Parks Board Meeting 05/07/24

PARKS BOARD MEETING 05/07/24 MINUTES City Hall, 120 El Chico Trl., Suite A, Willow Park, TX 76087 Tuesday, May 07, 2024 at 6:00 PM CALL TO ORDER Meeting called to order by Ex Officio, Lea Young at 6:00 p.m. DETERMINATION OF QUORUM Quorum confirmed. PRESENT David Wagner James McKibben Lea Young Cynthia White Barry Noggle, Alternate ABSENT Corey Tucker Ever Gomez Staff present: Toni Fisher, Planning & Development Director/Parks PUBLIC COMMENTS (Limited to five minutes per person) Residents may address the Park Board regarding an item that is not listed on the agenda. Residents must complete a speaker form and turn it in to the Secretary five (5) minutes before the start of the meeting. The Rules of Procedure states that comments are to be limited to five (5) minutes. The Texas Open Meetings Act provides the following: (a) If, at a meeting of a governmental body, a member of the public or of the governmental body inquiries about a subject for which notice has not been given as required by this subchapter, the notice provisions of this subchapter do not apply to: (1) A statement of specific factual information given in response to the inquiry; or (2) A recitation of existing policy in response to the inquiry. (b) Any deliberation of or decision about the subject of the inquiry shall be limited to a proposal to place the subject on the agenda for a subsequent meeting. Catherine Weber, 616 Royal View Ct., Willow Park Parks Board Meeting 05/07/24 5/7/2024 Page 1 of 5 APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES 1. Revised Park Board Meeting Minutes - May 02, 2023 Approved. Motion made by Wagner, Seconded by McKibben. Voting Yea: Wagner, McKibben, White. Abstain: Noggle. 2. Parks Board Meeting Minutes - August 01, 2023 Approved. Motion made by Wagner, Seconded by McKibben. Voting Yea: Wagner, McKibben, White Abstain: Noggle. ITEMS TO BE CONSIDERED AND ACTED UPON 3. Discussion & Action: Elect Parks Board Chairperson & Co-Chairperson. Nomination received for Ever Gomez for Chair. Nomination received for David Wagner for Co-Chair. Motion made by Wagner, Seconded by White. Voting Yea: Wagner, McKibben, White, Noggle NEW BUSINESS Remainder of Meeting conducted by newly-elected Co-Chair, David Wagner. 4. Discuss past progress and future plans for Kings Gate Park. Toni Fisher, Planning & Development Director, introduced Jakob Cooper as the new Parks Superintendent, who is a Public Works employee now shared part-time with the Parks Department for the City of Willow Park. She informed Parks Board of the conveyance of Kings Gate Park from Wilks Development in December 2023, and explained the involvement by Dorothy Witmeyer of Westwood Professional Services to help with the programming of Kings Gate Park, a proposal which is being presented to City Council next week. Lastly, Ms. Fisher informed the Board of the upcoming start of the Willow park Trail system at Kings Gate Park by the Weatherford Mountain Bike Club. Parks Board Meeting 05/07/24 5/7/2024 Page 2 of 5  5. Presentation by Dorothy Witmeyer, Westwood Professional Services, regarding Kings Gate Park programming proposal. Dorothy Witmeyer of Westwood Professional Services presented her proposal to the Board, explaining the desire for the City to fully plan the amenities for the park and their placement before making any decisions. This project will be based on the input from residents and the community during the creation of the Parks & Trails Master Plan completed in 2019. 6. Video & Presentation by Larry Colvin, President of Weatherford Mountain Bike Club, regarding Willow Park's "The Trinity Trail" and Beginner Skills Area in Kings Gate Park. Trail Video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXJkWIeNP6g Larry Colvin, President of Weatherford Mountain Bike Club, announced that the WMBC did a fundraiser for the Kings Gate Park trail, raising $19,050, most of which was from Willow Park businesses and residents. He shared that WMBC and Shadow Johns of Shadow Trail Design are pinning the location of the single-track trail and kiosk locations on Saturday, May 18, 2024. The Kings Gate Park trail is expected to provide three kiosks: one near the parking lot and one at each bridge crossing the Trinity. Once single-track is completed, WMBC will call out mountain bikers to "burn in" the trail by riding on it. Once WMBC is content with the design, they will begin to add elements of interest to the trail (rocks, bridges, etc.). The final phase of the project will then be determined, which is "the hub", an elevated portion of trail on which [kids] can meet and ride. Mr. Colvin's closing thought: "Where can we build trails next?". This project is only related to the Kings Gate Park, which is city-owned property. Future trail expansion relies on existing and future hike and bike trail easements, which can be on public or private land, and some of which is already designated. 7. Discuss past progress and future plans for Cross Timbers Park. Ms. Fisher informed the Board that Jakob Cooper weeded the Cross Timbers Park flower beds and refreshed them with about 66 bags of new mulch. She said that the Parker County Master Gardeners tend to the Demonstration Garden and they do a great job that is much appreciated. She also said that Jakob is also available to assist them to complete projects, as necessary, and that he will also maintain the schedule for the sprinkler system, as adjustments are needed. 