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HomeMy WebLinkAboutParks And Recreation Board - Minutes - 05/22/1996Call Meeting to Order: The regular meeting was called to order at 5:00 p.m. by President Diane Thies. Agenda Review: No Changes to the printed agenda. Approval of Minutes: The minutes of the regular meeting of April 24, 1996 were unanimously (5-0) approved on a motion by Rebecca Chavez, seconded by Eric Reno Citizen Participation: No citizen participation. First Night Fort Collins Executive Director Cindy Gabriel made a presentation to the Board on First Night Fort Collins, which is an arts -based, alcohol -free, community driven cultural celebration held on New Years Eve. Each First Night City develops its own flavor with a collaboration of activities. She showed the Board a video explaining the event, which was founded in Boston in 1976. The organizing group is looking for help with the arts, programming, and sponsorships. They will sell buttons for $6.00 supporting the event. Mary asked if they have contacted CSU, for use of Moby Gym, etc. Cindy said the area they are targeting is the Oak Street Plaza area. There will be shuttle services from the various grocery stores. Mary talked about alternatives of various locations, i.e., Foothills Mall, Old Fort Collins High, and CSU. Cindy said that there will be over 30 venues throughout downtown that have been identified as venues for performing, visual, literary arts for all ages and tastes. The program will begin at the Mall to kick this off in the afternoon. Jessica asked if there have been promotion for cultural n —:„.1 _:I T_ _ ...r-�. v .4 --- n-i_ ,,.-._-.n __ Parks and Recreation Board Minutes May 22, 1996 Page 2 widely for a variety of events. She explained that the first year we will need 500 volunteers for this event. She said that at this point they are just planting the seed and are in search of artists, volunteers, and sponsorship. She asked who to contact regarding recreation programming to possibly help make puppets for this event. Staff suggested she contact Peggy Bowers. Civic Center Master Plan Director of Facilities Debra Passariello gave a presentation on the Civic Center Master Plan. She distributed copies of the updated conceptual plan of a 12-block area in downtown Fort Collins. Larimer County will ask voters for a new court house in this area. The foundation of this vision is a pedestrian block that will connect Lee Martinez Park and the trail system. The vision of the area will have townhouses or row housing with garages under the living areas. A day care center is also proposed in the plan. In the middle of the plan is a proposed main library. The entrances to the buildings will abut the street with the retail space at the street. Jessica said that parking is an issue in the downtown area and that we should look at this as a college campus atmosphere with traffic around the civic center with parking in the outlying areas. Marilyn said this plan should be similar to the Denver downtown area between the capital and county buildings. Debra said parking will be disbursed throughout the areas, however it won't be a sea of parking. The area would have a parking structure. There will be strong design guidelines that will be well secured and appealing. Debra said there is something in this area for everyone. Places to live, work, and play. She added that downtown is a focal point of our community. She talked about the vision of a transit site and upgrading it for a park-n-ride as well as make it available for passenger trains. Marilyn asked how much property does the City and County own right now? Debra explained that most of the area is owned by either the City, County or both. Eric Reno asked if there was still a strong group who want to develop a performing arts center on the river. Mike Powers said there will be river plan presented to Council this summer and the idea for performing arts on the river is still a thought, but not for a performing arts center. Diane Thies said she has a problem with all this development being placed on the north side of the city when the majority of the population is on the south side of the city. Debra said as our City is growing we need to look at Fort Collins as a futurist and see these developments in a larger city. Diane sees the traffic congestion greater on College Avenue than it already is. Jessica said she would like Mountain Avenue to be closed off. Debra said that the Boulder model has been suggested to separate bicyclists and pedestrians. Diane asked about the time frame. Debra said next week is a study session with Council, requesting Council adoption in June, and will include direction from Council to complete this plan. The zoning will have to be changed in this area. We need to carry on with the remainder of the acquisition of land. The action plan will then go to developers who could make this plan a reality. The City is renting office space, and we have a need for more office space. Diane asked Debra what she needs from this Board? Debra said this is an informative presentation and she is interested in this Board's comments. Sylvia Cranmer said that it would be a good idea to put the entire project on the ballot. Debra closed by asking the Board to get back to Parks and Recreation Board Minutes May 22, 1996 Page 3 staff with any further comments. Timberline Extension Engineering Manager Marc Engemoen spoke to the Board about the Timberline extension, a Choices 95 project. Alternative A is a no build; Timberline ending at Prospect would be Alternative B; and Alternative C would go from Prospect across the river further