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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-20-2021 Parks and Trails Packet CITY OF OAK PARK HEIGHTS PARKS COMMISSION MEETING AGENDA MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2021 AT 6:00 PM CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS I. Call to Order II. Approval of Agenda III. Approve Parks and Trails Commission Minutes—August 16, 2021 (1) IV. Department /Commission Liaison Reports A. Arborist B. Public Works Director C. Other/Commission Liaison Report V. Visitors/Public Comment This is an opportunityfor the public to address the Commission with questions or concerns not on the agenda. Please limit comments to three minutes. VI. Public Hearing None VII. Old Business A. Cover Park Garden and Historical Marker Sign (2) B. Community Garden Program Annual Review (3) VIII. New Business A. Swager Park Playground Equipment Replacement(4) B. Discuss Meeting Start Time—Possible Amendment to the Bylaws (S) IX. Informational A. Next Meeting: Monday, October 18 at 6:00 p.m. at City Hall B. Upcoming Council Meeting: Tuesday, September 28 at 6:00 p.m. at City Hall C. Zephyr Theater Shakespeare in the Park Event Recap (6) X. Adjourn Page 1 of 26 THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK Page 2 of 26 CITY OF OAK PARK HEIGHTS Encl. I PARKS AND TRAILS COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES Monday,August 16, 2021 at City Hall 1. Call to Order: Chair Chirhart called the meeting to order at 6:01 p.m. Present: Commissioner Hoeppner and Commissioner Berres. Also present: Assistant City Administrator Pinski, Public Works Director Kegley, Arborist Danielson, and Commission Liaison Councilmember Johnson. Absent: Commissioner Thoreson and Vice Chair Peterson. Chair Chirhart welcomed new Commissioner Annie Catherine Berres. 11. Approval of Agenda Commissioner Hoeppner, seconded by Commissioner Berres, moved to approve the Agenda. Carried 3-0. III. Approve Parks and Trails Commission Minutes—July 19 2021: Commissioner Hoeppner, seconded by Chair Chirhart, moved to approve the Minutes. Carried 3-0. 1V. Department/Commission Liaison Reports: A. Arborist: Arborist Danielson reported that she was working on the Emerald Ash Borer Management Plan for the City of Oak Park Heights and was updating the Ash tree inventory. She encouraged residents to get their Ash trees treated but noted that not every tree was a candidate for injection. B. Public Works Director: Public Works Director Kegley reported that the Eagle Scouts completed an enclosure for the portable toilet at Oak Park Crossing Park. He shared a picture with the Commissioners. C. Other/Commission Liaison Reports: Councilmember Johnson reported that the City Council approved the Sunrise Rotary Bike Rally that would course through the City on August 14. V. Visitor/Public Comment: None VI, Public Hearings: None VII. Old Business: A. Cover Park Toddler Swing Quotes: Public Works Director Kegley reported that staff sought quotes to add a toddler swing to the existing play area at Cover Park. He said Flagship Recreation was the lowest bid, and the funds would come from the Moelter Fund. Arborist Danielson suggested waiting until 2022 to get a truckload of mulch and that the project would likely commence in 2022 because of production and shipping issues. Commissioner Hoeppner, seconded by Commissioner Berres, moved to recommend purchase of the toddler swing from Flagship Recreation and anything else needed to complete the project. Carried 3-0. Page 3 of 26 Parks Commission Minutes August 16, 2021 Page 2 of 2 B. Cover Park Garden PIN ue: Councilmember Johnson reviewed her memo on placement of a historical marker sign at Cover Park. The Parks and Trails Commission thought it was a good idea to do a plaque and include a photo if possible. Commissioner Berres, seconded by Commissioner Hoeppner, moved to direct staff to research ideas for a plaque for Cover Park. Can-ied 3-0. X. New Business: None XI. Informational: A. Next Meeting: Monday, September 20 at 6:00 p.m. at City Hall B. Upcoming Council Meeting: Tuesday, August 31 at 6:00 p.m. at City Hall C. Zephyr Theater Program at Valley View Park: Assistant City Administrator Pinski reported that the Zephyr Theater held an outdoor play at Valley View Park August 11 — 15. She