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HomeMy WebLinkAboutParks And Recreation Board - Minutes - 03/27/2002Call Meeting to Order: President Paul Van Valkenburg called the meeting to order at 5:35 p.m Agenda Review: No changes to the printed Agenda. Items of Note: Board Member Mike Gavin called to say that he would be out of town on business and would not be able to attend tonight's meeting. Citizen Participation: No citizen participation Approval of Minutes: On a motion by Lance Freeman, seconded by Mary Carlson, the minutes of the February 27, 2002 meeting were unanimously approved. Tree Epidemic Insect Management Plan City Forester Tim Buchanan spoke to the Board about the possibilities of Spruce Engraver Beetles epidemic. He explained that the beetles usually attack weakened or stressed trees in the spring and most commonly restrict their attacks to the tops of spruce trees. Tim said that once the Forestry Division staff finds an infested tree, we would require the homeowner to take action to correct the problem. The symptoms are top kill on the tree. The City of Greeley has had some loss and we have been aware of the problem. It is new infestation problem in our community. We have sent this information to several tree service companies locally. Tim spoke of the pesticides application a homeowner could use to protect their spruce tree. Staff is working on implementing a control mechanism. Mary Carlson asked if this has been seen in Fort Collins? Tim said yes, we had four diseased trees in Fort Collins all at private residences and they are responsible for removal of the tree and the cost of removal. The trees found were near the old Fort Collins High and one across the street from Dunn Elementary on Mulberry. Parks and Recreation Board Minut March 27, 2002 ' Page #2 Dean asked if a homeowner should spray their trees as a preventative measure? Tim said not necessarily, but to have their trees checked, and for preventative measures spray the trunk of the tree in the spring. Public Education: Tim said we are notifying the local licensed arborists and nurseries City Park Pool Marty updated the Board on the project. Based on the two consultants' reports, and advice from our City Attorney, staff has made a recommendation to the City Manager and he advised the Council that we will close the pool this year and it cannot be opened until it is renovated or replaced. We also discussed this with the Board last month and this Board also recommended to Council to renovate or replace the pool. Marty explained the problems associated with the pool in accordance with the consultants' reports. Both consultants said that it has to be replaced or renovated. The City's Operation Services, along with our staff, and the Council reviewed this last night at the Study Session. The City Manager recommended renovation of the existing pool. Lance Freeman said that this replacement of the 50-year-old pool has been one of our priorities for many years. However, it never made it on the BCC list for funding. He said that Council asked how much could be taken from Parks and Recreation budget for this project? Lance said taking money from the Parks and Recreation budget would be very detrimental to the infrastructure of the department. Bill Bertschy said that we have received a lot of citizen feedback since the story about closing the pool appeared in the newspaper. Council is very sensitive about losing the pool in City Park and realizes it would be tough on the community. It is a community issue. On the budget side we are not in good shape financially as our sales tax revenues are down and we don't have much discretionary funds. Our needs list keeps growing. Bill said that he brought up the Parks and Recreation budget as he knew it was a question that would arise. He hopes we could make this a community project and he thinks the Parks and Recreation Budget will have to come up with some of the funding. It will take many funding sources to make this come together. It will cost approximately $1,300,000 and could cost as much as $1,700,000. Bill said that one of the obstacles we run into is that the community looks at the City and says the City can afford it. Lance said the Council asked that Parks and Recreation fund the design and then the project will come back to Council for a decision. If we start design now, the pool will be open in 2003. Mary Carlson asked if we as a Board are allowed to solicit funds? Marty said that it would be strictly voluntary. Del Price said we could be a facilitator and could get the word out. Marty said we could get the word out on the staff level and get the Board's support. Dean asked what is the life expectancy of this renovation? Marty said that it could be 25 to 30 years. Paul Hudnut said that sacrificing other budgets is not a good idea. He wants to know what the impact would be on the budgets. It's a matter of how the Board and staff are working on what the priorities are. If we do renovate the pool, he would like to see that as part of the redesign of City Park. Look at the whole of City Park and not just the pool. Let's focus on the Parks and Recreation Board Ates • March 27, 2002 Page #3 entire park. Del asked what the cost would be for a new pool? Marry said a new pool would cost $3,500,600. Pool Designers, Inc. has been involved in the improvements done to City Park and has done many pool renovations. The City Manager asked Don Roberts (Pool Designers) what his recommendation would be for a fix that would open the pool soon. All new infrastructure would be built and a new shell would be placed over the existing pool and extend the decking. Chlorine and maintenance rooms will be housed in one main room. It would be like a new pool. The cost for renovation is between $1.3 and $1.7 million. Marty explained that we will go forth with an RFP for the design and then go from there. Ross asked if we will be displacing any programs with this new design? Marty said no. Paul Van Valkenburg asked if we could design a circular slide in the plan? Lance said he is not sure that a water park feature fits in City Park. In actuality, he thinks a traditional pool would fit in City Park. Ross said as he understands it, there isn't any funding to renovate all the park at this time. Marty said that is correct and we are using the funding we have to build the boardwalk around the lake. Ross said he would like to see the renovations done all at once and not keep tearing up the park year after year. Marty said we will keep the Board informed as we get closer to conceptual designs. Downtown River Enhancement Project Craig Foreman gave the Board an update on the project. This has been an effort of the City for years. City staff, along