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HomeMy WebLinkAboutParks And Recreation Board - Minutes - 07/26/2017Parks & Recreation Board Meeting – March 22, 2017 Page 1 of 7 BE A GOOD STEWARD: Protect & Respect your Parks, Trails & Recreation Facilities Call Meeting to Order: Jessica Macmillan called the meeting to order at 5:33pm Agenda Review & Items of Note: None Citizen Participation: None Approval of Minutes: Dawn Theis made the motion to approve the Parks & Recreation Board Minutes of June 28, 2017. Seconded by Bruce Henderson Passed 8:0 Meeting Summary  Staff presented with an update of the Avery Park Improvements Project which is schedule to be completed the end of July.  Staff presented a demonstration of the volunteer program “Engage”. This software program allows for communication between City Departments and volunteers regarding various opportunities in our community. PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD MINUTES Regular Meeting Wednesday, July 26, 2017 5:30 PM Board Chair: Scott Sinn – 2017 scott.sinn@ymail.com Council Liaison: Ken Summers - ksummers@fcgov.com Staff Liaisons: Mike Calhoon, 970-416-2079 – mcalhoon@fcgov.com Kurt Friesen, 970-221-6618 – kfriesen@fcgov.com Bob Adams, 970-221-6354 – badams@fcgov.com Parks & Recreation Board Meeting – March 22, 2017 Page 2 of 7 Full Minutes AGENDA ITEMS: Avery Park Improvements Project Update – Greg Oakes  When funding the Avery Park Improvements Project, the Social Sustainability Dept. gave money and Craig Foreman also put aside money for the project as well. The previous playground at Avery Park was up for the current life cycle project which helped fund the playground renovations. During the project, the on call of the general contractor was used primarily; this helped save additional cost.  When construction began there was a high level of public support for the project and this has continued as improvements have been made.  Stepping blocks were added for additional sitting and have been enjoyed by the public  A shade shelter was added and trees were planted for additional shade.  The park previously was not ADA compliant but with the addition of engineer designed wood chips it is now ADA compliant.  A “fix it” station was donated by the neighborhood’s HOA for bicycles  The Avery Park is also going to have the first project in the pilot program for Buddy Bench and Little Tree Library.  The grand opening will feature key speakers and the Frank Avery grid map will be mentioned as the inspiration behind the park.  The restrooms at Avery Park will also have the Avery map engraved along the side in a form of a 3D mural. There will be a sign that talks about Frank Avery and his contributions. The stone used in the construction was picked to match the creek and bought from Stonegarden. The building will be tied in with decking material and green doors. The doors will be locked at night and the building will not be heated; making it only useable for 3 seasons. Discussion Board – Was the park having night time issues? Staff – Yes, however that was before my time. Board – Where is the location of Avery Park? Staff – It is located off of Clearview Ave and Castlerock Dr. Board – Was the incident in the park? Staff – No the incident was not in the park. It just led to neighborhood concern. Board – When did the project start? Staff – the project began last October. Board – The Park is very colorful Staff – It is, however the mature trees help to where it is not overwhelming. The intent with this project is to use it as a hard model for park refreshes. We will have the exact cost. Board – What is the name of the creek? Staff – Clearview Creek. Budget wise, we could not expand the water feature but we did have Korby install blocks down in the creek for kids to play on. Board – In regards to the Fix it Station, is there many of these around? What does it offer? Staff – They are located mostly on trails. They are able to fix minor repairs by providing tools and air. We will be adding these stations to the bike map as well. Board – is the project completed now? Staff – hopefully by the end of the week Board – What was the total cost of the project? Staff – We had about a $450,000 budget for this project. Park Planning paid $270,000 and Parks paid $110,000. This included the replacement of the playground and irrigation. The Pump house was replaced with Lifecycle funds. We spent $70,000 on the restroom. Board – That price is not bad, have we always had a General Contractor for neighborhood parks? Parks & Recreation Board Meeting – March 22, 2017 Page 3 of 7 Staff – Back in the day, we did for just replacing equipment. This was the first time redesigning a park. We needed money from different sources and can see this happening for neighborhood parks. This is not possible for community parks. We will need a contractor. Neighborhood Parks though allow us to be hands on. Trail Head will be similar. Between Agenda Items, Councilman Ken Summers introduced himself. Councilman Summers is a Colorado native and grew up in the city of Englewood. He attended UNC and afterwards was on the municipal PR Board for the city of Strasburg and taught at the collegiate level. He also served on the Board of Directors for the HOA of Willows Springs; a community that encompassed 40 acres. “Engage” Volunteer Software Program – Christine Macrina  Background – Charlotte Boney is the overall Volunteer Manager and she wanted to provide a tool that would enhance the volunteer experience. Unlike board members, many volunteers only come for 1 day.  