HomeMy WebLinkAbout1996-03-12 Park Board Packet0
EDINA PARK BOARD
Tuesday, March 12, 1996
7.30 p.m.
Manager's Conference Room
Edina City Hall
A G E N D A
City of Edina
* 1. Approval of February 13, 1996, Park Board meeting minutes.
* 2. Election of officers.
* 3. Edina School District Playground Equipment.
* 4. 1996 Park Board Meeting Dates.
5. Other.
* 6. Adjournment.
* These are agenda items that require or request Park Board
action.
•
City Hall (612) 927-8861
4801 WEST 50TH STREET FAX (612) 927-7645
EDINA, MINNESOTA 55424-1394 TDD (612) 927-5461
CITY OF EDINA
PARK AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT
MEMORANDUM
DATE: March 7, 1996
TO: All Park Board Members
FROM: John Keprios, Director
SUBJECT: Staff report for upcoming Park Board meeting.
Enclosed you should find the following items:
1. March 12, 1996, Park Board Agenda.
2. Minutes from February 13, 1996, Park Board meeting.
3. Letter from Mary Ellingen.
4. Letter from Countryside PTO.
5. Memorandum concerning Cornelia School Park site.
STAFF REPORT
The following is the monthly staff report concerning each item
on the agenda with the exception of approval of the minutes and
other. "Other" is listed on the agenda in case last minute
items come up between now and the Park Board meeting, plus,
cover any other concerns of Park Board members and/or
attendees.
ELECTION OF OFFICERS
As decided at the February 1995 Park Board meeting, elections for
Chairman and Vice Chairman need to take place at the March 1996
meeting.
Please know that the following four Park Board members have
volunteered to serve another term and were officially
re -appointed by the City Council at the Monday, March 4, 1996,
City Council meeting:
Dave Crowther
Beth Hall
Andy Montgomery
Jean Rydell
A big thanks to you for your willingness to continue to serve
another term on the Edina Park Board.
EDINA SCHOOL DISTRICT PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT
There is a perception among many residents around the community
that the City of Edina should provide financing to build
playground equipment at the Elementary Schools in Edina.
For some background on this subject, in 1995, the Edina School
Board provided $50,000 per school for the following four (4)
elementary schools (a total of $200,000) to replace their
school's playground equipment:
1. Cornelia Elementary
2. Creek Valley Elementary
3. Concord Elementary
4. Countryside Elementary
-2 -
According to Edina School District Business Administrator,
Mr. Ted Suss, that figure of $50,000 per school was decided upon
for two reasons:
1. The Edina School Board budgets $200,000 per year for capital
upkeep, such as roof repair etc. The School Board decided
that the entire $200,000 should be allocated that year to the
four elementary schools in need of playground equipment
replacement ($50,000 each).
2. The Edina School Board decided to provide each elementary
school with the same amount that was given to fund the
Normandale Elementary School and Highlands Elementary School
playground equipment projects, which were $50,000 each. The
School Board also stated that any additional playground
equipment plans that exceeded $50,000 would have to be funded
through fund raising efforts.
Cornelia School is still in the process of raising funds to
accomplish their playground equipment project, which is planned
to ultimately cost approximately $125,000. Cornelia School
intends to install phase one of their playground equipment plan
in September of 1996. To date, they have raised approximately
$20,000.
Concord Elementary School completed their fund raising efforts
and has already installed $70,000 worth of new playground
equipment. Please know that I called Mary Ellingen, Chair of the
Concord Elementary School Playground Committee, to discuss her
letter in more detail. Based on our conversation, she would like
to see more playground equipment for the 5-12 year old age group,
as well as, new playground equipment to serve the 2-4 year old
age group. I asked Mary Ellingen if she or other Concord PTA
parents approached the Edina School Board to request more funding
for playground equipment. Her response was "No, because we have
higher school related priorities right now, such as computers,
etc."
Countryside Elementary plans to begin installation of their new
playground equipment during the first week in May, 1996, assuming
that they can raise the additional $6,000 still needed for their
$82,000 playground equipment plan. According to the Countryside
PTA President, Tina Hatch, they are currently short an additional
$20,000 in landscaping and pathways needed to complete their
project.
Creek Valley Elementary School PTA has also been fund raising to
accomplish their plan to install approximately $75,000 worth of
playground equipment in mid-May, 1996.
