Board of Parks Commissioners Meeting

Norman Board of Parks Commissioners Special Meeting April 9, 2020 The Norman Board of Parks Commissioners of the City of Norman, Cleveland County, State of Oklahoma, met on the 9th day of April, 2020 at 5:30 p.m. and notice and agenda of the meeting were posted at 201 West Gray Street, 24 hours prior to the beginning of the meeting. This Park Board Special Meeting was a virtual meeting with Park Commissioners appearing via video conference. _____________________________________________________________________________________________ ITEM 1, being: ROLL CALL Present: Chair Wright and Commissioners Dolan, Favors, Isacksen, Moxley, Sallee, and Salmond Absent: Commissioners May and Ross City Officials Present: Jud Foster, Director of Parks and Recreation James Briggs, Park Planner ITEM 2, being: APPROVAL OF THE MARCH 5, 2020 MINUTES Commissioner Isacksen made the motion and Commissioner Salmond seconded to approve the agenda. The vote was taken with the following results: YEAH: Chair Wright and Commissioners Dolan, Favors, Isacksen, Moxley, Sallee, and Salmond NAY: None ITEM 3, being: APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA Commissioner Sallee made the motion and Commissioner Dolan seconded to approve the agenda. The vote was taken with the following results: YEAH: Chair Wright and Commissioners Dolan, Favors, Isacksen, Moxley, Sallee, and Salmond NAY: None ITEM 4, being Park Board Special Meeting Page 2 of 6 April 9, 2020 CONSIDERATION OF PARK LAND DEDICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR THE ARTISAN CROSSING ADDITION Mr. James Briggs, Park Planner, said Artisan Crossing PUD Addition is located in part of Section 12 Township 9 North, Rage 3 West of the Indian Meridian and is located on the north side of Tecumseh Road between 12th and 24th Avenue Northwest; just east of the BNSF rail line. This Addition is being developed as part of the plat that was presented to the Park Board in February, 2010, as the Founder’s Park Addition PUD. The entirety of that development was shown on a tract of land that encompassed approximately 160 acres, with a total of 218 single family lots, 223 units of multi-family housing, and 36 town home units. At that density, the addition would generate a public parkland dedication requirement of 2.5740 acres. The development also contains commercial space in the southwest quarter of the site and a large area of floodplain in the northeast quarter of the site. In 2010, the developer requested that they be granted a private park decision, and to that end, they proposed approximately 37 acres of open space throughout the addition. This private park land area equals more than fourteen times the amount of public park land that would be required for this addition, including approximately 2.5 acres of flat, open active recreation area for practice fields, along with extensive greenbelts and trails (and even a portion of the Legacy Trail eastern loop). The Park Board approved the request for private park land at the February, 2010, meeting. Since that time, approximately 12 acres of the Founder’s Park PUD land was sold to a separate development company, who intend to build 246 units of multi-family housing as a portion of the original plat as a separate project. That addition is being presented currently as the Artisan Crossing PUD Addition. This portion of land is directly north of Tecumseh Road. It is not adjacent to any of the original private park land from the Founder’s Park approved preliminary plat. However, the developer must still satisfy the Park Land Dedication Ordinance; and in order to do this, they are requesting a Fee-In-Lieu of Land decision for their final plat. The Artisan Crossing PUD generates a 1.088-acre land requirement if a public park were desired. However, since the remainder of the Founder’s Park development will still yield a large acreage of private park, once developed, we would collect a fee-in-lieu of land for the Artisan Crossing development, which would be used to help develop the nearest public park to Artisan Crossing (in this case, Highland Village Park). Once the remainder of Founder’s Park develops, there will be access through that neighborhood for residents of Artisan Crossing to access the private park land, which will be several times larger than the requirement for such a development. Mr. Briggs said Staff is recommending a fee-in-lieu of park land decision for the Artisan Crossing PUD Addition final plat. The original private park decision for Founder’s Park PUD Addition will remain in-place for the remainder of the development of that Addition, as discussed at the February, 2010, meeting of the Norman Board of Park Commissioners, which will provide for open space in the area of this development. Mr. Jud Foster, Director of Parks and Recreation, said this scenario is the best of both worlds because the Artisan Crossing will eventually have that land available for its use and Staff will also uses fees collected to contribute improvements to another nearby park (Highland Village Park). Chair Wright asked if Staff knew the timeframe when