HomeMy Public PortalAbout05.20.2009 Park Commission MinutesMedina Park Commission Meeting Minutes
May 20, 2009
Medina City Hall
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'The Park Commission of Medina, Minnesota met in regular session on May 20, 2009 at 7:00
p.m. in the Medina City Hall. Park Commission Chair Ann Thies presided.
1) Call to Order
Commissioners present:
Commissioners absent:
Also present:
Ann Thies, Ben Benson, Madeleine Linck, Janet White,
and Chris Hilberg
Brian Kingsley and Paul Jaeb
Jodi Gallup, Steve Scherer, and Carolyn Smith
2) Additions to the Agenda: None
3) Approval of the Minutes
• April 15, 2009 Regular Meeting
A motion was made by Madeleine Linck and seconded by Chris Hilberg to approve the
minutes with the noted grammatical changes. Motion passed unanimously.
4) Public Comments (on items not on the agenda): None
5) City Council Update
Council member Smith updated the Park Commission that the City Council:
• Approved two ball field agreements and a tennis court rental agreement.
• Approved two shoreline stabilization cost -share grant agreements with residents.
• Approved the new city logo.
• Continues to review the rural-public/semi-public ordinance.
• Has been discussing options for the Uptown Hamel sign on Highway 55 and
Sioux Drive.
• Approved a resolution authorizing the Lake Minnetonka Communication
Commission to acquire property.
• Directed staff to create a plan to enclose the garbage cans behind City Hall.
• Hired the same company that is doing the utility screening in Hamel Legion Park
to screen the utility boxes on Hamel Road.
• Presented a request which was approved by the legislator to extend the Uptown
Hamel TIF District money five more years.
• Discussing options for purchasing land in Uptown Hamel for a municipal parking
lot.
6) Minnesota Waters Lakeshore Association Education
Eli Condon was present at the meeting and introduced herself stating that she is the Metro
Coordinator with the State organization, Minnesota Waters. She is one of six full time
staff. One of her projects this summer will be to create chapters of a tool kit including
chapters on forming a lake association, membership, and fund-raising. Condon explained
Medina Park Commission Meeting Minutes
May 20, 2009
Medina City Hall
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that half of her salary is paid by the Minnehaha Watershed District, which means she can
give lakes and bodies of water within the Minnehaha Watershed more one on one
attention.
Condon passed around a brochure with additional information on forming a new lake or
river association and an invitation to a pot luck being put on by the Gleason Lake
Association on June 9tn
Condon explained that any one can join/create a lake association including people that
want to protect or clean lakes, rivers, creeks, ponds or any other body of water. Some
associations are considered "Lake Sheds" because an entire neighborhood around the
lake get involved, not just land owners on the lake.
There was a general consensus to schedule a "Forming a New Lake Association"
presentation for August 12, 2009 at 6:30 p.m. at the Hamel Community Building.
Condon will contact the various watershed districts within Medina to invite them to
present major water quality issues in each of the various districts. Gallup will include
information about this presentation in the next Medina Message Newsletter. City staff
will also send personal invitations to property owners are the various lakes in Medina.
7) Park Tour Follow-up
Scherer stated that the Park Commission will be drafting the C.I.P. at their June meeting.
He recapped the following items that were addressed on the park tour:
Medina Morning Side
▪ Removal of buckthorn
• Screen around well house
Holy Name Park
• Add stepping stones from bottom of trail to rain garden
• If possible, purchase and install pier this summer
• Schedule Open House
Hamel Legion Park
• Screen ball field fence
• Add benches by the tennis courts
Rainwater Nature Area
• Screen electrical box
• Seed grass along the trail
Walnut Park
• Let grass grow in the volleyball court area.
• Put compost in the area to help the grass grow.
Medina Park Commission Meeting Minutes
May 20, 2009
Medina City Hall
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Lakeshore Park
• Replace picnic shelter boards
• Use riprap to prevent erosion from getting worse. Make sure the riprap is filled
with dirt.
Scherer will also research how other cities handle liability issues with installing
horseshoe pits in parks.
8) Hamel Legion Park Master Plan
White reported that she met with Scherer to begin discussing how to approach creating a
master plan for Hamel Legion Park. She stated that they had a good handle on where they
wanted open space in the park. The original idea of creating a master plan was to help the
City determine where to put the next tree, bench, or table when these items are donated.
White stated that she felt the Park Commission was capable of creating this plan without
hiring a consultant.
Discussion occurred whether or not a consultant should be hired to create the master plan.
It was determined that the sub -committee should meet again to identify general
improvements and pin point areas where the City may need a consultant's advice. Chris
Hilberg volunteered to join the sub -committee.
9) Uniform Park Signs
Gallup reported that at the last Council meeting, the City Council gave general direction
to the Park Commission on the type of park signs they want in the city parks. The
direction was to have a horizontal sign, maintenance free material, the name of the park
must be legible from a distance, and all signs must include the new city logo that was
approved on May 5, 2009.
Thies reported that Paul Jaeb was unable to be at tonight's meeting, but has prepared a
spreadsheet that provided some analysis of the parks which were ranked by amenities,
size, and type. Jaeb suggested that the Park Commission consider two types of signs; one
for the larger parks and one for the smaller parks. Jaeb also suggested that with all the
different signage in the city, including those for homeowner developments that the
Medina park signs should be unique.
The Park Commission reviewed each of the City parks to determine whether it should
have a large or small sign.
Medina Lake Preserve:
Hamel Legion Park:
Hunter Lions Park:
Rainwater Nature Area:
One large, one-sided sign
One large, one-sided sign
One large, two-sided sign
One large, two-sided sign
One small, two-sided sign
Medina Park Commission Meeting Minutes
May 20, 2009
Medina City Hall
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Maple Park: One small, two-sided sign
Medina Morningside: One small, two-sided sign
Holy Name Park: One small, two-sided sign
Lakeshore Park: One small, two-sided sign
Walnut Park: One small, one-sided sign
10) Comprehensive Plan Park Study Areas
The Park Commission reviewed the Park Study Areas map from the 2010-2030
Comprehensive Plan to determine if there should be any priority in the various active and
passive park study areas.
There was a general consensus that the circle north of Highway 55 should be the City's
number one priority for an active park. It was determined that this future active park
should be in between Hunter Lions Park and Hamel Legion Park in size and amenities
offered.
The active park circle in east central Medina should be the second priority.
There was some question on why the third active park was placed where it was on the
map. This active park is located south of the Hennepin County Public Works Facility and
it will be the third priority.
There was a general consensus that the Tomann Parcel should be the number one priority
for a passive park. The other two passive park circles will happen as an opportunity
arises.
11) Staff Report
a) Field House Task Force Update: Benson gave a brief update that the Task Force has
had one meeting with the architects to discuss programming. He stated that the Task
Force had some good ideas and he was very excited to see the design concepts from
the architects tomorrow.
9) Adjourn
A motion was made by Ben Benson, seconded by Chris Hilberg and passed unanimously,
to adjourn the meeting.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:20 p.m.
Minutes prepared by Jodi Gallup.