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08/18/2003 - Advisory Parks & Recreation Commission Approved September 15.2003 ADVISORY PARKS COMMISSION EAGAN, MINNESOTA MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING OF AUGUST 18,2003 A regular meeting of the Advisory Parks Commission was called to order at 7:03 p.m. on August 18,2003 with the following Commission Members present: Joseph Bari, Margo Danner, Terry Davis, N. Mark Filipi, Liza Perry, Dorothy Peterson, Richard Pletcher, and Ken West. Members Belfiori and Williams were not present. Staff present included Ken Vraa, Director of Parks and Recreation; Jeff Asfahl, Superintendent of Recreation; Paul Olson, Parks Superintendent; Gregg Hove, City Forester, Eric Macbeth, Water Resources Coordinator; c.J. Lilly, Park Planner, and Beth Wielde, Research and Special Projects (recording). APPROVAL OF AGENDA Director Vraa recommended adding Council's discussion about the Holz Farm Master Plan to Other Business and Reports. Mark Filipi moved, Dorothy Peterson seconded with all members voting in favor to accept the agenda as amended. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF WORKSHOP, JULY 14 AND REGULAR MEETING, JULY 14, 2003 Dorothy Peterson moved to approve, Terry Davis seconded, to approve the minutes of the Workshop on July 14,2003, regarding the Caponi issue. All present members approved. One amendment was suggested for the minutes of the regular meeting of July 14,2003, noting that those listed as moving to approve the agenda of July 14th were not present at that meeting. Terry Davis moved, Mark Filipi seconded, with all present members voting to approve the minutes of the July 14,2003 Regular Meeting as amended. VISITORS TO BE HEARD Member Margo Danner requested Director Vraa address the statement he made to the City Council oat their workshop meeting on August 12,2003. Director Vraa told the Commission that he has formally announced his retirement, effective in approximately 6 months, although no specific date has yet been set. He briefly discussed his background with the City, and his decision to retire. Chair Davis noted the surprise expressed from those in attendance of the Council meeting. Member Danner complimented Vraa on his work and managerial skills, and presented Vraa with "Big shoes to fill." SUPERINTENDENT'S UPDATE AND DEPARTMENT HAPPENINGS Superintendents Olson and Asfahl provided a brief overview of issues and activities from the Parks and Recreation divisions. Superintendent Olson discussed: . Work done by Sentence to Service crews. . Removal of asbestos-containing materials from Thresher Fields and future ground water testing. . Departure of seasonal maintenance crews. . Trail connection from Manley's Natures Edge to Lebanon Hills has been graded and paved to the park boundary. Superintendent Asfahl discussed: . Completion of summer softball leagues. . Men's D Regional Softball Tournament. . Friends of the Farm role in popular summer camps. . Fall preschool, beginning September 8, registrations still being accepted. . Tennis programs are completed for the summer, and were very successful. . Adapted programs continue in popularity. Advisory Parks Commission Minutes of Regular Meeting of August 18,2003 Page 2 · Senior trips have included Nicollet Island, Cascade Bay, the Landscape Arboretum, and Munsinger Gardens. . Senior activities in the Lone Oak Room continue to be successful, volunteer help is welcome. . Over 600 participants attended summer camps the week of August 11. . Safety Camp had 116 participants, and was held at Trapp Farm Park. Program and Events Coordinator Cathy Bolduc presented a synopsis of summer programs. She highlighted programs in the areas of Instruction and Skill Development, such as Adapted programs, which are growing in numbers, and the growth of the youth team tennis programs. Special Interest programs included babysitting instruction and latchkey guidance. Special Events such as the Fun Run and Evening in Central Park were well attended. Senior Activities are popular and growing. She showed a short video highlighting senior programs and participants. Bolduc described upcoming fall programs in all these areas. Member Peterson asked if there might be an eventual connection between the Adapted programs and the Special Olympics. Bolduc said they would help to nurture those who may be interested in participating, entering as individuals. Member Peterson asked if the fall "Discover Us" brochure had been mailed out yet, and Bolduc affirmed that it had been. Member Davis asked if it was showing on the City cable channel. Bolduc said that it would be aired on City cable. Member Danner noted that parts have already been shown, though Bolduc did not believe that the video had been shown in whole as of yet. Member Danner asked Bolduc to briefly describe senior activities available at the Lone Oak Room. Bolduc said daily programs include cards, bridge, games, Bingo, crafts, quilting groups, book discussion groups, and that some have expressed interest in a chess group. She said the expansion of space at the Lone Oak Room, compared to City Hall's Community Room has facilitated program growth. Chair Davis asked about estimated daily attendance. . Bolduc noted that it fluctuates depending on day, week, and scheduled activities. Member Peterson asked if transportation issues hampered participation. Bolduc noted the Dakota County DARTS program helps, but some seniors have indicated that additional assistance is needed. Member Peterson suggested that future discussion with Minnesota Valley Transit may be appropriate. Member Danner noted a heavily female participation rate in senior programs, and suggested that gearing programs toward men may increase their participation. Bolduc stated that activities are not specially planned to be gender- specific, but if people indicate interest in certain types of programming, it would give her reason to investigate its feasibility. Chair Davis asked whether the Web Site has been used by the seniors. Bolduc said little by little the web site is being "discovered." She noted that as seniors become more comfortable with