HomeMy WebLinkAboutNRRC Minutes 03-2006
City of Hastings
Natural Resources and Recreation Commission Minutes
March 14, 2006
6:00 pm
1)Roll Call at 6 pm: Commissioners Christenson, Brown, Popp, Schommer, Vaughan and Vandehoef,
Parks and Recreation Director Bernstein and Superintendent Smith.
Absent: Commissioner Rohloff
2)Approved February meeting minutes. Motion by Brown. Seconded by Vaughan. Passed
unanimously.
3)Setting Agenda: Director Bernstein requested two additions to New Business – Levee Park Public
Review and Lions Park Shelter Bid. Commissioner Christenson requested that Greten Park be
considered under Old Business. Agenda item #10 (WHEP presentation) was moved to the beginning
of the agenda.
4)WHEP – Water Quality Presentation: Joe Beattie, Team Leader for the Wetland Health Evaluation
Project in Hastings, made a presentation to the NRRC. The presentation was also filmed by the Local
Cable Access channel. There are four main goals of WHEP: 1) Volunteers receive skills to identify
and analyze biological health. 2) Educate on the importance of wetland health. 3) Provide reliable
date to local decision makers. 4) Work to improve wetland health. There are four areas that are
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monitored in Hastings – Stonegate Road, Lake Rebecca, Sand Coulee, and 180 St. Marsh. The
macroinvertebrates and vegetation are monitored at each site. The presentation showed how they are
collected for analysis and gave current Hastings data for 2005 and earlier. Anyone wishing to
volunteer for WHEP was encouraged to contact either Joe Beattie or Parks Superintendent Kevin
Smith. The website for WHEP is www.mnwhep.org
5)Director Bernstein handed out departmental updates to the NRRC members for their review.
Commissioner Vaughan mentioned that he really likes the new park signs that have gone up.
Superintendent Smith informed the NRRC that four more park signs would be placed this year along
with an interpretive sign at Old Mill Park. Director Bernstein mentioned that a letter had recently been
received that expressed concern over the dilapidated Civic Arena sign. That sign is scheduled to be
replaced in 2007.
6)Park Dedications: Director Bernstein passed out copies of the League of MN Cities regulations, the
City of Hastings ordinance and a survey of various city park dedication fees. Commissioner Brown
was curious where it specifically states that park dedication money must be spent in the specific ward
in which it was acquired. Commissioner Christenson stated that the City Attorney had advised that
this is the way park dedication money was to be handled and referred the NRRC to the League of MN
Cities Subd. 2b, point number 3, under “statutory requirements.” Commissioner Brown would like to
see it in writing and so Director Bernstein will make sure that the NRRC receives a complete copy of
the ordinances regarding park dedications.
7)Xcel Energy Light Poles: Director Bernstein passed out copies of a letter from Xcel Energy stating
their position to no longer maintain the trail light poles in our trail system due to repeated acts of
vandalism. The letter also stated that in 2002, the City Council had passed a resolution to accept
financial responsibility for poles damaged by vandalism. Director Bernstein mentioned that the
broken light poles in Levee Park won’t be replaced until after the proposed redevelopment.
Superintendent Smith said that all new light poles will be aluminum and should be more difficult to
vandalize.
8)Mississippi River Dock: An e-mail from Dave Osberg, City Administrator, was passed out regarding
the Mississippi River Dock. In short, the Army Corps of Engineers received a letter from the U.S.
Coast Guard on December 15, 2005 which stated that there were strong reservations regarding this
project and requesting a denial of our permit. The Army Corps of Engineers is unwilling to approve
our permit unless there are significant changes in the U.S. Coast Guard’s view of this project.
9)Riverwood Security Light: Director Bernstein mentioned that there was a request last fall from the
neighborhood to place a security light in Riverwood Park. There are evidently groups of young people
who are gathering in the park after hours. The Parks & Recreation Department got cost estimates from
Dakota Electric on a 3-way light fixture that would face south and should cause minimal light
disturbance. Commissioner Brown wondered if we needed to get any other neighborhood input before
approving this request. Director Bernstein is planning to notify the neighbors surrounding the park if
the NRRC approves the project. Commissioner Vaughan wondered how large of an area the light
would reach. Superintendent Smith said that it would light up the basketball court and about a 1/3 of
the playground.