said she would provide a summary from the program director at the next meeting. XII. Adjourn: Chair Chihart, seconded by Commissioner Hoeppner, moved to adjourn at 6:30 p.m. Carried 3-0. Respectfully submitted, Jennifer Pinski Assistant City Administrator Page 4 of 26 City of Encl. 2 Oak Park Heights 14168 Oak Park Blvd. N • Oak Park Heights, MN 55082 e Phone (651) 439-4439 • Fax (651) 439-0574 Memo Ta: Parks and Trails Commission From: Jennifer Pinski, Assistant City Administrator Date: September 17, 2021 Re: Cover Park Garden and Historical Marker At your last meeting, the Commission took action directing staff look into ideas for a sign to be placed at Cover Park commemorating the garden and the park's history. It was the consensus of the Commission that it would be nice to include a picture on the sign. Attached are a few different sign style ideas that other communities have used. Staff is requesting the Commission look at the ideas. If one option stands out as more consistent with your vision of the sign, we request you provide us with direction to seek out quotes for that style. If you have a different idea on how you envision the sign, staff is requesting direction on what to look into for your next meeting. TREE CITY U.S.A. Page 5 of 26 Wiff iain Maday ,Mansion n tio .ntn%I n r ....thi%atrer^I r!.t1,d lx.nw'..t Y\r kam mwi to O e•a�1. Ltn,.•��sr„rh'a,i�rnnE hay,ufntee4h \1.,.r.,” 117W.•IR164)•Mata.rtOM benry.'y--'L,iwv.•r,11w 1*n�a rved t+e ftc.•1'rrm.�I,.,nia i3at r���.�',atw+rt,nt� l 1�u ntry'+tori U-S.S.nauw an.t'k.n-iwllw of$ohn CarrYTt u1•'n,•e an�1 ia:v ui+,n,t I larri•It.,tlw•!.hinder of llrrri.-Awr-,. 11 WM-\iu1a+ .md 1 il.,rri.%vill)Laid(1%11 the Flan at I I,irrisborg in Ovi ±h th.•northcm tk,indary,ironically,at$uutfi�+trarw. ` \• th.rf thi+1w)inl wa.Iuctt.-d Ntwua'c farm and ? I.rreal known as yv wlav'borg,aitejatett tx`lw4v'n tht River.Ilial tltie hi whCrc Ileo(atd Calxitva)W*Uld be r mn,trrl.te•d in 1:2.2. '1 ccl:fy s di«Iinctiott of being Ow flr.t U.S.Se•nalor<.krrw after the Articles Of ( ,ff.%te•ra.ion pwv idrrl frx dw otganwtion of the nr•t� 3'erll�ral goti•ernmt•nt whAii the ninth stity sititikd the•l.'-S.C,rnsiitill ion in 178S' Pt-ttrtS}'tti•AMOO k"a� the•fent.tote 10 tier t iL::`Vnalors thrungh the StaUe I e t,r�l.eluw VNA11 kf•fcLly being the first and tte4ert 1rrris,ow st"i-nd. 1:rcctCet in 1,92,Mi la)•'n 1,%o ling originally'had the appearance erfasimple high found l tn,tte farmhottx a*'ilii tian and clrvah4 ftrnt fl�x,r: in 19(13,the hnme wa's purchased by tJrll;arn !:. 13fily},a de,ccrtdx'nt elf an early Nnrriku% dw iron.1r}d%tubo indelstriatist fami.ly,whoc'rraneef rm e\fie'rli.t'ufCit}•.irchih*ctMiller Ka%ttatCancformthe tAOc6.n+6cwgawves � ltvtt�a into (;i*-,Tgitn Revival"ACTICCe. At that tirnc,-%Jditit,tu ivcrr rade to the north,where a l�uildiltp,housing the Ular'risbttrg Academy once StOOd, u a d r Page 6 of 26 Page 7 of 26 HiSTORY OF COVER PARK Oak Park School If you were standing at this spot in in the late 1800s, you would be looking at Oak Park School, a two-room schoolhouse founded in 1862 that grew into a larger building by 1896. By 1950, the two-story, wooden school had two classrooms on each floor, and two stairways leading to the second story. It had its own well, an auditorium-playroom, small kitchen, storeroom, office, and a small rest room. The Garden Up until the late-1990s, if you were to look towards the river where the St. Croix Crossing Bridge is, you would have seen dozens of houses along the St. Croix bluff. In 199_, many Oak Park Heights homes around Cover Park and the river were razed to make way for the St. Croix Crossing Bridge. To honor the community and neighbors that were being lost, residents collected plants from the homes and planted them in Cover Park, creating the Cover Park gardens. Through their vision and dedication, they were able to preserve the many plantings from the past for future residents to appreciate and enjoy. The Garden Committee sustained the garden at Cover Park for many years following. It is thanks to the many volunteers and Garden Committee members that the gardens sit along Cover Park today. Page 8 of 26 City of Encl. 3 Oak Park Heights 14168 Oak Park Blvd. N •Oak Park Heights, MN 55082 • Phone (651) 439-4439 • Fax (651) 439-0574 Memo To: Parks and Trails Commission