How it works – Once you have registered as a volunteer you are able to select various interests and in the case of Board Members you can select the Board you are on. The program will send you an email notifying you of upcoming meetings that will allow you to be “assigned” to various meetings. This program allows the City of Fort Collins to create a good data base that tracks hours spent volunteering for the City; before, the city was vastly underreporting. In the case of this meeting, you should have received a notification email for it and afterwards, you will get another email that will allow you to confirm your time. Right now, it is auto filled for 2 hours based off of previous minutes for all hours of 2017 PR Board. You are able to adjust your time.  The program has the function to record time spend reading documents at home and show you events that are happening that you might be interested in. The City of Fort Collins hopes to use this program as a tool for communication for volunteers.  Demonstration – Under the Profile you can edit privacy preferences, select what other opportunities you would be interested in, and make a public notice calendar for events. You have the option to opt in or out for communication choices. The program also allows for discussion forums; however, as board members, you need to be careful about open meeting laws. There are also sections that allow you to fill out for yourself like your birthday.  Foresees that this program will evolve every year to help improve functionality.  Currently trying to figure out a way to make email notifications less for Boards and Commissions. Discussion Board – I think the option choices and preferences are wonderful. Does it auto populate for 2 hours? Is there a way to change is? Staff – Yes, we will monitor this with hours from the minutes or you can adjust it yourself. All you do is click the link and adjust them through there. Monitoring will be hit or miss. We will need time to tell what is working and what is not because it is still new software. Board – Is the Bicycle Advisory Committee going to be included? Staff – Yes, they will be trained as well. Board – Some people have overlap with other boards so that will help as well. Staff – Next Year the evaluation will really start. Board – What is your favorite thing about this program? Staff – It is very user friendly and easy to use. Board – It was interesting that I already had an account Staff – We have already populated most accounts for Board Members. Board – Do you use it for the Lincoln Center? Staff – We do, you are able to see who has already volunteered for events, volunteer for different events and put yourself on waitlists STAFF UPDATES: Parks Parks & Recreation Board Meeting – March 22, 2017 Page 4 of 7  Sound curtains have been hung up and tested at the Pickle Ball Courts located at City Park to make sure the City’s Noise Ordinance is not being violated.  There was a recent visit from BYU students studying Turf Management at Spring Canyon Park. The Parks staff showed them around and the equipment the Parks Dept. uses.  Ralph Zentz hosted a Plant Health Conference for 200 local Arborist that focused on the Emerald Ash Bore growth.  In regards to the May 2017 storm, the Parks Dept. was able to get all of the hard cost and overtime backfilled. Additionally, the Parks Dept. was also able to get all of the rental equipment cost covered. The storm was taken care of in record time due to the many resources provided by Council and other Departments.  The regional trail agreement is moving forward; the Front Range portion will be maintained by Loveland and the Long View portion will be maintained by Fort Collins.  The Parks Dept. has created props for speed control on trails in the form of signs.  The Parks Dept. purchased an all-electric riding mower, the “green machine”, for the first time. The mower is a mid-deck model and is currently in the middle of testing to see battery life. As of right now, it seems to get a full day of mowing. Discussion Board – Are the pickle ball courts that loud? Staff – Somewhat. The sound is only 5-6 decimals off; however, we have ways to mitigate this Board – In regards to the Storm, has the blow back died down regarding people having to manage their own property? Staff – Yes, we have added a level system that explains when the City will react and how it will react. Right now we are currently struggling with the threshold. We need something that is measurable. Board – How many weeks did clean up take? Staff – Clean up lasted 2 months. Lateral cracks and wind have caused delayed limb issues. However, Harmony and JFK Medians are completed. Board – Councilman, how many calls did you receive? Councilman Summers – Not many. I received on regarding the distance to the drop off locations Staff – We set up different resources for the public to utilize though. 