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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2010-11-17 PRC PacketAGENDA CITY OF MAPLEWOOD PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION MEETING Wednesday, November 17, 2010 7:00pm Council Chambers - Maplewood City Hall 1830 County Road B East 1. Call to Order 2. Roll Call 3. Approval of Agenda 4. Approval of Minutes 5. Visitor Presentations a. Community Gardens (Oakley Biesanz) 6. Unfinished Business a. Postponement of Dog Park 7. New Business a. Park Hours Discussion b. Ramsey County Active Living c. Park and Open Space Zoning 8. Staff Presentations a. Goodrich Park Master Plan b. Joy Park Buckthorn Removal c. Joy Park Phase II d. Beaver Creek Preserve Restoration 9. Commissioner Comments 10. Adjourn — (9:30 p.m.) Next meeting — December 15, 2010 CITY OF MAPLEWOOD PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION MEETING Meeting Minutes Wednesday, October 20, 2010 6:30 p.m. COUNCIL CHAMBERS — MAPLEWOOD CITY HALL 1830 COUNTY ROAD B EAST 1. CALL TO ORDER Chair Roman indicated there was a quorum and called the meetdng to order. 2. ROLL CALL Commissioners Commissioner Craig Brannon, absent Commissioner Don Christianson, present Commissioner Peter Fischer, present Commissioner Dan Maas, present Commissioner Mary Mackey, absent'—, Commissioner Carolyn Peterson, abk--1-I Chair Bruce Roman, present Commissioner Therese Sonnek, present'. Commissioner Kim Schimt}t, resent Staff Recreation Commissioner Seconded by The motion passed. Konewko, absent Ayes: All 4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES a. August 18, 2010 Commissioner Roman noted that on page 3, under Commissioner Comments, paragraph 7, the word is should be it. Commissioner Schmidt moved to approve the August 18, 2010 Parks & Recreation Minutes as amended. 1 Seconded by Commissioner Fischer. The motion passed. Ayes: All Abstain: Sonnek 5. VISITER PRESENTATIONS a. Geocache Program Update —Eagle Scout Projecf7 Tyler Schaller, Boy Scout, gave the commission an update:#fie b. Trout Brook Trail (Bill Sanders) Mr. Sanders, Landscape Architect, Sanders, Wacker, llergly,ylnea Brook Trail Project. c. Emerald Ash Borer (Ginny Ga "" and Andy Hov. Ginny Gaynor, Natural Resources Coordinator grid Andy Hovland, regarding Emerald Ash Borer, discussed options ft i managing Erm questions from the commission 6. UNFINISHED BUSINESS a. Legacy Tot -Lot Naming _ -y Jim Taylor, RecreationManager _briefly &sl recommendation frot41be coninission for a City Council for approval;, The motion Schaller) eche Program. the commission on the Trout presented information r and answered .ot Naming, and requested a previously established, to bring to Ayes: All b. Gethsemane Par" -Purchase Jim Taylor, Recreation Mattag f, updated the commission on the process of the Gethsemane Park Purchase. 7. NEW BUSINESS a. North Saint Paul Joint Powers Agreement Jim Taylor, Recreation Manager, updated the commission on the status of North Saint Paul Joint Powers Agreement. b. Restoring of the Maplewood Parks and Recreation Department Jim Taylor, Recreation Manager, updated the commission on the status of the restoration of the Maplewood Parks and Recreation Department. 2 8. STAFF PRESENTATIONS a. Joy Park Dock Jim Taylor, Recreation Manager, updated the commission and answered questions of the commission. h. Goodrich Park Master Plan Jim Taylor, Recreation Manager, updated the commission and answered questions of the commission. c. Western Hills Area Street Improvement Jim Taylor, Recreation Manager, updated the commission and answered questions of the commission. d. Goodrich Park Improvements Jim Taylor, Recreation Manager, updated the commission and answered questions of the commission. e. Four Seasons Re -surfacing Jim Taylor, Recreation Manager, updated the commission and answered questions of the commission. f Maplecrest Re -surfacing Jim Taylor, Recreation Manager, updated the commission and<answered questions of the commission. g. Buckthorn Removal Jim Taylor, Recreation Manager, informed the commission of tha Buckthorn removal event at Joy Park. 9. COMMISSIONER COMMENTS Commissioner Fischer inquired when and if the dog Bark would be reintroduced into commissioner discussion within the near future. The.commission discussed -,the mini dog park4fid requested the dog park be put back on the agenda