8. Report from Cynthia White for Parker County Master Gardeners. Cynthia White, Parks Board Member and lead for the Willow Park crew of the Parker County Master Gardeners, provided a brief report to the Board. She indicated that the gardeners missed all work days in April due to rain, and provided goals for this year. The gardeners' goals are to try to get plants labeled for the Demonstration Garden to provide the educational opportunity for which it was intended. Ms. White also said that the gardeners intend to continue to replace Parks Board Meeting 05/07/24 5/7/2024 Page 3 of 5  flowers, which their association pays for, while the City provides the mulch and water for their survival. Ex-Officio Board Member, Lea Young mentioned that the help of the lawn maintenance crew for the beds, as well, but White said they used herbicides to kill the weeds which also killed some of the flowers, so she'd asked them to not use it again. Ms. Fisher stated that Cooper could assist them a couple of times per year to help to pull weeds. The Master Gardeners are scheduled for a workday this coming Thursday from 9-11, and Cooper is scheduled to stop by to meet them. Ms. White also mentioned that, as was requested by Fisher, she intended to fill out an application for Master Gardeners Design Committee to create a flowerbed design for the Memorial Park and meet with City for expectations for fall plantings. 9. Discuss past progress and future plans for Memorial Park. Ms. Fisher presented to the Board that the City is looking at different ideas for Memorial Park, its potential relocation, and the investment we're wanting to make on it. Ex-Officio Ms. Young expanded on the conversation, addressing the issue of no longer having water for the sprinklers at this park now that the old City Hall has been demolished. As to what will happen to 516 Ranch House Rd site: at this time, the City intends to retain the property, including the park, and noted that designated parkland must be taken to the voters to be sold. Ms. Young proceeded to tell the Board that the City purchased the existing City Hall [in July 2023] and the acreage in front (to the south), and stated that Dorothy Witmeyer at Westwood Professional Services is also helping us design the expansion of the parking lot. When discussing the options for Memorial Park, it was proposed that Memorial Park could be relocated to the southwest corner of the City Hall frontage property, and the City has also contracted with Westwood for this possibly. Ms. Young stated that Staff would seek feedback from the Parks Board for fundraising ideas. She indicated that the park's visibility from the frontage road would gain more passer-by attention and be a striking and purposeful entrance for our City Hall and create a more formal, planned, and cohesive memorial park that will blend with the City Hall building. Because of this, it was recommended by Board member White that the Master Gardeners delay providing landscaping design suggestions for existing Memorial Park as its installation might then have to be removed. Board member Wagner asked if Parker County ESD1 was [still] interested in the old City Hall site, and if the City was interested in selling any of its frontage since it was "prime real estate". Ms. Young stated that, although 516 Ranch House was a purchase consideration for the ESD, they have expressed that they are very happy with use of the Public Safety Building [they lease their space from the City], but if that ever did materialize, they liked the park and were not interested in taking it away. As to the frontage, Ms. Young stated that we will retain this land as it is required for the building's parking requirement. She also mentioned that TXDOT is planning on moving the exit entrance east, to Tricia Trail, and once the exit moves, it could open a possibility of adding another entrance to City Hall from the frontage. 10. Discuss past progress and future plans for Deer Park. Parks Board Meeting 05/07/24 5/7/2024 Page 4 of 5  Ms. Fisher stated that Mayor Moss asked if we could allow for more parking at Deer (Naturescape) Park, and that she spoke to Ms. Witmeyer about that. It was discussed that, to avoid blocking the City's well, parking would need to be added to the park side or the entrance could be shifted to the east, but either scenario would require trees to be removed. There are no plans to do any improvements at this time. ADJOURNMENT As authorized by Section 551.127, of the Texas Government Code, one or more Council Members or employees may attend this meeting remotely using video conferencing technology. Board Member and Co-Chair Wagner adjourned the meeting at 6:51 p.m. MINUTES APPROVED: ____________________________________________________ Ever Gomez, Parks Board Chair Date David Wagner, Parks Board Co-Chair CERTIFICATION I, the undersigned authority, does hereby certify that this Notice of a Meeting was posted on the bulletin board at City Hall, 120 El Chico Trail, Suite A, Willow Park, TX 76087, a place convenient and readily accessible to the general public at all times, and said Notice was posted on the following date and time: MAY 3, 2024 at/by 5:00 p.m. and remained so posted continuously for at least 72 hours before said meeting is to convene. ____________________________________ Toni Fisher Planning and Development Director The City Hall is wheelchair accessible and accessible parking spaces are available. Persons with disabilities who plan to attend this meeting and who may need auxiliary aids or services such as interpreters for persons who are deaf or hearing impaired, readers, or large print, are requested to contact the City Secretary’s Office at 817-441- 7108, or by email at cdozier@willowpark.org. Requests should be made at least 48 hours prior to the meeting. This agenda is posted on the city’s web site at www.willowpark.org Parks Board Meeting 05/07/24 5/7/2024 Page 5 of 5