Park Advisory Board

10801 Town Square Drive City of Blaine Blaine, MN 55449 Anoka County, Minnesota Minutes - Final Park Advisory Board Chair Jeffrey Bird, Jennifer Bingle, Prad Das, Jeff Lester, Rex Markle, Karen Varian and Tom Walsdorf The Park Board is an advisory body to the city council. One of the board's functions is to hold public meetings and make recommendations to the city council. For each item, the board will receive reports prepared by city staff, provide the opportunity for public response, conduct board discussions and make recommendations. The city council, however, makes all final decisions on these matters. Tuesday, August 23, 2016 7:00 PM Council Chambers 1. Call To Order The Blaine Park Advisory Board met in the Council Chambers of City Hall on Tuesday, August 23, 2016. 1. Chair Bird called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. 2. Roll Call Members Present: Commissioners Bingle, Das, Markle, Varian, Walsdorf, and Chair Bird. Members Absent: Commissioner Lester Staff Present: Nate Monahan Recreation Manager and Bob Therres, Public Works Director Present: 6 - Comissioner Das, Comissioner Markle, Comissioner Walsdorf, Comissioner Bird, Comissioner Varian, and Comissioner Bingle Absent: 1 - Comissioner Lester 3. Approval of Minutes 3.-1 TMP 16-0394 APPROVAL OF THE MAY 24, 2016 PARK BOARD MINUTES Commissioner Varian asked about a letter sent to the Council about the concession building and Chair Bird stated he has not received a response. Commissioner Varian asked if there was any update on the NSC lease on the property and MAC selling the property and Chair Bird suggested that be added to Park Updates at the end of the meeting. City of Blaine Page 1 Park Advisory Board Minutes - Final August 23, 2016 Motion by Commissioner Das, to approve the minutes of May 24, 2016 as presented. Motion seconded by Commissioner Walsdorf. Motion approved unanimously. Aye: 6 - Comissioner Das, Comissioner Markle, Comissioner Walsdorf, Comissioner Bird, Comissioner Varian, and Comissioner Bingle 4. Open Forum for Citizen Input Chair Bird opened the Open Forum at 7:06 p.m. No one appeared to address the Commission. Chair Bird closed Open Forum at 7:07 p.m. None. 5. New Business 5.-1 TMP 16-0396 VILLAGE CARRIAGE NORTH HOME OWNERS ASSOCIATION NO PARKING PETITION ALONG WITH OTHER POSSIBLE NO PARKING PETITIONS THAT MAY COME IN FROM OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS AROUND THE BEACH. Recreation Manager Monahan reviewed the City Council has requested the Park Board review the no parking petition submitted by the Village Carriage North Home Owners Association along with any other possible no parking petitions that may come in from other neighborhoods around the beach. The City Council likes to see at least 50% of the neighborhood sign a petition before approving no parking signs. The petition includes over 50% of the neighborhood signatures. Dunkirk Street residents signed a petition earlier in the summer and the City Council approved no parking signs be put up from June 1 - Labor Day 10am - 8pm. The residents had some issues when they would have private gatherings at their houses during the summer months. Residents may contact the police department and fill out temporary parking permit for large gatherings during the summer months. The petition from the association and a sample of the temporary parking permit were provided for Park Board review and read by Mr. Monahan. Mr. Monahan showed a map indicating the streets where the signs are requested. Chair Bird asked to see a map showing the relationship to the beach which Mr. Monahan showed to the Commission. City of Blaine Page 2 Park Advisory Board Minutes - Final August 23, 2016 Ms. Katie Hentges, 12120 Dunkirk Street, stated she participated in the no parking request on Dunkirk Street. There was not a problem before there was a fee for parking at the beach parking lot. The $5 fee is producing the overflow parking on residential streets. Commissioner Das asked how long this has been going on and Ms. Hentges stated it has been an issue since the parking lot was constructed in the past couple of years. This is just during the summer months with people going to the beach. Commissioner Walsdorf asked if the no parking signs are working and Ms. Hentges stated at first there were some issues but once the police monitored and ticketed there has not been a problem. Commissioner Walsdorf asked if people parked on Coral Sea Lane. Ms. Hentges stated Dunkirk Street is the only one with no parking. Commissioner Walsdorf asked if the parking fee was removed would the problem go away and Ms. Hentges stated that was discussed to be done on a trial basis. Commissioner Walsdorf asked what the revenue has been for parking fees and Mr. Monahan stated the last two summers the City has generated about $20,000/year. Commissioner Varian asked about the special permit for large gatherings is not being utilized currently and Ms. Hentges stated it has not started. Ms. Sally Friested, Harpers Court by the volleyball court, said she has the same issue. When she first moved in there was an issue with kids sitting on the berm smoking pot. The police addressed this but it is still a problem. The kids go directly through their yards. There are issues with parking. She had turned in a petition for the 32 units about getting a no parking sign however some of the neighbors had requested the signs say no beach parking. There is very little parking space for the residents. The Police have been to the area more often. There are two issues the day time parking and the night time partying. Commissioner Walsdorf asked if putting up no parking signs would solve her problems. Ms. Friested doesn’t know how to solve their problem. She is concerned with kids being in her yard at 2am as she lives alone. The fence does not go along the entire side of the berm. The fence was put up by the developer and the fence was supposedly supposed to go the entire side. Chair Bird stated there have been issues for 12-15 years. He lived adjacent to a park for 28 years and has experienced issues with living near a park. The Park Board cannot control what happens on City Streets and he is not comfortable as a Board making recommendations to the City Council on City of Blaine Page 3 Park Advisory Board Minutes - Final August 23, 2016 where people can and cannot park on City Streets. Chair Bird would be in favor of removing the parking fee to see if it solves the problem. Perhaps Hans Hagen would extend the fence. An unidentified resident asked if No Trespassing signs can be put in yards. Commissioner Das suggested there be more communications and signage directing people to park in the beach parking lot. An unidentified resident suggested it be posted that Blaine residents can park for free. Commissioner Bingle asked if the attendance growth to the beach has been monitored and Mr. Monahan stated attendance is taken 3 times a day and there has been a slight uptick from earlier years. 