HomeMy WebLinkAbout01/10/2006 - Regular Minutes - Parks Board
PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY BOARD
MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING ~ 7:00 PM
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
The EXIT Teen Center
1520 Rock Prairie Road College Station, Texas
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Staff Present: Steve Beachy, Director; Eric Ploeger, Assistant Director; Peter Vanecek,
Senior Park Planner; Peter Lamont, Recreation Superintendent; Pamela Springfield, Staff
Assistant
Members Present: Jodi Warner, Chair; Jeannie McCandless; Gary Erwin; Harry Green;
John Crompton; Gary Thomas; Kathleen Ireland; Glenn Schroeder
Members Absent: Carol Blaschke
Visitors: None
1. Call to order. Jeannie M. called the meeting to order at 7:01 p.m. Jodi W. and
Glenn S. would be arriving late.
2. Possible action and pardon concerning requests for absences of members.
One request for absence had been submitted by Carol Blaschke. Kathy I. moved to
approve the request submitted. Gary E. seconded. All were in favor and the motion
passed unanimously.
3. Hear visitors. Hearing none this item was closed.
4. Consideration, possible action, and discussion of minutes from the regular
meeting of December 13, 2005. John C. moved approval of the
December 13, 2005 meeting minutes. Kathy I. seconded the motion. The vote was
called and the minutes were unanimously approved.
5. Report, possible action, and concerning 2006 Athletic tournament
schedule ~ Peter Lamont. A list of upcoming tournaments had been included in
the member’s packets (attached). Peter L. went over the list. The Budweiser
softball tournament would be a private rental. The items in parenthesis were the
organizations or individuals responsible for organizing the tournaments. Several
questions were asked.
Glenn S. arrived at 7:10 p.m.
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Eric P. stated that a prestigious youth tennis tournament had been awarded to
College Station for the next two years. The tournament, previously been held in
Waco, would be June 2 – 8, 2006 and the city would be funding the banquet. The
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first year would be the most important year because they would probably be voting
on where the tournament would be held for the next twenty years. 800-850 tennis
players would be participating and bringing their families. Staff had yet to meet
with the group organizing the tournament but those meetings would be beginning
soon.
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The weekend of April 22 the Brazos Valley Senior Games will be held. Parks and
Recreation staff will be helping with the competitions. Seniors age 55 and older
are allowed to participate.
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On April 22 the city will be hosting the “Running with the Wolves 5K” on the trails
at Wolf Pen Creek. Staff is trying to get 5k runs going again. The Earth Day
celebration will be later that day with a free Starlight Music Series concert that
evening.
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The city will be hosting a Girls Class “A” softball tournament in 2007.
Jodi W. arrived 7:23 p.m. This was an informational item only.
6. Review, possible action, and discussion regarding public appearance issues
and the City’s Streetscape Plan. At the last meeting Kathy I. had asked that this
item be placed on the agenda. There was no staff presentation - this was intended
to be an open discussion for the Board.
Kathy I. said she wanted to know why some businesses such as Home Depot, had
not been required to install the trees as stated in the City’s landscape ordinance.
Steve B. said that what went in on the Highway 6 right-of-way was governed by the
state and the Parks Department did not really have any responsibility in this area.
Some older businesses would probably be grandfathered as to what has to go in
according to the current plan. Steve explained that the correct avenue to approach
those type issues would be through the Parks Board subcommittee working with the
Planning & Zoning Commission. The subcommittee would meet again on
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January 23. No action was required on this item.
7. Report, possible action, and discussion regarding the merits of requesting a
student liaison to be appointed to the Board. John C. had asked that this item
be added to the agenda at the last meeting. He stated that when he had last served
on the board, there had been a PhD student who had been very active and a great
asset. He wanted to know if there was a policy regarding student liaisons. Steve
stated that there was nothing in the By Laws regarding this. The Board could
request that the By Laws be amended or at the next go-round of appointments,
Council could be asked if one of the nine members appointed to the Board could be a
student. Ric said that the student John was remembering had been appointed by
council as an alternate member and had not served as a liaison.
Glenn S. moved that the Board be proactive and invite the A&M student government
councils (undergraduate and graduate) to see if they can get students interested in
applying to serve as Board members. Discussion followed as to whether the student
should serve either as a liaison or to serve only a one-year term. Glenn suggested
that they serve as a full member or the By Laws would have to be changed. The
Board asked that before a motion was made, Steve B. explore the legalities and
bring the findings to the next meeting for further discussion. Kathy I. moved to table
the motion until the next meeting when staff would have more information and
Gary E. seconded.
