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Home My WebLink About2012-12-19 PACKET 04.A.i.REQUEST OF CITY COUNCIL ACTION COUNCIL MEETING DATE 12/19/12 PREPARED BY Parks and Recreation AGENDA ITEM # • Zac Dockter ORIGINATING DEPARTMENT STAFF AUTHOR COUNCIL ACTION REQUEST Consider accepting and placing on file the Minutes of the August 08, 2012 Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Commission meeting. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Accept and place on file the Minutes of the August 8, 2012 Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Commission meeting. ADVISORY COMMISSION ACTION DATE REVIEWED APPROVED DENIED ❑ PLANNING ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ PUBLIC SAFETY ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ PUBLIC WORKS ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ PARKS AND RECREATION ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ HUMAN SERVICES /RIGHTS ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ECONOMIC DEV. AUTHORITY ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS ❑ MEMO /LETTER: ❑ RESOLUTION: ❑ ORDINANCE: ❑ ENGINEERING RECOMMENDATION: ❑ LEGAL RECOMMENDATION: ® OTHER: Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Commission Minutes ADMINISTRATORS COMMENTS a City Administrator Date COUNCIL ACTION TAKEN: ❑ APPROVED ❑ DENIED ❑ OTHER C: \Documents and Settings \nbe [scam per \Local Settings \Temporary Internet Files \Content.Outlook \7M17XZQ6 \Council Action Form August Parks Minutes.doc City of Cottage Grove Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting August 8, 2012 Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, a Cottage Grove Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting was held on August 8, 2012. I. CALL TO ORDER Meeting called to order at 7:15 p.m. II. ROLL CALL Members Present: Mark Nelson, Bill Schumal, Doug Butler, Erich Knollan Members Absent: Paul Poncin, Ron Kath, Cristina Marcino Others Present: Zac Dockter, Parks and Recreation Director Molly Pietruszewski, Recreation Coordinator John Burbank, Senior Planner III. Approval of Agenda Approved as delivered IV. Approval of Minutes Approved June 11, 2012 Minutes V. Open Forum None VI. Presentations A. Installation of New Commissioner Dockter stated that councilmember Thiede has recommended to Council to appoint Rod Hill to the Parks Commission. The City Council will approve or deny that recommendation at its August 8, 2012 meeting. Should Rod be instated, he will serve in Commissioner Kleinsasser's vacant seat effective September of 2012. VII. Action Items A. Tobacco Free Parks Policy Pietruszewski reviewed what steps have been taken with the Tobacco Free Policy since last fall 2011. Emily Anderson from Tobacco Free Youth Recreation presented what other types of policies cities are currently passing. The Commission was in favor of approving a policy which includes all City Parks be Tobacco Free; and allow for a variance permit which parties would have to request 45 days in advance to allow tobacco. This variance would then be approved or denied by the commission. Motion to approve the Tobacco Free Parks Policy was made by Nelson and 2 nd by Butler. Motion carried. B. Public Landscapes Initiative City of Cottage Grove Parks and Recreation Commission 1 I P a g e Dockter reviewed the amended version of the Public Landscapes Initiative. The Public Landscapes Initiative program is an effort to replant the urban forest if /when development impacts have occurred. The plan needs periodic updating to assure priorities and projects are still relevant. The plan was last updated in 2008. A motion was made by Nelson to approve the amended Public Landscapes Initiative, 2 nd by Schumal. Motion carried. C. MOU- Gateway North Open Space Restoration Dockter presented a Memorandum of Understanding from the Friends of the Mississippi River organization. The MOU is an agreement between the City and FMR to begin phase I work as outlined in the GNOS Natural Resources Management Plan as adopted in 2012. Funding for the project comes from FMR who solidified $60,000 from Lessard -Sams foundation for this purpose. The city is requested to provide a $10,000 match. Motion by Schumal, second by Nelson to recommend council approval of the MOU with FMR to restore and enhance the natural communities of the Gateway North Open Space areas. Motion carried. D. Walmart Report Burbank explained the application requests for the proposed Walmart site to be located on East Point Douglas Road adjacent to the Cottage Grove VFW Red Barn. He identified points of the applications that all commissions would be reviewing in accordance with their purpose and responsibilities. He further explained that he was requesting that the parks Commission review the applications in relation to the Land Use, parks and open space and Trailway elements of the 2030 Comprehensive plan and also the City's Subdivision ordinance relating to park dedication requirements. Burbank identified the draft buffering and trailway plans. One topic the Commission discussed, was the maintenance of the buffering /trailway corridor along the north portion of the proposed site. The consensus of the Commission was that the maintenance of these proposed public open spaces should be consistent with the management policies of existing public trailway corridors which is to mow 6 feet along the trailways when installed, and to manage the balance of the vegetation in accordance with the park district vegetation management plan established by the Parks Director. After a general discussion on the application a motion was made by Schumal and second by Butler that the City Council accept the dedications of Outlots A, B and C for parks and open space use including buffering, ponding and trailway purposes to be consistent with the City's 2030 Comprehensive Plan and to further accept the dedication of cash park dedication fees in accordance with ordinance criteria excepting any negotiated credit deductions for those areas encumbered by easements. The motion passed unanimously. Burbank explained that the final information detailing the park dedication and maintenance items would be included in the Development agreement, and the Commission concurred. VIII. Presentation Of Information A. Emerald Ash Borer Management Plan 2012 City of Cottage Grove Parks and Recreation Commission 2 1 P a g e Dockter update the commission on the city's 2012 ash borer management plan. The plan includes the removal of up to 350 boulevard ash trees. This action is similar to that of 2011. 2013 will see another cycle of insecticide injections followed by two years of removals. B. Handicap Accessible Playground Concept Dockter presented further information on proceeding with the concept of a community driven program to develop a handicap accessible playground. A potential work plan was discussed but no direction given at this time. The commission still wishes to pursue the item but would like to bring back in September when a larger portion of the commission is present. C. Japanese Beetle Dockter briefly reviewed a memo infestation of the Japanese Beetle. trees and best practices for control. supplied by the City Forester on the recent The memo described the beetle, its impacts on D. Highlands Park Splash Pad Update Dockter reviewed a written report updating the commission on splash pad usage and operations: In general the splash is very well utilized and feedback from the community has been very positive. Operations of the system are as expected and are saving the city considerable money as compared to the municipal pool operations. As of the report, over 10,000 users were documented in the first four weeks as compared to about 5,400 for the entire 11 week season at the pool in 2011. E. Pine Tree Pond Trail Update Dockter informed the commission that the City did not receive MN DNR grant funding for the Pine Tree Pond Trail project. Without that funding, the City will only be able to excavate and lay a gravel base for the western portion of the trail connecting 80 Street to the archery range and the playground at Isleton Court South. That work is expected to be complete fall of 2012. IX. Action Updates None X. Park Planning Management Education Material Staff provided an article from the NRPA Journal entitled "Return to Nature ". No comments. XI. Commission Comments None XII. Council Comments None XIII. Staff Comments None XIV. ADJOURNMENT Motion to adjourn by Schumal, seconded by Butler, motion carried at 8:35pm. City of Cottage Grove Parks and Recreation Commission 3 1 P a g e