computer technology, the more likely web use will increase. Chair Davis suggested that a computer basics class may be helpful. Bolduc said that some interest had been expressed. It would be important to handle logistical issues such as space and equipment costs. Member Peterson asked how active the Senior Advisory Board is in program planning. Bolduc replied that seniors are in the process of establishing a formal structure, and when that is established, with an estimate of the first of the year, their program planning participation will increase. They currently do a good deal of their own work already. Director Vraa said that Council will be formalizing the senior board, and that thus far it had been a rather informal group. CONSENT AGENDA There were no items to review under the Consent Agenda. DEVELOPMENT PROPOSALS There were no items to review under Development Proposals. Advisory Parks Commission Minutes of Regular Meeting of August 18, 2003 Page 3 OLD BUSINESS FUNDING FOR CAPONI ART PARK RE: METRO GREENWAY Director Vraa pointed out a letter included in the packet regarding the Caponi matter. The letter explained Council's recent direction on the Caponi proposal. Director Vraa also noted that the deadline for the Metro Greenways Grant is September 15,2003, and that it would be nice for staff to have a motion before the deadline (which falls before the next APrC meeting) to let Council know that the APrC supports a submission. Vraa said that it will take some faith on the APrC's part, as the specific project has not yet been delineated by Council, i.e., which piece of property the grant application would cover. Vraa noted that staff can be ready to submit upon specific direction. Member Peterson moved, Chair Davis seconded and all attended members approved recommendation of submitting the Metro Greenways Grant for a portion of Caponi property, as delineated by Council. LEXINGTON RIDGE DEVELOPMENT UPDATE At the July 14, 2003 meeting, the APrC recommended denial of a development, Lexington Ridge, as developed by Millerville, Inc. Director Vraa noted that the APrC recommendation was consistent with the Advisory Planning Commission, who also recommended denial. The plat will be appearing before City Council on August 19. Chair Davis asked if this was the same plat that was reviewed previously, with no amendments. Director Vraa affirmed that it was, indeed, the same. There was no action required on this item. NEW BUSINESS There were no items under New Business for the APrC to review. WATER RESOURCES UPDATE Water Resources Coordinator Eric Macbeth described recent plantings at Moonshine Park, completed by Sentence to Service crews. Commissioners were encouraged to visit the site and see the plantings. Macbeth said dry conditions have necessitated sprinkling, and that there are muskrats causing some troubles. Macbeth also described the plant harvesting efforts, which have concluded for the season. He said current projects are focusing on monitoring. Member Davis stated that some cities have extended their water ban policies, and asked whether Eagan has considered such a move. Macbeth said that watering bans are a function of the Utilities Department, not Water Resources, and he was unsure if policy alterations were under review. OTHER BUSINESS AND REPORTS SA TEL LITE IMAGING REPORT City Forester Gregg Hove introduced researchers from the University of Minnesota's GIS/ Remote Sensing labs to discuss high-resolution satellite imagery. Researchers Kali Sawaya, Xiaoting Sun, and Marvin Bauer presented the results of a study into commercial satellite imagery, and their use at a local/municipal level. Marvin Bauer briefly introduced the ways GIS/remote sensing technologies were used by municipalities, especially for natural resources evaluation. Sawaya provided a brief introduction to high resolution imagery, noting that Eagan is a pilot project in refining the data for natural resources evaluation. Sawaya noted that the study was possible due to the NASA Data Science by Program. She illustrated how the new technology, 1- meter IKONOS satellite, provides greater resolution clarity than previous commercial satellite systems, such as 30- meter LANDST AT TM imagery. Sawaya explained the spectrum bands that satellite imagery records, producing images such as real color, infared, and other "off-spectrum" data. She stated Eagan was selected because of the excellent natural resources programs already being implemented in the City, its rapid urban development, the welcoming stance by natural resource Advisory Parks Commission Minutes of Regular Meeting of August 18, 2003 Page 4 managers, the City's visionary and helpful stance on natural resources, and that Dakota County is a forerunner in the state for implementing GIS technology. Sawaya showed a comparative DOQ (Digital Orthoquad) compared to a high resolution image. The differences in clarity were visible. She described what digital satellite packages contain, such as different color bands that reveal different features. She explained that commercial images need to be planned for and ordered in advance to the satellite can be programmed to focus. She did note that this is not possible in all cases, events can not always be planned for, but should be whenever possible. Eagan currently has 7 events recorded by the University of Minnesota. She talked about the strengths and weaknesses of high resolution imagery. Strengths include the fact that images are digital, multispectral, current, and have a rapid development rate. Weaknesses include a schedule that can be hampered by weather patterns and geographic limitations. Sawaya showed a water quality project using IKONOS imagery. While LANST AT imagery was able to capture only 6 large water bodies in Eagan, IKONOS was able to record over 200 of varying size. Aquatic vegetation appeared with greater clarity in the IKONOS images. It is also useful to determine areas of oak wilt. It correctly identified 9 out of 10 potential infection centers. Infared images can capture turf management data, showing areas that may need attention. Satellite imagery can assist in creating LCCS (Land