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8. Report, possible action, and discussion regarding future public hearings
related to park development projects. Steve stated that three projects would be
coming up for review by the Board that would require public hearings and would go
through the design process. Steve explained the public hearing process, concept
presentation, and the development of the master plan based on the entire process.
The three sites coming up were the:
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University Park site ~ 10-acres in Park Zone 2 on the far north end of town off of
Spring Loop and Autumn Circle (behind the Hilton). The site is next to the water
treatment plant and there are some challenges to overcome but currently there is
no park to serve the residents in that zone. The budget to develop the park is
$400,000. This will be the first of the three to be developed. The first public
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hearing will be held on January 24 at City Hall. A second public hearing will be at
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the regular Board meeting on February 14.
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Edelweiss Gartens Park site ~ This six-acre site is in Park Zone 10 off of Victoria
and Graham Road on Eagle Drive. There are already people living all around the
site. The park starts a section of greenbelt which will run down to Spring Creek.
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The first Edelweiss Gartens public hearing will be on March 7 and the second one
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will be held on April 11 at the regular Board meeting.
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Southwest Park site ~ This 9.4-acre site is adjacent to the Woodlands of College
Station, off of Southwest Parkway and Wellborn Road in Park Zone 6. There were
no dates currently set for the public hearing(s). There was not enough money
available to develop the entire park up front.
This was an informational item only and no action was required.
9. Review, possible action, and discussion concerning Board and Departmental
Goals and Objectives, and City Council Strategic Plan.
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The review of The Recreation, Park, and Open Space Master Plan has begun. Ric,
staff and a subcommittee of the Board will be working through that process.
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An agency profile had been created with very basic facts about the department,
staff, and budget. A schematic map and a park inventory listing had been included
to create an overview of the department and what, as an agency, it provides in
resources.
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John C. stated that he would like to see a history of the department put together –
not just facts - but a decent history. Steve stated that the department has the
resource guide which talks about each park - when it was acquired, who it was
named for, etc. John C. commented that the undertaking was not something for
amateurs to do and suggested going to A&M and getting a History Masters student
to write it. He said he would contact the History Department and bring something
back to the next meeting. This item will be put on the agenda for the February
meeting.
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The quarterly Park Maintenance Standards Report was passed out. Steve explained
that one of the department’s goals was to keep the standards met at 90%. Some
of the ponds however, were bringing the score down.
Hearing no further discussion this item was closed.
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10. Report, possible action, and discussion concerning the Capital Improvement
Program.
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Current Capital Improvement and Park Land Dedication Project Lists – Lists
had been included in the packets. A few projects have been finished with good
progress being made on others. The Wolf Pen Creek Multipurpose Buildings project
budget had been increased for the two separate buildings. The project could go out
to bid mid February or early March, with a groundbreaking possibly being held in
April. Construction on Steeplechase Park would be starting soon.
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Veterans Park & Athletic Complex: Bids for this project would be opened on
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January 23. There had been a lot of interest from contractors on this project.
The fields should be ready for play by fall of 2007. Staff will send the members an
e-mail after the bids have been opened to let them know a cost estimate. The
project should go to City Council about ten days after the bids open.
11. Discussion of calendar, future meeting dates, and possible agenda items: A
planning calendar had been put together and copies were distributed.
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January 24, 2006 ~ Public Hearing regarding University Park development
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February 21, 2006 ~ Next regular meeting. Kathy I requested that the
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meeting be moved since the 14 was Valentines Day. Jodi said she would like to
push the meeting back a week and keep it on a Tuesday. The regular meeting and
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second public hearing (if one is held) will be on February 21.
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These items will be added to the next meeting agenda:
Zone 9 community park site discussion;
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Information on the student liaison;
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Information regarding the history project;
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A Neighborhood Park Improvement report will be given at the March meeting.
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January 17 2006 ~ Attorney General Open Government training ~ A case
history was passed out. Training on this was a state requirement of all elected and
appointed officials, as well as appointed boards and commissions.
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The regular March meeting had been moved back a week because of spring break.
Hearing nothing further, this item was closed.
12. Adjourn. John C. moved to adjourn and Gary T. seconded. The vote was called.
All were in favor and the meeting adjourned at 8:43 p.m.
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