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HomeMy WebLinkAboutParks And Recreation Board - Minutes - 05/23/2012Parks & Recreation Board Meeting – May 23, 2012 Page 1 of 9 BE A GOOD STEWARD: Protect & Respect your Parks, Trails & Recreation Facilities Call Meeting to Order: Dawn Theis called the meeting to order 5:33pm Agenda Review & Items of Note: Agenda Review: Add agenda item to review resignation of Shirley Christian. If a Board Member resigns due to issues other than personal, the Board should discuss the reasons why so changes can be made if necessary. Item of Note: None Citizen Participation: None Approval of Minutes: Discussion: None Danna Ortiz made the motion to approve the Parks & Recreation Board minutes of April 25, 2012, seconded by Ragan Adams – Minutes approved 5:0 AGENDA ITEMS: Water: Here’s My Take – Tim Buchanan, City Forester There is an estimated 300,000 trees in the City of Fort Collins and about 40,000 are owned and on City property. Many of the City trees are irrigated, but there are some that require supplemental irrigation; i.e., a water truck. Trees don’t require as much irrigation as turf, but during a drought they can become stressed. In some cases a stressed tree can be more susceptible to disease. There is a real concern that we are going into a drought year, so Forestry has a concern for the trees that were already stressed and new plantings; we may have brown trees by August if we don’t get the necessary rain, but we will do what we can to keep them healthy. • Plant native and adapted trees that are drought tolerant; we helped to develop the Front Range Tree Recognition List. • Develop hydro-zones in Parks with appropriate planting. • Drip systems for trees as backup to water trees when water restrictions are in place. • Providing good soil; if the soil is appropriate, less irrigation is needed. As part of capital projects, Forestry provides review and inspections for tree protection and replanting. For the Mason Corridor Project, the City contracted to have 100 large trees, 10”-13” diameter transplanted. They went to areas at Transfort on Trilby, CSU along Centre Ave, the Museum/Discover Center, and South Transit Center. Discussion Board – What’s the cost to move the trees? Staff – Between $900 - $1,000 PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD Minutes of Regular Meeting Wednesday, May 23, 2012 5:30 p.m. Council Liaison: Kelly Ohlson Staff Liaisons: J.R. Schnelzer, 970-221-6301 Craig Foreman, 970-221-6618 Bob Adams, 970-221-6354 Chair: Rob Cagen Phone: 970-689-7559 (home) / 970-482-3971 (work) Parks & Recreation Board Meeting – May 23, 2012 Page 2 of 9 Board – Is there anyway to combat the Walnut disease? Staff – Unfortunately, there isn’t a lot that can be done for the Thousand Cankers disease hitting the Black Walnut population. We have about 2,000 trees in Fort Collins; the only way to try to control it is sanitation that removes diseased trees. Board – What about spraying the pine trees? Staff – We do spray for the Mountain Pine Beetle. Board – What about the pines in the median by Collindale? Staff – Those are not affected by the Mountain Pine Beetle, more than likely the brown needles are due to road salt from the winter. Board – Do you have anything to do with Parks getting their Audubon certification? Staff – No that’s all done through Parks. Board – With damage done from snow in November are you going to replace the trees now? Staff – We’ve been in storm mode from November thru May, but we are starting some replacements now. Board – Do you ever have outreach to public? Staff – We have classes at the Gardens on Spring Creek, there’s information on our web page www.fcgov.com/forestry and I will be doing some articles for the Coloradoan. Board – Is there anything we can do as a Board to support your work? Staff – We appreciate the help you do provide. Farm Update – Bridget Brownell Parks and Forestry help out the Farm, and we really appreciate their help. The storm hit just prior to one of our biggest money making events, Treatsylvania, and Forestry helped to remove dangerous branches so we could run our event. With our popularity and classes, we have groups coming from all across the front-range including Denver and Cheyenne. Our recovery rate is at 87%. One of our popular items in the gift shop is selling .25¢ bags of Oats to feed the animals. Form the sale of the Oats we took in $7,343.00 last year which almost paid for the cost of feed in 2011 which was just under $10,000. We are going to be using domestic water for our pasture for a while because the Arthur ditch is not accessible to us anymore. Craig’s group is working on an irrigation pond at Lee Martinez Park which will allow us and the Park to use ditch water; but this will take some time. Discussion Board – Do you feel you get enough people through the door? Staff – Yes, especially with the staff levels we have, but we want to challenge ourselves to enhance the events like Treatsylvania, hayrides, classes, etc. so those