30,000 a year come to beach. Commissioner Bangle asked if there was a possibility of incentives to get people to park in the parking lot. The Board and audience members continued discussion. Commissioner Varian stated she does not believe this will end. She asked where there is no parking and Mr. Monahan stated Lakes Parkway and Dunkirk and North Marina has no parking. We may need to look at another solution. Chair Bird stated he does not disagree. It is not an ideal situation to make sure someone visiting your home needs a parking permit. This should be addressed by the Council. Need to see where that $20,000 of revenue could come from if not from parking permits. This could be looked at before next season. Commissioner Varian asked if there was a police officer on duty that patrols the area during the season and Mr. Monahan stated there is not an officer dedicated however the park patrol does monitor. They are aware of the drug use and alcohol. Commissioner Varian asked if the parking lot lights could be left on all night and Mr. Monahan stated there are lights around. Commissioner Varian asked if No Beach Parking signs couldn’t be put up and a meeting attendee stated she was told it was not enforceable. Commissioner Varian and Chair Bird noted the signage and enforcement may cost more than $20,000 per year. Chair Bird stated the fear is if the fees were removed the parking lot would be fill and there would still be overflow parking in the city streets. Commissioner Bingle stated she is concerned. Is there a curfew for under age kids to be at the beach? Commissioner Das quoted the curfews in effect. City of Blaine Page 4 Park Advisory Board Minutes - Final August 23, 2016 Commissioner Das suggested the use of no trespassing signs or video cameras. More comments from audience members who did not approach the podium. Chair Bird asked Staff to bring this back to the City Council. Commissioner Markel stated he would not be in favor of removing the parking fee as it would be a detriment to the residents of Blaine. More signage at the beach stating that residents can have free parking with a pass would be better. He stated this would be a very large area for no parking. Mr. Monahan will go back to Council with the comments expressed this evening. Chair Bird thanked the neighbors from coming to the meeting. Commissioner Das stated the Park Board was not aware of this situation and now that they are action will be taken. Discussed. 5.-2 TMP 16-0397 REVIEW OF 2016 CIF PROJECTS Recreation Manager Monahan reviewed a power point of the 2016 CIF Projects. He reviewed the projects that have been completed: Mary Elizabeth Shelter Cloverleaf Playground Little League Shelter Eastside Basketball Hoop Broken Oaks Swings and Fibar Aquatore Dog Park Mr. Monahan reviewed other projects to be completed. Informational; no action required. 5.-3 TMP 16-0398 COMMUNITY CENTER UPDATE Mr. Monahan provided an update on the Community Center. The Council did approve the question that will be on the November Ballot. Blaine is looking at a collaboration with the YMCA. There will most likely be a deficit as community centers typically do not make a profit. Commissioner Varian stated she heard the seniors want the senior center to be a separate building and she asked how much additional cost that would be. Mr. Monahan stated they don’t have an estimate but it will be a lot more for a separate building. The City Council has only made a decision on the question on the ballot. The seniors want a new building at their City of Blaine Page 5 Park Advisory Board Minutes - Final August 23, 2016 current location. Commissioner Varian noted when the new City Hall was built the seniors were asked if they wanted to be in this building and they did not. Informational; no action required. 5.-4 TMP 16-0399 RECREATION/CONSTRUCTION UPDATES Recreation Manager Monahan reviewed: NSC Lease with Airport Commission - the lease is through the end of 2016. The City wants to retain the softball wheel and discussions will be held with MAC. The NSC wants to retain the soccer fields. Mr. Monahan does not know if the NSC is interested in the softball fields. Blaine Triathlon - Saturday, September 10 - 8am start with 200 people currently signed up. They are hoping for 250. Lochness Park Trail - Infinite Campus project - This was paid for by Infinite Campus and it is their fire lane. This was a great improvement to the park. They will be constructing a shelter sometime in October. The new shelter will be close to where the old one was. Residents were reminded to pick up after their dogs. Chair Bird asked about signage for the park. The City is going away from the wood signs to much smaller signs. Mr. Monahan stated the wood signs cost about $1500 and the smaller metal signs are much cheaper. Commissioner Das asked if there couldn’t be a larger sign on Lexington Avenue for Lochness Park. Mr. Monahan stated there is a limit to the number of signs allowed. Informational; no action required. Adjournment Commissioner Das motioned to adjourn. Commissioner Bingle seconded the motion. Motion approved unanimously. Chair Bird adjourned the meeting at 8:10 p.m. Aye: 6 - Comissioner Das, Comissioner Markle, Comissioner Walsdorf, Comissioner Bird, Comissioner Varian, and Comissioner Bingle City of Blaine Page 6