HomeMy Public PortalAbout11.19.2014 Park Commission MinutesMedina Park Commission Meeting Minutes
November 19, 2014
Medina City Hall
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The Park Commission of Medina, Minnesota met in regular session on November 19, 2014 at
7:00 p.m. at Medina City Hall. Park Commission Chair Ann Thies presided.
1) Call to Order
Commissioners Present:
Commissioners Absent:
Also Present:
Ann Thies, Madeleine Linck, Steve Lee, Lori Meehan, Ellis
Olkon and Nate Pearson
Dino DesLauriers
City Council member Melissa Martinson, Public Works
Director Steve Scherer and Assistant to City Administrator
Jodi Gallup
2) Additions to the Agenda: None.
3) Approval of Minutes:
• September 17, 2014 Meeting
A motion was made by Pearson and seconded by Olkon to approve the minutes from
September 17, 2014 as presented. Motion passed unanimously.
4) Public Comments (on items not on the agenda): None.
5) City Council Update
Martinson updated the Park Commission on recent City Council actions.
6) Villas at Medina Golf & Country Club Preliminary Plat
Gallup presented the staff report for the Villas at Medina Golf & Country Club PUD
General Plan and Preliminary Plat, which is proposed to be a residential development
along the west and north edges of Medina Golf and Country Club. The applicant is
proposing 43 single family homes, which is a reduction from the original 54 units that
were proposed in the concept plan. The decrease in units was due to the applicant
updating their proposed plans to not develop the wooded area at the end of Shawnee
Woods Road.
The applicant's original proposal was to dedicate 0.19 acres of the wooded area, but after
the Planning Commission's recommendation, the applicant updated their proposal to
dedicate the northern 8.8 acres to the City.
Gallup noted that for park dedication purposes, the city can require 10% of the buildable
land, 8% market value or a combination. If the City took the full 10% of the buildable
land it would be approximately 2.157 buildable acres. If the City took the full cash fee it
would be estimated at $245,280.
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Gallup noted that the applicant is proposing to dedicate the northeastern 8.8 acres to the
City which has approximately 4.6 acres of buildable land, but it is heavily wooded with
mature trees so the land would have to remain a passive park. The applicant is also
proposing to dedicate and construct an 8 foot wide trail along the east side of County
Road 116 from Meander Road to the northern boundary instead of a sidewalk along the
western roadway. The applicant is also proposing a 6 foot wide trail along the northern
border to connect the County Road 116 trail to the sidewalk along Shawnee Woods.
Chuck Alcon with Rachel Contracting addressed the Park Commission. He noted that the
density has been reduced, engineering issues have been resolved and most importantly
the trees are being preserved in the proposed 8.8 acres of land dedication to the City. He
also noted that they are proposing a woodchip trail from the sidewalk along Shawnee
Woods to the wooded area. He noted that he felt this was a great project for the City.
Discussion took place on why block four was eliminated from the updated proposal.
Alcon stated that the project was not feasible with block four because of all the
substantial trees within that area that would need to be removed.
Discussion took place on the proposed six foot wide trail along the northern border and if
that trail should be eight feet wide. The applicant noted that the trail was proposed at six
feet wide because of the space constraints to meet the road width requirements set by the
City's Fire Marshall.
Thies questioned if the City would be precluded from taking more land and/or trails if the
applicant further developed the site in the future. It was confirmed that the Park
Dedication was being calculated based on the current area of this proposal and the City
would be able to take additional Park Dedication in the future if the site was further
subdivided.
A motion was made by Linck and seconded by Olkon to recommend to the City Council to
accept staffs recommendation to accept the 8.8 acres in the northeastern corner, require
an 8 foot wide trail easement along County Road 116 instead of sidewalks, and require a
trail easement along the northern border instead of sidewalks with the width to be
determined by the Public Works Director. Motion passed unanimously.
7) 2014 Planned Park Improvements
Thies led the Park Commission through a review of the 2014 Planned Park Improvements
document that was created at the beginning of 2014. Most items had been checked off the
goals list with the exception of replacing the Holy Name Park restoration sign and putting
up a message center sign at Lakeshore Park. Scherer will get pricing this winter on some
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of the park improvements that were not completed including solar lights, a snow
machine, and soccer nets.
Pearson and Olkon left the meeting at 7:50 p.m.
While talking about park improvements at the ball fields in Hamel Legion Park, it was
mentioned that a prospective Eagle Scout approached the City to request doing a project
on the Hamel Hawk's baseball field. The Park Commission was generally in support of a
project at the field, but requested that the Eagle Scout come back to the December Park
Commission meeting with a concrete plan to present to them.
8) Park Signage
Thies noted that the restoration sign in Holy Name Park is in terrible shape and needs to
be replaced. She asked for suggestions on a new type of sign that would not get so
weathered. Staff will look into putting up a different type of sign.
It was noted that the message center sign in Hamel Legion Park had been installed. Thies
stated that the sign looked very nice at Hamel Legion Park, but it would be too large to
put a sign that size in Lakeshore Park. The Park Commissioners suggested installing only
a bulletin board case in Lakeshore Park and not installing the map sign.
9) Friends of the Park Program
The Park Commissioners discussed how they can better promote the Friends of the Park
Program to get more active members. They came up with the following ideas:
• Add Friends of the Park fliers to the new bulletin board cases in the parks
• Talk to the boy scout and girl scout troops
• Advertise with local churches and schools
• Look for gardening clubs in the area
• Put an article in every spring issue of the city newsletter
• Create an "adopt a highway" plan for our parks
• Make the existing Friends of the Park policy less intimidating
10) Staff Report
No additional items were discussed under the staff report.
11) Adjourn
A motion was made by Lee, seconded by Meehan and passed unanimously, to adjourn the
meeting.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:42 p.m. Minutes prepared by Jodi Gallup.