Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutNRRC Minutes 01-2006 City of Hastings Natural Resources and Recreation Commission Minutes January 10, 2006 6:00 pm 1)Roll Call at 6 pm: Commissioners Christenson, Brown, Rohloff, Schommer and Vandehoef, Parks and Recreation Director Bernstein and Superintendent Smith. Absent: Commissioners Popp and Vaughan. 2)Approved December meeting minutes. Motion by Brown. Seconded by Christenson. Passed unanimously. 3)Director Bernstein welcomed Commissioner Brian Schommer to the NRRC as the newest member. 4)Setting Agenda: Commissioner Christenson informed the NRRC that he had received a letter from Tecla Karpen from the Hastings Environmental Protectors and requested that it be read during the discussion of Featherstone Oaks. 5)Director Bernstein handed out departmental updates to the NRRC members for their review. 6)Levee Park Update: Director Bernstein has received information from Bonestroo related to the conceptual design structure. At this time, there are no actual plans, but we have received a timeline related to the project. The goal is to have something set by the next construction season this spring. 7)2006 NRRC Goals: The NRRC decided to table this issue until the February meeting when all of the commissioners could be present. 8)Featherstone Oaks Development: The letter from Ms. Karpen which expressed concern about the destruction of trees on the property was read to the NRRC. Superintendent Smith shared with the NRRC how the Tree Preservation Guidelines / Plan are reviewed by himself and the City Forester before submitting recommendations to the Planning Department. In this case, the recommendation from the Parks & Recreation Department was to not approve the plan as presented. Superintendent Smith and the City Forester felt the plan was not detailed enough and recommended that the contractor hire an arborist to oversee the plan and preservation of the various trees. Director Bernstein mentioned that these are just guidelines, not hard and fast rules, and so our recommendation doesn’t carry a large amount of weight. Commissioner Brown stated that the weight of our recommendation should be with the Planning Department in the initial stages. The other issue involving Featherstone Oaks is whether to request land (11%) or cash dedication. MOTION: Commissioner Rohloff motioned to receive cash dedication in lieu of land for the Featherstone Oaks Development. Seconded by Commissioner Schommer. Approved unanimously. MOTION: Commissioner Brown motioned that the NRRC supports staff’s recommendation to decline the Tree Preservation Plan dated December 21, 2005 for Featherstone Oaks. Seconded by Commissioner Vandehoef. Approved unanimously. 9)Facility Use Fees – Aquatic Center: Director Bernstein showed the NRRC a proposal from Darbie Johnson, the Aquatic Center Manager, to adjust fees at the Aquatic Center to be more comparable with other facilities in the area. One issue that was discussed was the opening date for this year. In the past, the Aquatic Center has opened Memorial Day weekend and then closed down again until school was out. This creates a cost of about $4,000 to open and maintain the pool while it is not being used. The attendance on Memorial Day weekend has not been high enough to warrant this extra cost. So, it is being proposed that ndth our opening date be June 2 and our closing date be August 27. This is in line with what other facilities in the area are doing. Also discussed in the proposal were slight admission increases, the addition of family passes and punch cards instead of season passes, and the elimination of Saturday morning swim lessons with evening classes being offered instead. MOTION: Commissioner Rohloff motioned to accept the proposal for the Hastings Family Aquatic Center as written. Seconded by Commissioner Brown. Approved unanimously. 10)Veterans’ Signs: Director Bernstein has been approached by a group of Veterans who would like to put up memorial signs for veterans who have fallen in foreign wars along General Sieben Drive south of Hwy 55 until Cty Rd 46. The signs would be spaced 200-250 feet apart. After discussion regarding the specifics of the signs, the costs involved, the aesthetics of the project and the issue of vandalism, Commissioner Rohloff asked if this might be a project more appropriate to the Levee Park Redevelopment. Commissioner Schommer suggested that instead of signs, engraved pavers be placed in Levee Park as a memorial to the veterans. Commissioner Brown also suggested that we see if any of the other Veterans groups in town would be interested in supporting this project. Director Bernstein will bring the suggestions up at the next Levee Park meetings and will share his findings at the next NRRC meeting. 11)2006 Projects: Director Bernstein commented that we will be busy this year! We received the approved budget for 2006 and have received approval for quite a few of our projects. They include – Culvert work at Lake Rebecca, Lake Isabel Study, Lions Park Shelter, Pioneer Park Backstop, Roadside Tennis Courts Resurfacing, Vermillion Falls Park shelter new roof, Vet’s Athletic Complex fence guards and soccer field upgrades, South Pines Park development, Mississippi Boat Dock @ Hastings River Flats, Trail repair & maintenance, and Shade improvements at the pool. 12)New Business -Director Bernstein would like to come up with a policy regarding Cell Phone usage in locker rooms. This is of concern due to the widespread usage of camera phones. Commissioner Vandehoef shared a copy of Inver Grove Heights’ statement regarding cell phones from one of their brochures. -Superintendent Smith told the NRRC that five of the new park signs will be going up this year in the following locations: Mississippi River Flats, Old Mill Park, Featherstone Ponding Basin, Roadside Park and South Pines Park. -Commissioner Christenson expressed a desire on the part of the residents around Tuttle Park to have a warming house by the ice rink. Superintendent Smith suggested that we review the City’s guidelines for warming shelters regarding how many are allowed, the distance between each one, etc. Another suggestion that was made by Director Bernstein was the possibility of renting a portable shelter. 13) Old Business - Director Bernstein passed out drawings of the proposed well house for Vermillion Falls Park. The style is very similar to the well house that is already located on the north side of the tennis courts. This well house will have a cedar shake roof, and so Director Bernstein has requested an alternate bid with Public Works for the Vermillion Falls Picnic Shelter as well. MOTION to Adjourn. Next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, February 14, 2006. Adjourned at 7:43 p.m. Minutes submitted by: Kristin Behrens