01/12/2012 - Advisory Parks & Recreation CommissionApproved March 19, 2012
4 City of kali
There were no visitors to be heard.
ADVISORY PARKS COMMISSION
Thursday, January 12, 2012
MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING OF JANUARY 12, 2012
A regular meeting of the Advisory Parks Commission was called to order at 7:05 p.m. on Thursday,
January 12, 2012. Commission Members present: Chair Laurie Halverson, Jennifer Dahlquist, Michael
Palmer and Andrea Todd - Harlin. Member Steele was absent. Staff members present included Director Juli
Seydell Johnson; Paul Olson, Superintendent of Parks; Gregg Hove, City Forester and Steve Taylor, Parks
Maintenance Supervisor.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Member Halverson asked Director Johnson if there were any changes to the agenda. Director
Johnson stated there was one change to Consent Agenda Item A which refers to Rahn Ridge First Addition.
She stated that the name had been changed to Cedar Valley Addition. Member Dahlquist moved, Member
Palmer seconded with all present members voting to adopt the agenda.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF May 16, 2011 & SEPTEMBER 19, 2011
Member Palmer moved, Member Dahlquist seconded, with all present members voting in favor to
approve the minutes of May 16, 2011 and September 19, 2011.
VISITORS TO BE HEARD
DIRECTOR'S DEPARTMENT UPDATE
Director Johnson stated that staff was already getting ready for summer. She stated that Parks &
Rec would begin to take applications for the Farmer's Market which begins in June and runs every
Wednesday through September. She stated that they are always looking for unique food items and crafts.
Director Johnson stated that up the present, our weather has been favorable; however, we have not been
able to open the outdoor ice rinks and hopes are to open the rinks in the very near future. Director Johnson
cautioned people to be careful on the ice since the ice is not stable and the City does not monitor the ice
conditions on the lakes.
CONSENT AGENDA
Member Palmer moved, Member Todd - Harlin seconded will all member present voting to
recommend that the City Council approve the Cedar Valley Addition as follows:
1. Recommend to the City Council that the Park Dedication has been satisfied and that no additional
dedication will be due with development.
2. Recommend to the City Council that additional Trail Dedication may be due with the future
development of the site, the form and the amount of any dedication to be determined at the time of
such development.
Advisory Parks Commission
January 12, 2012
Page 2
DEVELOPMENT PROPOSALS
There were no Development Proposals for the Commission to review.
OLD BUSINESS
Director Johnson introduced Paul Olson to present a short overview of the suggested sites for an
OLDA in Eagan. Olson stated that at the last APrC meeting, staff was directed to explore options and
possible sites for an OLDA. Olson stated that this process was a three step process and that the City was
currently at the second step in identifying certain areas that could be considered for an OLDA. He stated
they had talked to other communities and users for other OLDAs. In order to move forward, Olson stated
they needed to develop some criteria in assessing the areas. He stated that they came up with a list of 20
criteria and then scored the various sites that had been chosen as possible sites. Some of the criteria were
size of the park, current use of the park, not putting the park in a residential area and not interfering with
current usage of the site. Using all the criteria and recommendations, three sites were selected for
consideration - Rahn Park, a portion of Blackhawk Park and Thresher Fields. Olson then presented pictures
of the individual sites and gave the pros and cons of each site. Olson stated that Thresher Fields was the
best site for the OLDA. Olson stated that if this site was accepted, staff would need to develop rules, etc. for
the site. Member Dahlquist asked about the operational costs of maintaining a portable toilet and asked if
Thresher Fields was selected then the park would not require a portable toilet. Olson stated that they would
recommend using a portable toilet because of easy access to the park versus the existing toilet in the
building at the fields that is only open during the summer months. Member Halverson asked for questions
and then made a recommendation to move forward. Member Palmer recommended moving forward with
the selection of Thresher Fields, Member Dahlquist seconded. Member Halverson recommended that the
City Council amend the current CIP to consider a budget for the OLDA, Member Dahlquist seconded.
Member Halverson recommended that the City move forward on the research and development of the site,
establish rules, regulations and policies and recommend City Council amend the 2012 Park CIP with all
members voting in favor of the motion.
NEW BUSINESS
Healthy Eating and Living Active Community
Member Halverson stated the commission was going to discuss the Healthy Eating and Active Living
Community Resolution. Director Johnson gave a brief overview of this subject. Since there was no visitor
comments, Member Dahlquist recommend that the City Council pass the resolution declaring the City of
Eagan to be a healthy eating and active living community. Member Todd - Harlin seconded, with all members
present voting in favor of the motion.