north than was originally planned. Staff recommendation is Alternative C. Marc asked for the Board's comments. Jessica asked what would be the impact for the future? Either of the alignments intersect the trail. Basically it would curve off through the industrial areas. The trail would go underneath the road. Mark said the project would be a 2 lane with an 8' bike lane. The City would buy the 120' right-of-way for future expansion to 4 lanes. Mark said the north has the greatest available land and therefore growth will begin there because it will become the only open lands in the community. He explained the future plan is to encourage alternate modes of transportation in Fort Collins. If Timberline is not built, the congestion will increase. If built, the congestion would lessen considerably. There would be 450 acres of natural area that would be cut into with the Timberline Road extension. However, the area could be developed by private sector. The bridge on the trail would be aesthetically appealing screened with landscaping. The total for the project would be $7,250,000. Money is available through Choices 95. Alternatives B and C show up in the City Plan as a transportation corridor. Sylvia asked if the City's Natural Resources Department approved this. The Natural Resources Department approves the plan to support the Transportation Corridor. The Natural Resources Board has not made a decision yet. Mark added that this plan has been in the City Plan for over 20 years. Sylvia asked if this would encourage development? Mark said that when Lemay was expanded 15 years ago, the areas in the northeast still have not been developed. Jessica said that the street isn't going to impact the trail as much as she thought it would. Roger Tarum said that he is still opposed to this and said he doesn't think this is an important enough road to bisect the natural area. Mark invites the Board to make a recommendation and doesn't want to sway the Board one way or the other. Sylvia asked if it is illegal for this not to be built because it is a Choices 95 project. Marty Heffernan said that if the money is not spent by January 1997, then Council could use the money for other project. Marilyn Barnes said the extension would do wonders for Lemay. On a motion by Eric Reno, seconded by Marilyn Barnes, the Board endorsed Alternative C extending Timberline Road north/northeast to Summit View alignment as presented by staff. The Board voted as follows: 5-2-1 with Diane Thies, Jessica MacMillan, Marilyn Barnes, Eric Reno, and Mary Ness voting yes; Roger Tarum and Rebecca Chavez opposed; and Sylvia Crammer abstaining. Cily Plan Park Planner Janet Meisel reviewed three plans. She showed an overall process display which showed the inventory and analysis, the Visual Preference survey, community goals and vision which were adopted in March, and now we are looking at the structure plan. She gave the Board copies Parks and Recreation Board Minutes May 22, 1996 Page 4 of three alternatives. The next step is the community principles and policies, and then capital improvement element and the comprehensive plan, followed by the implementation. She said to think about a structure plan as a greatly simplified diagram of a city made up of places that have neighborhoods: mixed density neighborhoods, low density neighborhoods, schools, parks, local civic facilities, convenience centers and neighborhood centers. She explained that Districts are made up of residential, downtown, mixed use, campus, employment, and industrial; Corridors: Commercial, boulevards, I-25, Poudre River; Edges: foothills, rural residential, open lands, agricultural lands, urban reserves, and urban growth areas. The common element is that all growth remains in the urban growth area and that we should maintain some edge; design strategies are to be encouraged by walking, bicycling, and transit. Different types of design will encourage pedestrian walkways and make it inviting. All three show a green edge on all sides; interconnect transit systems; all will have new centers in transit served location that will have some sort of transit system; the interconnection of open lands systems that connect the community. The differences will show in -fill developments versus new growth; the density of development will have 4.2 to 6 units per acre. The land uses at the edge will be greater, and that the amount of rural areas be limited within the Urban Growth Area. Alternative A: Janet explained that this is beyond the year 2015 as we need to plan for the next 20 year window. For example if we use the existing Urban Growth Area, the reserve will be east of I-25. Essentially higher density of 4.2 units per acre. There is a mix of density throughout all these plans. This plan shows the most "sprawl". Fossil Creek Special Study Area? Janet said that this says that at this time we don't have time to study this with the City Plan, and this is a transfer zone and we need to have this as a receiving zone. Alternative B: The main changes in this is the higher density with 5.0 housing per acre. The major changes would be the mixed use be developed. It anchors the city at the north end of College Avenue and South College. It terminates Timberline Road at Mulberry. The east edge is at I-25 within the present Urban Growth Area. Diane said neighborhood centers should be schools and parks and not "7-11's". The concept should be organized around civic centers/schools. Diane said that the green areas on the maps illustrate that we are segregating our community per meeting with City Council. Urban Growth Area has been shifted to the south. Alternative