Commissioner Maas requested that staff Iook intoearea near Highway 61 that used to be a compost site for a potential dog -par lcsiteas well. Commissioner Christianson mentioned that at onepoint there was discussion of the placement of a sidewalk/trail along the sontl -sideo£$eam and I this never occurred. Commiss i3ner Sonnek conveyed a concern that She received from the branch manager of the Maple Library in rega3ds to the,Legacy Pines Park. He was concerned that the teens needed something`tii: do or somethirigto play ori �t_the park, such as a half basketball court. Commissioner Sonnek also requested that par -hours be'pYaced on the agenda in the near future. Commissioner Roman inentiondd-a concern about the parking at Legacy Sculpture Park. Jim Taylor addressed the issue brie,#Ya i- vided some background information about the parking situation. 10. ADJOURNMENT Commissioner Fischer moved to adjourn the meeting. Seconded by Commissioner Sonnek. Ayes: All The meeting adjourned at 9:48p.m. Agenda Item 5a MEMORANDUM TO: Parks and Recreation Commission FROM: Ginny Gaynor, Natural Resources Coordinator Oakley Biesanz, Naturalist SUBJECT: Community Garden Update DATE: November 4, 2010 INTRODUCTION In April 2010, Maplewood opened a community garden at Edgerton Park. At the November 2010 Parks Commission staff will provide an update on the garden and recommendations for 2011. DISCUSSION The Community Garden at Edgerton Park opened on April 15th this year. Forty plots were rented to a very diverse group of gardeners. A garden committee met monthly with staff member Oakley Biesanz to address any issues that rose. Our park maintenance crew kept the water tank filled. End of the year evaluations received from gardeners were very positive. The neighborhood was supportive of the garden—staff received no complaints from adjacent residents and a few neighbors helped watch out for the site. There were three incidents of vandalism at the garden during the season: 1) a vehicle drove through one plot, 2) graffiti on the water tank, and 3) someone drained the water tank when it was half full. In addition, there were complaints about theft of produce from the gardens. Despite these issues, staff thinks this an excellent site for a community garden. For 2011, staff recommends continuing the garden at Edgerton Park and exploring partnerships for a second community garden to open in 2012. Plans for next year include: 1. Continue the garden at Edgerton Park with 40 plots, a water tank, and temporary fencing. a. Finetune registration and rules. b. Continue developing volunteer leaders that can take on more responsibility in coming years. c. Develop partnerships with Edgerton School and the nearby apartments. d. Partner with master gardeners or others on three education/demonstration sessions for gardeners. (Many gardeners requested educational support.) e. Offer a kids garden club program. This would be a free drop-in program, once each week, targeting children that live in this neighborhood. Two plots would be reserved for this and a nature center naturalist or an intern would run the program. Many kids live in the neighborhood, use the park, and were curious about the garden this year. To cut down on vegetable theft, Oakley invited the kids to share the produce in her garden plot. f. Write a grant to cover costs for permanent infrastructure at the site including: fencing, gate, water spigots, compost area, and fruit trees. 2. Participate in the Twin Cities community garden parade, coordinated by the non-profit group Gardening Matters. In 2010, over 60 sites participated in this open house of community gardens. 3. Explore potential partnerships for a second community garden with churches and schools. 4. Select a location for a second garden and prepare site in fall 2011. 