Founder’s Park PUD Addition will be developed. Mr. Briggs said he spoke to the developer of Founder’s Park and he said he is currently working with people as partners to build out the rest of the addition. Park Board Special Meeting Page 3 of 6 April 9, 2020 Chair Wright said she is concerned that the developer requested private park land at a February, 2010 meeting, but to date has not developed anything. She said she is concerned that 246 units of multi-family housing will not have any park close to them. Mr. Foster asked Staff whether Artisan Crossing was providing either open space or recreation space such as a club house and Mr. Briggs said there will be a club house, swimming pool, and a play-scape in the addition. Commissioner Dolan asked how much land was in the private park land and Staff said it is 37 acres as well as a trail system. Commissioner Dolan asked whether the private park land would be open to the public and Mr. Foster said typically it is open to the public however, the property owners have the right to control the park space and request people to leave. Mr. Foster said he did not know how often that occurs since Staff is not made aware of such situations, but he felt like someone might and/or would be asked to leave if they were causing a problem. Commissioner Moxley asked whether there is an agreement that Artisan Crossing can use the private park land and Mr. Briggs said there does not need to be an agreement because the private park land is essentially part of the original plat; therefore, Artisan Crossing will have access to the private park land. Commissioner Favors asked if Staff was ear-marking the funds collected for the nearby park and Mr. Foster said yes, Staff is required by ordinance to use the funds collected at the nearest park. Commissioner Favors asked how Staff determined how the funds were to be used and/or what amenities would be installed in the park. Mr. Briggs said there is a master plan for the park which includes a gazebo, tree planting around the pond, more trail work, etc. Mr. Foster said typically Staff will visit with the neighborhood association and ask what their priorities are for the amenity items. Commissioner Moxley made the motion and Commissioner Salmond seconded to approve a fee-in- lieu of park land decision for the Artisan Crossing PUD Addition. The vote was taken with the following results: YEAH: Commissioners Dolan, Favors, Isacksen, Moxley, Sallee, and Salmond NAY: None ABSTAIN: Chair Wright ITEM 5, being NORMAN FORWARD PROJECT UPDATE Mr. Jud Foster, Director of Parks and Recreation gave a Norman Forward Update to the Board, stating due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Norman Forward General Obligation (GO) Bond that was scheduled to be presented to Council for consideration for a June ballot has been postponed. He said the next option will be an August election date and said that Council will be discussing the NF issue(s) at next week’s Council Meeting. Ruby Grant Great progress continues at the park and the first phase of work for the trails have been completed to include installing the base for the trail. The Ruby Grant pavilion as well as other masonry work Park Board Special Meeting Page 4 of 6 April 9, 2020 is visible on the north side of the park. Progress continues at the three parking areas at the three entry points of the park. The project is scheduled for completion in the fall. Andrews Skate Park Staff met with the Flood Plain Permit Committee and received a flood plain permit for the skate park at Andrews Park. American Ramp Company (ARC) will begin between now and May to remove the underground water storage tank now located on the east side of the park. Mr. Foster said a Grand Opening is planned for Summer 2020. Griffin Park The contractor at Griffin Park continues to make great progress. Mr. Foster said they have begun Phase 3B, which includes the rough grading at the “old” football fields located at the southwest corner of the park, and he said the rough grading is near completion. Reaves Park The Reaves Park Plans are complete and ready to bid; we will not be proceeding until more is known on the funding situation relative to a NF GO Bond Election. Songbird Park Contractors are working to complete the dirt work and lay sod at Songbird Park. The wooden gazebo was also delivered and its construction began late in the month. Final site furnishings will be installed as the sod gets established and we will continue to monitor the 50 new trees at the park as they spend their second season growing at Songbird. Rotary Park Park Maintenance crews removed the old play equipment at Rotary Park in April; and the new equipment is scheduled for installation beginning in early May. Meanwhile, we have received bids for the demolition of the old restroom building in the park; and we will advertise for Proposals for the construction of the new restrooms, now that the plan set has been finalized by The McKinney Partnership, Architects. Funds donated over the years by the Rotary Clubs will be used to help fund the building replacement and any additional work for this popular central