C: The main changes are that the density increases to 6 units per acre. North and northwest major mixed use activity center adjacent to Anheuser-Busch. North College becomes more intense and on the south remains the same the density shifts to the core of the city. The urban reserve would be north of Anheuser-Busch. Generally people have been favoring Alternative C in the last month of presentations the team has Parks and Recreation Board Minutes May 22, 1996 Page 5 made. Marilyn said that this is wonderful but the reality is Alternative A. She added that all the streets and housing should be placed on these Alternative maps. Jessica said that we need to look at other ways to move the people and we need to get the trolley going all the time, year around. Diane would like to see the more detailed plan. Sylvia asked if there is a plan in the inner city that would help develop and promote growth in the downtown area? Janet replied that there will be additional units allowed on the property called a "mother-in-law" unit. Capital Improvement Plan Marty Heffernan asked the Board to make a couple of decisions. One is to prioritize projects, the other is to agree on a public outreach process. Public Outreach Process: 1. Invite other Boards to review and make comments. 2. Invite the public to one of our meetings. 3. Participate in City CIP public process. 4. Make presentations to local clubs and service groups. 5. Include top projects in a City Video. 6. Provide call -in line for feedback from viewers. 7. Make displays for our major facilities with comment cards available. Roger said he would like some prioritization and summarize the projects. We need to rank them. He further said there is just too much stuff. Marilyn asked for a condensed version. Diane asked why some things are lumped together. She thinks that we should use a prioritization with multi -voting to narrow it (the list) down to arrive at a consensus. Jean Helburg agrees with what Diane is saying. If the Board picks the first five years and makes a Est for now and then prioritize it. Jessica wants a work session to devote to the CIP prioritization. Eric Reno said that we need the funding source along with the projects. The Board agreed that if projects don't need CIP funding, then take them off the list. Sylvia said we need to have staff present for the work session so that they can explain the projects in detail if the Board needs clarification. Jessica said the most important aspect is to educate the public about why we chose these projects. She further suggested meetings at various locations. Diane agreed the word needs to be out wherever Parks and Recreation Board Minutes May 22, 1996 Page 6 there is a large group of citizens, i.e., 4th of July. Sylvia asked that each Board member get input from their neighbors, friends, and club members. Diane said we need a list of projects with brief description, that have CIP funding associated and the cost of the projects. Board also requested a list of parks, and locations, size. (Talk to Janet and Craig about a map on the GIS system for the projects and locations) Work Session -- Thursday. June 6. 5:00 p.m. The Board decided to have a study session to review the Capital Improvement Projects on Thursday, June 6, at 5:00 p.m. at the Senior Center. Meeting Times Diane Thies said our meetings are getting longer, and asked if we want to meet earlier or more frequently? Board agreed that they don't want to meet more frequently. The Board also agreed that they want time limits on the presentations. Staff agreed to help manage the time. Agenda will reflect time and if Board recommendation is needed or information only. Board Members and Staff Comments/Reports Diane attended Next Generation meeting. She thought it was a good meeting. Resources were identified and she feels that Parks and Recreation Department is becoming a social services agency in the community. Rebecca said she is also involved in the strengthening of the family and is attending a three-day seminar. Jean Helburg said because school lets out before Memorial Day this year, the pools are opening earlier, and we have not been able to secure enough qualified seasonals to staff all four pools. As a result of this dilemma, staff looked at ways to reduce operating hours. Mulberry Pool is the least used of the City pools in the summer. The City can save about $8,000 in that operating budget by closing Tuesday and Thursday afternoons and on weekends. Therefore effective, Tuesday, May 28, the Mulberry Pool will be closed for recreational and lap swim on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 12:30 to 5:30 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from noon to 5:00 p.m. If City Park Pool closes on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, or Sunday afternoons before 3:00 p.m. because of bad weather, the outdoor pool staff will open the Mulberry Pool. This schedule change will be in effect until the end of summer. This change in schedule will be evaluated this fall. - Jessica MacMillan reported that there are two individuals in the community who want to build an ice arena in Windsor. They are looking for private investors and they feel it could be booked 12 to 18 hours a day. Parks and Recreation Board Minutes May 22, 1996 Page 7 Adjournment: The Board unanimously voted to adjourn at 9:00 p.m. Diane Thies Marilyn Barnes Rebecca Chavez Sylvia Cranmer Eric Reno Jessica MacMillan Mary Ness Roger Tarum Mike Powers Cindy Gabriel, First Night Fort Collins Jean Helburg Kiri Saftler, First Night Fort Collins Marty Heffernan Janet Meisel Marc Engemoen Debra Passariello Jackie Rael