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HomeMy WebLinkAboutParks And Recreation Board - Minutes - 03/25/1998Council Liaison: Bill Bertschy I Staff Liaison: Jackie Rael President: Marilyn Barnes Phone: 221-0700 (work) 484-5823 (home) . Call Meeting to Order: The meeting was called to order at 6:30 p.m. by Board Secretary Rebecca Chavez after the Board toured the new trail projects with members of the Natural Resources Board. Agenda Review: No changes to the printed agenda. Approval of Minutes: On a motion by Diane Thies, seconded by Jessica MacMillan, the Board unanimously (8-0) approved the minutes of the meeting of February 25, 1998. Citizen Participation: No citizen participation. BUILDING COMMUNITY CHOICES Mike Powers opened the discussion on the selection of five sites for Building Community Choices which are: performing arts center, replacement for the Northside Aztlan Community Center, horticulture center. main library, and police station. The subcommittees for the Parks and Recreation facilities went through the process of reviewing the sites that have been proposed through the request for proposal. An open house is scheduled for April 2 to receive feedback from the community. The Council asked that the Boards not make a recommendation at this time because we are still seeking input from the public. The subcommittees will make their presentations tonight and a vote will take place at our next meeting in April. Mike encourages Board members to attend the April 2 open house. On May 19, staff will make a formal presentation to City Council on the site selections. A. Northside Aztlan Community Center subcommittee consists of Rebecca Chavez, Mary Ness, and Jessica MacMillan. Marty Heffernan spoke for the subcommittee and stated that the subcommittee did a great job rating according to the criteria. The subcommittee's ratings in priority order were as follows: Current Site of the Northside Aztlan Community Center was rated as the favorite site with a total of 404 points. This is a 10-acre site and is located in northside community. The railroad project should have improved Willow Street to 36' wide standard so no street improvements would need to be done except the possibility of a sidewalk across the front of the orooertv. Parks and Recreation Board Minutes March 25, 1998 Page 2 North Vine Between College and Lemay Avenue -- 2nd place site with 356 points. This is a 42-acre site. It is a key piece of property to the North College Plan. Planners feel that this would be a good example to show that the City is required to comply the same as other developers and would encourage all land owners to work together. Redwood would need to be extended to connect to Vine. It would require a bridge over the Lake Canal. Engineering would reimburse from the oversizing fund. No improvements would need to be made to Vine. Staff is investigating access off Vine. North of Lincoln and East of Lemay -- 3rd place site received 355 points. This is a 13 acre site. A 10-acre affordable housing development will be built on the south side of Lincoln. Diamond Shamrock will construct on the northeast corner of that intersection. West of Hickory Village -- 4th place with 351 points. This site, north of McMurray Natural Area, is a 10-acre site. This property is within the Urban Growth Area, but outside the City limits and would need to be annexed. The rechanneling of the dry creek floodway will be on the west side of Hickory Village Trailer Park. This would affect access to the facility. Southwest Corner of Taft Hill and 287 received 308 points placing it in 5th place. This property is outside the Urban Growth Area. East Part of Lee Martinez Park received 306 points for 6th place. This is a 5-acre site. No improvements would need to be done on Cherry Street. Oval electrical vaults are located in the park. North of Vine East of Lemay received 302 points for 7th place. Located on 130 acres of land, this property is within the Mountain Vista Sub Area Plan being developed over the next year. This area is currently zoned "T" for transition and will be reviewed next year to change to Low Density Mixed Use. Downtown Civic Center Area came in 8th place with 286 points. The car bam block is a possibility. Diane Thies asked where the people were from who voted on these areas? Marty said that we didn't have that information. Rebecca said that some of the attendances were from the northside community. Marty asked the Board for their comments with regard to the sites so that we can develop a pros and cons list for the open house. Poudre Pre Mix site, Lance Freeman thinks, is a great site for the Northside Aztlan Community Center. Mike said it wasn't submitted on the request for proposal. Mike said we have talked to the owners regarding that site for many aspects for city use, such as the horticulture center and an amphitheatre. Parks and Recreation Board Minutes March 25, 1998 Page 3 Paul Van Valkenburg said the problem with the present site is that it would have to be closed or partially closed to construct the new site. Diane Thies would like to see the pros and cons from the subcommittee for the top three choices. The point system came out that the present site was the first, however, it doesn't come out as the subcommittee's personal first choice. Jessica asked if the patrons of the Northside Center will be willing to do without a recreation center while the new one is constructed on this same site? Mary said the people who originally chose that areas were correct in their selection as the location is well used, however the condition of the building is the problem. Paul said that he would like to know who chose the sites in accordance to where they live. Site #6 would be south of the present facility. Del asked the subcommittee what their personal choice would be? Jessica MacMillan said west of Hickory Park would be her choice. Her reasons are that it is a pretty piece of property; has trail access; close to downtown; within the area of Hickory and Buckingham and these neighborhoods could access; and it wouldn't be a difficult site to build on. Rebecca's