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1998-03 CSC (4)RICHFIELD COMMUNITY SERVICES ADVISORY COMMISSION Thursday, March 17, 1998 Present: A. Auchstetter, R. Dietl, T. Erlander, C. Krohn, R. Dietl, R. Jabs, T. Loweth, B. McGlinn, C. Sharkey, M. Scaglia, D. Schaefer, Council Members S. Rosenberg; School Liaison J. Sloss; Staff S. Devich, A. Payne The meeting was called to order by Chair Loweth at 7 p.m. in the conference center of the Water Plant. Motion by Auchstetter to approve the minutes of February 10. Second by Sharkey. Motion carried. Loweth asked the Commission to set up date for a joint meeting with the City Council. The Study Session on Monday, July 6 is the date selected. Loweth asked that there be an amendment to the agenda to allow Greg Madsen and Debora Karasov to do their presentations. Motion by Sharkey, second by Auchstetter to amend the agenda. Motion carried. Restoring Veterans Memorial Park. Greg Madsen, senior vice president of the Ryan Companies, explained that his company is a Minneapolis based design, build firm that has been business 60 years. It is a family owned business that manages six million square feet of leased space throughout the metro area and is now doing work nationally. Part of this company’s mission includes respect for the environment. They have an ego policy he heads up that includes a number of issues, namely the reforestation project in Richfield. This Company is also interested in helping create buildings that are more energy efficient choices site and educate staff in planning options landscape issues. Madsen has been involved in reforestation over four years around the metropolitan area. He works with his company’s volunteers along with Boy Scout groups, youth sports teams, local businesses and others to purchase, deliver and plant trees within the city they are helping out. He works with site selections by the city, building lasting relationships in the community. Madsen has enjoyed this type of project in past and is looking forward to working with the City of Richfield. He has had minimal conversations with Don Brauer on scheduling and location but Madsen is anxious to help out much possible. His company is interested in donating money, volunteers and money. Madsen’s goal is to get his company’s face in the community and build lasting relationships. Deborah Karasov, special projects and design coordinator with Green River Park, spoke to the Commission. She explained her group is a for profit citizen based project Community Services Commission Meeting March 17, 1998 Page 2 that began in St. Paul. They do two things, community building and ecological restoration, that is long term stewardship of urban resources dependent on long term involvement of citizens. Karasov’s goal is to bring the community together to invest in the resources of this park and repair the relationship between the City and its community. Her organization planted over 24,000 trees in St. Paul and they have had over 1400 volunteers attend a planting event including largest planting event of 1000 volunteers that planted last year for restoration of NSP plant in St. Paul. Largest planting restoration was a 35 acre prairie in downtown St. Paul. Ecological restoration is a new science. All of their plans are reviewed by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and research has been done on wildlife habitat as well as evaluation presently being done by the University of Minnesota. Issues they are concerned about are site preparation, planting strategies, community hope to establish and plant species selected. Karasov said there are few natural areas and environmental learning areas. She feels children need to experience natural area. She asked the commission to consider restoring the entire Veterans Memorial Park to natural park area. Her organization is funded by DNR and State Legislature. They are now developing in natural areas in Minneapolis jointly with McKnight . Richfield would need to cover costs of plants and the costs of architects. Karasov is familiar with Wood Lake Nature Center but feels natural areas should be walking distance from home for children to get daily exposure. Randy Hughes, Operations Coordinator, has been working with MAC regarding the taking of trees native to this region located on property recently obtained in the acquisition of New Ford Town and Rich Acres. MAC has expressed a desire that the City remove them quickly. Plans are to put them in the area along the boulevard at Veterans Memorial park where the trees were removed. Motion by Auchstetter, to give staff the authorization to move the trees from MAC property to the Veterans Memorial Park site along the sidewalk. Second by Sharkey. Motion carried. Staff is now working on filling the remaining basement hole, holes left by removed trees and generally smoothing and leveling out this area for safety. Seeding will take place to minimize erosion. Brauer recommends these trees offer an opportunity to make a transition from the harsh street to the park and the large trees provide a large boarder around the outside and would not preclude any design on the inside of the park. Community Services Commission Meeting March 17, 1998 Page 3 Brauer explained the commitment from the City to the Community regarding Veterans Memorial Park is a coordinated plan for the entire park. This specific plan offers two proposals to design and plant this specific area in addition to other areas of the park that lend themselves to natural plantings. To take advantage of the available trees would be an opportunity the City