people that return year after year continue to enjoy the event. Board – Do you still have your garden? Staff – Yes, we have Grow Forth! A garden group of neighbors who maintain the garden and then they get to keep the produce. Board – Do you do any outreach to the Poudre School District? Staff – They know we’re here, but any outreach is helpful. Board – What days are you open? Staff – In the winter (Sept-May) we’re open Wednesday-Sunday and in the summer (June-most of August) Tuesday-Sunday. The animals and staff do need some downtime. Parks & Recreation Board Meeting – May 23, 2012 Page 3 of 9 Vice Chair Discussion Are there any Board members interested in filling the Vice-Chair position? He’s not here, but Bruce said he would be interested. Nomination Danna Ortiz nominated Bruce Henderson as Vice-Chair Ragan Adams seconded the nomination Vote: 5:0 City Park 100 Years Celebration Update E-Mail update sent to Board Members from Ragan Adams (attached) Resignation of Shirley Christian When a Board Member resigns due to a communication issue, I think the Board needs to discuss these reasons to avoid this in the future. I think the Board should ask questions of Staff and Council to make sure we’re all hearing the information being discussed in the same way. Discussion Board – From the e-mail Rob sent of Shirley’s resignation, it sounded like she felt jilted by Council with the e- bike issue and the disc golf issue and had wasted her two years with the Board by making recommendations and then getting shot down. Board – I think this is why we need to step up our game and communicate with other Boards. If our recommendations are shared and supported by other Boards I think they would hold more merit politically. Board – Her reaction was to an article in the Coloradoan, but what wasn’t in the article was the timing. It sounded like this would take a long-time. I felt that when Marty was talking it would be a faster turnaround. This is where asking a question would have made this timing more clear. Board – I tried to get her to reconsider, but it seemed she had made up her mind; but I never got an exact reason for her resignation. Board – Things around her home were important to her, it seems that disc golf was her issue. Board – When it comes down to it, we have to remember we’re an Advisory Board, the Council will still do what they feel is in the best interest of the community. The Board helps to provide some balance. Recreation Strategic Plan (Outline & Goals) – Bob Adams, Recreation Director Bob didn’t want to make major changes until he was here for a while so that he could make the best decisions. Attached is Recreations Strategic Plan outline and goals, and as these develop Bob will bring information to the Board. One significant goal will be to develop a Pricing Policy Plan which was recommended by Greenplay several years ago. Discussion Board – How have things been priced? Staff – Randomly Board – Why would you increase a cost? Staff – We need to have cost recovery in many Recreation activities to help balance some of the programs we offer. Board – How long will this take to develop? Staff – It will be a push, but I’m hoping for December. Board – I think this is a good direction, right now vendors only have to pay $40.00 to participate at the Senior Center Christmas event and the vendors make a lot of money at this event. In comparison it costs $150.00 to participate at the French Nest Open Air Market. Board – Is the goal to be 100% self-serving? Parks & Recreation Board Meeting – May 23, 2012 Page 4 of 9 Staff – It’s a mix, it depends on the program this is why I need information to understand the value. This also helps to provide transparency. Dawn Theis – City Council Work Session – 6 Month Calendar Dawn attended the City Council work session and pulled their six month planning calendar. She gathered from the meeting that the Council would like the Boards to look at their six month calendar. The calendar should be pulled at least once every quarter for the updates. Work Sessions the Board feels would be of interest: June 12 – Boards & Commissions Periodic Review – Dawn will attend July 10 – Natural Areas Department Update – Brian may attend July 17 – Planned Development Overlay District (PDOD) – Want to know what this is? August 14 – Revenue Generating Advertising on City Property – Board wants to get more information and find out if other Boards have interest. August 28 – Harmony Road Enhancement Travel Corridor Plan – This will involve the new medians design standard – Michael will attend. August 28 – Boards and Commissions Procedures – Dawn and Rob will attend September 4 – October 16 – Budget Reviews and Public Hearings – Bruce will get updates. October 23 – Transportation Update – Want to know what this is? Craig will get information. Unscheduled Items: Regional Bike Plan – Staff Liaisons will let Board know if this is updated to the work session in the future. STAFF UPDATES Parks Updates • Sent our Monthly Report to Board • Working