first choice is north of Vine and east of Lemay; close to public transportation for the kids; there is land behind it and it isn't as far north; Del said that at Site #6 there will be a Wa1Mart across the street and asked if that would be a pro or a con? Some Board members thought that the traffic, parking lot, and retail center could have a negative impact on the recreation center. Mary says that he feels that the present location is a neutral area and it is a good location. It's not claimed as territorial and there isn't any graffiti. Site #2 is Marv's second choice. However there isn't an access off College to the site. Marty will research the access to this property. Dean Hoag said that the location where it presently is serves the community well and he would like more information on Site #7. Paul said he favors off of the main street (College Avenue) as the senior center is in proximity to Shields, but not against the main arterial. Diane Thies said we need to look at the sites and costs of the land and the amenities of the land. We need to have some temporary services available while the new site is built. Jessica said the costs of the sites should be noted and definitely should be considered. B. Horticulture Center -- Jim Clark said that the committee members will take the lead on the presentation. Lance said there were seven committee members. The Parks and Recreation Board members on the subcommittee are: Lance Freeman, Del Price, and Marilyn Barnes. The ratings in their preferred order are as follows: Lee Martinez Park -- east side: close proximity to downtown; free land; good visibility; good vehicle access; existing and plentiful mature trees; variable topography; include and proximity to highly desirable geographic features; high potential for drawing residents and 0 Parks and Recreation Board Minutes March 25, 1998 Page 4 tourists from downtown area and the park; high potential for synergy with downtown activities and river corridor redevelopment; good near and distant views; excellent bike access. Jessica asked how this fits into the Civic Center Plaza area? Tim Buchanan replied that these are targeted as campus type uses. The second property is in the Nix property area located north of the Coloradoan. Advantages are excellent soil quality; close proximity to the river and bike trail; low risk of flood area; high potential for synergy with adjacent natural area; good opportunity for shared parking; lack of annoying noise. However, issues need to be resolved for access and utilities brought into the area. Resource Recovery Farm -- east on prospect and interchange at I-25. The soil quality is excellent; free land; synergy with adjacent welcome and environmental education complex; they are very compatible; views west are very nice; large size site; good vehicle access; high potential for drawing tourists from I-25; adjacent to Boxelder Creek and close proximity to the Poudre River; excellent long -distant views; good opportunity for shared parking. Diane asked about splitting the sites into two sites. Jim said we could have some satellite centers however we would be spreading it too thin to try to do both locations. Jessica said it is a good site because of all the other amenities around it. Diane thinks transportation could be an issue. Linden and Buckingham -- Advantage: high potential for drawing residents and tourists from nearby; high potential for synergy with downtown activities and rive corridor redevelopment; good visibility; existing and plentiful mature trees; large -sized site; close proximity to downtown; good vehicle access; excellent bike access; some variabilities to topography; adjacent to the Poudre River. CSU Research Foundation -- Advantage: centrally located within the city; good vehicle access after Centre Avenue is extended; excellent bike access; lack of annoying noise; adjacent to Spring Creek; good soil quality for horticulture. Lance referred to the CSU site on Lake Avenue where the plant environmental research center is located. It is centrally located within the city. However, this area is not for sale, but is available for a combined joint adventure. Del added that Jim Clark made a statement that impressed him. He spoke to the people at the horticulture center in Cheyenne. They told Jim that visibility is most important. Del says it needs to be located in an area where people will pass by it and visit it. Jessica feels the Lee Martinez site is the best site. Paul asked if the people who were active in this being on the ballot were on the subcommittee. Jim replied that two of them were and 130 invitations will be mailed out for the open house on April 2. Parks and Recreation Board Minutes March 25, 1998 Page 5 GATEWAY PARK UPDATE Mike Powers updated the Board on the progress of securing funding for the entrance to Gateway Park. The park road construction will cost approximately $900,000. This month, the North Front Range MPO awarded $144,000 to the project. The Upper Front Range MPO has committed $59,000 in 1999 and $167,000 in 200. Project funding is now complete. The final design will begin this summer for the entrance road to the park. The 400 acre park will be open in the spring of 2000. The Board showed interest in having a meeting at the site this summer. Staff will coordinate. BOARD MEMBERS AND STAFF COMMENTS/REPORTS Jessica asked the difference in the price for the studio size and the full size ice rink -- Budgeted at $3,200,000 for the studio size and the full size would cost $4,800,000 (1996 dollars). Diane asked if Recreation could offer more family oriented activities or neighborhood activities to mix the age groups? Jessica asked how many ads were sold at EPIC by Twice the Ice? Staff will update the Board next month. ADJOURNMENT: Meeting was adjourned at 8:30 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Jackie Rael, Administrative Aide II MEETING ATTENDANCE: Board Members Staff Rebecca Chavez Tim Buchanan Lance Freeman Jim Clark Dean Hoag Craig Foreman Jessica MacMillan Marty Heffernan Mary Ness Wally Piccone Del Price Mike Powers Diane Thies Jackie Rael Paul VanValkenburg