Cover Classification Systems) data. The University of Minnesota, noting the cost efficiency and accuracy of high-resolution satellite imagery, has developed 5 general level classifications; Forest, Urban, Water, Grass and Wetland. There is a 90% accuracy in classification, according to random sampling. A percentage for impervious surface can be calculated from the pixilation to a I meter level. It allows the City to determine the percent of impervious coverage vs. other land cover. Tree types, coniferous vs. deciduous, can also be determined. High resolution satellite imagery can also help assign an economic benefit figure to the urban forest. Carbon content and weighted removal of air containments can be determined, allowing municipalities to see the savings in air pollution control vs. using trees to remove pollutants. Sawaya noted the great success of the project at the City scale. She summarized by reiterating the efficiency and accuracy of data, at costs comparable to normal aerial photography. Chair Davis expressed the APrC's appreciation for the work and efforts of the University study. Member Peterson asked what the next steps were, how such data can be used. Water Resources Coordinator Eric Macbeth replied that they can predict numerically the overall water clarity distribution. The data can also be used for management applications and to view trends over time. Chair Davis asked Sawaya where the figures determining the economic impact of pollution control. He inquired as to where the base values came from. Sawaya said that the figures were from a sample of modules, USDA research, and although exact sources of economic data were somewhat uncertain, they do have a scientific basis. Member Peterson asked City Forester Hove how he was able to implement the data. Hove said it allows him to identify oak wilt infections sites, with an impressive 90% accuracy. Chair Davis asked about continual satellite imagery once the pilot project is complete. Sawaya said that the images were produced by commercial serves, who are very happy to help maintain a supply. She noted that the price was comparable to satellite imagery, if a regular program (i.e. a five-year cycle) is implemented. She said that while it depends on budgets, and it doesn't have to take the place of satellite imagery, but the prices are comparable. She reiterated that the University of Minnesota is not trying to sell the service, nor are they serving as a vendor. City Forester Hove said it might be possible to partner with Dakota County on imagery, given the amount of County property that would be included in the study, that such joint ventures have been done in the past. Sawaya noted that the imagery does not use a thermal band for images, that "hot spots" would not be detectable for the image. City Forester Hove suggested that an information packet might be beneficial. Chair Davis agreed. Advisory Parks Commission Minutes of Regular Meeting of August 18,2003 Page 5 C.I.P PROJECT UPDATE Superintendent Paul Olson updated the APrC on several CIP projects that are either completed or well underway. He reviewed the project, the percentage completed, and the money spent to date on each. During discussion of tennis court projects, he described new materials that are used on tennis courts, to improve the lifespan. Member Pletcher said that he believes the new material should be tried, but inquired whether existing asphalt underlying the new material would degrade and cause problems. Superintendent Olson said most courts do crack eventually, but the tiles used in the new courts tend to bridge the crack. These tiles can be lifted in segments and repair work done in small areas rather than having to replace an entire court. SUBCOMMITTEE UPDATES Member Peterson described the recent Council workshop discussion about the Holz Farm Master Plan. She said they agree in general with the portion detailing the historic farm segment, but had reservations about the neighborhood park segment. Peterson said the Council was concerned that full approval of the Master Plan would send a message that the neighborhood park portion would be completed soon. Peterson said Council also requested additional information: . Council requested Friends of the Farm to prioritize the items in the Miller-Dunwiddie report. . Friends of the Farm was asked to note what projects could be done in-house or by volunteers. . Staff was asked to meet regarding budgeted items to see if there are ways to decrease the cost. . Items should be discussed when the APrC reviews the CIP. Peterson also discussed the Friends of the Farm's interest in pursuing a preliminary evaluation for the farmstead, to be reviewed by the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) to determine whether further work is appropriate to be listed on a State inventory of historic places, or pursue national listing. Member Danner expressed that Eagan is lucky to have a group like Friends of the Farm. COMMUNITY CENTER UPDATE/ GRAND OPENING, SEPT 27,2003 Director Vraa said the fitness component at the Community Center was underway, and 397 memberships have been sold. This is well over the projected goal for this time of year. He noted that programming has been going well, and the Blast continues to be successful. He said the Grand Opening for the Community Center will be held on September 27, in the afternoon. He said it is intended to be a community event. Member Danner said she'd like to see the APrC involved. ROUND TABLE Director Vraa said that the Alternative Funding study was almost ready to progress, and that it might be beneficial to set a date for it now rather than waiting until the September meeting. The meeting was set for September 17th at 5:30. Chair Davis reminded the Commission that Richard Pletcher agreed to lead the discussion about a Naming Rights policy. Member Pletcher said that this group would be gathered informally. No meeting date was set. ADJOURNMENT Member Pletcher moved to adjourn, Member Filipi seconded, with the meeting adjourning at 9: 10 pm. Advisory Parks Commission Minutes of Regular Meeting of August 18, 2003 Page 6 ~/d?LZ~ Secretary Date