From: Jennifer Pinski, Assistant City Administrator Date: September 17, 2021 Re: Community Garden Program Annual Review Per the Community Garden program policy that the Parks and Trails Commission recommended and the City Council adopted, the Parks and Trails Commission oversees the Community Garden, and as part of that, would want to hear input from the gardeners on the program. Would the Parks and Trails Commission like to extend an invitation to the gardeners to attend the October Commission meeting to provide input, or would you like to gain input in another fashion this year, such as a survey? Do you have any suggestions on improvement of the program or ideas on how to promote it? Additionally, per the policy, the Parks and Trails Commission is to designate two of its members as "Garden Coordinators." For 2021, the Commission appointed Randy Thoreson as the coordinator. Would the Commission like to consider the appointments for 2022 at this time? TREE CITY U.S.A. Page 9 of 26 Community Garden Beds Poliev The community garden Beds are for personal and conununity use. Individuals are allowed to grow plants for their own personal consumption, fruits and vegetables may also be donated to food shelves. Produce grown in the garden beds may not be sold. Lease. Every year, depending on availability, the City leases a garden bed to a"gardener." Garden beds are given out on a first-come first-serve basis and the gardener will be given a garden bed number that corresponds with a number on the garden bed. Every year, the gardener must renew their interest to secure a garden bed and renewal is not guaranteed. Garden beds can be shared, but they may not be transferred to another individual without the City's approval. Community Garden Bed. One community garden bed is to be designated a"community garden bed" with herbs and vegetables for public consumption. Gardeners of other beds are asked to monitor and water the commwvty garden bed, and the City may choose to assign periods where a gardener is responsible for watering and maintaining the community garden bed.. Use. The gardener is allowed to grow produce in the garden bed from March-November of that year. At the end of the year, the gardener is responsible for removing all plant material from the garden bed and performing a yearly clean-up of the bed. Gardeners shall notify the City of any damages or repairs that may be needed to a raised bed. It is the gardener's responsibility to plant, water, and harvest the plants in their bed. The garden beds are open and accessible from 8 AM to 9 PM. Gardeners are allowed to bring guests to the garden, provided they comply with the rules, but gardeners may not bring any pets or animals to the community garden space. Plants. Gardeners may plant fruits, vegetables, herbs, or flowers. Gardeners may not grow marijuana or tobacco plants in the garden beds. Gardeners are also prohibited from growing noxious weeds. Gardeners may not grow any plants above 4 feet in height or maintain plants or plant-supporting structures that impede adjacent gardener's access to sunlight. No plants that are considered illegal under state or federal law may be grown. Fertilizer. Gardeners may not use synthetic fertilizers in the garden beds. Garden Equipment& Personal Property. Gardeners are solely responsible for the planning and management of their own beds, including providing seeds, plants, fertilizer, and any tools. Garden equipment should not be left out, except for if stored underneath or inside the garden bed. Gardeners shall maintain equipment in a way that is safe to all members of the public. The City is not responsible for any lost or stolen garden equipment or personal property. Maintenance of the Garden Bed. The garden bed is the sole responsibility of the gardener. The gardener has the sole responsibility for planning, setup, management, maintenance, and carrying out the operations of the garden bed. The City has no obligation to make any alterations, improvements, or repairs to the garden beds, or to provide any services or support. Gardeners are not permitted to make any alterations to the garden bed structure without City approval. Gardeners are responsible for hauling and disposing of their own trash, such as weeds, bags, packets, and similar items. Respecting Others Property. Outside