2012 Park and Trail Dedication Fees
Director Johnson explained that the Commission makes recommendations to the City Council
regarding park and trail dedication requirements. Director Johnson went on to explain that this is a yearly
process based on the property values in Eagan. Director Johnson stated that property values have not
changed and she recommended to the City Council that the fees remain the same as in 2011. Member
Palmer made a motion to recommend the rates stay the same, Member Dahlquist seconded, with all
members present voting in favor of the motion.
Advisory Parks Commission
January 12, 2012
Page 3
OTHER BUSINESS AND REPORTS
Park Maintenance Update
Director Johnson introduced Steve Taylor, Parks Maintenance Supervisor, who gave a PowerPoint
presentation on the 2011 Parks Maintenance projects. He presented photos of various parks and facilities
in the City. Taylor explained that Parks Maintenance is responsible for turf maintenance, athletic fields,
supporting Park programs, Community Center, hockey rinks, building maintenance, vandalism repair and any
City projects. Taylor highlighted various projects that have been completed in -house such as painting and
installing park signs and maps, assisting the contractor in renovating the sidewalk along the ECC and
replacing it with drain tiles and mulch, building the bridge over the newly installed pond at the ECC, painting
picnic tables along with hockey rinks and buildings, skate park improvements, installation of a handicap
deck at Holz Farm with a grant from the Eagan Foundation and replacing beams and concrete at several of
the pavilions and shelter buildings, naming a few of the 2011 projects. Member Halverson and Director
Johnson commended Taylor and his staff. Member Palmer stated that a few rinks were open over the
weekend for hockey and he thanked Taylor and his staff. Member Halverson further commented on the
staff's ingenuity and imagination in utilizing City resources.
Forestry Update
Gregg Hove introduced himself at the City's Forester and commented that both the Forestry Division
and Parks Maintenance rely on the seasonal employees and their jobs contribute greatly to the success of
City projects and maintenance. Hove gave a PowerPoint presentation relating to the work done by the
Forestry Division. He stated that the division is responsible for all the living plants, except the turf, in the City
on public as well as private properties. He stated that is where the shade tree disease program comes into
play. He stated that they maintain over 14,000 trees and planted approximately 6000 trees as well as
approximately landscape beds totaling about 12 acres. He highlighted several programs that they
continually monitor such as the buckthorn removal program, Dutch elm and oak wilt disease, emerald ash
borer program, the woodland restoration project and the landscapes at Cascade Bay and the ECC. Hove
stated that their goal is to identify tree diseases, treat the infected trees and prevent spreading the disease
to other trees. Hove gave a detailed history and statistics of the diseases demonstrating with photos and a
sample of an infected oak branch. Hove discussed the buckthorn removal program stating the program had
been in place since 2001. He stated that the City collects the buckthorn on private and public property as
part of the program, turns the brush into wood chips and recycles it as mulch to be used around the City
providing a cost saving for the City versus purchasing mulch for the landscape beds. Hove discussed the
emerald ask borer problem in the surrounding metro area. Hove stated that there has not been a
documented case of the emerald ash borer in Eagan; however, he stated that it eventually will reach Eagan.
Hove gave a brief history of the introduction of the insect into the United States beginning in 2001. Hove
stated that in 2011 two sites in the metro as well as a southeast Minnesota site had documented cases of
the insect. Hove stated that the City has been slowly removing trees that may be subject to infestation,
replacing them with non -ash tree species and using insecticides as a preventative measure. Hove stated
that the trees removed are then recycled into mulch for the parks and some of the Togs were recycled into
the walls and floors of the new Fire Safety Center, again a cost savings for the City. Hove stated that the
woodland restoration program helps identify park areas that need to be trimmed for invasive plants. Hove
touched briefly on the ECC landscaping project that the division completed as well as the maintenance of the
Cascade Bay landscapes. Member Halverson thanked Hove for his presentation and information. Member
Todd - Harlin asked Hove about the timing of the buckthorn removal site visits. Hove stated that they usually
take place between mid -April and mid - November but he stated he is still getting calls regarding removal. He
stated further that the best time to remove buckthorn is in the fall.
Advisory Parks Commission
January 12, 2012
Page 4
Director Johnson stated the only communications received were pertinent to the Healthy Living
Resolution. These letters were distributed to the APrC in advance of the meeting.
Member Palmer stated he was impressed that the ice was up last weekend. Member Halverson
stated that a neighbor complained about the chronic dog waste problem along the street path by Bridle
Ridge Park. She stated that the issue usually relates to snow accumulation but this year because of the
scarcity of snow, the problem has been more prevalent. Director Johnson stated that there are plastic bag
locations along that trail and that the issue could be addressed again through better communication.
With no further business to conduct, Member Dahlquist moved, Member Palmer seconded, with all
members voting in favor to adjourn the meeting. The meeting was adjourned at 8:20 p.m.
COMMUNICATIONS
ROUND TABLE
ADJOURNMENT
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