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Home My Public Portal About04-18-2017 Minutes PRB Regular MeetingPage 1 of 3 Draft Minutes Parks and Recreation Board 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 18, 2017 Town Barn, 101 E. Orange St. Present: Chairman Todd Stabley, Vice Chairwoman Kate Albrecht, Robb English, Nancy Taylor, Kim Woodell and Board of Commissioners representative Brian Lowen (ex officio) Absent: Ashley Campbell, Annie Jarabek, Noah Mace, Rebecca Swartz and Planning Board representative Chris Wehrman Staff: Public Space Manager Stephanie Trueblood Item 1: Call meeting to order; confirm presence of a quorum. Chairman Stabley called the meeting to order at 7 p.m. Ms. Trueblood called the roll and confirmed the presence of a quorum. Item 2: Consideration of changes or adjustments to the agenda There were no changes. Item 3: Approval of minutes of March 21, 2017, meeting Motion: Mr. English moved to approve the minutes as submitted. Second: Ms. Taylor seconded. Vote: Unanimous Item 4: Develop questions for upcoming survey of Riverwalk users Ms. Trueblood introduced the idea of a user survey for Riverwalk users. Ms. Trueblood encouraged the board to consider questions that are not open-ended. She suggested gathering answers at different times to see if there are differences in answers between regular morning users and weekend visitors, for example. Mr. English suggested the town purchase a tracking system that would count people as they walk by. The Town of Chapel Hill uses such tracking methods. Ms. Trueblood shared that she’d learned that Weaver Street Market experienced a doubling of its small- items sales after Riverwalk opened. Ms. Trueblood noted board suggestions regarding survey format and specific questions. There was discussion of asking whether the user is a Hillsborough resident. If the user answers yes, then the surveyor would ask for the neighborhood. If the user cannot name a neighborhood, then the surveyor would ask for the ZIP code. There was interest in how users arrive at Riverwalk (cycling, walking or driving to a parking lot) and in where people park their vehicles to use the greenway. There was a suggestion that questions about what users purchased in town would fall under a Tourism Page 2 of 3 Board survey. Ms. Trueblood explained that it helps the Board of Commissioners justify spending money on parks when it can be shown that public amenities like Riverwalk boost economic development. There were suggestions of deleting questions 13 through 16 regarding economic development activities and a suggestion to capture information about overnight stay in Question 12. There was a suggestion to have an iPad available for filling out the survey as well as paper copies. Board members also discussed including a way for responders to offer suggestions for improving Riverwalk. There was interest in learning when responders use the greenway. Ms. Trueblood read through the revised questions. The board agreed to conduct the survey at three locations on Riverwalk three times — on a weekday morning, a weekday late afternoon and once on a Saturday or Sunday. Nancy Taylor volunteered to collect survey responses. There was no action taken on this item. Item 5: Reports and Updates — (Parks and Recreation related reports)  Board of Commissioners: Brian Lowen — Commissioner Lowen reported the county will build a sidewalk on the west side of South Cameron Street between East King Street and East Margaret Lane. The town board approved the Hang 10 Volleyball Tournament in Gold Park, which will happen monthly April through October. He added that The Wooden Nickel Pub is moving into the former bank building on Churton Street and there will be construction in the parking lot behind it to accommodate an addition and the moving of some utilities. Also, the Board of Commissioners is considering how to improve the process of appointing volunteers to town advisory boards. There is a temporary moratorium on appointments.  Planning Board: Chris Wehrman — absent  Orange County Parks and Recreation Council: Annie Jarabek — absent  Intergovernmental Parks Work Group: Ms. Trueblood — She reported the group met and had a good discussion. She learned that on May 16 the Orange County Board of Commissioners will receive the staff’s recommendation on the preferred Mountains-to-Sea Trail corridor from Alamance County to Occoneechee Mountain. Those who care about the Mountains-to-Sea Trail should go to that meeting and speak. April 28 is not only Last Fridays but Earth Evening at the Farmers Market Pavilion. The Hillsborough Tree Board will have a booth at the April Last Fridays with the Orange County Beekeepers Association. April 21-22 is the Mebane Dogwood Festival, and Triangle Land Conservancy’s Brumley Nature Preserve opens April 22. The Eno River Association confluence property is scheduled to open in 2018. Ms. Trueblood and Mr. English said the group mostly talked about the trails and greenway map for the county, particularly how to get the word out for users when it launches in the fall. Ms. Albrecht suggested there are a lot of businesses that would promote the tool because it also drives business for them. She will send a list of her ideas to Ms. Trueblood. The data will be accessible from mobile devices and is user friendly.  Park Steward reports: 1. Gold Park: Annie Jarabek; Dog Park: Nancy Taylor — Ms. Jarabek was absent. Ms. Taylor reported the dog park will need more mulch soon. There has been discussion among adults about concerns of young children bringing dogs into the dog park without an adult. Recently, two boys under the age of 12 had two pit bulls tied to one rope in the dog park. Also, two young girls brought a basket of Chihuahua puppies into the dog park without a parent. Ms. Taylor is concerned because there have been dog fights in the dog park and a child could be Page 3 of 3 hurt. The Parks and Recreation Board members expressed that such situations are not safe. Ms. Trueblood said she would ask the Police Department to talk to people in the afternoons at Gold Park. Board members added that smoking, dogs being off leash and kids climbing the young planted trees in Gold Park are also items the police could address in a friendly manner. 2. Cates Creek Park: Robb English — Mr. English reported that the park is well used and that the “future Waterstone park” sign in the traffic circle should be removed now. 3. Turnip Patch Park: Annie Jarabek — absent. Ms. Taylor said the park looks good. She had visited it that day. 4. Murray Street Park: Ashley Campbell — absent 5. Kings Highway Park: Todd Stabley — Chairman Stabley reported the park looks good. Ms. Trueblood said she has not had time to check out the trails on the north side. Chairman Stabley said he would walk them to see if they need clearing. 6. Hillsborough Heights Park: Kim Woodell — Ms. Woodell reported that the park needs mulch. 7. Riverwalk: Todd Stabley — Chairman Stabley reported that the greenway looks great. There’s one small section with barbed wire that needs removal.  Staff Updates: Amenities — Ms. Trueblood reported that everything she purchased with the state downtown improvements grant had arrived, including additional bike racks, picnic tables, benches and planters. She shared where some of those amenities would be installed around town. She reported that all the landscape islands in the West King Street parking lot would be planted this spring. Churton Street Access Improvements Project — Construction is beginning in April, starting with the bus pullout across from Weaver Street Market. Ms. Trueblood reviewed that the town has 17 more spaces available for public parking in the leased West King Street parking spot than were available two years ago. She’d like board members to pass along that information as they discuss downtown parking with others. Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality project — The project to make improvements to South Nash Street is moving forward. Cates Creek Park —The pollinator rain garden workday will be 10 a.m. May 6. Stormwater and Environmental Services Manager Terry Hackett is beginning to work on the next stormwater project at Cates Creek Park, which is to redirect stormwater from the parking lot into a stormwater device. Gold Park soccer field — An expert suggested deep aeration in June followed by regular aeration in July. Master Aging Plan for Orange County — Ms. Trueblood shared this will be available for public comment soon. She participated in a work group and took away that the town should ensure older adults are represented on advisory boards. Also, it’s important to have natural areas with restrooms nearby. Item 6: Adjourn Motion: Ms. Albrecht moved to adjourn at 8:54 p.m. Second: Ms. Woodell seconded. Vote: Unanimous