of the designated community garden bed. Gardeners may not touch other gardener's beds, supplies, tools, or harvest another gardener's produce without the explicit permission of the other gardener. Compost& Beekeeping. Gardeners may not compost material onsite or engage in beekeeping. Page 10 of 26 Management. The Parks and Trails Commission ["Commission"] of the City of Oak Park Heights shall oversee the Community Garden and may advise the City on how to interpret rules or make decisions. The Commission shall also designate two of its members as "Garden Coordinators"to be the official points of contact for the gardeners, these persons shall be Park Commissioners and these appointed individuals shall be over-see all aspects of the plan. The City will also provide all gardeners with contact information of the other gardeners to facilitate gardening. Gardeners shall tell the Coordinators when there is a change in their contact information. Any disputes about the Garden or with fellow Gardeners shall be resolved in the best interest of the Garden by the Commission. Gardeners' Input. Gardeners are encouraged to provide suggestions about the Community Garden's operations to the Coordinators. Once a year, in September or October, the Commissioners will invite all gardeners to a Commission meeting to discuss any issues or concerns with the Community Garden. Comply with Laws. Gardeners will use and operate the garden bed with all applicable zoning, environmental, and other laws and regulations. Removal of the Bed. Garden beds cannot be moved from the assigned location at City Hall unless the gardener receives express permission from the City Administrator or Public Works Director to move the garden bed. Individuals with limited mobility or of limited means, who prefer to have the garden beds at their place of residency or at another location at City Hall, can be accommodated depending on availability, they can request the garden beds be moved or can move them to their place of residency in the spring and return them by October 315° and the security deposit of$50.00 may be waived depending on certain income capacity. Termination. The garden bed lease may be terminated at any time by either the gardener or the City. If a gardener violates any of its duties to maintain the garden bed or violates other rules, the agreement may be terminated. A gardener's plot/bed can also be reassigned if a gardener appears to abandon their bed and fails to maintain the bed for two weeks, unless the gardener informs the City in advance, such as an extended vacation. Liability. The City is not liable for any injuries that may occur. The City is also not liable for any damages that may occur during the lease, such as (a) loss or death of plants, (b) vandalism, or (c) theft. The City does not provide any security for these beds and/or will not maintain these beds. Changes of the Rules. The City may amend the Rules in its discretion without advance notice. The City will provide all Gardeners with a copy of the current rules at the start of each year. No Discrimination. The City will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, mental condition, ancestry, marital status, citizenship, sexual orientation, gender identity or veteran status in assigning garden beds. Page 11 of 26 r uvs Encl. 4 City of Oak Park Heights 14168 Oak:Park 13lvd N.•Oak:Park Heights. MN 55082•Phone(651)439-4439• Fay 439-0574 Memorandum To: Park Commission From: Andrew Kegley, Public Works Director kL Date: 09/16/2021 Re: Swager Park Play Equipment During routine inspections on Thursday September 16, 2021 PW staff found broken boards due to rot on one of the platforms on the old Swager Park play equipment. This prompted a full inspection of the entire structure. Staff documented and deemed the wooden structure unsafe therefore it will be removed. Although the missing structure creates a void, the park does have newer equipment and the original swing set available for play. There is an opportunity for the park commission to install new equipment or reimagine the play ground equipment entirely. Your discussion will guide staff as to what types of equipment for which we will obtain quotes and bring back to future meetings. There is no need to rush the decision, any new play equipment would likely not be