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HomeMy Public PortalAbout09-17-2019 Minutes PRB Regular Meeting Public Space Manager Stephanie Trueblood 101 E. Orange St., PO Box 429, Hillsborough, NC 27278 919-296-9481 | stephanie.trueblood@hillsboroughnc.gov www.hillsboroughnc.gov | @HillsboroughGov Parks and Recreation Board Minutes | 1 of 4 Minutes Parks and Recreation Board 7 p.m. Sept. 17, 2019 Town Hall Annex Board Meeting Room, 105 E. Corbin St. Present: Chair Robb English, Lisa Frazier (Planning Board representative), Chelsea Gailey, Cole Kenworthy, Andrew Landstrom, Noah Mace, Brea McCormley, Jesse Mowles-Aring and Board of Commissioners representative Mark Bell Staff: Stormwater and Environmental Services Manager Terry Hackett, Public Information Specialist Cheryl Sadgrove and Public Space Manager Stephanie Trueblood Guests: Carolyn Blue, Blair Bradford and Marvin Clark 1. Call to order and confirmation of quorum Chair Robb English called the meeting to order at 7 p.m. Public Space Manager Stephanie Trueblood called the roll and confirmed the presence of a quorum. 2. Agenda changes and approval There were no changes. The agenda stood as presented. 3. Minutes review and approval A. Minutes from regular meeting on August 20, 2019 Motion: Member Noah Mace moved to approve the minutes as presented. Member Chelsea Gailey seconded. Vote: Unanimous 4. Community input on inclusive playground equipment in parks No one came to speak. Trueblood read some comments that were emailed to her. Most were not from parents with a child with accessibility needs. Recommendations included sun shades for benches, increased shade in parks and in the Gold Park dog park, and a splash pad. Trueblood shared a few photos of inclusive playground equipment at Town Common Park in Greenville, North Carolina. Member Brea McCormley did a quick internet search for the cost of that park and reported that it cost $1 million. Trueblood explained that sun shades are not mounted over the play equipment at Gold Park because the equipment is too tall. Sun shades mounted that high would have to be taken down before thunderstorms or other high-wind events and would only provide shade when the sun is directly overhead. Commissioner Mark Bell shared photos of play equipment from an online catalog. Parks and Recreation Board Minutes | 2 of 4 Trueblood noted that many of the park master plans call for natural play equipment. The catalog equipment is very expensive. It was noted that Turnip Patch Park became much more accessible when paved walkways were added across it. There was interest in adding hard surfaces in all the parks. Bell shard photographs a friend had sent him of her wheelchair-bound child playing with new musical playground equipment at Pathways Elementary School. The equipment is installed on a concrete pad with two sun shades. The musical equipment, sun shades, a whirligig play equipment, and the concrete cost $45,000. Trueblood shared aerial views of Cates Creek and Gold parks to show the required fall zones. The fall zones are covered in engineered wood fiber as safety surfacing. It is more expensive than typical mulch. Trueblood noted that a grassy area near the Gold Park restrooms could be used for additional playground equipment. The area is 18 feet by 60 feet. She noted that a drainage system would have to be installed if engineered wood fiber were to be used as the fall zone. She said a hard surface might be more appropriate for accessible equipment. 5. Conceptual planning for Exchange Club Park (continued) A. Review buffers/setbacks and determine buildable area Carolyn Blue introduced herself as a neighbor of the Exchange Club property who had been invited to attend. Her mother lives in the house closest to the club, and she lives in a house on the other side of her mother. Trueblood said she sent letters to all the neighbors. Trueblood explained to Blue that the town is interested in leasing some of Exchange Club Park for a town park. She reviewed the buffers, setbacks and area that HYAA is leasing. Trueblood said that without including the building, there’s about an acre of land available in the center of the park and about 3.5 acres on the other side of the stream. She explained that trails and associated footbridges are allowed in a stream buffer, but there would be no other type of structure in the buffer. Trueblood pointed out that the area behind the houses would not be built upon. B. Receive input from neighbors Blue said she loves the park. She and her family do not have any problems with the Exchange Club Park. She said the Exchange Club has strict rules about hours of use, and people comply with the rules. The biggest concern she would have is the traffic on Exchange Park Lane. She said it is a problem now. Also, people drive very fast. People have driven on the shoulder to make the road two lanes and do not slow down when cars are parked along the street for HYAA games. There was acknowledgment that Exchange Club Lane is used as a cut-through road. Blue said the speed bumps are worn down. She worries about the safety of pedestrians and cyclists. She said people walk to work at Food Lion and Hardees, and she wants them to be able to do so safely. It was acknowledged that when HYAA organizes