HomeMy WebLinkAbout05/11/2006 - Regular Minutes - Parks Board (6) PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT
CrrvOFCOLLEGE SrnrroN EDELWEISS GARTENS
SITE DEVELOPMENT PUBLIC HEARING
AND MEETING OF THE
PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY BOARD
Thursday, May 11, 2006 - 7:00 p.m.
The EXIT Teen Center
1520 Rock Prairie Road • Southwood Athletic Park • College Station, Texas
Staff Present: Eric Ploeger, Assistant Director; Peter Vanecek, Senior Park Planner; Pamela
Springfield, Staff Assistant.
Members Present: Jodi Warner, Chair; and, Gary Thomas. A quorum of the Board was neither
present nor required.
Visitors Present:
Guy King - 220 Rugen Lane Rachel Williams - 3711 Ardenne Court
Jennifer Moore - 102 Rugen Lane Alison Batenhorst - 3705 Ardenne Court
Walter Cox - 102 Hartford Drive Lenae Huebner - 331 Robelmont Drive
Matthew Crawley - 108 Hartford Charles E. Thomas - 2902 Coronado Drive
Susan & Larry McNeese - 3810 Dresden Lane
1. Call to order. The public hearing began at 7:00 p.m.
2. Presentation, discussion and public hearing regarding development of the Edelweiss
Gartens Park Site in Park Zone 10: (Visitor comments are in italics.) Ric Ploeger and Pete Vanecek
started off the hearing. Pete gave a brief description of the amenities that were on the conceptual
plan/layout presented. It was explained that while all of the amenities that had been listed on the
ballot for ranking had been included in the plan, they would not all be installed initially due to cost.
A sidewalk/loop would go around the park - approximately 9/10 of a mile long. Would there be
security lighting and would the trails be well lit at night? Yes, some lights would have to be
added in the wooded area. Probably 10-12 lights in that area.
Would the walks/trail be concrete and is that a maintenance issue? Yes, it is. Crushed gravel
gets a lot of weeds.
Disc Golf is low on the list. Is there another one in College Station? We have two and are
about to add a third and fourth course. Just because it is ranked last does not mean it can't be added.
They are fairly inexpensive to install and have had one done as a scout project.
Two playgrounds were shown on the plan - one in the wooded/shaded portion of the park and the
other in an area of the park where there would be no significant shade. When asked about which of
the playgrounds the residents would like to have installed first, the comments received indicated the
playground on the north end - in the shade - should be installed first. Thirty to forty additional trees
with a drip irrigation system would be added on the south end, but it would take some time before
there would be significant shade. Does the cost for the playground include a shade cover? Yes,
all playgrounds that are installed now have shade covers. In Brothers Pond Park, the cover is too
close to the top of the slide. Raising that cover could be looked into.
What is the time schedule for completion? It would take two to three months to get the plan
completed and out to bid in late summer or fall. It would take approximately four to six months for
construction. The park should be complete by late fall or early 2007.
Would all of the underbrush area be cleared? No, there would be a lot of small, selective thinning
out of yaupon. One resident was pleased that the walking trails ranked number one and would like to
see the city do what had been done at Brothers Pond Park, and leave a lot of the underbrush in.
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Had staff given any thought to the creek by the tennis court — it has the potential to be a
real asset to the park? This would have to be looked at more closely. One of the residents was
concerned that if any major refurbishing of the area was done, the wild birds would leave. Concern
was also expressed about the trash in the creek. The creek did need some cleaning and re-grading.
Would you do rock or brick work to channel the drainage? It might be possible to do some
stone work, but staff would have to talk to engineers, since that is not something that is normally done
in parks. Public Works would also be involved if that was done and it would cost quite a bit of money.
Most likely it would just be cleaned out and vegetation planted.
I see that $440,000 is the total listed for the amenities. Is that the budget? Right now there
is $350,000 available in that park zone and it would be up to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board
as to how that money is spent. There are other parks in that zone, but there is and will be more
money coming into that zone.
There had been some requests for pools, volleyball courts and a dog park had been asked for. Staff
asked for comments, adding that the list of amenities was not set. Why aren't pools done in
neighborhood parks? Pools cost on average about 1.5 million and are normally put into the
community parks. There are private pools in some neighborhoods that are put in by the Home
Owner's Associations, but they are extremely expensive to operate and maintain, and the liability is
huge. The city will probably build another pool, but it would go into a community park.
Do you foresee any parking or traffic issues? Eagle will be a busy street. Park lots are not
usually installed in neighborhood parks because people are meant to walk to the park. If parking
becomes a problem, some could be added later.
What does landscaping include and how is that money allocated — is it for plants? Usually no
heavy landscaping goes into neighborhood parks, but it would include color beds around the park sign.
Would the basketball court be covered? No, not at this point, but a cover could be added later.
Covered courts are very popular.
Would it speed up the process to have the developer help with the development? At this
point in the process it would not help. Ric explained about the revision to the Park Land Dedication
Ordinance that dealt with developers doing this. At present there is so much money in that zone that
it is best for the city to do the development.
I would like to see dirt paths through the wooded area. It would be easy to do a rough cut trail.
How many picnic tables will be installed? Two to three would go in the wooded area near the
playground. They will be on a 10' x 20' slab, with a trash can and barbecue grill.
Would the version here be the one that the board sees? Yes, this would probably be the plan
presented so that when more money came into the park zone later, the plan was in place.
3. Adiowrn. Ric thanked everyone for coming to the hearing. The public hearing adjourned at 8:00 p.m.
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