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HomeMy WebLinkAboutParks And Recreation Board - Minutes - 04/26/2000Call Meeting to Order: President Lance Freeman called the regular meeting to order at 5:45 p.m. Agenda Review: No changes to the printed agenda. Citizen Participation: No citizen participation. Approval of Minutes: On a motion by Jessica MacMillan, seconded by Mary Ness, the Board voted unanimously (8-0) to approve the minutes of the meeting of March 22, 2000. Poudre River Floodplain Regulations At the Board's March 22 meeting, Water Planning Manager Bob Smith gave the Board an update on the Poudre River Floodplain Plan. At the end of the discussion, Marty Heffernan and Craig Foreman said they would review the impact this plan would have on our future park and trail developments. Craig Foreman followed up on Bob Smith's presentation last month. Craig explained that in Options B, B-1, and C the plan needs to allow for the development and/or redevelopment of trails and park facilities in the product corridor and floodways. He gave the following examples: Taft Hill Trailhead restroom — It would be within the variances in Option A, B, and B 1, but not C; Underpass at Taft Hill Road — Would not be allowed under Plan B, but if we added the wording: "Except public infrastructure, recreation, and natural resources facilities," this would make the plan consistent. Legacy Restroom would be allowed in Plan A, B, and B 1, but not C. Lemay Handicap Ramp, would be a problem with the fill in the floodway area; ditch adjustments and boat chutes same as above. If this plan is applied to the Spring Creek Basin and Fossil Creek Basin, the exception language will be necessary. Ross Cunniff asked if that is why we didn't want to go with the variance process. Craig said that is correct. Staff referred to a memo by Lance Freeman to Bob Smith regarding the regulations. He explained in his memo that the Board is very concerned that the selected floodplain regulation option for the Poudre River floodplain will be uniformly applied to other floodplain basins. If Parks and Recreation Board Min• April 26, 2000 Page 2 this occurs, it could prevent or significantly restrict the development of many parks, trails, and recreation facilities unless the exception language is included. Fossil Creek Community Park Citizen Teri Morrison has some suggestions that she wanted to present to the Board. She referred to the softball fields and suggested they be 100 ft from the natural areas. She also suggested that we plant tall fescue grass in the outlying areas (low impact). Virgil said that we have been planting fescue grass in our parks for many years. Teri further added in the community garden, we should have some native plantings. Craig replied the ballfields as they are planned back into the hillside so they may need to be moved into the buffer area somewhat. This is allowed in the Code. He further explained that we are looking at four different grass seed types with short native grasses near the water zones. There is no topsoil in the area and we need to be very careful with plantings not to disturb the natural areas. Jessica MacMillan asked if there is still an outdoor ice rink planned in the park? Craig said yes, as part of the unfunded recreation center. Citizen Marilyn Hartig said she is involved in Master Naturalist training program. She is concerned that there isn't a lot of focus on natural habitat in our parks. We need to emphasize the interaction of animal habitat and humans in Fossil Creek Community Park. She asks that the Board and staff take a look at those issues when we are designing this area. Craig said that this is a park site different from any other parks we have. This is a place that we want to utilize the natural elements that are rich in this area. It makes the park setting more enjoyable and enhances the natural benefits that we can have in this park. We are working closely with the Natural Resources staff on this park design. Craig said when we presented the plan to the Natural Resources Board at a work session last week, they understood we need to have active areas in this park and also have passive areas. He said that it was a great discussion and they were very helpful. They asked us to take a look at the pavilion as they felt it was too close to the water. The consultant has been working closely with us to understand Board comments. We switched the maintenance facility and the recreation center. We are trying to get a maintenance road on Lemay. Jessica asked who the architect is on this project? Craig replied that Roger Sherman is the project manager for BHA. Marty said the purpose of putting this on the Agenda tonight is for the Board to give us input after first seeing the design at last month's meeting. The Fossil Creek Community Park open houses are planned as follows: May 3, 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Preston Junior High School (one block south of Harmony on Corbett Drive) May 10, 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Harmony Library (Shields and Harmony Road) May 25, 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Main Library (Corbett Drive/south of East Harmony) Parks and Recreation Board Ates • April 26, 2000 Page 3 Staff will work on the design plan through June and July. Jessica asked when construction will start? Craig