should benefit from. Policy Issues Blank distributed a “think list” of issues that have come up to the commission through the years or that staff raised for clear direction where they are going. This is to be used for information and bring back to the next meeting. It is an attempt to keep the Commission and staff on the same page. There are written policies for fees and charges in the budget, policies for facility use, cold weather and other issues. Blank will provide a policy booklet at the next meeting. Second Sheet of Ice The Chair recognized there has been a great deal of time and effort spent by the Commission, the hockey group and City staff regarding a second sheet of ice. He added that as a Commission, they need to look at all projects ahead including a community center, a maintenance facility, a golf course, pool, ball fields, second sheet of ice, and other proposals. It appears there is a need for a second sheet of ice, however, the plan presented by the hockey group appears to be overzealous. It is difficult to look at a project costing $3.5 million dollars when the only guarantees are it would be utilized for approximately four months out of the year and it only projects a loss. At the last meeting, it was decided there should be open houses for the Community to provide their input regarding this issue. Loweth has received a letter from an active community leader with concerns about this sheet in addition to other letters from other citizens explaining why a second ice sheet should not be built. They say priorities are the issue and since there are no time constraints, it would be to the community’s best interest to have open houses to allow feedback. Rosenberg expressed a concern about the role the Community Services Commission plays in determining what projects are done in the City. Her view is, the Community Services Commission is not the accounting department but should act only as a visionary for the community. She urged the commission keep this focus of community service in making recommendations. The monetary phase of projects should be looked at by others making financial decisions. Community Services Commission Meeting March 17, 1998 Page 4 Sharkey asked where this is outlined in the bylaws. Rosenberg said it is understood but perhaps it should be in writing. Krohn asked that open houses be held so information can be gathered and an educated judgment be made. This request was echoed by other Commissioners. Rosenberg feels these should be done quickly so the project can be completed. The chair said the Commission should have information and background that will effect taxpayers and an open forum is necessary for a valued judgment for a recommendation to City Council. Darrell Esala, president of youth hockey, identified the urgent need coming this fall with expansion of the girls teams at the high schools. He feels there will be a shortage of ice for the high schools and youth hockey and youth hockey will be the last on the list. Dan Linnehan spoke in favor of the ice sheet and feels it is as important as other amenities in the community. He asked the Commission for an acknowledgment there is a need for a second sheet and to not look at funding sources. He feels Richfield is not a kid friendly town and with all the efforts being made to bring new families to Richfield and to keep them, this sends the wrong message. He mentioned the large numbers of children signing up for skating lessons that will not be served. Kids are being cut from hockey teams because there are no teams for them to play on. Jabs, the Commission liaison to the hockey group, has attended their meetings and agrees there is more than meets the eye. Holy Angels uses Bremer to practice and he feels the entire community needs to be considered in the second sheet decision. He asked that a creative approach be presented because the families in Richfield feel there is a need. He urged the Commission not to let dollars become the focus or to drag out a decision. Motion by Erlander to direct staff to set up community meetings as soon as possible for community input on a second sheet of ice. Second by Sharkey. Motion carried. Sloss said the school will work toward situation to help kids out. They presently pay $36,000 per year for ice time but would pay more with girls usage. Committee Reports Planning Commission: Staff is rezoning the area between Pleasant and Cedar on 77th Street. Community Services Commission Meeting March 17, 1998 Page 5 FOWL: Dietl invited the commission to attend the annual dinner scheduled for Friday, April 24 at the Decathlon. Prize categories will be the raffle, silent auction, balloons, tickets and door prizes. Reservations can be made by calling Wood Lake at 861-9365. There has been no dredging at Wood Lake and the contractor has had three trucks stuck in the muck. MPPSC: This group has been talking about each park and will type into a format for the committee. The comp plan shows differences that need to be made aware of examples will be taken to the planning commission. Garage Study: There have been no meetings. Enterprise Report: Devich reported the golf pros have resigned from the Golf Course. Ready Golf is working diligently to put the reservation system in place before the 1998 season begins. MAC is pushing to build the proposed runway, however, the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) appears to have some problems. When the golf course is taken it will go in stages. Recreation Services Report: No report. Motion by Erlander to adjourn the meeting. Second by Dietl. Meeting adjourned.