ordered/installed nor available until spring 2022. For discussion purposes: - There is an issue with static shock on play equipment at Swager (Due to overhead powerlines). Equipment should be material other than all metal. - The cost of play equipment in other parks range from $30-$50K including mulch and border. The City typically likes to add equipment for a range of age groups to each park. - Old equipment had a slide, a fire pole, an arched climbing wall and monkey bars. The old swing is free standing and remains in place. We can keep it (without modifying it) or remove/replace it. Play equipment can be purchased as a prearranged unit or in individual structures. Website to view equipment examples: https://www.playgroundboss.corn Page 12 of 26 Boulder Climber with Rope .ink $7,452.00 Page 13 of 26 i Boulder Climber Walk $8,183.00 Page 14 of 26 co s, o LO rn a r� V L y C 0 "= r°v © - [ 9 C r_ tn O u > LU a Y u� ul M in L u a _ +n 4 e Leaf Balance Beam- Playground Boss 9/17121, 12:14 PM PLAYGROUND Check Out Our Items PRODUCTS SALE ABOUT US WHY US REQUEST A QUOTE VIEW QUOTE Home / Products / Free Standing / Climbers / 2 to 12 / Leaf Balance Beam Leaf Balance Beam $11-118-00 Write a Review SKU: Y PG B FS-1601 Child Capacity: 4 Install Time: 1 Play Event: 1 Safety Use Zone: 21ft x 16ft htips://www.playgroundboss.com/leaf-balance-beam/ Page 1 of 3 Page 16 of 26 O O) (U IL 41 m 0 0 u ni m CL 0 u wLL 13 LL ci zo V) a Burke 5" Single Post Swing Frame ASTM Use Zone: 32' x 24' Approximate List Price: $1,747.00 (Swing Seats/Chain/Ect. Sold Separately) p Page 18 of 26 Burke Verve XS IV Climber ASTM Use Zone: 21' x 21' Approximate List Price: $2,201.00 pr, � �p ti Page 19 of 26 Burke 5" Arch Tire Swing ASTM Use Zone: 23' x 30' Approximate List Price: $3,746.00 - ry Page 20 of 26 Burke Single Kid Koaster ASTM Use Zone: 26' x 15' Approximate List Price: $3,606.00 Page 21 of 26 "'+ANI►--��, .� „ +�,, � - �d !9 "" •yam`� =p`r• .a iA Xw s. !M - 17 City of Oak 'ark Heights Encl. 5 14168 Oak Park BIvd. N • Oak Park Heights, MN 55082 • Phone (651) 439-4439 • Fax (651) 439-0574 Memo To: Parks and Trails Commission From: Jennifer Pinski, Assistant City Administrator Date: September 17, 2021 Re: Meeting Start Time — Possible Amendment to Bylaws The Parks and Trails Commission Bylaws state the Commission meets at 6:00 p.m. on the third Monday of each month(see enclosed). Commissioner Johnson reached out to me indicating that a couple of wanted to discuss the possibility of changing the meeting bine to 6:30 or 7:00 p.m. to accommodate schedules of Commission members. If the Parks and Trails Commission wishes to change the time, you would take action to recommend to the City Council that they approve an amendment to the Commission Bylaws. TREE CITY U.S.A. Page 23 of 26 B. Duties of the Chairperson. The Chairperson shall preside at all meetings, appoint Parks and Trails Commission members to committees, appoint Parks and Trails Commission representatives, rule on procedural questions (subject to reversal by a two-thirds (213) vote of those members in attendance), meet with all newly appointed members, exercise the same voting rights as other Parks and Trails Commissioners and carry out such other duties as are assigned by the Parks and Trails Commission or by the City Council. C. Duties of the Vice-Chairperson. The Vice-Chairperson shall act in the absence or inability to act of the Chairperson, and in such instances shall have the powers and functions of the Chairperson. D. Terms. The Parks and Trails Commission officers shall be elected from among its appointed members. No member shall serve as Chairperson or Vice- Chairperson for more than two consecutive years. A member may serve as Vice- Chairperson for two years and then Chairperson for two years, or in alternate or alternating order. The election shall occur at the Parks and Trails Commission's annual meeting. E. Vote. Candidates for office receiving a majority vote of the entire membership (three-fifths (315), shall be declared duly elected. F. Date of Office. Newly elected officers and members shall take office at the annual meeting in January and which is an end date (sine die) for the preceding term year. G. Vacancies. Vacancies occurring in the offices of the Parks and Trails Commission shall be filled immediately by the above