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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2002-04-22 PRC Packet . . . r illwater ~ - - ~~ """iiiO:: THE BIRTHPLACE OF MINNESOTA STILLWATER PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD MEETING NOTICE April 22, 2002 The Stillwater Parks and Recreation Board will meet on Monday, April 22, 2002 at 7:00 p.m. at Stillwater City Hall in the Council Chambers Conference Room, 216 N. 4th Street. AGENDA 1. Approval of March 25,2002 Minutes. 2. Discuss results from the Staples Field Public Meeting. 3. Request for sale of glow necklaces on the 4th of July. 4. Request for canoe tour rides. 5. Other items. CITY HALL: 216 NORTH FOURTH STILLWATER, MINNESOTA 55082 PHONE: 651-430-8800 . . . Parks and Recreation Board March 25, 2002 Present: Mike Polehna, chair Linda Amrein, Dawn Flinn, David Junker, Rob McGarry, Wally Milbrandt and Sandy Snellman Other: City Engineer Klayton Eckles Absent: None Mr. Polehna called the meeting to order at 7 p.m. Approval of minutes: Mr. Junker, seconded by Mr. Milbrandt, moved approval of the Feb. 25, 2002, minutes; motion passed unanimously. Staples Field Park Mr. Polehna opened the discussion noting that the Board has received lots of conflicting comments in the past. It was noted that all residents within a six-block radius of the park had been notified of the meeting. Mr. Polehna summarized comments/suggestions in writing. All those in attendance were given four stickers and at the end of the discussion were asked to place the stickers prioritizing the suggestions for desired park improvements. George Thompson, 401 W. Wilkin, said neighbors have had no problems since the basketball court has been closed. He said the desire is not for a big park, but a neighborhood park. He said satellite facilities are needed and the ballfield needs improvement; he suggested the possibility of a hockey rink with boards. Mr. Thompson also talked of the need for some type of traffic control. Amy Thompson, 401 W. Wilkin, and Burton Dvergsdal, 1001 N. Everett, both spoke in favor of permanently eliminating the basketball use. Mike Sampson, 1203 N. Martha, agreed with the need to upgrade the ballfield. Jane Heider, 924 N. Fifth, said her main concern was with the playground and the traffic on Aspen. She suggested installing some type of safety signage, and perhaps installing a fence around the playground area. Adam Nyberg, 924 N. Fourth, spoke in favor of accommodating some type of basketball use, not necessarily a full court, for younger kids use. Matthew Wagenius, 404 W. Hickory, spoke in favor of installing bleachers around the ballfield. Linda Ranten, 516 W. Sycamore, suggested placing benches around the hockey rink so kids don't have to sit in the snow. There also was mention of the possibility of a warming house. . . . Brian Kogler, 1016 N. Fifth, agreed with the need for a restroom facility, but questioned where the facility would be located. Vik Wilson, 906 N. Fourth, spoke in favor of having two ice rinks, one for younger children and one for hockey. Mark Walker, 333 W. Aspen, talked of the need for enforcement. He agreed with the suggestion regarding the placement of benches and a gazebo area. Mike Robinson, 801 W. Pine, spoke of the need for maintenance/upgrades, like fencing for the ballfield, that have been talked about for years. Tim Benson, 1004 Fifth N. Fifth, agreed the ballfield needs to be upgraded. There also was a comment regarding the safety of the placement of an existing picnic table. Mr. Polehna concluded the discussion by thanking everyone for their participation and comments. Lifeguards at Lily Lake beach Tim Thomsen's comments were included in the packet. Ms. Amrein moved to accept Mr. Thomsen's comments and recommend to the City Council that there be no lifeguards at Lily Lake beach, that an emergency phone be installed and that Sec. 48-3, subd. 6, of the City Park Use Ordinance be amended to reflect the elimination of lifeguards at Lily Lake. Mr. Milbrandt seconded the motion; motion passed unanimously. Fishing ponds Mr. Polehna said this item was for information only - to let the Board/City know that the DNR is interested in stocking ponds. Mr. Eckles suggested that the pond and DNR property by Northland Park might be a good location for a fishing pier. It was agreed to direct staff to pursue the possibility ofDNR fishing ponds. Other business Ms. Flinn asked if the City has a policy regarding of obtaining park areas in the older sections of town, specifically stating she had received a call regarding property near Olive and Sixth streets. Mr. Eckles