5. Explore alternative models for community gardens, such as areas with just a few plots where the city provides plots but no water or fencing. RECOMMENDATION No formal action is needed. OA Agenda Item 6a MEMORANDUM TO: Park Commission Members FROM: DuWayne Konewko, Community Development and Parks Director SUBJECT: Postponement of Dog Park Discussion DATE: November 8, 2010 INTRODUCTION I have directed staff to discontinue pursuing a location for a dog park within the city. The reasons for this decision are as follows: As you are aware, Maplewood and North Saint Paul have entered into a joint powers agreement whereby the City of Maplewood will be providing recreation programs for everyone from preschool to seniors effective January 1, 2011. In order to ensure the success of this new collaboration, I have instructed staff to spend additional time on this partnership with North Saint Paul. The result of this decision is that some programs and discussions will be tabled until we have sufficient staff time to address them. In addition to the joint powers agreement with North Saint Paul, one of the goals that the city council directed the City Manager to implement was the "Re- establishment of a Parks and Recreation Department that also included the MCC". I am pleased to announce that staff is working very hard on this transition and effective this past October, MCC and Parks and Recreation has become one department. Staff will be discussing this item along with the North Saint Paul joint partnership with the Park Commission beginning in January. As we begin to set our sights on goals for 2011, 1 look forward to working directly with the Park Commission on the Maplewood/North Saint Paul partnership and the recreation of the Parks and Recreation Department. Agenda Item 7a AGENDA REPORT TO: Parks and Recreation Commission FROM: Jim Taylor, Recreation Program Supervisor SUBJECT: Park Hours Ordinance DATE: November 10, 2010 INTRODUCTION At the October 20, 2010 meeting of the Parks and Recreation Commission it was requested that the Park Hours Ordinance be added to the agenda for review by the Commission. DISCUSSION The current Park Hours Ordinance reads as follows: (a) No person shall be in, remain in or leave any vehicle in any park or upon any parkway, between one-half hour after sundown and one-half hour before sunrise of the following day except with written permission from the park and recreation director. Nothing in this subsection shall apply to persons traveling, without delay, upon established driveways of parks upon parkways. (b) Subsection (a) does not apply to lighted courts or fields within the parks posted as totime of use by the park and recreation director. At no time shall lighted recreational facilities be on beyond 10:30pm without written permission from the city manager. RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends the Parks and Recreation Commission make a recommendation concerning park hours for staff to bring to the City Council for approval. Agenda lime 7c JJI=1 J,�iTIM]111111V TO: James Antonen, City Manager FROM: Michael Martin, AICP, Planner . Charles Ahl, Assistant City Manager SUBJECT: Parks and Open Space District (POS) Ordinance (simple -majority vote required for approval) DATE: November 8, 2010 INTRODUCTION At a council/manager workshop held on August 23, 2010, the city council directed staff to develop a zoning district specifically for parks and open space. The council sought to have the official zoning map be more clear in the zoning and intended use of parks and open spaces. Presently, parks and open spaces are not zoned to a single district and are typically zoned the same as adjacent properties. With the establishment of the parks and open space district (POS) ordinance all city and county properties used as parks or open space will be rezoned. This also includes golf courses owned by Ramsey County. The creation of the POS zoning district and subsequent rezoning is not in response to the Metropolitan Council's requirement of zoning code updates after the city's adoption of the 2030 Comprehensive Plan. Parks are presently permitted in all zoning districts so the city is in compliance with the comprehensive plan. This effort is solely derived from the city council's desire to have a clearer and more defined official zoning map. DISCUSSION Staff developed the POS ordinance to clearly identify a parcel as park or open space, and to rely on the city's adopted comprehensive plan to guide the use. The 2030 Comprehensive Plan's parks, trails and open space chapter clearly classifies each park and open space area in the city. For example, Joy Park in the Maplewood Heights neighborhood is classified as a "community park." Community park is defined as follows: The Community Parks serve a broader purpose and function than neighborhood parks. Focus is on meeting community-based recreational needs, as well as preserving unique