Parks, Arts & Recreation Commission

PARKS, ARTS & RECREATION COMMISSION MINUTES SEPT 23, 2021 MINUTES PARKS, ARTS & RECREATION COMMISSION MEETING THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 23, 2021 - 8:00 A.M. ACADEMY ROOM – CITY HALL “To enhance community pride through developing and maintaining City parks with a high standard of quality.” Members Present: Julie Jelen, Janine Kopff, Adam Leiferman, Nancy McCaffrey, Sam Murdoff, Brian Stoll Members Absent: Lynn Anderson, Mercedes Turner Staff Present: Sara Cahill, Beth Green, Tricia Handorff, Tom Pawelk, Angela Schuman, Sue Seeger, Hayden Stensgard 1. General Business A. Call to Order Chairman Stoll called the meeting to order at 8:06 a.m. B. Approval of Agenda  Add Safe Routes to School Map Review JULIE JELEN MOVED TO APPROVE THE AGENDA WITH THE ADDED ITEM. MOTION SECONDED BY NANCY MCCAFRREY. MOTION CARRIED, 5-0. C. Approval of Meeting Minutes  Regular Meeting Minutes from July 22, 2021 JULIE JELEN MOVED TO APPROVE THE REGULAR MEETING MINUTES FROM JULY 22, 2021. MOTION SECONDED BY NANCY MCCCAFFREY. MOTION CARRIED, 5-0. D. Citizen’s requests and comments  Skate Park: Tom Pawelk noted that there is a small group of interest in a skate park. Sara Cahill and Tom Pawelk will continue to research this. Julie Jelen will provide them with info on skate park rules from the LMC (League of MN Cities). E. Commission Liaison Updates  Bertram Advisory Council: No quorum at last meeting. Next meeting is 11/5/2021. Page 1 of 4  PARKS, ARTS & RECREATION COMMISSION MINUTES SEPT 23, 2021 2. Regular Agenda A. Consideration of a recommendation for Comprehensive Plan Amendment for adoption of the Chelsea Commons Small Area Plan. Angela Schumann explained that The PARC is asked to review the draft Chelsea Commons Small Area Plan (SAP) and make a recommendation to the Planning Commission and City Council regarding its formal adoption. If recommended for approval, this will go to the City Council on September 27. The Chelsea Commons Small Area Plan is created to reimagine the potential development of a prominent land area in the core of Monticello. Chelsea Commons will be an exceptional neighborhood in which to live, work and play. The Plan combines a varied mix of commercial services, residential living opportunities, and public open space amenities. Chelsea Commons is centered on a significant recreational water feature and surrounded by a series of interconnected public spaces for discovery. The Plan is designed to inspire exceptional private development that values and builds on these distinctive public areas. Chelsea Commons will be a magnet for the Monticello community and beyond. Schumann explained that this plan fulfills the need for parkland for existing neighborhoods in the community. The pathway system will l link directly into the larger system identified within the Pathway Connections. It is a central component of Monticello’s vision, and how it sees itself into the future – sustainable, prosperous, healthy – fostering a sense of belonging and connection. Next will be the review process, naming and implementation. Schumann explained that there is a naming poll online which is for feedback only. The chosen name will be presented to the City Council, but the council will have the final say in naming the area. The RFP for park grading & landscaping will be posted on 9/27/21. If approved it is expected that grading will take place in 2021, 2022 & 2023. Phasing for public improvements will be timed with private investments. Chairman Stoll asked about funding and timing, will there be an end date of when it will be built out, and noted concerns about it being a long, drawn-out project. Comparing it to how long Bertram has taken and noting how some associations have fallen off while waiting for Bertram to be built out. Furthermore, what is the plan to get businesses there? Page 2 of 4  PARKS, ARTS & RECREATION COMMISSION MINUTES SEPT 23, 2021 Schumann explained that the plan for Bertram is a phased plan, it is being built according to the needs assessment based on the way people recreate. For the Chelsea Commons Project, the city council will have to determine if they want to do bonding for funding. The talk is that they would like to see this completed sooner rather than later. The lake feature will be the draw. Council Liaison Murdoff said Chelsea Commons is more of a public/private development