Loading...
HomeMy Public PortalAbout11-21-2017 Minutes PRB Regular MeetingMinutes Parks and Recreation Board 7 p.m. Nov. 21, 2017 Town Barn, 101 E. Orange St. Present: Chairman Todd Stabley, Ashley Campbell, Annie Jarabek, Noah Mace, Rebecca Swartz, Nancy Taylor, Planning Board representative Chris Wehrman and Kim Woodell Absent: Vice Chairwoman Kate Albrecht, Robb English, and Board of Commissioners representative Brian Lowen (ex officio) 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 7:04 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 none. Item 3: Discuss development of Murray Street Park Master Plan Ms. Trueblood reviewed that the board began to make suggestions for this master plan at the October meeting. She said the agenda packet included photographs of the play equipment, a place where the stairs do not have a hand rail, and a bridge over a beautiful little stream. Parts of the stream are overgrown with invasive plants. Neighbors who attended last month were interested in removing the invasive species and creating an access point to the stream. Chairman Stabley asked for a reminder of what the neighbors requested. Ms. Trueblood reviewed that neighbors, staff and the board wanted the dead trees removed, the overgrown areas cleaned up and the trees pruned for better visibility in the park. They wanted to reestablish the stream buffers with native plants. They wanted to reduce the mulched area and they wanted to keep the swing set. They would like to have a swing set with two bays, so that there can be a bay with baby swings. There was also a desire to delineate the park property from the neighbor's property. Chairman Stabley recalled there was interest in adding interesting places to sit. Ms. Trueblood added there was discussion of a picnic table for a small birthday party. Ms. Campbell said the steps feel like bleachers. She reminded the board that her neighbor's suggestion, via email, was to plant pawpaw trees. Ms. Trueblood suggested having a bird watching and bird feeding area. Board Member Rebecca Swartz said she works for Birds Unlimited and can advise on the best places to feed the birds and what to feed them. There was discussion of the need for another dog park, including one for smaller dogs. Ms. Trueblood recognized that need but said Cates Creek Park would be a better location than Murray Street Park. She Page 1 of 5 also recognized having an area designated for small dogs at Cates Creek Park. There was interest in replacing the plastic border that holds in the mulch with something which would be less of a trip hazard. There was a suggestion of including a little library. Ms. Trueblood shared the list she had created when suggestions were offered, and board members added to it: • Reduce turf, plant hill with native grasses and shrubs • Protect stream buffer by removing invasive plants and adding native plants • Limb up and prune east side and establish a walkway or trail through • Add a picnic area or area to congregate • Remove dead trees, replant other trees (edibles, figs and pawpaw) • Provide two bays of swings, baby and toddler • Natural play features, weeping redbuds • Bird park • Boulders for climbing • Different border around play equipment • Add trash/recycling containers • Little library • Plant border by neighbors or low fence • Create entrance from Eno Street east end Ms. Campbell, who lives in the area, said there is more and more interest in this park and that more families who have babies and young babies are living in that area now. Ms. Trueblood said the climber and the slide would have to be removed to reduce the mulch area. She wonders if anyone would mind them being taken away, even temporarily. Ms. Campbell wasn't sure. The board said it would be important to communicate what was happening to the community. Staff will return in January with a DRAFT plan for the board to review. Item 4: Develop budget requests for Fiscal Year 2018-19 Ms. Trueblood reviewed that the town looks three years ahead when creating next year's budget. She explained there is a new budget process this year in that the budget director and assistant to the town manager created draft budgets for the departments and divisions assuming each would spend roughly what they did last year. Any additions to that draft budget need to be justified. Ms. Trueblood reviewed Parks and Recreation Board -related items that have not yet been completed but will happen in this fiscal year. Those items included: • Replacing equipment at Gold Park in November • Repairing a bridge in Gold Park probably in early January • Installing low fences in some areas of Riverwalk where people are accessing the water in such a way that it creates erosion problems. • Improving the entrance to the Margaret Lane Cemetery (a Cemetery Committee project) • Correcting stormwater problems at Cates Creek Park (with stormwater funds) Page 2 of 5 • Planting a dry pond on Riverwalk (with stormwater funds) • Addressing erosion problems in the Town Cemetery (with stormwater funds) • Moving the Turnip Patch Park butterfly garden (with Tree Board funds) • Starting the Kings Highway Park parking lot design process • Refreshing downtown planters this winter and this spring • Perhaps designing and installing a new wayfinding kiosk in Gold Park Ms. Trueblood shared a list of projects this board has discussed or that she would suggest for Fiscal Year 2018-19: • Three interpretive signs (two for Kings Highway Park and one for the Old Town Cemetery). Ms. Trueblood thinks one is needed for Cedar Lane on Margaret Lane and one for the pollinator garden at Gold Park with information about the bee hotel • Kings Highway Park parking improvements • Murray Street Park improvements • Turnip Patch Park improvements • Kings Highway Park picnic area improvements • Replacement for water fountains that break • Benches in the Old Town cemetery • Latimer Street bridge over the ravine to connect Northwest Hillsborough • Exchange Club acquisition and improvements More than one board member said planting the stream buffer at Turnip Patch Park is important. Ms. Trueblood noted that falls under Turnip Patch Park improvements. There was interest in adding trails to the northern side of Kings Highway Park. Ms. Trueblood said that five interpretive signs would cost about $10,000 to design and manufacture. It was asked whether the Cemetery Committee would allocate budget money for benches in a cemetery. Ms. Trueblood said that committee has not met to discuss budget priorities yet, but repairs to gravestones, brick walls and stone walls are more pressing than benches. Ms. Trueblood suggested planning on purchasing two benches each year. Ms. Trueblood suggested continuing to keep future interpretive signs in mind when budgeting in future years. There was interest in an interpretive sign for the future bird feeding area in Murray Street Park. There was interest in continuing to pursue a skate park and Exchange Club Park. At the end of the meeting, the board returned to this topic and supported a full-time parks maintenance technician position. The board agreed that the list of priorities for Fiscal Year 2018-19 would include: • Parks maintenance technician • Turnip Patch stream buffer • Turnip Patch improvements • Two to three new benches (cemeteries) • Kings Highway Park improvements (parking lot, picnic area) Page 3 of 5 • Begin Murray Street Park improvements • Latimer bridge and sidewalk connection • Exchange Club acquisition and improvements The board agreed that the list of priorities for Fiscal Year 2019-20 would include: • Murray Street Park Improvements • Two to three benches • Interpretive signs (five) • Exchange Club improvements Item 5: Reports and updates — (Parks and Recreation -related reports) • Board of Commissioners: Brian Lowen — He was absent. • Planning Board: Chris Wehrman — He reported that the West End Heights development was withdrawn, so the meeting was very short. There was discussion about a few text amendments. • Orange County Parks and Recreation Council: Annie Jarabek — She reported there was a presentation about the programs and there was a feeling that the county is not offering as many programs as it could because of a lack of facilities. There was interest in using Cates Creek Park. • Mountains -to -Sea Trail: Annie Jarabek — She reported the Mountains -to -Sea Trail follow-up memo to the Orange County Board of Commissioners was expected a week after the meeting at which the trail was discussed, but she has not seen it yet. The multi -modal trail was still a consideration. • Intergovernmental Parks Work Group: Ms. Jarabek said that Orange County reported there was a presentation by Partnerships in Aging, looking at collaborating on activities. There was a specific request to resurrect a Friends of Orange County Parks and Recreation group that would be involved in the town and county. Ms. Trueblood said staff has talked about it for years but someone has to create a 501( c)( 3). No one from Orange County has reached out to her. Ms. Trueblood said she is getting questions about when the entranceway for River Park from South Churton Street will be built. The county has known about it for several years and has funding. Hillsborough citizens are asking what the timing is for the project. Ms. Trueblood suggested Ms. Jarabek ask at the next meeting. Ms. Jarabek added that a study is being conducted to determine what the future use could be of 60 acres in Fairview Park that used to be a landfill. Also, the master plan for Millhouse Road Park is scheduled for this fiscal year. Ms. Trueblood said if the northern portion of Fairview Park is developable, then that would be an excellent spot to relocate Hillsborough Youth Athletic Association baseball fields. She thinks it is important to keep HYAA in Hillsborough, and she said it would be expensive for that nonprofit organization to purchase land in Hillsborough. Park steward reports: 1. Gold Park: Annie Jarabek — As Ms. Trueblood mentioned, the bridge needs to be repaired. The Riverwalk trail map brochures are depleted. Ms. Trueblood said the bridge will be repaired in January, and volunteers can refill the brochure holder in Gold Park. Economic Development Planner Shannan Campbell refills the holder every week, but the brochures run out more frequently than that. Dog Park: Nancy Taylor — It's crowded but doing fine. 2. Cates Creek Park: Robb English — No report. 3. Turnip Patch Park: Annie Jarabek — No report. 4. Murray Street Park: Ashley Campbell — No report. Page 4 of 5 5. Kings Highway Park: Todd Stabley — The life buoy needs to be replaced. 6. Hillsborough Heights Park: Kim Woodell —She said she would check it the following day and email Ms. Trueblood. 7. Riverwalk: Todd Stabley — Ms. Trueblood said the leaves had been blown off the greenway. • Staff updates: o Ms. Trueblood reported that the bee hotel unveiling had a good turnout. The workshop was great, and kids enjoyed the other activities as well. The bee hotel is beautiful. o Ms. Trueblood encouraged members to sign up to help with building the Occaneechi Indian Village replica in River Park along Riverwalk. o Ms. Trueblood reported that the downtown sidewalk project was complete and that there would be a ribbon -cutting. Item 7: Adjourn Motion: Ms. Swartz moved to adjourn at 8:52 p.m. Second: Ms. Taylor seconded. Vote: Unanimous Page 5 of 5