211 United Way and Hageman have played a part in helping. The problem is people get use to the way things were before and their expectation is built up; such as the accommodations provided in 2011. We received some questions about preventative pruning in the past but Laporte and Mountain show why this is so useful. You can see the difference between the trees on Mountain and the trees at CSU. Board – So Depending on who is talking, you get a split on whether the trails are for transportation or recreation use. How has this affected the trails? Staff – It’s hard because the trails are mixed use and this leads to funding differences. Board – Does the Bicycle Committee have a consensus on E bikes yet? Staff – This Spring the State Legislature assigned 3 classifications for E bikes and assigned use under local jurisdiction. Currently, the City of Fort Collins only allows E bikes if one has a disability; with redefinition this changes. BAC is trying to gather facts to put in a white paper to help ground the arguments surrounding E bikes in facts. Once this is completed, we will take it to the Transportation board. There is a lot of misunderstanding around trails and E bikes. Board – Is the mower quieter like a highbred? Where are you using it at? Is it going to be used at the Golf Courses? Staff – It is a bit quieter and we are currently using it at City Park. We do have a plan to get more. Board – Does the company have calculations of how much you are saving? Staff – Yes, however the mower will not be a multipurpose like the equipment used in winter maintenance. Recreation  The Recreation Dept. created an air quality threshold last year. Currently, the City of Fort Collins has not hit this threshold this year. However last month, June 2017, there were 20 approximately days that hit the unhealthy level. You can find this chart on the website enviroflash.info. This website provides you the option to have informational emails sent to you.  Wanted to give thanks to everyone involved in the Fourth of July Parade. This year the parade consisted of 52 entries and was funded by Blue Ocean. It lasted approximately 45 minutes long and theme was centered on the Parks & Recreation Board Meeting – March 22, 2017 Page 5 of 7 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War. 6,000 people attended the parade and it received a 100% satisfaction rate from the 52 entries. Entries are capped at 60 due to time constrictions. Additionally, the Fourth of July Firework show went very well. Both the Parks and Recreation Departments worked very closely together to achieve this.  Currently posting signs that inform the public that doors will be locked due to safety issues starting August 1st.  The Reduced Rate Process Improvement Presentation has been delayed has been delayed and will be rescheduled in August.  Next Month, August 2017, is the slowest. During this time, the Recreation Dept. plans on doing facility improvement. The Senior Center is partially closing down August 5- 13, The Foothills center will be closing from August 14 thru September 5 to fix walls, Northside will be partially closed from August 13-20, and Epic will be receiving a large portion of work done to help fix the therapy pool and complete tile improvements around the pool and in locker rooms and the ADA drop off area within the parking lot. However, Ice will still be operating. Discussion Board – Is the air quality associated with the current forest fires? Staff – Yes, we also have a heat index chart that public can access as well. However, we have not been close to hitting any thresholds this year. Board – Was the Firework Shooter the same as last year? Staff – Yes Board – When will the Therapy Pool be open? Staff – The pool will be open in November. We have a small window. However, we are working with the swim teams so they won’t be affected. Board – Are there a lot of injuries from Pickle Ball? Staff – Yes, we need to educate the public on proper safety techniques. Most injuries are from lob shots where heels are caught on the court. Board – Who controls the Old Town Square in Downtown? Staff – DDA owns it however the DBA handles any music or events while the Parks Dept. maintains it. Board – There is hardly any young people there. Also, the majority of space is taken up by people with chairs. This leaves no room to dance. Is there a way to set an area that does not allow chairs? Staff – Yes, we will tell the DBA Park Planning  E-Bikes - The Park Planning and Development, Parks, and Natural Areas Departments were invited by a Colorado State University student, to offer their thoughts regarding the use of e-bikes along the trails, what effect the e- bikes may have on the condition of trails, and the regulations for use of e-bikes currently in place. This information will be used for the development of a white paper.  Twin Silo Park - Construction of the park structures; play barn, shade structures, and “back porch” deck, are now complete and the concrete flatwork will finish within the next couple of weeks. Due to a delay from the manufacturer, installation of the playground is now set to occur mid-September. Seeding for the parks bluegrass athletic fields has yet to occur, and with the warmer temperatures, growth of the seed will be limited. This may delay a possible fall opening by a few weeks, unless areas are converted to sod. The Project Manager is working with Purchasing to discuss this option.  