and things are already happening there. As it keeps progressing, more interest grows in the area which helps the project to move along more quickly. Once the plan is in place, then it can be marketed to get the private sector interested. JULIE JELEN MOVED TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE CHELSEA COMMONS SMALL AREA PLAN AS WRITTEN. MOTION SECONDED BY NANCY MCCAFFREY. MOTION CARRIED, 5-0. B. Consideration of approving an Eagle Scout Project at Swan Park for trumpeter swan history signage and authorizing staff to install the signs. The Parks, Arts & Recreation Commission is asked to approve an Eagle Scout Project for history signage at Swan Park and to authorize City staff to assist with installation of the signs. The signage will be installed in the interior of Swan Park near the viewing area overlooking the Mississippi River. The Eagle Scout candidate was present to discuss his project. He said he has been working with the Swan City Heritage Foundation to get more details and to tell the story of how the swan feeding program began. The foundation will fund the project. As there is only a small sign there right now, it seemed important to put up larger informational signs to provide history of the swan feeding program and its success. Thanks to the dedicated efforts of Sheila Lawrence, she brought the swan population back to record numbers, not only in this area but in Minnesota as a whole. The sign will tell Sheila’s story, and include pictures of the swans, and Sheila Lawrence feeding the swans. The signs will also explain why the feeding program has been suspended as the population has now increased in droves and it is important for the birds to remain wild to be healthy and to flourish. The scout further explained that this new sign will replace the old sign, being placed in that same location, next to the pathway. It will be a 4-panel sign placed on a concrete pad. The City Parks Department will pour the concrete pad and assist in installation of the sign. JANINE KOPFF MOVED TO RECOMMEND APPROVING THE EAGLE SCOUT PROJECT AT SWAN PARK AND TO AUTHORIZE PARK STAFF TO ASSIST WITH Page 3 of 4  PARKS, ARTS & RECREATION COMMISSION MINUTES SEPT 23, 2021 THE INSTALLATION OF THE TRUMPETER SWAN HISTORY SIGNAGE. MOTION SECONDED BY JULIE JELEN. MOTION CARRIED, 7-0. 3. Updates A. MontiArts Update. Updated provided by Sue Seeger and included in the agenda packet. B. MCC Operations Update. Update provided by Sara Cahill and Tricia Handorff and included in the agenda packet. C. General Park Updates. Tom Pawelk provided general park updates.  ParWest Prairie Project: Great River Energy has contacted the city and they are looking at driving through the native areas that were just seeded so that they can trim the oaks and eliminate the buckthorn in the area. Pawelk said that he is requesting that they complete the other half of the native prairie grass planting and provide the funding. Prior to trimming GRE will need to go door to door to communicate with the residents.  Nancy McCaffrey asked about trees on Prairie Road that have recently been cut and left lying there. Pawelk said that was from Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) for site lines. Unfortunately, that is their process, to trim trees and then to just leave them lay. This has been an ongoing problem with them.  Next Regular Meeting: December 2, 2021 4. Discussion of added items. A. Safe Routes to School Grant Map Review: Tom Pawelk reviewed the Safe Routes to School map with the commission and noted that the areas highlighted in red are what the grant will be focused on. Adding a trail on south side of School Boulevard near Cardinal Hills Park which will be on the southern edge of the ROW along School Boulevard. Pawelk noted that Cardinal Hills was constructed without sidewalks. Discussed adding a trail extension into the development from School Boulevard in an area where there is an easement and a curb cut to connect with an existing trail in the development. This is the first set of improvements, and it will go to City Council for approval at the next meeting. The construction will begin in 2022. 5. Adjournment Meeting adjourned at 9:15 a.m. Community Center tour following meeting. RECORDED BY: Beth Green ___________________________________ DATE APPROVED: __________12/2/2021_________________ ATTEST: ___________________________________________ Page 4 of 4