responded, spring 2001. Lance said it is important for Board members to attend one of these open house meetings. Lance and Mary will be at the May 3 meeting; Del and Dean will attend the meeting of the 10d ; Jessica will attend the May 25 meeting. There will be no formal presentation, only an open house with staff representation available for comments and questions. The community park serves the entire city so therefore we try to get input from various locations around the city. Marty said after we receive input from the open houses, we will get input from the homeowner associations in the southeast area. Jessica asked if the City is going to straighten out Lemay Avenue? Craig said to some degree. Jessica asked about the parking? Craig said there will be three parking lots: Two accessed by Lemay and one accessed from Fossil Creek Parkway. Jessica asked about the size of the dog park? Craig said approximately two acres. Ross asked about the Fossil Dig and if it will be periodically replenished? Craig said that it will be. Ross suggested including some permanent fixtures in the dirt. Staff thought this was a good idea. Park Planning staff will revisit these plans and comments from the open houses every month. We need to have comments completed by September. Staff is arranging for a site tour with the Board next month. Canal Importation Drainage Plan Susan Hayes, Senior Utility Engineer with Stormwater spoke to the Board on the Canal Importation Drainage Plan and how it relates to Sheldon Lake. She said she has been working with Virgil Taylor, Craig Foreman, and Jerry Brown on this project. Background: 20 years ago, staff compiled a basin plan for the City. The plan we are concerned with regarding this Board is the Canal Importation Plan, which includes the New Mercer and Larimer #2 ditches. All the master plans are funded through a Utility fee that is paid for citywide. The storm in 1997 flooded because there are not enough natural channels in the City and the area is very urbanized. The Basin is bounded by Mulberry on the north, Drake on the south, Shields on the east and foothills on the west. Irrigation ditches spilling over cause flooding. The channels are not big enough, nor are the drainage ditches. The original master plan didn't look at the Mulberry corridor. This master plan will add more detention ponds, and bigger channels and bigger stormwater pipes. This will reduce all floodplains on the map and should provide protection from 100-year storms. However, the plan needs to be cost effective, and paid for through the Utility funds. We have the option for grants and low interest rate, as well. The Utilities Department is limited, as an enterprise fund, as to how much the City can collect. The funding will be ongoing and Council will approve the master plans and the fee structure will be managed accordingly. Mary asked, regarding the areas that are being developed now are we planning Stormwater drainage in those areas? Susan said yes, each plan is unique and we set criteria for development. Dean asked how do you prioritize what gets fixed first? She said that Council will prioritize the projects. Parks and Recreation Board Minu April 26, 2000 Page 4 Referring to Sheldon Lake and the impact on the park, the key component is to get more detention on the golf course. We have a detention pond designed on the golf course on #6 fairway. Sheldon Lake doesn't have enough capacity to hold more stormwater, so we are going to dredge the lake and take it down about another 15 inches. The functions of the lake will remain the same. The project will raise the ditch from the City Park Train tracks to Mountain Avenue. Parks Manager Virgil Taylor has worked with the consultants. The lake will not look much different than it does now. Jason Stutzman asked how will the water change in the lake? She explained that it will be lowered. We could be up to two feet below the present water surface. Ross asked how long the dredging will take place? Susan said it depends on the material we extract from the lake and where they can dispose of it. The aeration system will be in place and then removed for this project, and then reinstalled. In the process, we will solve a drainage problem along the ballfields and golf course and that will help the localized drainage problem in these areas. Jean Helburg asked about the floodway near the ballfields? Susan said that the localized flows will be eliminated and will pick up spillage from the New Mercer Canal. Del asked what would be the benefits for Sheldon Lake? Virgil said better fish habitat, better water quality, and a deeper lake. However, if we get into the gravel layer it could cause a water loss for us. If so, we might have to line the lake. Clearview Channel/Avery Park Pond — Susan explained that we can't make Avery Pond larger, however, we would like to improve the riparian habitat by providing larger vegetation. When completing the Clearview Channel work, the ditches won't spill onto the park. In summary, we are looking at $40,000,000 improvements to the City's stormwater drainage system. Susan will return to this Board for a final recommendation at the end of the summer. Visit their web site at WWW.Ci.fort-collins.co.us and click on Utilities, then Stormwater, then Drainage Basins. Skate Park Conceptual Design Jason Stutzman, Civil Engineer/Park Planning said that we