multiple games, cars park on the street and Exchange Club Lane becomes a one-lane road. Trueblood explained the target audience of this park would be pre-teens and teenagers. Users would often be Parks and Recreation Board Minutes | 3 of 4 on foot, bicycles or skateboard. If preschool play equipment was installed, then moms driving children in cars would be more prevalent. Trueblood explained that she is interested in partnering with HYAA to have a shared parking area which would hold more cars. Trueblood asked Blue if she has had issues with noise, light, trash, or crime. Blue answered no. Trueblood asked how the park is closed at night. The answer was there is no gate. Blue said she calls the Police Department if people are partying in the park at night. Blue said she also calls the Police Department when the number of speeders is especially bad. Mace asked if Blue thinks she would be OK with the proposed changes. Blue said she thinks she would be. Trueblood explained that the North Carolina Department of Transportation may have to widen the culvert under the railroad trestle as part of its project to widen South Churton Street because stormwater would be directed to this culvert. Mace asked if Blue prefers lights or no lights in the park at night. Blue said there are lights that HYAA turns off when the last game ends. Trueblood explained that should the town lease the park; a gate would likely be installed which police would lock. Blue expressed interest in fencing because of coyotes. Trueblood said a fence could possibly be installed behind the houses as part of the project. Trueblood explained the town has no funding now for leasing the park or making improvements. When funding is available, parking and restroom improvements would likely come first. 6. Election of vice chair Motion: English nominated Noah Mace. McCormley seconded. Vote: Unanimous 7. Parks and Recreation-related reports A. Board of Commissioners — Bell said the town board appointed McCormley to the Parks and Recreation Board. B. Planning Board — Member Lisa Frazier said nothing related to parks was discussed at the last meeting. C. Intergovernmental Parks Group — The meeting is coming up. 8. Park steward reports A. Gold Park — Member Cole Kenworthy said it looks good. There are some squishy boards in the back wetland area. Trueblood said she appreciated that squishy boards were reported at the last meeting because it turned out to be a major problem. The entire back section is shored up and will be replaced after the hurricane season. The temporary supports will be able to handle foot traffic from the Hillsborough Half marathon race. B. Gold Park dog park — No report. C. Cates Creek Park — Member Andrew Landstrom reported the park is doing well. There is a tall stick teepee made by children playing in the park. D. Murray Street Park — Frazier reported the grass has been mowed. It looks nice and clean. Mulch is needed in the play area. Trueblood said play surfacing is coming in October. Parks and Recreation Board Minutes | 4 of 4 E. Kings Highway Park — English said some cars were there today, and it looks like it is being used. F. Hillsborough Heights Park — Kenworthy said the grass is a little long along the wooden fence. G. Riverwalk — Mowles-Aring said a trash-can door is still missing. Trueblood said new trash cans have been ordered for Gold Park and Riverwalk. H. Turnip Patch Park — Trueblood said a couple of trees by the foot bridge needed to come down. The butterfly garden is being tided by garden volunteers. Scouts have added a fairy garden and a little library. Also, there is a new little library at Cates Creek Park. 9. Staff updates Trueblood said the Tree Board is working on a reforestation plan which will include Gold Park and Cates Creek Park. Trueblood said she would like to cancel the October meeting because she will be out of town. She checked that the board could meet in November instead because the meeting does not fall on Thanksgiving week. Mace said he cannot attend the November meeting. Bell asked for next steps for continuing the conversation about inclusive playground equipment. There was further discussion on this topic. Board members expressed concern that focusing on inclusive playground equipment may disrupt the current focus at Exchange Club Park. Bell encouraged the board to continue to move forward with inclusive playground equipment even though it is expensive and there is no funding for it at this time. It was noted by a board member that 170 people had signed a petition asking for a skatepark and that no one came to the meeting asking for inclusive play equipment even though comments were solicited through the town’s public information office. Board members asked whether the playground at Pathways Elementary School is open to the public outside of school hours. No one knew the answer. Motion: English moved to direct staff to obtain estimates on the cost of inclusive play and musical station equipment as well as a sun shade that could be installed in the grassy area between the Gold Park restroom and playground equipment, which is a 20-foot-by-60-foot area. Landstrom seconded. Vote: Unanimous 10. Adjournment Motion: English moved to adjourn at 8:30 p.m. Gailey seconded. Vote: Unanimous