responded that there is no policy and the City generally doesn't like "pocket parks." Mr. Milbrandt, seconded by Mr. McGarry, moved to adjourn at 8:55 p.m. Motion passed unanimously. Respectfully submitted, Sharon Baker Recording Secretary . . . MEMORANDUM TO: Parks Board FROM: Steve Russell, Community Development Director DATE: April 19, 2002 SUBJECT: Parks Board Meeting First, sorry for the late notice, but I was out of the office until 4-18-02. Staples Field Public Meetin2 I have included in your packet the last communication between the Parks Board and Council. The flip charts and map that were generated at the meeting will also be available for review. The City has allocated $43,000 for parks improvements with HCD funding and we should think about park improvements using that money. The basketball courts seem to need some more discussion to decide on a more permanent solution to the situation. Glow Necklaces The City has again received the request for a vender permit to sell glow necklaces at the 4th of July fireworks. I believe board members had some concerns regarding the operation, so I will ask Mr. Rochlin to attend the meeting. St. Croix Canoe Rides John Shearer of St. Croix Adventures is requesting permission to launch or land his canoe operation at Lowell Park. A letter in your packet discusses the operation. I talked with John and he is not sure how much of his operation will be on this portion of the river. Bike Race This is an FYI to keep the Parks Board in the loop since you previously were a part of the event. . Memorandum P1s r fMAt? 1St!'- A-v1t~ To: From: Date: Subject: Mayor and City Council Steve Russell, Community Development Director V' March 29, 2001 Parks Board Recommendation Regarding Staples Field Basketball Courts Last Fall, City Staff and the Parks Board were approached by neighbors of the Staples Field basketball court regarding use of the court and impact on their adjacent properties. Some of the activities are described in the attached petition. As an interim measure, the fence around the court was locked up until the situation could be evaluated and the future of the court determined. To get additional information on use of Staples Park and perception of neighbors of the park and basketball court, a questionnaire was administered to residents within three blocks ofthe park. The results of the survey are tabulated on the attached questionnaire. . Seventy-eight (78) responses to the questionnaire were received accounting for 179 people. Most respondents (48 of 25) have not experienced problems with park use. A place to sit is the preferred additional park improvement with picnic facilities coming in second. Forty-four (44) respondents are very satisfied or satisfied with the park while nine respondents are very dissatisfied or dissatisfied. Other questions indicated a general satisfaction with the park and its facilities. Specific concerns for the use of the basketball court were not expressed in the questionnaire. The attached petition submitted by neighbors ofthe court indicate their concern for the basketball court. After much discussion with neighbors and City staff (police, parks), the Parks Board felt the location of the court, close to the residents, was a mistake and that the courts should be closed and possibly relocated to another North Hill location. The Board further recommends that City Parks and Planning staff should work with the neighborhood on alternative parks use of the basketball court space and that an alternative location for basketball courts be studied. Recommendation: 1. Disable (remove) Staples basketball court. 2. Direct staffto work with neighbors on alternative use ofthe court space. 3. Parks Board and Staff find alternative North Hill Basketball Court location. Attachment: Staples Park Survey vC-/ Y!l/P/ . ."IJ--V i1lwater ~ ..:= ~ - ~ T" E B I }...T." P l A Jl ~ 0 F M INN E SOT A ~ cIty 01 ~tillwater Staples Park Neighborhood Survey . The City of Stillwater is committed to providing excellent recreation facilities for yout use. Stillwater Parks and Recreation Commission would like your assistance and input in their planning efforts for the Staples Park Complex. To help us understand which outdoor activities are the most important to the community, we are asking you to complete the enclosed survey. Please return the completed survey to City Hall by January 31, 2001. If you have questions or concerns, please call Sue Fitzgerald at 651-430-8822, or contact any member of the Parks and Recreation Commission. Thank you for your assistance. STAPLES PARK SURVEY 1. Are you or any member of your family current users of Staples Park? If yes, which areas: Tennis Courts 29 Yes 55 No 23 Basketball Court 22 Playground Equipment 43 Ballfields 27 Ice Rink . 