MOTION:
Commissioner Vandehoef motioned to approve the installation of a security light at
Riverwood Park per the Park & Recreation Department’s recommendations. Seconded by
Commissioner Schommer. Passed unanimously.
10)Larson – Trail Repair/Maintenance: Director Bernstein explained that a study of our trails has been
completed and the work has been approved by City Council. There will be about $70,000 of repair
and general maintenance done this year on trails and parking lots. The tennis courts will also be
patched again this summer.
11)Pioneer Backstop: Director Bernstein mentioned that a larger backstop will be placed in Pioneer Park
this year for safety reasons. Since the price of the new backstop came in lower than expected, there
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will also be an 8’ fence placed along 15 Street. The NRRC questioned whether or not the park plan
for Pioneer was still in place. Director Bernstein explained that there was to be a realignment of the
park if the skate park would have been placed there. As that is now a dead issue, the realignment will
not take place. However, other parts of the park plan are still valid.
12)New Business
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-Levee Park Public Review: A public meeting will be held on March 22 from 4:30-6:30 p.m. at
City Hall to show the community the revised concept plan and allow opportunity for comments.
-Lions Park Shelter Bid: Director Bernstein explained that the architect who drew up the plans
for the Wallin Park Shelter wants to charge us $10,000 to use the same plan for Lions Park.
There is a program called Design to Build, where we provide the plans for Wallin with our
requested modifications. The local architect that Director Bernstein and Superintendent Smith
met with believed that we could reduce our overhead. We would for sure cut the $10,000
architect fee and hopefully lessen other costs, possibly by making the building 4-sided as
opposed to the 6-sided Wallin shelter. Superintendent Smith emphasized that the shelter at Lions
would be as good as the shelter at Wallin – it may just be a different shape. Director Bernstein
explained that every design needs to be certified by a design architect. The local architect would
be able to do that and also could review the bids that come in for the construction aspect of the
project. Commissioner Vaughan mentioned that he likes the idea of building multi-purpose
shelters, as opposed to just warming shelters.
MOTION:
Commissioner Vaughan motioned that the Parks & Recreation Department seek
bids for Design to Build, and if those bids are not accepted, the previous Wallin Park shelter plan
be used. Seconded by Commissioner Vandehoef. Passed unanimously.
13) Old Business
- Commissioner Popp wondered what the status of the fishing pier was. Director Bernstein said it
is still in process and we are waiting to hear.
- Director Bernstein mentioned that he met with Bess Freeman, President of the East Hastings
Improvement Association, regarding Lake Isabel. Approval for the contract with Barr
Engineering to see what the next steps are regarding Lake Isabel is being sought at the City
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Council meeting on March 20. Commissioner Schommer mentioned that he believes although
people know where Lake Isabel is, they misunderstand what it is, thinking it is a backwater.
-HHB Dryfloor: No update at this time.
-Skate Park Task Force Recommendations: A letter from Director Bernstein to Dave Osberg was
passed out for review by the NRRC. This letter has been revised slightly with a few minor
corrections. A full report will be sent to City Council.
MOTION:
Commissioner Schommer motioned to accept the Skate Park Task Force’s
recommendations as written. Seconded by Commissioner Brown. Passed unanimously.
-Greten Park: Director Bernstein has had no further updates at this time. The proposal to add
playground equipment was removed from the City Council Agenda. The City Council did feel
however, that the NRRC did not disapprove the plan – they only moved it to a lower priority. It
is believed that there may be a petition by some of the residents or possibly attendance by
residents at an NRRC meeting. The residents are saying that the demographics have changed
since the park was built and that it is now inadequate. Commissioner Schommer questioned that,
since the park is only 3 years old. Director Bernstein feels the NRRC needs to develop a process
and/or criteria by which it can prioritize various parks’ redevelopment. Commissioner Vaughan
felt that it wasn’t so much an objection to purchasing the additional equipment, as it is an issue
of priorities. Director Bernstein reminded everyone that the costs involved are around $16,000.
MOTION to Adjourn.
Next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, April 11, 2006.
Adjourned at 8:25 p.m.
Minutes submitted by: Kristin Behrens