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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013-03-20 PACKET 08.B.REQUEST OF CITY COUNCIL ACTION COUNCIL AGENDA MEETING ITEM # � DATE 3/20/13 � PREPARED BY Parks and Recreation Zac Dockter ORIGINATING DEPARTMENT DEPARTMENT HEAD *******************,��*************************** CKil�l�[NI��YL��I�.�xi!1�1��� Consider authorizing staff to partner with the Cottage Grove Bike Park Task Force and MORC/IMBA to construct the West Draw Bike Park as proposed. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Authorize staff to partner with the Cottage Grove Bike Park Task Force and MORC/IMBA to construct the West Draw Bike Park as proposed. BUDGET IMPLICATION: $0 BUDGETED AMOUNT ADVISORY COMMISSION ACTION DATE ❑ PLANNING ❑ PUBLIC SAFETY ❑ PUBLIC WORKS � PARKS AND RECREATION 3/20/13 ❑ HUMAN SERVICES/RIGHTS ❑ ECONOMIC DEV. AUTHORITY ❑ C•��J�Z�73�I�[�77�Z�1i 1]��I����•�I � MEMO/LETTER: ❑ RESOLUTION: ❑ ORDINANCE: ❑ ENGINEERING RECOMMENDATION: ❑ LEGAL RECOMMENDATION: ❑ OTHER: ADMINISTRATORS COMMENTS REVIEWED ❑ ❑ ❑ � ❑ ❑ ❑ $18,800 ACTUAL AMOUNT APPROVED ❑ ❑ ❑ � ❑ ❑ ❑ DENIED ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ( �Ci y Administrator Date *************************�********************** � • H:\Bike Park�Action Form-Bike Park 32013.doc � Cottage � Grove � pride a�dP�osperity Meet To: Honorable Mayor and City Council From: Zac Dockter, Parks and Recreation Director Date: March 14, 2013 Subject: West Draw Bike Park Proposal Introduction The Cottage Grove Bike Park Task Force has spent several months developing a proposal to build a bike park at West Draw Park. The proposal was reviewed by the Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Commission at three regular meetings. On March 11, the Commission recommended the City Council authorize the Parks and Recreation Department to work with the Cottage Grove Bike Park Task Force to construct the West Draw Bike Park. Background The Parks Commission did a thorough job of deliberating the proposal. Throughout the meetings, Commissioners requested pertinent information from the task force to develop their recommendation. Some of the key points of discussion related to the bike park were to identify/consider: 1. Recreational need/benefit to community 2. Suitable location 3. Construdion and maintenance obligations 4. Liability issues/concems 5. Impact on landscape 6. Impact on adjacent landowners/residents 7. Budget impad Recreational Need/Benefit to Community A bike park appears to meet many components of the Parks Commission and Parks and Recreation DepartmenYs vision. A top priority for the Parks Commission has been to create a bicycle friendly community. A bike park is another step towards that priority. Although the City does a sensational job of providing paved recreational trails, the opportunity to cycle off-road is truly minimal in the community. Most off-road cyclists must leave the community for this type of adivity. Further, any place or program that is able to promote a healthy and adive community is a top priority for Parks and Recreation professionals. The City is fortunate to have over a thousand acres of park and open space property in its inventory, yet it is necessary to constantly review amenities in those areas to assure residents to these public places. It is the belief that residents and families that engage in outdoor and park-related adivity are happier, healthier and build stronger communities. The concept of a bike park seems to fulfill that vision. Cottage Grove continues to be a family-oriented community. As such, iYs important that its park system offers family friendly places and adivities. A focus of the proposed bike park concept is to assure that it caters to beginner, intermediate and experienced bike riders. This allows for progressive skill development and a constant challenge to those learning the skill of off-road bicycling. Further, by catering to beginners, bicyclers of all ages and abilities are able to enjoy the bike park. It would be envisioned that the youngest of bike riders would be riding side by side with older beginner cyclists and enjoying this new experience together. Further, the proposed site offers complimenting park features such as a playground and ballfield that would allow for multiple recreational activities for families of all sizes and makes. One of the founding principles of preserving park and open spaces is to assure residents have access to play and recreation without status or social limits. A bike park adheres to that vision in that with the exception to owning a bicycle, there are no fees or socio-restrictions to enjoying this public facility. Another recreational void the Parks and Recreation Department is trying to close is activities for the baby-boomer generation. As this generation ascends to retirement, they tend to remain very active and very recreationally motivated. The recreation industry is always seeking ways to fill this need and desire. A bike park appears to be another recreational activity that many in the baby-boomer generation would see as a challenge and consider trying knowing that there are varying levels of challenge. Understanding the reach of the bike park, it appears there would be ample recreational benefit to the community to justify its existence. Suitable Location The Bike Park Task Force began by considering all parks in Cottage Grove. They then narrowed the list to these four viable sites: 1. West Draw Park 2. Hamlet Park 3. Ideal Park 4. Pine Tree Pond Park The key criteria used for site selection included: 1. Possessing unused space not conflicting with other park uses 2. Suitable grades for bike park 3. Adjacent to existing trail system for non-motorized access 4. Parking lot for motorized-access 5. Supporting park features for non-bike park users Utilizing that criteria, West Draw Park was selected for the following reasons: 1. There are over 8 acres of open space within the park that are not utilized or maintained by the City. Most of that open space is within the power line easement. Xcel Energy has authorized the bike park use within this easement. 