Parks and Trails Commission

BAXTER PARKS AND TRAILS COMMISSION MINUTES Monday, August 22, 2022 at 4:00 PM “A Growing Community” Baxter City Hall, 13190 Memorywood Drive, Baxter, MN CALL TO ORDER The regular meeting of the Baxter Parks and Trails Commission was called to order at 4:00 pm by Chair Barrack. ROLL CALL MEMBERS PRESENT: Chair Barrick, Commissioners Mari Holderness, and Todd Calhoun MEMBERS ABSENT: Council Liaison Zack Tabbat and Josh Pennington STAFF PRESENT: CD Director Josh Doty and Planner Matthew Gindele OTHERS: None MINUTES 1. Parks and Trail Commission meeting minutes from February 28, 2022 will be reviewed at the next meeting. COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS Chair Barrick noted that the noxious weeds are thick in the city ditches/stormwater ponds and wondered how they are being controlled. She noted that it does grow onto others property if not maintained. CD Director Doty stated would have to look into if there if there is a dedicated program. He will report back after talking to Parks staff. Chair Barrick noted that the new playground equipment at OK park is being heavily used. She has heard a lot of positive feedback. CD Director noted that the Commission did not ask that the little house be added to the expense, the playground company donated it to the city. Chair Barrick also noted that the Foley Rd. project is getting a new trail as well, she was excited to hear that. CD Director noted there will be trails connected with three projects. OLD BUSINESS NEW BUSINESS 1. Mississippi River Overlook Masterplan Chair Barrick asked for an update from staff. CD Director Doty stated this has been over a year in the works. He reviewed the history of Project Advisory Committee and the meetings that were held. The consults really walked the committee through the planning stage to get to this document. CD Director Doty informed the Commission of what the residents wanted for this area, most of them wanted it to stay quiet and natural and no one wanted motorized traffic in this area. He reviewed where the different types of land slopes verses water resources were located. 8/22/2022 Parks and Trails Commission Minutes Page 2 CD Director Doty stated there is also a community use plan to assist with recreational groups coming forward wanting to use the land for skiing, snow shoeing, biking, and hunting as part of the masterplan. CD Director Doty explained on a site map the 260 acre portion of the land that was funded by LCCMR and the water resources and how it flows into the Mississippi River. He spoke about the different trails that could be installed, educational and recreational could be used. He touched on maintenance, ADA accessibility and funding strategy. CD Director Doty reviewed the Mississippi River Overlook Masterplan with the Commission. He reviewed each chapter and explained the meaning of each one. CD Director Doty spoke of the west half of the area being considered by an “out take partner”. One of those potential partners could be the DNR for a Wildlife Management Area (WMA) as they have been interested in a WMA in southwest Baxter since about 2015. He explained that the city is looking at keeping the out take partner language general to so as not to specify a single out take partner in case that falls through. He explained Option A-is to keep the land west of Pike Creek all green, meaning it is intended for out take partners. The exception to this would be the approximate 20 along Mapleton Road that would be retained by the City for possible active recreational development. Chair Barrick asked if the city could put soccer and baseball fields on this land. CD Director Doty stated yes, you could, the funding restriction are on the 260 acres east of Pike Creek. Chair Barrick commented on possibly relocating all of the fields to one area, such as this property. She indicated that as Baxter grows, that area could potentially have homes that would then need a park. CD Director Doty explained areas on the map and where ball fields, dog park, trails, sports track could be placed potentially. CD Director Doty stated that this masterplan is really a guide for future projects in the park and does not set in stone exactly what or where those improvmeents will be. Chair Barrick asked if Paris Rd and Oakdale both included in the study. CD Director Doty stated yes it was included in Option A. He then explained on a map the potential road extension from the end of Paris Road extending down into the park with an 80 stall parking lot option shown on the map. CD Director Doty reviewed the vista viewing/overlook locations along the river and potential for benches along the way. He explained the reason for the possible Veteran’s State Trail location and why it is shown to wrap around a potential WMA before it heads back south to the power line corridor and into Sylvan Township. He added that Sylvan township has been involved throughout the planning process and is in support of the Veteran’s State Trail connection location to Sylvan Township. CD Director Doty stated that there is a right-of-way (ROW) corridor planned in a portion of the land. He explained the corridor needs to be protected at this time before the City conciders any possible out take partners to protect the residents south of the park from being land locked and cut off from the rest of Baxter. If there is an out take partner, the City still wants the ability to build a road in the future if and when the time is right which is what the ROW corridor preerves. He stated there is no proposal to build this road at this time. CD Director Doty reviewed the powerline corridor and the costs of the three different phases that was in the packet. 