the neighborhood meeting prior to the meeting. Concept I featured: o Parking lot located on the north side to preserve natural space o Open lawn space that could be utilized for two lacrosse practice fields or one soccer field o A fishing pier and stone shoreline fishing o Canoe/kayak dock and storage racks o One improved overlook and one additional overlook o North Creek Regional Greenway trailhead and kiosk Staff indicated that the 12-acre natural area on the north side of the site was purchased with the assistance of a Dakota County Farmland and Natural Area program grant. Staff is in discussions with Dakota County on what amenities could be constructed in this area. In addition, the bump-outs that are proposed to be used for additional water features would need approval from the Metropolitan Council who currently manages these. Parks, Recreation & Natural Resources Committee Meeting Minutes, September 19, 2018 Page 2 Concept I Committee Feedback: Committee Member Goodwin noted that a dog park was a preferred amenity based on feedback from residents and could space near the parking lot be developed into one? This request will be evaluated and could be included in one of the concepts. Committee members inquired about the inclusion of practice fields; would they be utilized and were residents receptive to them? Local lacrosse teams are in need of practice space and would use the fields. Those who came to the meeting were more interested in open space instead of programmed space but if the fields were striped, they could still be utilized for various types of recreation. Committee members approved of the additional overlooks and the enhanced viewing of the natural space that they would provide. The group also preferred the loop-type trails depicted in Concept I. Concept II featured: o Parking lot placed further into the park that is accessible via a park boulevard type road o Less cleared lawn and more prairie/native plants and the addition of prairie pollinator gardens o Additional picnic shelter and community fire pit o Bocce ball o Paved trail o Natural play circuit Concept II Committee Feedback: Committee members felt that a loop-type trail system would be preferred and might be better utilized than the proposed trail layout in this concept. Committee members wanted to know how the community fire pit would be managed. Staff would explore various options, but it would be available to anyone who wanted to use it and users would manage its use on their own. Committee Member Goodwin and Weberg felt that the prairie pollinator gardens could be reduced to one or have smaller gardens dispersed throughout the park. Weberg inquired about available grants, Staff can explore funding possibilities. The location of the canoe/kayak dock and storage racks were in separate locations in this concept, Committee members suggested that they might be too far away from the parking lot. The storage racks were placed here assuming that many of the renters would live in the neighborhood and have access to the racks via trails. Parks, Recreation & Natural Resources Committee Meeting Minutes, September 19, 2018 Page 3 Committee members thought that the inclusion of bocce ball courts would be a well-used inclusion to the parks system. Committee Members recommended that the parking lot be placed in the same location as Concept I which could potentially leave room for the inclusion of a dog park. Committee Members discussed the location of the natural play circuit and if parents would allow kids to play in the more densely wooded area. Staff and Krause shared that while this hadn’t been identified as a concern that there could be seating areas established for parents and that changes could be made to provide better visibility. Staff also reiterated that the proposed paved trail and play circuit would be in the grant-funded acreage and would need further approval prior to construction. Overall, Committee members thought that both concepts included many beneficial features. The concepts will be refined based on Committee feedback and then shared with the public along with a survey online and via social media for feedback. 4. NRPA Metrics Discussion Committee members participated in a discussion on the results of Lakeville’s NRPA Metrics in comparison to surrounding communities. Next steps are to bring the summarized discussion back to the committee for discussion and determine how best the data can be shared. The metrics could be used as an information narrative to share with Staff and used in future discussion on organizational funding, programming and staffing needs. 5. Other Business: No other business. 6. Announcements: 7. Adjourn: Meeting adjourned at 8:45 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Stella Eskelson, Recording Secretary