Norman park renovation Park Maintenance Facility The Park Maintenance Facility to be constructed on DaVinci Street is moving forward with the design process and construction documents. Also included in the project are the Transit Maintenance Facility for the bus service the City now operates and a Fire Maintenance Storage Building. _____________________________________________________________________________________________ ITEM 6, being MISCELLANEOUS DISCUSSION Chair Wright asked whether Staff was keeping up with park mowing and maintenance since the COVID-19 pandemic and Mr. Foster said Staff is basically cut in half and on a rotating schedule for the month of April. He said we are maintaining a basic mowing operation. Mr. Foster said some office staff are also alternating different days to work in the office. Mr. Foster said the Recreation Centers, Senior Center, Golf Course, and Tennis Center facilities including the activities and events are all closed. Park Board Special Meeting Page 5 of 6 April 9, 2020 Commissioner Dolan asked whether the City’s contractors who maintain some of the City grounds are continuing to work and Mr. Foster said yes, the contractors who maintain the grounds at Legacy Park and the medians on Main and Lindsey Streets remain working at this time. Commissioner Salmond asked Staff if new City policies would need to be put into place due to the COVID-19, such as social distancing. Mr. Foster said he felt like certain policies will be implemented until the pandemic is over and the policies in place now will continue until all City employees return to work. Commissioner Salmond asked about baseball/softball leagues regarding how policies/procedures will be implemented and Mr. Foster said he does not have an answer for that yet. Mr. Foster said Staff will need to begin discussions and get ahead of the issue, i.e., decide whether there will be leagues, if so when they will begin and how long they will last. He said Staff will need to reach out and discuss with the various organizations. Commission Salmond asked if the summer sports camps are cancelled and if so, how will that impact the operations that depend on that revenue. Mr. Jason Olsen, Recreation Superintendent, said Staff has already reached out to Norman Youth Soccer Association (NYSA), Ball Clubs of Norman, and Little Axe Youth Sports (LAYS) and the plan is to shut down their operations until the end of April and then begin discussions about restarting them with restrictions to include the number of players at a time, whether parents must stay in their vehicles, etc. He said the City will need to wait and see how the pandemic pans out in the next few weeks before deciding about having the Sports Camps, stating the City does not want get into contracts with people if it is determined we should wait longer for health and safety reasons, both for participants and coaches. Commissioner Salmond asked if the COVID-19 pandemic continues for a long period of time, is there a plan in place for Staff to take advantage of maintenance issues on facilities and in parks that they may not have had time to do in the past. Mr. Olsen said Griffin and Reaves Parks are in good shape regarding the fields that are being worked on by the Dodgers. He said the fields are and will be in better shape than ever before. Mr. Foster said any improvements done will be by the sports organizations as long as Park Maintenance staffing is reduced. Commissioner Isacksen thanked Staff and said it is awesome how City Staff is keeping the citizens engaged with the live concerts, virtual Easter Egg Hunt, Parks Madness, and the Teddy Bear Hunt. Commissioner Sallee asked Staff to explain Parks Madness and Mr. Olsen said beginning next week, the 64 Norman Parks will “match up” against each other; whereas, citizens will vote on their favorite park until there is a winner. Once the pandemic is over and people can meet in the parks again, Staff will host an event at the winning park to include vendors, live bands, and various entertainment for children. Mr. Foster said Staff will be interviewed on Sports Talk Radio, 1400 AM, and our very own James Briggs will be the voice of the different personalities for each of the winning park(s). He said it will be quite entertaining if you can catch it on the radio and said each interview will be reposted on the Parks and Recreation FaceBook page. Commissioner Sallee asked about the regular Park Board meeting in May when a Park Tour is scheduled. She felt it would be fun for everyone to meet at Ruby Grant Park and see the progress. Mr. Foster felt the Park Tour would most likely move to the fall once social distancing is not an issue. _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Park Board Special Meeting Page 6 of 6 April 9, 2020 ITEM 7, being ADJOURNMENT Commissioner Dolan made the motion and Commissioner Isacksen seconded to adjourn. The vote was taken with the following results: YEAH: Chair Wright and Commissioners Dolan, Favors, Isacksen, Moxley, Sallee, and Salmond NAY: None Passed and approved this ____________of ________________________ 2020 Kristi Wright, Chairperson