election procedure. ARTICLE 5— MEETINGS A. Annual Meeting. An annual organizational meeting shall be held in January of each year. Election of officers shall be conducted at that time. B. Regular Meetings. Regular meetings of the Parks and Trails Commission shall be held at 6:00 PM on the third Monday of each month or as otherwise designated to account for legal holidays or other special circumstances as approved by the City Administrator. The meetings shall be held in the City Hall Council Chambers or as otherwise designated and duly posted. The regular meeting date of the Parks and Trails Commission may be changed by resolution of the City Council. C. Special Meetings. Special meetings may be called at the discretion of the Chairperson, after consultation with City staff. 3 Page 24 of 26 Jennifer Pinski Encl. 6 From: Bil MacLeslie <bil@stillwaterzephyrtheatre.org> Sent: Saturday, August 28, 2021 3:02 PM To: Jennifer Pinski Cc: Calyssa Hall Subject: Re:Valley View Park - Additional Information Attachments: IMG 1764.HEIC Follow Up Flag: Fallow up Flag Status: Flagged Jennifer, Thank you so much for allowing the Zephyr Theatre to perform Shakespeare LOL, Shakespeare As You Like It, and The Amazing Cowboat puppet show at Valley View Park on August 11-15. Calyssa told me that she returned the key. Here is a logistical recap of the event. We had on-site rehearsals Monday &Tuesday (Aug 9/10) during the evening until 9:00pm in order to run thru the timing needed for entrances/exits and costume changes.. We had our opening performance on Wednesday August 11 at 5:00pm and our closing performance on Sunday August 15 at 7:00pm. Attendance for each performance ranged from 90-145 people, with our largest crowd on Friday evening. In review, parking did not seem to be a problem, closing the inbound side of the road to parking was easy and we had no compliance issues. We offered admission and concessions on a donation basis. We generated 3 bags of trash and 1 bag of recycling (we took that offsite to our bins). We typically arrived a 2-3 hours in advance of showtime for setup. We rented a 16' moving truck and stored all our props and costumes in the truck. We DID leave the truck parked in the lot overnight- we didn't have any issues with that. We did leave our costume tents up for the duration of the event, and we didn't have any issues with them being left there. In the tents, we laid ground cloths down to keep the dust at a minimum. We used power from the picnic shelter to run our LED lights and sound equipment. See photo of how the lighting looked after dark. We used two small (10" speaker) powered speakers to reinforce the voices. Testing of sound levels at the parking lot indicated a decibel reading of 72-76 dB during the performances,with peaks at 80clB. We were often overpowered by the truck traffic (those clang compression brakes!) on Hwy 36. There we no medical/emergency incidents. We did see OPH police cruisers come into the parking lot and turn around on most days, which was much appreciated. Knowing that they were checking in on the park was reassuring. The weather during the events was quite pleasant, without precipitation. Daytime sunshine was hot, but not unbearable. Evenings were pretty bug free, but that is likely a result of the drought. As you can see in the photo, we played at the base of the hill. if we are able to perform at this space again, I would like to discuss an option of us watering the immediate playing area (200-300 Sq. Ft.) to maintain the grass cover. With so little moisture and so much repetitive foot traffic, we wore some of the grass areas down. On Sunday evening we packed up everything excluding some hanging props and the costume tents. We returned on Monday to pull down the tents and last of the props and headed back to the theatre. This was a really great space - we cannot wait to discuss our plans for next summer with you! I Page 25 of 26 n t ti y . �, ' " � i to _ ✓',rt -• �' � �•• r u.''r w' � w", •may "' � • d y owl a jr rr.�. iii'� n..� 'v.a,. *' �� 'i •x c� ° ".:v �r�'�r a ��• ~ � ..y'A "'\�-,� _. ��.� � tea#. �,. vf ' ''��� .� �.,t •" r � ,fix:.. ern. ¢d'v.�,- L �,"r' S , _ • � , 1, � . k " ' �� 5. 7 / d� r�.�,�' ..rte. ., A � ... r f * ) w.1a•�. a �, � c, ,^•d,w}.� 8aµ`.Y m n'�w ,.F '".."• row ,e� ��.�5' t y a "��•444444 " a