Avery Park - Anticipated completion of both the restroom remodel, and the shelter installation, is estimated for the end of July. All Irrigation improvements and landscape plantings are complete, and the park is ready to host a celebration of the park’s refresh. A ceremony is planned for Tuesday, August 3rd, at 4pm and Park Planning and Development would like to cordially invite the Parks & Recreation Board members to the event.  Fossil Creek Trail – Shields to College - Several unanticipated issues have the potential to affect the project budget, and will not be resolved until final design and land negotiations are completed late this summer. The need to acquire private property in order to maintain the existing irrigation tailwater ditch, and maintain a safe offset between the trail and Fossil Creek Drive is still pending and Park Planning and Development is working with Real Estate Services to prepare the purchase offers to the three landowners. Initial estimates for the purchase of the property total $43,000, but are subject to negotiation. Property owners are also requesting the Parks & Recreation Board Meeting – March 22, 2017 Page 6 of 7 City construct new livestock protection fences due to the anticipated trail user traffic. Park Planning and Development continues to work with the City of Fort Collins’ Stormwater Utility to define an acceptable bridge crossing through the Ader Estates HOA property, causing the floodplain modeling fees to increase $5,000 - $10,000 over the current consultant contract of $65,000. This increase is due to a request to bridge Lang Gulch, rather than Fossil Creek in this area. The current estimate for the trail project was $1.1M, however, this estimate did not include land acquisition, floodplain modeling or fencing costs. These factors could increase the potential cost of the project by $151,000. Revised construction costs will soon be estimated and available when the final design of the trail is complete.  9-11 Memorial Garden - Park Planning and Development is working with the Poudre Fire Authority on the design, informational content, and integration of the 9-11 Memorial Garden, to be located in Spring Canyon Park. Partial funding for this project will come from monetary donations, along with requests for In-Kind donations from some of the local companies the City of Fort Collins and the Poudre Fire Authority currently work with. The Poudre Fire Authority is taking the lead on these funding efforts. A timeframe for this project has not been determined at this time.  Trailhead Park - Discussions with Hartshorn Water Works are underway regarding the Water Services Agreement for potable and non-potable water for the future park spanning 5 acres. Park Planning and Development is also working with the necessary City departments to discuss all other elements of the park. The goal is to have everyone at the table, then go to the neighborhood. These meetings are to maintain an open communication with the departments involved, and receive direct feedback on the project throughout each phase of construction.  Long View Trail - Construction of the Long View Trail is anticipated to begin this fall. This trail will offer an off- road, paved trail connection between the City of Fort Collins, and the City of Loveland. The project is currently waiting on clearances. Discussion Board – Is there an update on the trail progress? Staff – Kurt Friesen or Susan will probably give an update and presentation that outlines the bottom line and address the additional funds needed Board – Where are those funds coming from? Staff – We will move money around to cover the cost. Board – So there is a $1 million overrun on Maple Hill Park? Staff – Yes, $1.9 Million is the estimate received from the engineer. We received a $2.5 Million Bid which was down $300,000. However, we have hired additional cost estimates. One of those estimates is $2.1 million. Board – This is kind of concerning due to the NE community Park Bicycle Advisory Committee Report  Trail completions are making a lot of connections which is a major turning point  The Committee is also working on a white paper. This will first be sent to the Transportation Board for review.  Regarding the NOCO Trail Report, the Committee is trying to include all communities in the area. Currently, the NOCO Trail Report incorporates Larimer County. This success has been largely due to John Klingaman and Carol Rankin Schedule of Articles  Due September 8th; the goal is to have it drafted by August 25th. o Subject: Club Tico renovations Bullet Points  Avery Park Refresh  Engage Demo  Electric Mower Demonstration Parks & Recreation Board Meeting – March 22, 2017 Page 7 of 7 Adjournment: 7:20pm Respectfully submitted, Megan Lusk Board Attendance Board Members: Ragan Adams, Rob Cagen, Bruce Henderson, Kenneth Layton, Jessica MacMillan, Scott Sinn, Kelly Smith, Dawn Theis Staff: Mike Calhoon, Greg Oakes, Christine Macrina, Megan Lusk Guest: Ken Summers