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HomeMy WebLinkAbout12-19Lukcvi((c • PARKS, RECREATION, AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE Minutes for meeting on: December 19, 2007 ITEM 1 Call to order. The meeting was called to order in the Council Chambers at 6:00 p.m. ITEM 2 Roll call of members. Committee members present were: P. Messinger, J. Hayes, K. Miller, S. Kelly, J. Peterson, H. Lovelace, and R. Walia. Tom Goodwin was not in attendance. Also present were Parks and Recreation Director Steve Michaud, Environmental Resources Manager Mac Lafferty, Tim Brown from Barr Engineering Company, and Recording Secretary T J. Ruter. ITEM 3 Approval of November 14, 2007 meeting minutes. The minutes of the November 14, 2007 Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Committee meeting were presented. They were approved as written. ITEM 4 Citizen comments. There were no citizens present at the meeting fox items other than those scheduled on the agenda. ITEM 5 Staff reports and summary of current projects. Steve Michaud gave a brief description of his November PowerPoint presentation that was distributed at the meeting. He explained the photos of various projects in process and discussed some of the • snowmobile issues that have arisen since the first snowfall. He also reported that the City received two top banana awards this year: one for best picnic spot (Antlers Park) and runner-up for best playground (North Park). Steve announced that staff will continue to provide these reports and copies of the PowerPoint presentations as they become available. Chair Miller inquired about the status of the rinks. Steve Michaud briefly explained the issues around securing portable warming houses this season; they were in high demand, so the vendor just delivered the City's order on Monday afternoon. The major sites (paved rinks) opened two weeks ago. The City's goal is to have the rinks ready and functional by the time the kids are released for the holiday break, so staff is ahead of schedule. Due to excellent weather and having three crews flooding around the clock, all rinks are skateable. This year is our best start of ice skating in many years. Pat Messinger asked Steve to elaborate on the pending project regarding a donor group that wishes. to fund the complete purchase and installation of a major playground as a memorial to a young child. Steve gave some background information about the child and the management company that is doing a fundraiser for the memorial. Steve spoke to the contact about funding opportunities from park benches to redoing Casperson Park playground for around $80,000. The contact's reply was that he didn't think it would be a problem to raise that kind of money for the playground. Steve also discussed how a rock with a plaque would be placed in the playground as a memorial, just like the City has done in other places. Staff would require full payment and final City Council approval prior to any project starting. ITEM 6 Draft Surface Water Management Plan (Barr Engineering Company). Tim Brown from Barr Engineering Company was in attendance at the meeting to give the group a • PowerPoint presentation on the elements of the Ciry of Lakeville Surface Water Management Plan. Mr. Brown designed the presentation to address five areas: why, what, issues, goals and policies, and implementation plan. Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Committee Page 2 December 19, 2007 • Mr. Brown addressed the reasons for the revision of this plan; overall, the City needs to meet the requirements set forth by the State of Minnesota permit process, Metropolitan Council, Vermillion River Watershed JPO, and the Black Dog WMO. He further explained it will be a complete, intensive guide for the City with information for quick reference by City staff. He then discussed Section 6 in detail and gave an overview of the state/federal permit process, including the SWPPP preparation and reporting component and the Nondegradation Report tasks. Mr. Brown then discussed the issue of impaired waters. The City currently has two on the impaired waters list: Lee Lake and Crystal Lake. Next year, North Creek and South Creek will be added. If mercury levels were to be considered at some point, then Lake Marion would also be considered impaired. Mr. Brown also addressed and discussed some of the other relevant issues from the Vermillion Watershed, Black Dog WMO, the Metropolitan Council, as well as Lakeville local issues. Chair Miller asked Tim what he thinks the biggest issue for the City of Lakeville will be in the next 1-5 years. Mr. Brown answered that TMDL (Total Maximum Daily Load) issues and Nondegradation will most likely be Lakeville's top issues going forward. Mac Lafferty agreed with his assessment. Mr. Brown shared the goals and policies set forth by the draft plan. He broke them down into goals, policies, objectives, and actions. Additionally, he covered the implementation highlights, including Table 7.2. It illustrates the City's direction in terms of integrating the