The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My Public Portal About02.21.2018_Park Commission Meeting MinutesMedina Park Commission Meeting Minutes February 21, 2018 Medina City Hall Page 1 of 5 The Park Commission of Medina, Minnesota met in regular session on February 21, 2018 at 7:00 p.m. at Medina City Hall. Park Commission Chair Steve Lee presided. 1) Call to Order Commissioners Present: Steve Lee, Elizabeth Weir, Lisa Cole, Ann Thies, Mary Morrison, and youth member Lauren Lubenow Commissioners Absent: John Jacob, Jeff Rumsey, and youth member Ella Kingsley Also Present: Assistant City Administrator Jodi Gallup 2) Additions to the Agenda Weir requested a brief discussion regarding art work at city hall – added to general items at the end of the agenda. Thies requested to discuss the park donation program – added to 2018 goals discussion. A motion was made by Weir and seconded by Lee to add these items to the agenda. Motion passed unanimously. 3) Approval of the Minutes from:  January 17, 2018 Regular Meeting A motion was made by Weir and seconded by Thies to approve the minutes from January 17, 2018 with one correction on page one, last line: …good policy decision recommendations to the City Council. Motion passed unanimously. 4) Public Comments (on items not on the agenda): None. 5) City Council Update Gallup updated the Park Commission on recent City Council actions. 6) Park Improvement Funding Program Weir explained her proposed changes to the Ball Field Lighting and Irrigation Funding Program, by first suggesting that the name be changed to “Park Improvement Funding Program” to give flexibility for other, unforeseen requests that might have standing in the future. Weir also recommended that the language be amended to state that the City of Medina may provide “up to” a 25% cost-share, which gives the city flexibility to offer less money for certain projects. Medina Park Commission Meeting Minutes February 21, 2018 Medina City Hall Page 2 of 5 Thies suggested to make the language consistent throughout the policy by removing the word “improvement” and calling it a “park project” throughout. The Park Commission asked that staff clarify the language regarding the City’s ability to obtain 5% of any private contribution to be set aside for operational and maintenance expenses. A motion was made by Weir and seconded by Lee to recommend amending the Park Project Funding Program as discussed. Motion passed unanimously. 7) Hamel Legion Park – Baseball Storage and Fence Topper Request – Heritage Christian Academy Gallup stated that staff had recently held a joint meeting with Heritage Christian Academy, Hamel Hawks, and Hamel Athletic Club to discuss coordination of the Paul Fortin Memorial Field for the upcoming spring baseball season. Gallup reported that the city contract requires that each organization maintain the field (drag and chalk) for their use. To effectively maintain the field, Heritage Christian Academy is requesting permission at their own expense to add a storage unit for their own equipment near the ball field. Their first option would be to extend the storage area in the existing first base dugout. They had scheduled a meeting with a contractor to determine its feasibility and cost, but the contractor needed to reschedule. Their second option would be to add a small portable storage shed near the parking lot. Gallup stated that Heritage Christian Academy would also like to add yellow fence toppers at their own expense to the outfield fences for safety reasons. Morrison questioned why the Park Commission previously denied this request. Lee stated that it was previously denied due to aesthetics, maintenance, and cost. A motion was made by Weir and seconded by Morrison to recommend, at the expense of Heritage Christian Academy, the extension of the first base dugout for storage needs and allow fence toppers for safety reasons on a seasonal basis. Motion passed unanimously. 8) Hunter Lions Park – Baseball Mound and Warm-up Area Request – Hamel Athletic Club Andy Wahlquist and Mike Mohs with the Hamel Athletic Club (HAC) presented the Park Commission with a check for $60,000 to go towards the field safety improvements Medina Park Commission Meeting Minutes February 21, 2018 Medina City Hall Page 3 of 5 including lights and new dugouts at the Little League Field in Hamel Legion Park. The Park Commission thanked HAC for their generous donation and partnership. Wahlquist stated that HAC’s spring season sign-ups were happening right now and are going strong. Mohs explained HAC’s need for another field with a mound and warm-up area to help develop the kid pitch players, ages 9-12 years old. He stated that HAC was the only team utilizing the field at Hunter Lions Park and asked permission from the Park Commission to solicit bids to create a permanent mound on that field and add a warm-up area down the third baseline. Wahlquist highlighted the benefits to improving the field at Hunter Lions Park, because it allows players to get away from the t-ball area and other distractions. This field offers focused practice time, where the kids can be engaged in baseball for ninety minutes. Mohs estimated the cost of the project to be around $1500 - $2000, which would be completely funded by HAC. Gallup explained that once final quotes were received, HAC would donate the necessary funds to the City of Medina so that the City of Medina could hire the contractor and manage the project. A motion was made by Weir and seconded by Thies to recommend adding the permanent mound to the field and allowing the portable warm-up area down the third baseline on a seasonal basis. Wahlquist assured the Park Commission that HAC “wakes up” the baseball fields each spring (set-up), and puts everything “to bed” (away) after the season in mid-June. Mohs updated the Park Commission that HAC was working with a local fundraising organization called “Fun 2 Raise” to help HAC raise funds for future capital projects. 9) Public Parkland Setbacks – R1, R2, and R3 Zoning Districts Gallup stated that staff seeks the Park Commission’s input on public parkland setbacks. The R1 and R2 zoning districts allow a reduction of 10 feet for the rear setback for lots which abut an open space or common area. The language is not specific related to public parks, so staff has interpreted this language fairly broadly, allowing the reduction of setback adjacent to public parks. The Planning Commission recommended that the full Medina Park Commission Meeting Minutes February 21, 2018 Medina City Hall Page 4 of 5 setback be required from public parkland, and that the language be updated to be more explicit that no reduction is permitted adjacent to parks. Weir suggested the language in the ordinance be clarified by adding “non-public” to this sentence and throughout the ordinance, “the rear yard setback may be reduced to 20 feet if abutting a non-public preserved open space or common area, but excluding public park property”. A motion was made by Thies and seconded by Weir to recommend that the R1 and R2 residential zoning districts be amended to clarify that rear setbacks shall not be reduced abutting public parkland with the clarification noted above. Motion passed unanimously. Weir questioned why the wetland layer map did not show the old Hamel Septic area as part of our water resources. Thies noted that same map mislabeled three lakes: School, Miller, and Krieg. Gallup stated she would pass this information on to City Planner Dusty Finke. 10) Staff Report  Hennepin County Bikeway Participation Program Grant – County Road 101 Trail Connection – Gallup reported that the City Council passed a resolution in support of this grant application at their February 20, 2018 meeting. Weir suggested adding a culvert to the project to address mitigation costs.  Review of 2018 Goals – Lee, Weir, and Cole volunteered to be on the park dedication/park improvement funding committee. Thies asked for clarification from the Park Commission if they intended to create a “naming rights” program or just a donation program. She advocated at only drafting a donation program, but not including language on naming rights; the Park Commission agreed. Discussion took place on soliciting feedback from citizens on park and trail needs/wants through a future community survey.  General Items – Weir stated that the walls of City Hall were bare and suggested that she solicit neighboring school art programs to display their art at City Hall. Gallup stated that City Hall only has a few staff members and it is not a very high traffic area; she was not sure if she would want to encourage neighboring communities to be coming here to look at art. Lubenow stated that she is active in art and would be interested in working with Gallup to get local art work or pictures on the walls. 11) Adjourn Medina Park Commission Meeting Minutes February 21, 2018 Medina City Hall Page 5 of 5 A motion was made by Weir, seconded by Morrison and passed unanimously, to adjourn the meeting. The meeting was adjourned at 8:30 p.m. Minutes prepared by Jodi Gallup