landscapes and open spaces. The parks, trails and open space chapter from the comprehensive plan has been attached to this report. The future land use plan also guides each parcel as either parks or open space. To amend the parks, trails and open space chapter or the future land use plan it would take a super -majority approval from the city council. The POS zoning district would permit a parcel to be used as a park or open space but then the comprehensive plan would dictate the specific use or programming of said park or open space. The design and setback requirements for structures within the POS district would be regulated by sections 44-19 (landscaping and screening) and 44-20 (additional design standards) in the zoning code, which is currently the case. The creation of the POS district mainly serves as a Page t of method for the city to clearly identify the parks and open spaces parcels under its own category and color on the official zoning map. Sec 44-101 regulates the permitted uses within the R1 (single dwelling) district and allows "public parks/playgrounds." Staff recommends leaving this permitted use as stated because it is possible for a residential development to include a playground which would not be on a city - owned parcel. Staff is also recommending amending Sec. 44-6 to add definitions for "parks" and `open space" and amending Sec. 44-9 to add the POS district to the list of zoning districts. RECOMMENDATION Approve or suggest revisions to the attached parks and open space district ordinance. p:ord\Parks and Open Space\POS—Zoning_111610—PC Attachments: 1. Parks and Open Space District (POS) Ordinance 2. 2030 Comprehensive Plan — Parks, Trails, and Open Space Chapter 3. 2030 Future Land Use Map Page 2 of 4 Attachment 7 ORDINANCE NO. AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE MAPLEWOOD ZONING CODE TO CREATE A PARKS AND OPEN SPACE (POS) ZONING DISTRICT Section 1. This amendment revises Section 44-6, Definitions, to read as follows (additions are underlined): Section 44-6. Definitions. Parks means properties owned by the City of Maplewood or Ramsey County used as active or passive play areas. Some uses are informal recreation areas while others are more formal with groomed fields. Open Space means undeveloped properties owned by the City of Maplewood or Ramsey County used for recreational needs, habitat restoration, or as a neighborhood preserve. Section 2. This amendment revises Section 44-9 to read as follows (additions are underlined): Section 44-9. Zoning Districts. POS Parks and Open Space District F Farm Residence District R-1 Residence District (Single Dwelling) R -1R Rural Conservation Dwelling District R -1S Small -Lot Single -Dwelling District R-2 Residence District (Double Dwelling) R-3 Residence District (Multiple Dwelling) R -E Residence Estate District NC Neighborhood Commercial District CO Commercial Office District BC Business Commercial District LBC Limited Business Commercial District BCM Business Commercial Modified District SC_ " Shopping Center District M1 Light Manufacturing District M2 Heavy Manufacturing District MU Mixed Use Zoning District Page 3 of 4 Attachment 1 Section 3. This amendment revises Article II, District Regulations, by changing Division 1 of the District Regulations to read as follows (additions are underlined and deletions are crossed out): ARTICLE II. DISTRICT REGULATIONS DIVISION 1. GC"'vcNERAI I PARKS AND OPEN SPACE DISTRICT (POS) Section 44-46. Purpose and Intent. The POS district is designed to be a public park and open space district. Public parks and open space may be owned or operated by the city or the county. All improvements within these districts must be consistent with the adopted Maplewood Comprehensive Plan. Section 44-47. Permitted Uses The oniv uses permitted in the POS, parks and open space district, are the following: (1) Public park and open space lands. (2) Improvements and structures within public parks and open space lands owned and operated by the city or county governmental units, with recreational facilities and structures consistent with the adopted Maplewood Comprehensive Plan. Sections 44-48 — 44-70. Reserved. Section 4. This ordinance shall take effect upon publication. The Maplewood City Council approved this ordinance on 12011. Mayor Attest: City Clerk P:Ord\ Parks and Open Space\POS Zoning_110810 Page 4 of 4