on Strategic Plan for Golf, introducing youth into a program Recreation Updates • The City Park Outdoor Pool opens Memorial weekend. • June 17 – Fathers Day 5K in Old Town Park Planning Updates • Grand Opening of Aggie Greens – 90 people played in the tournament. Bill Wright, The Wright Life, felt it was a good test for the course and the feedback will give us information on ways to improve it. • We didn’t get as much money as we hoped from the GOCO Grant for the I-25 overpass, so there will only be a gravel pathway to the historic Strauss Cabin, and to the park-n-ride. • Trail Study – is part of a National Survey we are having done on the Poudre Trail, Spring Creek Trail, Power Trail and Mason Trail. Trail counts will be taken, and data will be collected three times per year with an additional intercept survey. Question number 10 regarding e-bikes asks: Do you have an opinion on e-bikes? Staff is okay if you want to word-smith this question, but it needs to be kept simple as we only want people stopped for 2-3 minutes. Motion Ragan Adams made the motion to add the following sentence prior to the question number 10: Do you know what an electronic-assist bike is? Yes / No Brian Carroll seconded VOTE: 5:0 Parks & Recreation Board Meeting – May 23, 2012 Page 5 of 9 • Edora – PRPA is okay with the placement of the nine-holes without netting, at this time, since the holes point away from the facility. They will be putting up a wall in 2013. We asked Light & Powers to ask the PRPA if they could move up the date for the wall to 2012. BFO offer will install the 9-holes at Edora (leaving only 9 holes around EPIC) and enhance Aggie Greens. We’ve made a lot of progress in 2 years, it just takes a while to get things done, but we’re moving in a positive direction. Discussion: Board - Is it possible to downsize to 9-holes now, and let the disc golfers know that the additional 9-holes will be coming later? Staff – Staff will follow up on this. Discussion Board – What’s going on with the tennis courts? Staff – Through lifecycle, we are resurfacing and downsizing. When the courts are beyond repair we are removing them from certain neighborhood parks. Courts will still be at the community parks, and we have selected one neighborhood park in each quadrant of the City where a tennis court(s) will remain. We will keep the Board informed when courts are planned for removal; our plan is to replace those courts with a multi- purpose pad or sod. Board – Just an aside, the courts at Lincoln are used a lot and are in really poor condition. BOARD WORK PLAN ITEMS UPDATE Budget – No Update Communication – Dawn – Bruce submitted his article. Danna will be writing the next article. We need to look ahead for Board Members to sign up for articles for August-December. Kathleen Duff is the new Coloradoan contact. At the Women’s Commission event it was clear that other Boards also feel there is a lack of communication between the Boards. The Women’s Commission will see if they can organize a Boards & Commissions Retreat once or twice a year so we have an opportunity to share. They will also be looking into shared portal technology. PSD – Danna – Met with Poudre High School and they are trying to impress upon their students the need for stewardship. They are focusing their efforts at the school currently, and the teachers are working with the students having them clean up after themselves in the cafeteria. Sustainable Practices - No Update Parks – Met with Craig regarding the construction at Radiant Park. Park Planning is working toward a Construction Award for an Outdoor LEEDS Sustainable Site. They are tracking the value of sites vs. the expense. Trails – No Update Recreation – No Update Other Projects/Program – Natural Areas – Brian – Shared an article about the opening of the ballfield at City Park in 1934. Bicycle Advisory Board Liaison Update E-Mail update sent to Board Members from Bruce Henderson (attached) Bullet Points • Impact of drought on the 40,000+ City-owned trees in Fort Collins • Relocation of 100 City-owned trees for the Mason Corridor Project • P&R Board wanted to congratulate Bridget Brownell on 87% recovery rate at The Farm Final Item of Note Danna Ortiz announced that she was accepted to Grad School (Harvard) in Boston. She and her family will be moving to Boston, so her last meeting with the P&R Board will be in July. Parks & Recreation Board Meeting – May 23, 2012 Page 6 of 9 Adjournment: Danna Ortiz moved to adjourn. Meeting adjourned 8:36pm. Respectfully submitted, VtÜÉÄ etÇ~|Ç Carol Rankin Administrative Support Supervisor Parks Department Minutes Approved June 27: 5:0 Board Attendance Board Members: Ragan Adams, Brian Carroll, Michael Chalona, Danna Ortiz, Dawn Theis Staff: Craig Foreman, JR Schnelzer, Bob Adams, Carol Rankin, Tim Buchanan, Peggy Bowers, Bridget Brownell Parks & Recreation Board Meeting – May 23, 2012 Page 7 of 9 Parks & Recreation Board Meeting – May 23, 2012 Page 8 of 9 Parks & Recreation Board Meeting – May 23, 2012 Page 9 of 9