plan. Finally, he explained the process and next steps to the committee members. Currently, it will go to City Council's January 7 meeting. After that meeting, it will. be submitted to the watershed organizations for review. Mr. Brown hopes to get approval by March 2008 from the watershed. City Council final review and approval could possibly be as early as Apri12008. • Steve Michaud asked for clarification on whether or not there were any capital improvement programs that would address trout streams. Mac Lafferty explained that they will be improved as they arise and when developments come through the planning process. Both Steve and Mac reiterated that any wet or buffer areas would become City outlots in the planning process. Mac also commented that Steve has worked hard on piggybacking on the wetlands or buffer areas to get additional greenway corridors and/or potential park area using the park dedication ordinance requirements. Chair Miller closed the discussion on item 6 at 6:37 p.m. and called for a motion. Steve Michaud thanked Tim Brown for attending the meeting. (07.29) Motion made by Messinger and seconded by Walia to recommend City Council consider authorizing distribution of the Draft City of Lakeville Water Resources Management Plan for review and comment 7-Ayes 0-Nays Motion passed. ITEM 7 2008 meeting schedule. The group quickly reviewed the City Council and Planning Commission schedules. Steve presented the Parks, Recreation, and Natural Resources Committee schedule and explained that it follows the Planning Commission schedule. For the most part, the meetings are scheduled for the standard first and third Wednesdays of each month. ITEM 8 Skating facility distribution discussion. • Steve Michaud explained that Chair Miller had asked Steve to prepare a draft policy and/or vision that the City might have regarding this issue. Steve wanted to bring this issue forward again to get more direction from the committee and to find out what other information might be needed for them to make a decision. He also reiterated that unfortunately there are no dollars in the budget to do anything at this time. Chair Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Committee December 19, 2007 Page 3 • Miller also explained his conversation with Steve and thought it might be prudent to have a policy or overall plan, so that the committee would not have to make exceptions and/or have to react to requests one at a time. He again mentioned the bottom line is that funding is needed. Steve communicated that he will put together the same package of information (Chadwick rink issue) for the committee's review again. In addition, he'll include another exhibit with future recommended skating facilities sites. He can then explain the background information as to why the particular locations were selected and the committee can use it as a starting point from which to have a discussion. The group agreed. Judy Hayes asked if all the current rink sites axe doing well because she heard someone ask why there was a warming house at Rolling Oaks. Steve explained that warming house staff is monitoring attendance at all sites. The City of Minneapolis has announced it is closing 13 sites this year alone. Steve then gave some historical information on Rolling Oaks; it used to be a very successful site with the surrounding neighborhood. Unfortunately, it's just not used as much at this time, but it could change. Due to several poor winters in a row,. skating has been down at most sites. Staff will provide the committee with usage data when it becomes available. ITEM 9 Unfinished business. There were no items to discuss. ITEM 10 New business. Steve Michaud has been asked to help recruit someone to the Black Dog Watershed District committee as an alternate member. Pat Messinger suggested that Steve contact Tom Goodwin to see if he'd be interested in the position. Steve agreed to call Tom and communicate his answer to the other committee • members. Steve also discussed the rest of the items in the committee members' packets. Chair Miller also requested adding an update on the Veterans Memorial Gardens project to the January 16 agenda. Steve also mentioned that he has finally found a mason who is willing to do the brickwork at the site. Chair Miller also requested that the committee discuss the possibility of doing a tree sale or aggressive tree planting program at the next meeting as well. He has noticed that several of the surrounding communities are promoting these types of events. ITEM 11 Announcements. The next meeting of the Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Committee scheduled for January 2, 2008 at 6:00 p.m. (Council Chambers) has been cancelled. The next meeting will be held on January 16, 2008 at 6:00 p.m. (Council Chambers). Chair Miller inquired whether any committee members would be absent from the next meeting. The members present at the meeting said that they currently plan to be in attendance. ITEM 12 Adjourn. The meeting adjourned at 6:57 p.m. Respect y submitted, -'~' • Jo Ruter, Recording Secretary