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HomeMy WebLinkAboutParks And Recreation Board - Minutes - 02/28/1990CITY OF FORT COLLINS PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD MINUTES: Regular Meeting - February 28, 1990 Vice President Bob Aukerman called the meeting to order at 7:07 p.m. President Cathy Mulcahy and Board Member Mary Ness called to say they wouldn't be able to attend the meeting. Agenda Review: Staff added a discussion of Recreation Fees to the printed agenda. Minutes: The minutes of the meeting of January 24, 1990 were unanimously approved on a motion by Bob Aukerman, seconded by Roger Tarum. Citizen Participation: No Citizen Participation.' Bob reviewed the flow chart showing the process Natural Resources staff would follow to address the issues for developing an environmental management plan. He also passed out a preliminary list of issues for the Board's review. Hey said this will be a policy plan and as it is finished, the plan will be implemented through regulatory actions or changes in policy directed from Council. Rene' Clements Cooney asked how this is going to fit into the land use policy, environmental policy, and the comprehensive plan. Bob said this would fit into all three of them. Bob Aukerman asked what would be the role of the Parks and Recreation Board in this process. Bob replied that if the Board has any feed back on the process or issues to pass them on to staff. The main impact to the Parks and Recreation Department, as other City departments, is to work in an interaction manner to find common solutions. Site Reference for the 4th of July Celebration/Fireworks Mike Powers explained the process the City is going through to determine a safe site for the 4th of July fireworks and day activities. The dilemma is that City Park is too small for the activities. 85 acres is not enough for the safety, crowd, party atmdsphere, and fireworks. The fireworks in themselves are a safety hazard since we have a launch site with only a 300 feet radius and the Insurance requires a 600 feet radius launch site. Council subcommittee Ann Azari, Susan Kirkpatrick, and Loren Maxey have reviewed this with the Health and Safety Committee. This committee suggested day events be spread out throughout the city and the fireworks shot from Pineridge Open Space. Council, at its meeting of February 6, said that not enough data has been collected, and directed staff to develop a survey. Surveys have been distributed at various City facilities, to Pineridge neighbors, and the City Park neighborhood. The surveys have been collected and tabulated. Mike asked the Board for their input on the Fourth of July celebration. John Barnett stated his concerns are the dry lands and potential for fire at Pineridge. He therefore suggests leaving the fireworks at City Park. Bob McCluskey suggested going to smaller fireworks (4") since the insurance won't Parks and Recreation Board February 28, 1990 Page 2 cover any larger caliper fireworks at the present launch site at City Park. Bob Aukerman said decentralizing the Fourth of July takes away from the spirit of the city for the celebration. If it is moved, it should be kept together. Bob said if we decrease the show, people will be doing their own fireworks and that would be more dangerous. Karen Schubert is concerned about the continuation at City Park because of the crowded conditions and suggested a joint effort with Loveland to do fireworks at the airport. John Barnett asked if Poudre R-1 has a school facility large enough to launch the fireworks? Poudre R-1 Representative Keith Goosman said there isn't a facility large enough. Mike then informed the Board that 70 percent of the people surveyed expressed their support to keep the fireworks and day activities in City Park. Roger Tarum, John Barnett, Bob McCluskey, Bob Aukerman, and Elery Wilmarth all said don't move the fireworks or day activities from City Park; and Karen Schubert and Rene' Clements Cooney basically said the Fourth of July at City Park i* "an accident ready to happen." Board Involvement in the Senior Center Project Recreation Superintendent Jean Helburg gave the Board an update on the project. She asked the Board what they feel their involvement should be? The Senior Board is involved with the project team and taking a task to contact the non -private agencies to solicit their input. The Senior Board will take the lead and go to the various boards and form a task force from the project team to give information back to the architect. Jean asked if there are any Board members who would be interested in being a part of this task force? Karen Schubert said she would be interested in getting involved. Bob Aukerman doesn't think the role of this Board is to go out and gather information, but to recommend policy to Council. Karen feels it is important to be involved. Bob McCluskey then volunteered to join the task force with Karen Schubert. Senior Board Representative Billie Higgins will be getting in touch with both Karen and Bob McCluskey. Jerry will contact Mary and Cathy and ask them if they are interested also. Jean said as we get into the project, updates will be sent to the Parks and Recreation Board on a monthly basis. Update on Rogers Park Master Plan Process Park Planner Leslie Beckmann gave the Board an update on the project. This will be an eight -acre park. The main entry way will be on Mulberry. The barn will probably be renovated for a shelter and restrooms. There has been a request from the Recreation Division and Youth Baseball to put in a ballfield and a youth soccer field. Leslie said that at the Public Meeting last week, some neighbors weren't pleased with the idea of having organized youth sports (specifically a ballfield) in this area because of noise, dust, and traffic in the neighborhood area. John Barnett suggested increasing the vegetation in those buffer areas and decrease the parking area on the outside ends of the park where the streets dead end. Leslie wanted the Board to be aware of the neighborhood Parks and Recreation Board February 28, 1990 Page 3 concerns and a final plan will be brought to the Board in a public meeting next month. At that meeting, the Rogers Park Neighborhood (within a two block radius) will be specifically invited to attend. Recreation Fees Jean said one of our goals from Council for Recreation is to revamp the Recreation Fee Policy. Recreation is presently 60% self-supporting and the other 40% comes from General Fund. Jean passed out a questionnaire that she asked the Board members to fill out as citizen representatives regarding fees and where they would like to see their money for activity fees be spent. After much discussion, the Board felt that the questionnaires to citizens were unnecessary and that the average user isn't concerned with the breakdown of where his fee is being distributed. They also felt that the survey won't tell staff anything they don't already know. Other Business John Barnett reminded the Board of the Poudre River Trust meeting tomorrow night at Library. z Elery showed an article about the rails to trails. Council dropped the far west portion because of the citizens in the area protesting. Bob McCluskey said that the editorial was a positive report on the City working with the citizens. - John Barnett talked with a Boulder Parks and Recreation Board member who was amazed with the working relationship the Parks and Recreation Board has with the School District in Fort Collins. The Boulder Parks and Recreation Board will be requesting a CU representative in the same capacity as our Poudre R-1 representative is. John asked if the Board would be interested in having a CSU representative. Board Members did not indicate an interest in this idea. - Karen commended staff for the note sent earlier regarding the problems at the indoor pool. - Bob Aukerman asked what the status was on Riverbend Ponds. Mike said it has been tabled. The meeting was adjourned at 9:30 p.m. on a motion by John Barnett, seconded by Bob McCluskey. submitted, e Rael, Adminisf(rative Aide 0 Parks and Recreation Board February 28, 1990 Page 4 Meeting Attendance Board Members Staff Guests Bob Aukerman Karen Schubert Roger Tarum Rene' Clements Cooney Bob McCluskey Elery Wilmarth John Barnett Keith Goosman, PRA Representative r Mike Powers Jerry P. Brown Virgil Taylor Randy Balok Leslie Beckmann Jackie Rael Jean Helburg Bob Wilkinson