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06/07/2004 - 00028716CITY OF FRIDLEY PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION MEETING — JUNE 7, 2004 CALL TO ORDER: Chairperson Kondrick called the June 7, 2004 Parks & Recreation Commission Meeting to order at 7:25 p. m. ROLL CALL: Members Present: Dave Kondrick, Ed McDonald, Tim Solberg, Dolores Varichak Others Present: Jack Kirk, Director of Recreation & Natural Resources Dave Lindquist, Park Maintenance Supervisor Jim Kordiak, Anoka County Commissioner APPROVAL OF Mav 17, 2004 PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION MINUTES MOTION by Ms. Varichak, seconded by Mr. Solberg to approve the minutes of the May 17, 2004 meeting. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL MEMBERS VOTING AYE, CHAIRPERSON KONDRICK DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED. APPROVAL OF PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION AGENDA FOR June 7, 2004 MOTION by Mr. Solberg, seconded by Ms. Varichak, to approve the agenda for the June 7, 2004 meeting. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL MEMBERS VOTING AYE, CHAIRPERSON KONDRICK DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED. 1. STAFF REPORT a. Program Update Mr. Kirk called attention to the written program update in the Commission member's packets that contained information on Department activity during the past three weeks. Staff has been very busy with summer program registrations, preparation for staff training sessions and the start of the various summer activities. The staff training for the summer activities will take place in the next two weeks. Mr. Kondrick asked if we would be having lifeguards at Moore Lake Beach this summer. Mr. Kirk stated that no, for the second year, we would not have lifeguards. We will have a building attendant to open the facility and monitor activity during open swimming hours. Mr. Kirk stated that he wanted to report on the High School Region 5 softball tournament that was held at Community Park. They used the facility on four different dates in the mid- afternoon. We took the admission fees for the tournament and brought in over $1700. It turns out to be a good deal for the city and also provides a good facility for the local high school region tournament. Parks and Recreation Commission Meetinq - June 7, 2004 Paqe 2 Ms. Varichak stated that the tournament was a very good one and that the facility is very nice for operating a tournament of that type. Mr. Solberg asked if the City was doing the Canada Goose Management program again this year. Mr. Kirk stated that yes, we would be working with the Minnesota goose management program to remove geese from Moore Lake this year. b. Park Maintenance Report Mr. Lindquist stated that during the month of May they started out pretty well keeping up with mowing and park maintenance work, but with the heavy rains recently, it was difficult to keep up with all of the work. Mr. Kondrick asked if the heavy rains had caused a lot of standing water at the park facilities. Mr. Lindquist said that the standing water has been a problem at the Community Park ballfields. Mr. Lindquist said they have been keeping a busy schedule of maintaining the baseball, softball, and soccer fields to support the recreation leagues and the youth sports association programs. c. Fridley `49er Days Mr. Kirk provided a schedule of the upcoming `49er Days' events and invited the Commission members to participate in the many activities during the June 16-20 celebration. 2. NEW BUSINESS a. Dog Park Discussion — Jim Kordiak, Anoka County Commissioner Mr. Kirk stated that several months ago he received a phone call from Commissioner Kordiak. They discussed the concept of an off-leash dog park and Mr. Kordiak indicated that Anoka County was looking at the possibility of providing such a park somewhere in the County park system. Mr. Kirk further stated that a question about dog parks was included on the recent City Council-Commission survey. The response was about 50% in favor of having an off-leash dog park and about 50% of the respondents against. Mr. Kirk stated that he had invited Mr. Kordiak to the meeting to talk with the Parks and Recreation Commissioners about dog parks and where Anoka County is in the process. Mr. Kordiak thanked the Commission for the opportunity to be on the agenda to have some discussion about off-leash dog parks. He stated that he had been an Anoka County Commissioner for 18 years and had been on the Parks Committee for all of those years. He has been hearing from a number of people that they would like to see an off-leash pet exercise area somewhere in the county park system. These types of parks are becoming more common in the urban areas, where space is limited for people to exercise their pets. Some information that he has been given indicates that 37% of the households in the County have a dog. The County is in the early stages of looking at this type of facility. It is something that may or may not be developed in the Anoka County park system down the road. Parks and Recreation Commission Meetinq — June 7, 2004 Paqe 3 Mr. Kordiak stated that he is very interested in talking to the Commission because a couple of the potential dog park sites are in the Fridley area. The need for such a facility is much greater in the southern end of the County which is more built up than in the northern portion of the County which has more open space for people to exercise their pets. Mr. Kordiak stated he is handing out to the Commissioners a booklet that tells more about dog parks and what they can provide. They have looked at several sites throughout Anoka County, including the Rice Creek trail head site off of Old Central and also an area in Locke Park. The area in Locke Park would be in back of the public works facility. Mr. Kordiak continued that a dog park would have some type of fencing or wall to contain the animals, dispensers for waste clean up, waste containers, a water source, benches (where the pet owners can sit), picnic tables, drinking water source (for people and another for the animals), and parking facilities. Probably the best facility that the County has looked at for the off-leash park is the one at the trail head site. It is not a very commonly used destination at the present time. Not a lot of people are there and it is rather isolated. There is a parking lot there already, but it does not get much use. There is also a water source available