HomeMy WebLinkAbout04/23/2001 - Regular Minutes - Parks Board ***Minutes***
CIT
PA S&R EY R EF CAOTLI GAE1 STATION
BOA D
Regular Meeting
Monday,April 23,2%01
Central Park Conference Room
1.000 Krertek Tap Road
7:00 p.m.
Staff Present: Steve Beachy, Director of Parks and Recreation; Eric Ploeger, Assistant Director;
Curtis Bingham, Parks Operations Superintendent; Kris Startzman, Board
Secretary.
Board Members Present: Glenn Schroeder; John Nichols°' Glen Davis; John Crompton
rn
(Alteate); Laura Wood(Alternate).
Board Members Absent: Chris Barzilla, Chair; George Dresser, Co-Chair; Jon Turton; Bill
Davis.
Guests: Sarah Nicholls, 2604 Pedernales, College Station, Texas
Visitors:
Megan Sandlin, 1608 E. Holleman, College Station, Texas
Maria Trevino,
1210A April Bloom, College Station,
Texas
Brian Wiggins, 3180 Cain Raod#130, College Station,Texas
Nicole Lindsey, 1501 Harvey Road#605, College Station, Texa
Maggie Dolan, 901-A Azalea, College Station, Texas
MToiddaDlMiller,
808 Azalea, CoTlleege Station, Texas
Michael
415 Gilbert,Bryan,
Jeff Schilling,e336 Crocker Hall, College Station, Texas
1. Call to order: The meeting was called to order at 7:05 p.m. Glen Davis made a motion
to appoint Glenn Schroeder as acting Chairperson. John Crompton seconded the motion.
All were in favor, and the motion passed unanimously.
2. Hear visitors: No visitors spoke at this time.
3. Pardon —Consider requests for absences of members from meeting: John C. made a
motion to accept theabsencesof Chris Barzilla, George Dresser, Jon Turton, and Bill
D
avis as excused. Glen D. seconded the motion. All were in favor, and the motion
passed unanimously.
4. Approval of minutes from Regular Meeting of March 6, 2001, and Special Meeting
of March 26, 2001: John C. made a motion to approve the minutes from the Regular
Meeting of March 6, 2001, and the Special Meeting of March 26, 2001. Glen D.
seconded the motion. All were in favor, and the motion passed unanimously.
5. Discussion, consideration, and possible action concerning a park location study
• °
(Vision Statement#4, Strategy #4— Connectivity between greenways and parks): Steve
introduced Sarah Nicholls who, in 2000, conducted a study using GIS (Geographic
Information System) to determine accessibility to College Station parks. The Parks and
Recreation Department had asked her to conduct some follow-up studies related to the
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and Recreation Board
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Tuesday,April 23,2001
City Council Strategic Issue concerning park location and connectivity. Sarah was asked
to look at the park system, by individual park zones, identify the areas that are
underserved, and come up with potential solutions to those areas.
Steve added that the report that Sarah would give to the Board at the meeting was a
follow-up to the report that she had presented to them in February 2000. He went on to
say that the Department would seek input from the Board, and any additional information
given would be added to the report before it is presented to the City Council at their
Regular Workshop Meeting on May 10, 2001.
Sarah presented her findings to the Board(see attached PowerPoint Presentation).
John C. stated that the Board should take the information presented, and come up with an
action plan to present to the City Council. After some discussion, John C. made a motion
that the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board
• Establish a subcommittee of three (3) Board members to work with Ms. Nicholls to
develop a prioritized action plan for better park accessibility using the information
presented; and
• Present the action plan to the City Council.
Steve stated that the City Council would be having their Strategic Planning retreat on
May 14-15, 2001, to discuss strategic issues, and urged the bard to present an action
plan to them before that time.
John Nichols amended the motion to state that the Council should be given a progress
report with an indication that the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board would be
working to prioritize some of their recommendations. Glen Davis seconded the motion.
All were in favor, and the motion passed unanimously. The progress report will be taken
to the City Council on May 10, 2001.
John Nichols, Glen Davis, and Glenn Schroeder volunteered to serve on the
subcommittee. John C. made a motion to approve the members of the subcommittee.
Glen D. seconded the motion. All were in favor, and the motion passed unanimously.
The subcommittee will meet with Ms.Nicholls on Wednesday, May 9, 2001, at 4:00 p.m.
6. Discussion, consideration, and possible action concerning the Parks and Recreation
Board Fiscal Year 2002 budget issues and priorities: This item was a follow-up to the
March 6, 2001, meeting during which the Board had been asked for input concerning
their budget issues and priorities for Fiscal Year 2002. Steve gave a progress report of
the Board's Fiscal Year 2001 approved list. Steve reminded the Board that these issues
would be brought to the City Council for consideration on May 10, 2001, during the joint
meeting with the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board. After some discussion, the
Board put together the following list:
• Provision of the necessary support to develop an Urban Forest Management Plan for
the City of College Station;
• Continued concern over the 30/60 Corridor Issue;
• Support the implementation of a Greenways Oversight Committee to support the
Greenways Master Plan;
• Implementation of the Park Maintenance and Facility Standards Plan;
• Implementation of intergenerational park projects;
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• Identification of a skateboard park location and initiation of construction;
• Concern regarding acquisition of land prior to development;
• Concern regarding playground renovation and replacement;
• Purchase of two backstops and two batting cages to be located at Bee Creek Park;
• Implementation of Senior Programs;
• Implementation of Neighborhood and Community Park Access Plan; and
• Resolution of conflicts between greenways and the Park Land Dedication Ordinance.
Glen D. made a motion to approve the Board's priority budget items for Fiscal Year 2002
to present to the City Council. John C. seconded the motion. All were in favor, and the
motion passed unanimously.