2. Existing grades at West Draw Park are most desirable in that it has a natural sloping grade from west to east that can be utilized. This allows for minimal excavation or backfilling needed to complete the bike park. 3. West Draw Park is located along a main artery in the recreational trail system. This park is connected by paved trails to the north and east and ultimately to the Cottage Grove Trailway Corridor. This trail artery connects more park, open space and neighborhoods than any other trail in the community. 4. There is ample parking for those users traveling by vehicle. West Draw Park is considered underutilized with the exception of a handful of evenings in the summer where soccer events are programmed. Where overflow parking is necessary, on-street parking is an alternative. 5. West Draw Park has terrific existing park amenities. Those using the bike park also have access to open turf/greenspace, a large picnic shelter and playground. These features would provide benefit to those family members accompanying bike riders who may want to recreate while others are bicycling. Construction/Maintenance Obligations The Bike Park Task Force is proposing to team with the non-profit group MN OFf-Road Cyclists (MORC), an International Mount Biking Association (IMBA) affiliate, to construct and maintain the bike park. Volunteer crews would be organized and scheduled to build the park over a three to four month period. Tools and equipment would be provided by MORC or rented through sponsorships to maximize efficiency in production. In-house services from the City may be necessary provide initial grade before volunteers could take over. Upon opening, MORC will schedule "Dirt Crews" to monitor and maintain the bike park paths on a weekly or bi-weekly basis to assure safe and quality riding experiences. MORC has portrayed a successful history of partnering with local governments and landowners to create off-road bicycling opportunities. They have currently built and maintained over 85 miles of mountain bike tracks. Some sites include: Murphy Hanrehan Park Reserve, Three Rivers Park District (Savage) Elm Creek Park Reserve, Three Rivers Park District (Maple Grove) Lebanon Hills, Dakota County (Apple Valley) Carver Lake Park, City of Woodbury Staff and the Commission believe that the Task Force has provided sufficient evidence to assure they are committed to not only constructing this bike park, but maintaining it for many years as another key feature to their growing list of accomplishments. They have a large pool of individuals that have built and maintained off-road bicycle courses. They also have specialized professionals in the areas of civil engineering, bicycle service and marketing Qust to name a few) who make it a dynamic group who is skilled, knowledgeable and motivated. Liability Issues/Concerns Staff and the Commission spent a significant amount of time analyzing the city's risk in building and promoting a bike park. Sources used to analyze that risk include the City's loss control agent, League of MN Cities, as well as correspondance with Boulder, CO who has built and operates the largest public bike park in the United States. Although there are certainly construction, maintenance and hazard notification concerns the City would need to acknowledge and be cautious of, there does not appear to be any concern in particular that would make a bike park more restrictive than that of similar recreational features such as playgrounds, skate parks, ice rinks or ballfields; all of which have potential risks. Considering that, "recreational immunity" would apply to the bike park given that the City and/or volunteer group is diligent in monitoring, repairing and properly identifying potential hazards similar to that of other park features. Further, the City would cover construction and maintenance volunteers under its "Volunteer Insurance Coverage". This coverage already exists for the City and would not result in any additional premium. Other similar volunteer activities utilizing this service would be WAG Farm Dog Park Association, Eagle Scout projects and Adopt-A-Park volunteers. By maintaining this group as city volunteers, the City does not risk its ability to claim recreational immunity in the case of a liability claim. Attached to this report are documents related specifically to liability concerns that the Council may find helpful. Impact on Landscape West Draw Park consists of a combination of manicured turf and passive open space. The area proposed for the bike park would be located in the passive open space area that is currently not maintained by the City on a regular basis. The landscape is very weedy and woody and the vegetation has no significant value to the site. Plant species mostly consist of brome grass, quack grass, Canada goldenrod, willow and other such species that are considered invasive. Xcel energy clear cuts a majority of the site every five years as part of its power line management program. After clear cutting the site, the land is simply left to grow whatever weeds/grasses that are embedded in the seed bank. Considering that cycle of poor land management, staff has been recommending since the parks inception to restore those open spaces to prairie. The prairie restoration would link the two prairie restoration projects along the corridor just north of 70` Street, thus providing a continuous prairie landscape through that corridor. Further, the prairie would improve the landscape by using