HomeMy WebLinkAbout12/14/2004 - Regular Minutes - Parks Board (2) Parks and Recreation Advisory Board
Regular Meeting
Tuesday, December 14, 2004, 7:00 •p.m.
The EXIT Teen Center
1520 Rock Prairie Road
College Station, Texas
Staff Present: Eric Ploeger, Assistant Director — Parks and Recreation; Peter Vanecek, Senior Park
Planner; Pamela Springfield, Staff Assistant.
Board Members Present: Don Allison; Gary Erwin; Glenn Schroeder; Larry Farnsworth; Jeannie
McCandless; Gary Thomas; Jodi Warner, Chair; Kathleen Ireland; Carol Blaschke.
Board Members Absent: All members were present.
Guests & Visitors: David Meier, Doug McHan, and John Bowling — Brazos Valley Radio Control
Club; Beau Davis; Ronald Whitely, TAMU RPTS 402.
1. Call to order. Jodi Warner called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
2. Pardon and possible action concerning requests for absences of members. No
requests for absence had been submitted.
3. Hear Visitors. Hearing none, this item was closed.
4. Discussion, consideration, and possible approval of minutes from the Regular
meeting of November 9, 2004. Don Allison moved to accept the minutes of the
November 9, 2004 meeting as presented. The motion was seconded by Glenn Schroeder, and
hearing no opposition or discussion, the vote was called. The minutes were accepted as
presented.
5. Discussion, consideration, and possible action regarding requests for park land
dedications.
• Autumn Chase Villas N Park Zone 3:
This was for a proposed 64-unit apartment complex in Park Zone 3. The nearest
neighborhood park would be Wolf Pen Creek. The park land dedication would be
approximately one-half of an acre, therefore staff was recommending acceptance of the
cash dedication of $28,928 in lieu of land. Glenn S. asked about pedestrian access to
Dartmouth from Manuel, since it would be a good mile and a half or more to get to the
park on foot. Eric (Ric) Ploeger stated that the Thoroughfare Plan could be checked and
staff could ask to see what was going on at that corner. The answer would be brought
back to the next meeting. Glenn S. moved to accept the cash dedication of $28,928 and
Larry Farnsworth seconded. The vote was called, and the motion carried unanimously.
6. Report, discussion, and possible action regarding the Brazos Valley Radio Control
Club regarding the potential for a model airplane park. Gary Thomas introduced the
members of the Brazos Valley Radio Control Club that were present. David Meier was the
current President, Doug McHan, the past President, and John Bowling was the incoming
President for 2005. Handouts had been provided and a brief video was shown that explained
the different variations of the hobby and the types of facilities needed for each.
Parks and Recreation Advisory Board Page 1 of 3
Regular Meeting of December 14, 2004
The video explained three types of hobbies:
• Contour line flying: Several paved or grass surfaces of 180' in diameter would be needed,
along with a control area and parking for spectators.
• Free flight: 600+ acres would be needed for this type of flight. The parking area did not
need to be paved.
• Radio control flight: Runways, pit areas with interconnectivity, taxi runways to a main
runway, a spectator viewing area, and parking were all needed with this type of flight.
After the video ended, discussion followed. The club was interested in the possibility of
working with the city towards having a radio controlled flight park at the landfill site once it
becomes available. One club in San Antonio had been developed on an old landfill site.
• The club would like an unoccupied area of approximately 60-70 acres, with no trees.
Approximately 3 1/2 acres were needed to be used for runways and a pit area.
• When model airplanes are in the air it is a dangerous place to be. The club suggested that it
would be willing to share an area where they could have access on specific days when the
general public wouldn't be allowed in, with the general public allowed access on alternate
days.
• Noise reduction is a primary requirement of most radio control clubs.
• All flyers and sites are covered under The Academy of Model Aeronautics' (AMA) insurance.
The AMA is the sanctioning body for model aviation.
• The club sponsors several AMA-sanctioned events a year that bring in people from all over
the United States.
Two locations were suggested by staff for interim use - one was a location of approximately
75-80 acres on the north side of Veterans Park and Athletic Complex that would not be
developed for another year. The other was approximately 65 acres next to the landfill that
was also undeveloped.
Jodi stated that the idea sounded like it would be something worth looking into and thanked
the club members for attending.
This was an informational item only and no action was required.
7. Report, discussion, and possible action regarding the Program and Facility Needs
Assessment Process. Ric stated that informational items had been included in the
members' packets regarding this effort. The schedule that had been included was tentative.
He explained that one of the reasons for the assessment was to help flush out interests that
were not currently being served, as well as helping to gauge the changing needs of some of
the groups that were already being served. The assessment would also assist with the
updating of the Recreation, Park, and Open Space Master Plan.
Focus group meetings would be held as part of the assessment process and a list had been
included in the member's packets of the groups that there would be interaction with. Ric
stated that Peter Lamont and David Gerling would be working closely on the assessment to
ensure that it was done in a timely manner. The Board would be kept updated and would be
involved in the process throughout 2005.
This was an informational item only and no action was required.
8. Report, discussion, and possible action concerning the Capital Improvement
Program (CIP). Brief updates were given on the status of some of the projects in progress:
• The project for soccer lights for Central and Veterans parks had been bid out and would go
to Council for approval on January 13, 2005.
• The Veterans Park, Phase II design was underway.
Parks and Recreation Advisory Board Page 2 of 3
Regular Meeting of December 14, 2004
• The Lincoln Center expansion project should be complete within the next thirty days; the
covered basketball court was already being reserved for functions; and, a ribbon cutting
ceremony for the expansion may be held in February or March.
• The W.A. Tarrow Spray Park design will be the next phase worked on.
• The development for John Crompton Park should go out to bid soon.
• Several landscape design projects for street medians would be done by the Parks Planners
in 2005 including a project in Woodcreek and one on Greens Prairie Road.
This was an informational item only and no action was required.
9. Review, discussion, and possible action concerning Board and Department Goals
and Objectives, and City Council Strategic Plan. The Board and Departmental Goals had
been included in the packets. Jodi asked how the acceptance of credit cards was going. Ric
stated that there had been some issues involving the software, but it was moving forward.
Hearing no further questions or discussion, this item was closed.
This was an informational item only and no action was required.
10. Discussion of calendar, future meeting dates, and possible agenda items.
• The next regular meeting would be held on January 11, 2005.
• Staff would come back with an answer regarding pedestrian access as discussed in agenda
item #5 above.
11. Adiourn. A motion was made to adjourn by Gary T. and seconded by Gary E. The vote was
called and hearing no opposition, the meeting adjourned at 7:57 p.m.
Parks and Recreation Advisory Board Page 3 of 3
Regular Meeting of December 14, 2004