7. Discussion, consideration, and possible action concerning revisions to the Parks and
Recreation Department User Fee Study: Steve stated that the revision to the Parks and
Recreation Department User Fee Policy was developed during the March 26, 2001,
Special Board meeting, and was included in the packets for review. He added that the
Athletic Renovation and Improvement Fund statement was also included as part of the
policy. John C. made a motion to approve the revised policy. Glen D. seconded the
motion. All were in favor, and the motion passed unanimously.
8® Presentation, discussion, and possible action concerning a possible Park Land
Dedication Ordinance Revision: Steve stated that this item was a follow-up to the
March 6, 2001, meeting, and is related to the concern that much of the lanel being
dedicated by developers is in the floodplain and detention ponds. He said that
when the Park Land Dedication Ordinance was revised in 1999, it was recommended for
official review once every three years, and that the next official review would be in the
year 2002. He urged the Board to take a closer look at the current ordinance because they
may not be fully exercising its powers. He also recommended that during the summer,
the Board review the current ordinance, and continue to use it until the official review
comes up. Eric Ploeger stated that the ordinance gives the Board a lot of authority
pertaining to park land dedication. This item was for discussion only, and no motion was
made.
9® Discussion, consideration, and possible action concerning City Council Vision
Statement#4:
Strategy #1 (More emphasis on making parks more intergenerational): Steve stated
that this strategy was conducted as a class project by a Recreation, Park, and Tourism
Sciences class at Texas A&M University, and was presented to the City Council on April
12, 2001. He went on to say that the City Council appeared supportive of the report and
they directed Parks and Recreation Department staff to begin work on intergenerational
projects in conjunction with the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board. Steve stated that
the Department is currently working on existing capital improvement projects where
intergenerational features and concepts will be incorporated into the parks. Three (3) of
these parks are Gabbard, Brison, and Merry Oaks. He added that features and concepts
would also be incorporated into new park designs as well.
This was an informational item only, and no motion was made.
Strategy#5 (Continued emphasis on parks maintenance to quality standards through
the budget process): Steve stated that a report on this strategy was presented to the City
Council on March 22, 2001. The report recommended an Urban Forest Management
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Plan, for which the Department would recommend funds through the budget process. He
went on to say that a methodology would also need to be developed.
Steve stated that the report also addresses playgrounds. Dr. Crompton stated that one of
the semester projects that he assigned his class was related to playground safety, and
addressed his concerns over playground safety risks in parks. Curtis Bingham, a
Certified Playground Inspector, took the floor and discussed the inspections that he had
conducted of the playgrounds in College Station parks. He talked about some of the
potential safety risks that he had noted during some of his inspections of 28 parks, which
included:
• Concrete borders around the playgrounds being too close to the actual playground;
6 Entrapment areas on the playground units;
• Slide poles being too close to the decks;
• Tire and child swings attached to the playground units;
O Splintered wood decking on the playground units; and
* Gaps between the decking levels.
Steve noted that a lot of the standards have changed since those playgrounds were
installed. He added that several playgrounds have already been replaced and more are
scheduled to be replaced. Steve went on to say that the Department needs to try to
increase its existing replacement fund in order to address some of the risks, and suggested
an increase of$50,000.
This was an informational item only, and no motion was made.
10. Report, discussion,possible action concerning Veterans Park and Athletic Complex:
Steve stated that the Phase I development project for the park was presented to the City
Council on March 22, 2001. At the meeting, the City Council directed Parks and
Recreation Department staff to develop a Phase I project that includes two (2) lighted
softball fields, four (4) soccer fields (two (2) lighted), related parking, and restroom
facilities. Staff was also directed to come up with two (2) alternates--one, which would
provide two (2) additional soccer fields, and another which would provide additional
landscaping. Staff was also directed to come up with the means to fund those additions.
Staff will present their funding recommendation to the City Council on May 10, 2001.
Steve said that the selection of the artist to design the veterans memorial at the park will
take place on May 4, 2001, at the Arts Council, at 2:00 p.m. He stated that the public is
invited to attend. He went on to say that the parking area related to the Phase I
development project would be delayed until the design is chosen for the memorial
project. This way, the parking lot would compliment the memorial.
The Veterans Park and Athletic Complex Subcommittee, along with several members of
the Memorial for all Veterans of the Brazos Valley Inc., will be meeting on Monday,
May 7, 2001, at 3:00 p.m., to discuss the naming of streets and facilities at the park.
Steve talked about some of the upcoming events for the veterans memorial.
This was an informational item only, and no motion was made.
11® Report, discussion, and possible action concerning current projects in the Wolf Pen
Creek area: Steve stated that the current project is focused on the trails for the lower half
of the corridor. He went on to say that the design for the project is under contract with
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McClure Engineering, and showed the Board the concept that had been approved by the
Wolf Pen Creek Oversight Committee. The design is going forward, and is expected to
be under construction by the summer. The funding for the project is coming from the
Wolf Pen Creek Tax Increment Finance fund.
This was an informational item only, and no motion was made.
12. Consent Items:
Capital Improvement Projects Report:
• Glen D. asked if the bonds allocated for Veterans Park and Athletic Complex were
available and earning interest. Eric stated that the money would be available at the
time that the park is developed.
• John C. asked what the status was regarding the acquisition of a community park site.
Steve stated that the acquisition was not complete.
Discussion of next meeting date and agenda: The next Parks and Recreation Board
meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, May 8, 2001. The Board asked that the following
items be placed on the agenda:
• Discussion of the joint meeting between the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board
and the City Council on May 10, 2001; and
Discussion regarding the Madeley Park Development.
13® Adjourn: The meeting adjourned at 10:05 p.m.
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Parks and Recreation Board
Regular Meeting
Tuesday,April 23,2001