natural grasses and wildflowers to give it beauty year-round. The prairie would eliminate the need for Xcel Energy to clear cut the site which is always a detriment to park views. Just as importantly as aesthetics, is the boundless benefits native prairie provides to the ecology in the areas of cleaner water and improved habitat for our native birds, butterflies and animals. The prairie along with multiple trees would be proposed to meld with the design of the bike park. This would be done to improve the look of the entire park but would also help in preventing erosion. Regardless of the bike park, improving the open space at West Draw Park has been identified as a high priority for many years. Staff has applied for prairie restoration grants with the MN DNR on four occasions with no success (typically unfunded due to its small size). The site would seem prime for a prairie restoration considering that Xcel clear cut the site last summer and the proposed bike park have or will provide a lot of the necessary eradication work. Considering its proximity to the highly visible 70` Street, West Draw Park was delegated to receive funding in the Public Landscapes Initiative (PLI) for tree plantings. Although the original intent was simply to add trees, I believe the incorporation of trees and prairie is truly the best value and long-term investment into this public space. Hence, it is proposed with the bike park budget that West Draw Park replace the Hamlet Park's 2013 designation in the PLI. Hamlet Park would then be reallocated to the year in which the City believes funds will be necessary to complete its expansion project. An additional aesthetic improvement would be to add split rail fencing to key segments surrounding the bike park. By installing the fence, a boundary is provided to the bike park and would work well with the natural or "earthy" play features of the bike park. Staff believes funding will be available from within the Parks Maintenance budget based on a revised project scope for the Highlands Park ice rink project. In February, the Parks Commission agreed to reducing the size of the ice rink and incorporating a free rink to better serve the community's skating needs. This action was taken after the budget was in place and after analyzing usage during the 2012/2013 season. This revised plan scope, results in approximately $4,000 in savings of material that is recommending to be applied to the bike park project for the use of fencing. It should be noted that the landscape improvements suggested herein were not requested by the Bike Park Task Force. The bike park could certainly exist without these improvements. However, staff identifies this as an opportunity to improve the entire open space area and would recommend consideration. Impact on Adjacent Residents/Landowners Although this will be a change to the landscape of the park, it should be considered an improvement to the City's public space. By improving the park's active park amenities as well as improving the quality of open space, it should be considered a benefit for residents. However, iYs certainly possible that adjacent landowners may feel that increased traffic at the park would negatively impact their lives. On the contrary, the Parks and Recreation Department has always tried to improve usage and access to its parks. This sometimes conflicts with adjacent homeowners expectations for privacy. In this particular case, the bike park is no less than 250 feet from any home, thus the concern for invasion of privacy does not appear to be a concern. Further, a bike park's riding surface is dirt so it is not noisier than any play feature that already exists at West Draw Park. Lastly, it should be noted that all residents within 500 feet of the park were invited to a public forum and the March Parks Commission meeting to voice any concerns they may have. Residents were also offered the opportunity to write or call if they were not able to attend those forums. No negative responses at either the meeting nor in writing were received to date. This assumes that there is no major objection to the bike parks existence. Budget Impact The project budget is represented in the table below. Given is the task description, value, City costs and funding responsibility. Once again, please note that aesthetic improvements are recommended by staff and the Commission in order to improve the overall park appearance. Those improvements may be reduced or eliminated should the Council wish to build the bike park without those site improvements. Hence, those two particular items (landscaping improvements and fencing) are separated from the bike park budget. Staff Recommendation Consider authorizing staff to partner with the Cottage Grove Bike Park Task Force and MORC/IMBA to construct the West Draw Bike Park as proposed. West Draw Park - Bike Park Location I � Redline Right of Way RR Right of Way — City Boundary SCALE 1 : 6,468 � —�� — 500 0 500 1,000 1,500 FEET :� _ a �ffi � ;. h � . £ ...�. y { 4 $_ � ^�'l_ � � Y � � � � � � � r, � " ' ,.—._ ... ;. . _. _ .. . .._ _'� �I, � \ a x � �: . � � d .. . : -. _ ' "� � � � http://www.stantecportal.neUinfraseek_asp/CottageGrove2010/mwfs/Parks.mwf Friday, February 22, 2013 11:10 AM 00 j oF MINNESOTA CITIES CONNECTING & INNOVATING SINCE 1913 RISK MANAGEMENT INFORMATION BICYCLE MOTORCROSS (BMX) FACILITIES INFORMATION & LOSS CONTROL GUIDELINES What is a BMX Facility? A BMX facility is a bicycle motorcross course that provides artificially developed earth structures to be used by bicycle riders. BMX became popular in the early 1970's by imitating motorcycle motorcross racing facilities. Design There are no national standards for constructing a facility. Soine design recommendations are: 1. Users should be included in the design process; 2. The ideal location for a facility is in an existing or new parlc with access to restrooms, drinlcing fountains and shade trees; and 3. It should not be located in a residential area due to traffic, noise etc. Injuries and liability Injury and liability potential certainly exist for a city with a BMX facility, These potential liability exposures for cities include injuries to users, spectators and bystanders due to: . Negligent design • Negligent maintenance • Negligent supervision . Failure to warn of dangerous conditions What are the options for a municipal government? Local governments have several options for providing a BMX facility including: 1. The city can build a facility and operate it as part of its parlcs and recreation department. 