have had an explosion of skate parks in the state. We have approximately 1,000 skaters in our community. In 1994 the City constructed its first skate park at Northside Aztlan Community Center. In January 2000, we added two wooden half pipes. Thanks in part to a grant from Great Outdoors Colorado we are in the process of designing and constructing our second skate park. During the winter, staff met with local skaters and a professional skate park designer to draft a plan for the new skate park in Edora Park. Through research we discovered that Montrose, Colorado has one of the newest skate parks in the state. Because of limited funding, they used a group of localized skaters and parents who designed and fundraised, and built the park with local people for only $140,000. We contacted the Montrose group and followed their design. We had our local skaters vote on the best skaters in the community to serve on the design committee. We have approximately $200,000 to construct this facility. Jason explained that the edges of the bowls will meet the Parks and Recreation Board Ates • April 26, 2000 Page 5 height of the grass in the park. We are going to build a clay model and show this model to contractors in the bid process. Lance asked how they will build this? Jason explained it will be made from concrete to provide a solid, long-lasting structure, built similar to curbs and gutters. Our consultant is a professional skater who is under contract with us. This park will address all levels of skaters. Jason said it will be a small park, but will hopefully be one of the best in the state. During our research, we talked to several municipalities and all have said that they wished they would have constructed their skateboard park larger as this is the most active area in all their parks. Paul Hudnut asked about cleaning out the bowls? Jason said that the kids said they would maintain it themselves. This past winter, the kids brought their own snow shovels to Northside when they wanted to skate. He feels that when the kids are involved from the beginning, they will take ownership and keep it well maintained. However, our Parks Division will be responsible for the overall maintenance. Jason said the skaters in our community are very organized and very responsible. The kids on the design team are in their 20's. Paul asked if this will be available to skateboarders and rollerbladers? Jason said it will be. Boat Chutes Jason explained that the irrigation diversion dam at the old power plant (on North College Avenue) on the river requires a second drop structure. The structure will complete the boat chute and fish ladder project. The design was completed and the accepted bid was $211,000 awarded to Left Hand Excavating from Longmont. Our deadline for the grant was December 30, 2000. We had 90 days from beginning to end for construction. The contractor completed the work in 30 days. Gateway Operation and Maintenance Marty updated the Board on the project and operation and maintenance cost for when we open the park next year. The City's preference at this time is to have the City operate the park. We are still negotiating with Utilities for the cost to lease the park. The charter states that the Utility money must be used for utilities and we can't take ownership of it without compensating the Utility Fund. Del asked if there is any process that the Utilities needs to get a certain return. Marty said they need to get a reasonable value for the property. The Division of Wildlife has $80,000 committed to the project. They want their money associated with something specific. When the GOCO money was committed, it needed to be expended within three years of distribution. The entry road is going out to bid in June or July. We have $185,000 of Byway money that will be used for the project. New Youth Activity Center Lance said that we have a group of interested citizens and the Mayor wanting to purchase the Timberline Church at the corner of Stewart and Lemay. Lance will update the Board at our next Parks and Recreation Board Minu April 26, 2000 Page 6 meeting. Ross Cunniff said he is a member of Timberline Church and will abstain from conversation and voting on the item in the future. Other Business Trails: • Joint Trails Subcommittee — Lance has spoken with Don Rodriguez, Natural Resources Board, about the joint trail committee. We will have two members of our Board to meet with their trails subcommittee. Lance thinks it would be a great committee. Paul Hudnut and Del Price would like to be on this subcommittee. Marty cautions that the Board makes recommendation, staff makes final decisions on administrative (non -policy) trails issues. • Pineridge Trails — Paul Hudnut wants to follow up on the several trails closed at Pineridge. Did the Natural Resources staff close them and what policy decision was made? Del said that is probably in the management plan for Pineridge. Lance said that is going to be a good topic for the trails subcommittee. Paul said that we are losing recreational usage of trails in the City. Del asked if there is someway that we can raise this with Natural Resources? Paul asked is there a clear definition about the recreational use in the natural areas. Marry said that is a good issue. He said any environmental areas are possibly in the jurisdiction of the Natural Resources Department. The Parks and