8/22/2022 Parks and Trails Commission Minutes Page 3 Commissioner Holderness really liked the masterplan (unable to hear remainder of comments). Chair Barrick stated that she liked the idea of a dog park on this land. Chair Barrick asked staff if there was a timeframe to make some of these improvements, in a couple of years. CD Director Doty stated the roads and parking lot are going to be expensive. The city is already doing fire break trails within the park. He noted that phase one has a larger dollar amount, phase two is linked to educational items and that can get grants easier. He noted several low costs items that could be done, however, until the road and parking lot are in place, it would not be wise to place amenities in this area as people would be parking on the street in a residential area on Oakdale St. On Mapleton Rd. as there is no other access. Chair Barrick asked if the Oakdale St. has an easement and if the city would keep that easement in place. CD Director Doty stated that the city would keep that easement as another walk-in access. Commissioner Holderness asked if the cost would be through the park dedication fund. CD Director Doty stated that new parks typically fall onto park dedication fund, however sometimes it is a developer or street improvement project that may assist with the costs. Commissioner Holderness asked if the only way to get to the park is Oakdale Rd. CD Director Doty stated that at this time that is correct and it is a long hike. He stated that getting a new parking lot closer to the river would help with people that can’t take that long of a walk. MOTION by Commissioner Calhoun, second by Commissioner Holderness to approval the Mississippi River Overlook Masterplan Option A as presented by staff. 2. Pickleball Improvements at Loren Thompson Park CD Director Doty stated that past Commission conversations have been to have lawn games and pickle ball courts. The pickle ball community is very active in the community, and they are very interested in having more courts in Baxter. He noted that staff is resurfacing the tennis court as a maintenance item and stripping for pickle ball was included in the re-surfacing of the courts. He reviewed a site map with the Commission, showing the location of the basketball courts, tennis court and pickle ball stripping. The pickle ball community proposed that the city pays for the nets and staff did some research and found that two heavy duty permanent pickle ball nets and a fence would be needed to keep the basketballs on one side and the pickle ball on the other side. This would come out of the park dedication fund at a total of roughly $6,000.00. Staff had conversation about portable nets, even though they are only $800.00 for two, the concern of theft was the reason not to purchase those nets for the other two courts proposed to be striped on top of the tennis court in a different color. The pickle ball community noted that a lot of players have their own nets. Commissioner Calhoun asked about the distances between the courts and CD Director Doty stated that staff has measured the area and there is enough room. Chair Barrick stated that if the court is striped for pickle ball, it should have the portable nets. Commissioner Calhoun agreed with Chair Barrick that spending the money to re-strip the court for pickle ball and not have a net there is going to get questions from the community as to why there are not nets there to use. CD Director Doty asked the Commission if they would like to see the pickle ball court rather than the tennis court. Chair Barrick said no, as one set of tennis courts has already been removed. CD Director Doty stated that when they met with the representatives of the pickle ball community all they were asking for was the striping of four courts. Chair Barrick stated that it would probably be wise to wait a full season to see how much use there is with pickle ball and see if the courts function with people bringing their own nets before the City makes a decision on providing temporary nets. MOTION by Commissioner Calhoun, second by Commissioner Holderness to approval the pickle ball improvements at Loren Thompson Park as presented by staff. 8/22/2022 Parks and Trails Commission Minutes Page 4 3. Parks Priority List CD Director Doty stated that budgets are being discussed and now would be the time to think of which projects are a priority for the Commission, with the City Council approved list of priority parks and trails projects. He highlighted the items that have been completed and what needs to be completed. He stated a high priority item on the list is the Hwy. 371 pedestrian bridge and that the pedestrian study indicates the best location for it is at Clearwater Road. He stated that Clearwater Rd. is slated for improvements from Inglewood Dr. to Edgewood Dr. in 2023 and that the trail could be completed at that time in conjunction with the road project. Chair Barrick said she is interested in item number 2-4 and gaining better access to the Mississippi River. She stated that even doing a ½ mile of trail at a time would be a start. Commissioner Holderness stated that a concession stand/press box is needed at Oscar Kristofferson Park, as a lot of cities have a concession stand. She also stated the need for a dog park in Baxter and a desire for yard games to be provided in Baxter’s parks. CD Director Doty stated that to do a concession stand would be a huge project for 2023. He suggested it be a priority but may not be feasible for next year. Something like Mississippi trails would be a much more feasible option. UPDATES None ADJOURN MOTION by Commissioner Holderness, seconded by Commissioner Calhoun to adjourn the meeting at 5:51 p.m. Motion unanimously approved. Approved by: Submitted By: ___________________________ ______________________________ Mellissa Barrick Shanna Newman Chair CD Administrative Assistant