with the architect, formed a charette to evaluate concepts and plans for the river enhancement in the downtown area. Craig explained that the group came up with the following enhancements for the river. Recreational Features: • Restrict pedestrian access on the west bank and add river overlooks • Relocate trail further from the river • Integrate Buckingham Park into trail system • Promote natural recreation experience • Consider boating and fishing as a secondary issue or indirect benefit • Improve trail access points • Consider pedestrian safety along the bank. • Provide river access via footpaths along left bank Bank Stabilization and Channel: • Avoid full slope terrace walls if possible • Partial retaining wall with terraced rock slope on the right bank • Maintain natural look as much as possible • Vary bank slope to avoid a linear look Parks and Recreation Board Minute March 27, 2002 Page #4 • Lower left over bank to provide additional habitat area • Widen channel on left bank to increase hydraulic and ecological diversity • Relocate berm with cannel widening • Add pools/drops for hydraulic diversity • Add islands with channel widening for diversity • Raise berm to provide 100-year flood protection • Channel alignment and bank stabilization • Ecological and aquatic enhancements Craig explained that the project will cost between $2.5 million and $4.1 million. Board Comments: Ross said that moving the trail away from the river would enhance the experience of the trail user for biking or skating and the 6-foot gravel trail could be used for runners. Del said that we need to put in a gravel trail that leads to the river and if not there will be several trails leading to the river that users will implement. Del said that there are times of the year that there isn't any water in the river, and why do we look at enhancing habitat in the river. Paul Hudnut said that we need to acquire more water rights so that we could maintain water in the river at all times. He said that there should be a recreational element on this project that could be modeled after Steamboat and Boulder. Del said Fort Collins is one of the leaders in preserving our old town and we could extend the old town to the river. Marty said that there will be an open house for public input on April 25 at 215 North Mason from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in the Community Room. He said that staff is anticipating that there may be a difference of opinion in the public between those who have a strong environmental perspective and ones who want to recreate in the river. Park Planning and Development Project Updates Spring Park: Landscape Architect/Park Technician Alison Brady gave an update on the park improvements that will include new restroom, shelter, and adjustment of the trail. This will go out to bid in mid -April. She explained the new flood plain requirements that resulted in moving the restroom from where it was originally planned. The restroom will be closed in the winter. However, we will still be able to use the restroom, adjacent to the fire station. We will talk with PFA and if they are ever going to remodel the station, we will remodel the restroom to make it handicapped accessible. Sheldon Lake: Craig showed the drawings of the boardwalk around the pool and moving the dock. We are constructing the pillars for the support system for the boardwalk. Then we will have the Elks Club lay the boardwalk. Paul asked if it will be for pedestrian only? Craig said that skating will not be possible, but we will allow bikes. It will be 10 feet wide and we will probably have to ask bikers to dismount. Parks and Recreation Board Outes • March 27, 2002 Page #5 Fossil Creek Community Park: Craig showed the Board the final drawing of the park. We have given contractors 90 sets of plans and the building climate is good, and we will open bids on Monday. Bill Bertschy asked if the area reserved for a pool will be a full-size pool? Craig said it would be and there aren't any designs for it at this time. The trail will be completed with the park project. Gateway Park: Craig showed a drawing of the park and the restrooms and the shelter are in place. The opening will be in June. The road is finally installed. We were hopeful to use money left over from the road budget to use on the infrastructure, but because the road cost as much as it did, we don't have extra money. We will apply for GOCO grants for future construction stages of the park. Paul Van Valkenburg reminded the Board that June 26 is the grand opening of Gateway Park and that we will not hold a formal meeting that evening. Picnic Rock: The City Manager is reviewing this. It will cost approximately $187,000 for this project. Other Business Paul Van Valkenburg thanked Councilman Bill Bertschy for attending this meeting. Bill Bertschy said that he attended the Golf Board meeting last week and one of the issues they are discussing is geese on the golf courses. The Board is writing a memo to Council regarding their concerns about the geese. Fort Collins Country Club has a dog that scares the geese away and this works well. The Golf Division is working with the City Manager to amend the City Code regarding dogs off leash on the golf courses for the purpose of harassing the geese. Paul Van Valkenburg said we will be working on the design of Southwest Community Park soon and how do we proceed with that process? Bill Bertschy asked about the timelines and Marty will get those to him. The Board discussed bringing all the groups to the table and get some form of consensus. Bill thinks that is a great idea and he will be involved. • Council will be discussing long -rang funding for natural areas and operation and maintenance on April 9. There is a possibility that there will be an extension of one -quarter cent sales tax for the natural areas. • Update on Trails Subcommittee — Meeting on the Poudre Trail extension to the west and to Lyons Park. There is a concern that there isn't any finalized plan that the Natural Resources Board has not been involved. The item has been postponed on Council's Agenda, and Craig will visit with the NRAB again in April. Adjournment: On a motion by Mary Carlson, the Board voted to adjourn at 8:05 p.m. Parks and Recreation Board Minutt. March 27, 2002 Page #6 Respectfully submitted, Jackie Rael, Executive Administrative Assistant Meeting Attendance Board Members: Mary Carlson, Ross Cunniff, Lance Freeman, Dean Hoag, Paul Hudnut, Ann Hunt, Del Price, and Paul Van Valkenburg Staff: Alison Brady, Craig Foreman, Marry Heffernan, Jean Helburg, and Jackie Rael Guests: Councilman Bill Bertschy, CSU Students: Adam Miller, Adrienne Sears, Karen Shank, Tori Whitaker, Jim Phebus, and Jon Fitzpatrick