2. The city owns the facility and an association operates it. 3. The city owns the facility and an association leases the property and operates it. 4. A nonprofit association owns and operates the facility on private property. For the last three options, participants can create a nonprofit association to build and maintain the facility. By leasing (or selling) land to the group to construct and run a facility, the city would be able to transfer liability rislc to the association. The contract between the city and the association should contain proper hold harmless/indemnification language and requireinents for the group to have proper insurance. This material is provided as general Information and is not a substitute for legal advice. Consult your attorney for advice concerning specific situations. LEAGUE OF MINNESOTA CITIES i4s uNivEascTYnvE. wEST PHONE: (�SZ) Z81 F�vc: (651) 281-1298 INSURANCE TRUST ST. PAUL, MN 55103-2044 TOLLFREE: (8OO) �25-1122 WE6:WWW.LMC.ORG LMCIT coverage for BMX Tracks LMCIT covers member cities for general liability when they operate BMX tracics for purely recreational use, at no additional premium. However, if the tracic is used for racing/competition, then the city must obtain separate insurance from the sanctioning organization such as the American Bicycle Association (ABA). The city should receive a certi�cate of insurance, have a hold harmless/indeinnification agreeinent, and be named as an additional insured. Loss Control If the city has a BMX tracic or is considering constructing one, it should consider the following in order to reduce the rislcs of injuries: Maintenance The city must develop a regular system of maintenance for the facility. This includes periodic inspections. Any dangerous condition should be fixed as soon as possible or a warning device such as a barricade, cone or sign used. Facility rules The city should develop rules to govern the operation of the facility. These could include hours of operation; prohibitions of particular conduct (e.g. no smolcing, no profanity, no roughhousing, etc.); types of equipment allowed (BMX bicycles, no scooters, no motorized vehicles, etc.); direction of traffic; no weapons; no glass containers, etc. Signage The rules should be posted in visible locations and be easily understandable. If there is a significant number of users that spealc a different language, have signs in their language. Use pictographs, if feasible. There should also be warning signs for any rislcs the city knows about and cannot eliminate. You wouldn't put up a warning sign for something that is part of the sport but you would if there is an unusual rislc that is not obvious. It is better to warn of the particular rislc than to say "Use at Your Own Rislc". Supervision Will this facility be supervised or unsupervised? If unsupervised, the city should still have a plan for periodic enforcement of the rules by police or parlcs' employees. Employee training If it is supervised, the employees should be given basic training on the rules of the facility and what their role is in enforcement of those rules. They also should be trained on emergency procedures including first aid and incident documentation. The city's bloodborne pathogen policy would also cover this type of a facility. Personal protective gear The city should require riders to use personal protective gear at supervised facilities or strongly recommend its use at unsupervised facilities. Types of gear are: 2 . Helmets • Leather gloves • Long sleeved shirts • Long pants • Close—toed shoes • Elbow pads • Knee pads • Wrist guards Waivers If it is a supervised facility or if races are held, the city should use waivers signed by the participant and the parents if participant is under 18. Waivers may be enforced to dismiss a negligent claim or they can be used to show the assumption of the rislc. Documentation Document all actions regarding the facility including maintenance, training, etc. Bicycle Equipment Riders should inspect their bicycle every time before they ride. This would include tightening any bolts or screws and checicing to see the fraine and forics are in good repair. Generally, a bicycle used on a BMX track should have the following: • No lcicltstands, chain guards, fenders, reflectors, or bracicets • Handlebar grips that cover any metal • Padding on the top tube, stem, and handlebar crossbar • Seat should be fastened securely • Bralces in good worlcing order Spectator safety If the facility will be used for spectators, the city should consider fencing and other safeguards. For More Information When planning a facility, please involve your city's LMCIT Loss Control Consultant. If you do not lrnow how to contact your consultant, call Cheryl Brennan, LMCIT Loss Control Field Services Manager (651-215-4079 or 800-925-1122). If you have any questions about LMCIT coverage of BMX facilities, please contact your city's underwriter at 651-281-1200 or 800-925- 1122. The American Bicycle Association (480) 961-1903 www.ababinx.com Joe Ingebrand 04/09 The National Bicycle League (614) 777-1625 www.nbl.or� 3 