2. How many people live in your household? 29 0 - 4 years old 20 5 - 9 years old 32 10 - 15 years old 93 16 - 49 years old LOver 50 years old 3. Have you experienced any problems when using the Park? Yes 25 No-4L' (see exhi bit A) If yes, would you please elaborate 4. What, if any, additional enhancements or deletions would like to see made to Staples Park? Examples: Picnic Facilities Places to sit Volleyball Other -.2.L 51 -B- . (OVER) CITY HALL: 216 NORTH FOURTH STILLWATERl MINNESOTA 55082 PHONE: 651-430-8800 . r iIlwater ~ ~ THE BIRTHPlACE OF MINNESOTA ~ City of Stillwater Staples Park Neighborhood Survey, continued 5. Would you favor closing the streets nmning through the Park? Yes33 No~ 6. How satisfied are you with the Park? Very Satisfied 9 Satisfied 35 Neutral25 Dissatisfied 6 Very Dissatisfied 3 7. Overall, how satisfied are you with the Park? Very Satisfied 14 Satisfied 28 Neutra126 Dissatisfied 4 Very Dissatisfied 3 8. How safe do you feel when you visit the Park? Very Satisfied 21 Satisfied 36 Neutral13 Dissatisfied 2 Very Dissatisfied 1 . 9. How would you rate the Parks condition and maintenance? Excellent 8 Good 39 Fair 25 Poor 5 THANK YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE . CITY HALL: 216 NORTH FOURTH STILLWATER? MINNESOTA 55082 PHONE: 651-430-8800 Exhi bit A Staples Park Survey . #3 Problems Older boys/language 8 Courts locked 8 No bathrooms 2 No warming house 4 No skating lights 1 Dog messes 1 Need a better ballfield 1 Loud noises at night 1 Crowed ice irnk 1 More benches 1 Limited play equipment 1 Stray dogs 1 Fast driving 1 Enhancements Skateboarding 1 Bathrooms 2 Open basketball 1 Gardens 4 Outdoor pool 1 Fence around ballfield 3 . More play equipment 6 Volleyball 8 More trees 3 Warming house 5 Shelter 1 Hockey boards 2 . . . . ,.; .::-:-- ~~.~ .~;f The purpose of this petition is to p~rmanently remove the basketball court on the corner of Martha and Aspen Streets in the City of Stillwater. Our neighborhood is being subjected to the following conditions: · Loud noise and profalf!Y <=:t all hours of the day · Personal threat~\t9 life and property · Property damage in tti~~form of broken windows · Trespass that inol~des exposure and urination · Alcohol consumption b~}l2pth adults and minors We have worked with the park~_ommission, the City Council, and most recently, the Stillwater Relice Department to solve these problems but they have grown inclreasingly worse. It is time to remove the basketball court and return quiet and safety to the neighborhood. Name Address -~ u.... 0/. o. J -}7IfJ-I-iM 42..1 .. lv'\l: L~i~~i~ ~-r- 3 if<' f/t/, ~ !~ '-1 : ~rtt . 3 R' ~}. a~"" .,:" , ~ I, sc ~ . .'t The purpose of this petition is to permanently remove the basketball court on the corner of Martha and Aspen Streets in . the City. of Stillwater. qur neighborhood is being subjected to t~e following co~ditions~ , . · Loud noise and profanity at all hours of the day · Personal threats to life and property · Property damage in the form of broken windows · Trespass that includes exposure and urination · Alcohol consumption by both adults and minors We have worked with the Parks Commission. the City Council. and most recently. the Stillwater Police Department to solve these problems but they have grown increasingly worse. It is time to remove the basketball court and return quiet and safety to the neighborhood. . . Name Xrbff .g/JtA~ Address ?z Y /A/ /AI /L~/:::/Il/ . . . . . ~ 11(3 tilr L Il(3 tilr~ APR ...2 2002 March 29,2002 Diane Ward Stillwater City Clerk 216 North 4th Stillwater, :MN Glow Dear Diane, or helping me with my vendor t submit my request to the been sel g Glow aces on the Fourth every year since 1992 when my request wa Park Board. this year. As we approval. I have Trinity Lutheran Church ved by Wayne \\Tphlers and the selle ing th wearing a b ht or e vest helieve we a~ the onl~rgroup t past years collnpetingjiil'ith us. told you he H,~s exclu:l~ve contr make sure this is a Ptlitive exp to prevent cQnfusionj~n the F 0 Ch:,rch loutli. Group, ram~[ They will again be HT G In big lettersl Although I each}:~ear, thc:re have been ether groups in n, as we discussed, is that another vendor uringipertain times of the year. I try to ids I work with, so anything you could do preciated. please do not hesitate to call me. application and/or fill out the enclosed If you have ajy questio Otherwise, please seid me the form. Thanks again'! Sincerely yours, ~:QO~ ~idifochlin 5200 Wilson Road · Suite 412 · Edina, MN 55424 · (952) 233-3330 · Fax (952) 836-2754 · Toll Free 800-624-7075 . . . RECEIPT/ACKNOWLEDGMENT I hereby acknowledge that Night Lights Novelties, Inc. has permission to sell glow necklaces or similar light-up products at Stillwater's 2002 Fourth of July Fireworks, at and around Lowell Park and Pioneer Park, by making "roaming" sales (i.e. walking sales, not in a booth). All fees have been paid, forms filled out, and the appropriate authorities have been notified. Signed (Please print and sign name.) Title Date RAIN DATE/NEW LOCATION INFORMATION .. . . . March 14,2002 Diane Ward City of Stillwater 216 N. 4th Street Stillwater, MN 55033 Dear Diane, This is a follow up to our conversation on March 12, 2002 regarding use of the docking facility in Stillwater. My business plan is to offer guided voyageur canoe tours on the St Croix River and North Shore of Lake Superior. Most of our trips will be half and full day tours traveling down stream in the Marine and O'brien State Park area. I anticipate occasional use of the St Croix in the Stillwater and Hudson area. The tours will be educational in nature highlighting fur trade and logging history plus flora, fauna, geology, and other points of interest. We expect to have groups of 10 to 18 people. All participants will be required to wear a PPD at all times while on the water. No alcoholic beverages or glass containers will be allowed on the boats. Safety and paddling procedures will be covered in a briefing prior to every trip. We expect most of our customers to be youth groups, church groups, social clubs, business groups, etc. We will be starting with one 34 ft fiber glass Montreal canoe replica with simulated birch bark finish. The Montreal canoes are safe and stable, capable of carrying up to 6000 pounds of cargo and paddlers. Canoes will be transported on trailers and can be launched at a ramp or carried short distances. I hope this helps explain my plans. I believe the use of the docking facility for the tours will attract additional activity to Stillwater and compliment other business in the area. Please feel free to call me at anytime if you have any questions. I'll be looking forward to hearing from you. Sirz;~ ~ Shearer North Shore Adventure Tours 651-247-8133 (/ "':"7 , .". . Great River Energy Bicycle Festival r ~ Andrew Dahl Gy I 6033 OaklandAve. So. -r V Minneapolis, MN 55417 www.MinnBikeFestival.com April 2, 2002 Dear Race Course Resident / Business, On Sunday June 16th the Great River Energy Bicycle Festival is coming to Stillwater. The Festival is a fund-raiser for Camp Heartland, a Summer camp for kids with AIDS. The most visible part ofthe Festival is the Nature Valley Grand Prix, a professional bicycle race that will take place in Stillwater's downtown and nearby neighborhoods. The City of Stillwater has enthusiastically given it's support to this bicycle race that will wind its way through part of downtown, up the torturous Chill cote Hill, around Triangle Park, behind St. Michael's and then back down 3rd Street into downtown. This course has been previously used a number of years ago, but for this event, the stakes are high, the competition consists of the nations very best riders, and the race will be spectacular. On Race Day, the course will close at 12:00 noon and will reopen at 4:30pm. During this time, for safety reasons, the course will be closed to all vehicular traffic and must be free of obstructions (i.e. parked cars and dumpsters). If access to or from a residence is necessary, we'll have course marshals to assist residents on and off the course as safety permits. Attached is a map of the bicycle course. More details will follow closer to Race Day. . We very much appreciate all the support that we've found in Stillwater. You have a wonderful community and we're proud to be working with so many of you. We know the race will cause some inconveniences. We apologize for those in advance and will do everything in our power to keep them to a minimum. Race Day Events Course Closes - 12 Noon Professional Women's Race - 12:30pm Professional Men's Race - 1 :45pm Elite Amateur's Race - 3:00pm Course Reopens - 4:30 pm Other Activities Kids Activities 11:00am to 4:00pm Taste of the Valley in Lowell Park Feel free to call me at 612-243-1174 if you have any concerns or if you'd like to volunteer for the event. On behalf of the organizers and Camp Heartland: Thank you very much and we hope that you can join us on June 161 . Sincerely, Andrew Dahl Stillwater Race Director do\,'nto\,,'n Stilh,,'ater Sunday., June 16 . . Churchill Inn I.