at that location and some fencing is already in place. The trail head site does have about ten or twelve houses that are in the vicinity of the proposed off-leash area. The Locke Park site is also a good possible site, but is a little smaller. It does not have any homes near by as the trail head site does. Mr. Kordiak stated that both sites are equally good locations for this type of faci I ity. Mr. Kordiak stated that it seems to him that an off leash pet exercise area would benefit many people in our area. The dog park facility by Columbia Golf Course in Minneapolis is a very active site. There are people there all the time, even though it is a relatively small site. He has heard requests by people when he goes door knocking in the area each year. People have also talked to the County Parks Department staff about the possibility of such a facility. Mr. Kordiak further stated that he is seeking input from this body (Fridley Parks and Recreation Commission) about whether or not you think having an off-leash opportunity is a good idea or not. If you think it is a good idea, do you have suggestions on a site that you might think is appropriate? Mr. Kondrick stated that after looking at the Rice Creek trail head site, he has a question as to what type of changes to the land would need to take place. Would you be taking down trees or removing any of the vegetation? Would you clear the land to provide this type of facility? Mr. Kordiak stated that while no plans have been drawn up for an off-leash park at that site, he would expect that the land would remain much as it is today. Off-leash parks typically have wood chips as a base material. Mr. Kondrick stated that assuming there will be costs to construct and operate a dog park; will those costs be borne by the County? Mr. Kordiak stated yes, the County would cover the expenses of building and operating such a faci I ity. Mr. Kondrick asked if the County had thought about any type of fee structure for users of the dog park facility. Mr. Kordiak stated that there would likely be a fee; however, he expects it would be a nominal fee. He further stated that he expects the costs to operate such a facility would be fairly small. He stated that requiring a pass or fee to be purchased allows for a method of making sure the Parks and Recreation Commission Meetinq — June 7, 2004 Paqe 4 pets have a license and have appropriate shots before using this facility. The fee isn't so much to cover the costs as much as it is so we know whose dog is there and that they have a permit to be there. Ms. Varichak asked if they had discussed a time frame or hours that this type of facility would be open. Mr. Kordiak stated that no detailed information such as hours of operation had been decided upon, however, all the County park facilities close at dusk and he would expect that to be the case with this facility. Mr. Solberg asked how access to the park would be monitored or how you would enforce the need for a permit. Would a staff person be on hand at all times at this facility? Mr. Kordiak stated that he would expect the Anoka County park rangers would handle the monitoring role. They would not be there all the time, but would be checking the facility regularly. Mr. Solberg asked if there would be any restrictions as to the breed of the dogs. Mr. Kordiak stated that they have not talked about that at this point. Mr. Kondrick asked how high the fence might be that would enclose this off-leash area. Would a four foot high fence be high enough to keep the animals confined and would neighbors to the property feel safe with a fence of that height? Mr. Kordiak stated that he didn't have an answer for that question right now, but he said they were thinking more of a five foot high minimum fence. Mr. Kordiak said he came here looking for the Commission members' thoughts and ideas on a facility of this type. He appreciated the opportunity to spend some time with the Commission this evening. He stated the input has been very helpful. If the Commission members think of other questions after this meeting, he encouraged them to contact him or call Jack and he can relay the question to him. Mr. Kondrick thanked Mr. Kordiak for attending the meeting and sharing information on off- leash dog parks. b. Farr Lake Park — Landscaping Request Mr. Kirk stated that the City has received a request from Mr. Richard Johnson at 1504 North Innsbruck Drive to do some landscaping improvements on his property and extending some into the land of Farr Lake Park. He is requesting to go over the property line with some planting of bushes. He has talked with Mr. Lindquist about the placement of the landscaping items and is willing to do all of this entirely at his own expense. Mr. Lindquist stated that Mr. Johnson had done a very nice job with landscaping his own property. He further stated that the proposed landscaping at the end of Mr. Johnson's property and into a portion of Farr Lake Park would be a nice improvement to the area and he would recommend that we allow Mr. Johnson to proceed. Mr. Kirk stated that the City has allowed and encouraged a lady living by Madsen Park to plant and maintain a flower garden in that park. This is similar type of request that will help the Farr Lake Park area look better. Mr. Kirk would recommend that we allow Mr. Johnson to do the landscaping requested at Farr Lake Park under the following conditions: Parks and Recreation Commission Meetinq — June 7, 2004 Paqe 5 1. All plans for the landscaping are approved by City staff prior to any planting being done. 2. The landscaped area is kept neat and trimmed by the homeowner in a manner acceptable to the City of Fridley staff. The City of Fridley will bear no expense for maintaining the landscaped area. 3. Should the City of Fridley need or want this particular area for a future park use such as a trail location, the landscaping could be removed by the City with no compensation to the homeowner. Motion by Ms. Varichak, seconded by Mr. McDonald, to approve the landscaping request by Mr. Richard Johnson, subject to the conditions listed by staff. Upon a voice vote, all members voting aye, chairperson Kondrick declared the motion carried. ADJOURNMENT MOTION by Mr. Solberg, seconded by Mr. McDonald to adjourn the June 7, 2004 meeting at 8:45 p.m. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL MEMBERS VOTING AYE, CHAIRPERSON KONDRICK DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED AND THE JUNE 7, 2004 MEETING ADJOURNED.