2011-07 CSCJuly 19, 2011
REGULAR COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING
Tuesday, July 19, 2011, Community Center (7000 Nicollet Ave)
PRESENT
CSC Members Greg Mangold, Gerry Charnitz, Sarah Till, Reed Bornholdt, Bob Shotwell, Dave Gepner, Arlan Nelson
Staff Jim Topitzhofer, John Evans, Jeff Pearson
Others Dave Butler (Band Shell Task Force)
ABSENT
CSC Members Joe Springer, Michele Thompson, Dan Edgerton, LuAnn Werner
Planning Commission Tom Rublein
Council Liaison Fred Wroge
Call to Order/Approval of Minutes
Charnitz called the regular CSC meeting to order at 7:04 pm. Gepner moved, seconded by Mangold, to approve the minutes of the regular
June meeting. Approved, ayes all.
Staff Reports
Recreation Programs: Skate Park
Topitzhofer said that two new proposals were received for the proposed tier-one skate park in Augsburg Park.
Recreation Programs: Expansion of Roosevelt Park
Topitzhofer said that the City bought the house at 76th Street and Portland Avenue. He said that a contract is set with Frattalone to demolish
the house and the land will become park land.
Public Works: 63rd Street Greenway
Pearson said that he presented the concept to Council and at a public open house; residents in northeast Richfield received postcards about it.
He said that 12 people came to the open house and were surveyed to gauge their interest. He said that all respondents were somewhat or
very interested with no negative responses. He said that staff would seek federal transportation funds by August, although those funds
wouldn’t be received until 2015. Pearson said that there were varied responses from residents along 63rd Street regarding completely vacating
the street or keeping it open to some car traffic. Charnitz said that there were concerns regarding the proximity of lighting to homes, but it
seemed that those concerns could be addressed at a later stage. Gepner said that this type of project would keep Richfield at the forefront of
creative and innovative communities.
Discussion Items
Richfield Master Bike Plan
Pearson said that the plan has been tweaked by the task force and is being prepared by the consultant as a final draft. He said that the 63rd
Street Greenway fits well with many of the goals of the plan: linking recreational areas, developing green spaces along various corridors, etc.
Community Band Shell
Topitzhofer said that the band shell idea was presented to the Council at a study session with many of the benefits one would bring to a
community (gathering place, benefit to neighboring businesses). He said that the two main locations mentioned were near Richfield Lake as
part of a development there or at Vets Park, near where the stage is placed on the 4th of July. Bornholdt said that there were no negative
comments about the band shell idea at the study session. Butler said that he has also received positive comments from the Mayor and others.
Charnitz said that the option to incorporate the band shell into a development at Richfield Lake is looking like a less viable option for the
developer. Charnitz asked the band shell group on what scale they’re imagining for the project, to begin to define the type of funding that
would be pursued. Bornholdt said that the group was not regarding a portable option; Shotwell wondered if the location would affect the
scope; he asked if it would be imagined as a town center amenity. Topitzhofer said that, when the capital plan was prepared, the dollar figure
used would pay for a low-end, prefabricated facility. Butler asked the CSC if the consensus was for the task force to proceed with gathering
information. Butler said that many performing groups are eager to play such facilities, even for no pay, so the concert schedule could fill
quickly. Topitzhofer said that there are many cultural groups that would be willing to use the facility to gather and perform work from their
ethnic heritage. Mangold said that a band shell would be a great asset and he would be in favor the group pursuing more information. Gepner
liked the idea of a band shell as a gathering place. Till voiced support of pursuing the idea. Butler said that both of the aforementioned site
options should be investigated and evaluated. The group agreed by consensus to encourage further study of the band shell project by the
Band Shell Task Force, with David Butler as the group’s chair.
Action Items
FOWL Board Appointments
Mangold moved, seconded by Till, to appoint Pete Sorenson & Susan Sutton to three-year terms on the Friends of Wood Lake Board.
Approved, ayes all.
Honoring All Veterans Memorial Final Design
Topitzhofer showed the design rendering to the group and explained the remaining work to be done on the Memorial, which includes granite
veneer on the statue base, columns, installation of the six remaining tablets, and some landscaping work. He said that, to complete this work,
the HAVM group would need for the City to front the money, which would then be repaid by proceeds from engraving sales. He said that the
hardscaping work would be $250,000; the landscaping would be about $250,000.
August CSC Meeting
DRAFT MINUTES UNTIL APPROVED BY THE CSC.
July 19, 2011
Bornholdt moved, seconded by Nelson, to cancel the regularly-scheduled CSC meeting. Approved, ayes all. Charnitz and Gepner said that
the CSC members would be invited to attend the Planning Commission Bike Tour on Monday, August 8, 5:30 pm. Pearson said that the bike
master plan may be incorporated into the tour somehow.
Committee Reports
Transportation Commission: Pearson provided the report.
Waste Hauling Study Group: Mangold and Topitzhofer provided the report. Study session scheduled for July 28.
Next Meeting/Adjournment
Regular September Meeting
Tuesday, September 20, 7:00 pm, Community Center (7000 Nicollet Ave)
Gepner moved, seconded by Till, to adjourn the meeting. Meeting adjourned at 8:47 pm.