Recreation Board can look at these open space/natural areas as they relate to the recreation values for the community. Paul said we could have world class mountain biking in this area. Paul said we could educate on misconceptions about the impact of mountain biking on trails. • Del asked if we could get the Natural Resources staff to come to our meeting next month to talk about all the closures in the natural areas. Marty said they will come to our Board meeting in the next couple of months because next month we are touring the Fossil Creek Park site. • Del said we have the Poudre River policy in the works and we need to really look at that closely. • Lee Martinez Park Master Plan and DDA — Lance met with the DDA to find out once we put out the master plan for Lee Martinez Park, would they be interested in participating in the design. The DDA will form a committee and they will let us know how they want to help. When the plan is completed, it will be distributed and input received from all. • Lunch with Chairs of Boards, City Manager, Council, and DDA --- Lance met with this group and said they talked about Board members' training and what are the expectations of the City Council for the Boards. Lance said they talked about the lack of Board member orientation. What is the role of the Board members? Do we represent the community or personal agendas? Everyone agreed that we should represent the community. The City will Parks and Recreation Board Ates • April 26, 2000 Page 7 put together a training package and orientation and make a clearer vision for the Boards. The goals is to have better communication. • Park Design Concepts --- Lance and Del will meet with Marty and Craig. Lance said all of our neighborhood parks generally have the same components, but thinks we should look at various park designs and various elements that could go into the parks. The question is could we have more parks with neighborhood flavor. He has seen some very interesting parks in various locations around the country. Jessica MacMillan said that is why we have a master plan and we have limited parkland available in our community. Del said that we have the 40/60 ratio, however, we need more creativity. • Meeting with Council Liaison: Bill Bertschy called Lance and wants to meet with him next week. Lance asked the Board members to E-mail him with ideas and/or questions for Bill. Lance's E-mail address is: Lfreeman@Lamar.colostate.edu • Board Tours: Lance said we are trying to set up a time to tour Fossil Creek Community Park and Lee Martinez Park. After discussion, the Board decided they want to tour Fossil Creek at the May meeting. Staff will advise the Board of details prior to our May 24 meeting. Secretary's Note: Meet on Fossil Creek Drive side of the park at 5:30 p.m. After the tour, the Board will have dinner at Sportscasters on Boardwalk Drive. • Southwest Community Park --- Paul Van Valkenburg has heard that we are going to build that park in the next few years. Craig said it is planned to be open in 2006, however, there is interest in the community to pursue it sooner than that schedule. • CSU Rodeo Property — Paul Hudnut said we talked several months ago about the rodeo area that CSU owns to use it for recreation programs. Marty replied that our original plan was to use the area for ballfields. When we looked at the infrastructure plan, we decided we couldn't financially do it. Perhaps we could do a joint venture with CSU in a few years. Craig said that we have thought about using it as a special events park. Lance said the City is going to build a storm detention pond in the area. Craig said we need a facility that will hold large groups for special occasions. Paul Hudnut said it is very good terrain for beginning mountain biking. There is no place to run races for mountain biking in the northern Colorado area. Paul thinks a climbing wall would be a good feature for the area also. • I-25 Corridor Plan — Craig Foreman said that he is a member of the I-25 corridor committee. This corridor extends from Berthoud to north of Fort Collins. He said the purpose is to establish guidelines and standards for landscaping, buildings, gateways, Parks and Recreation Board Minu' April 26, 2000 Page 8 signage, and other design criteria. Other participants are Cities and towns of Larimer and Weld Counties, CDOT and the consultants. • Board terms will expire in December instead of June 30. If Council adopts this schedule, the terms will be extended until the end of the year. Staff will keep the Board updated on this. Future Presentations to Parks and Recreation Board — Paul Hudnut spoke about the presentations tonight and last month relating to stormwater. The Board agreed they would like a shorter version and use the meeting time to keep more focused on parks and recreation. It pushes our topics until the end. Marty said that staff will focus on that with presenters. Adjournment: On a motion by Dean, seconded by Del, the Board adjourned at 9:00 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Ja ie ae xecutive Administrative Assistant Meeting Attendance Board Members: Ross Cunniff, Lance Freeman, Dean Hoag, Paul Hudnut, Jessica MacMillan, Mary Ness, Del Price, and Paul Van Valkenburg Staff: Craig Foreman, Marty Heffernan, Jean Helburg, Jackie Rael, Jason Stutzman, and Virgil Taylor Guests: Teri Morrison and Marilyn Hartig