The Normandale Elementary and Highland Elementary school
playground equipment is fairly new and not in need of
replacement.
Over the years, the City of Edina has provided playground
equipment at 24 different parks. If the General Park Improvement
Bond Issue passes, the plan is to replace playground equipment at
13 of those sites:
1. Arden Park
2. Birchcrest Park
3. Braemar Park
4. Countryside Park
5. Garden Park
6. Highlands Park
7. Lake Cornelia Park
-3-
8. Lake Edina Park
9. Strachauer Park
10. Tingdale Park
11. Todd Park
12. Walnut Ridge Park
13. Weber Park
The plan is to spend just over $500,000 to replace the equipment
at the above 13 parks.
Through a number of Park Referenda community presentation
meetings, we (staff) have heard several comments and requests for
the General Park Improvement Bond Issue to include funding for
additional playground equipment at the elementary schools.
Similar to the two letters received from residents, we have heard
comments that the school's playground equipment areas serve as a
"park" during non -school hours and therefore, the City of Edina
should help pay for this playground equipment. Right or wrong,
this is the "real" perception of many residents.
As a gesture of cooperation and goodwill,
recommendation that we earmark $80,000 of
issue to fund playground equipment at four
school sites ($20,000):
1. Cornelia Elementary
2. Creek Valley Elementary
3. Concord Elementary
4. Countryside Elementary
it is staff's
the $5,500,000 bond
different elementary
The playground equipment that staff is recommending is what is
referred to as age-appropriate "creative play equipment" (or
imaginative play equipment) for the 2-4 year old age group. If
it is determined that the City of Edina should be responsible for
providing playground equipment at the elementary schools, then it
is staff's recommendation that age-appropriate equipment for the
2-4 year old age group be provided at the above four sites.
There is currently no playground equipment for that age group at
any school playground site, mainly because the schools do not
serve that age group.
Staff is not recommending to add creative play equipment to the
Highlands Elementary School playground equipment site simply
because Highlands Park is only one block away. The General Park
Improvement Bond Issue plan includes funding to install creative
play equipment at Highlands Park.
If creative play equipment is added to Concord Elementary School,
then there should be no need to add similar equipment to the new
structure at Normandale Elementary School at the Edina Community
Center.
This staff recommendation to have the City of Edina pay for
"additional playground equipment" would be consistent with the
agreement established between the Village of Edina and the
Independent School District No. 273 that was established in
1959. As shown in the "MEMORANDUM WITH RESPECT TO COST SHARING
IN DEVELOPMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF PLAYGROUND AND MAINTENANCE OF
PLAYGROUND AT CORNELIA PARK SCHOOL SITE," it was agreed that:
-4 -
"District shall pay cost of normal amount of playground
equipment selected by it and customarily provided at a school
of this size and type. Village shall pay cost of all
additional playground equipment."
Staff's recommendation for additional playground equipment for
specifically Cornelia School Park is consistent with this
long-standing agreement. However, I recognize that this
agreement does not necessarily apply to all other School District
owned playground properties. The only other joint School/City
park areas is Creek Valley Park. With the exception of the
soccer fields at Creek Valley Park, the property lines are very
distinct.
It is staff's opinion, that we not eliminate any proposed
projects that are currently part of the $5,500,000 General Park
Improvement Bond Issue in order to fund this $80,000 request.
Instead, staff suggests that we do our best to keep project costs
to a minimum (which we would do regardless) and if we still fall
$80,000 short of completing the proposed projects, that we then
rely on the Park Development Fund to cover the balance. The
Developer's fund currently has a balance of $406,965.
It is also staff's recommendation that this $80,000 school
playground equipment project be funded by the City of Edina only
if the $5,500,000 General Park Improvement Bond Issue passes.
After discussing this matter with Edina School District staff, it
is agreed that the school district would accept the
responsibility to maintain this equipment, as well as, the
liability. Further, the City of Edina would not be obligated to
replace this equipment in the future when it needs replacement.
Staff further recommends that this playground equipment be
purchased by the City of Edina in accordance with specifications
to be established by City of Edina staff.
Staff recommends that the Edina Park Board make the following
recommendation to the Edina City Council:
If the $5,500,000 General Park Improvement Bond Issue passes,
the City of Edina provide $20,000 worth of creative playground
equipment at each of the following four elementary schools (a
total of $80,000):
1. Cornelia Elementary
2. Creek Valley Elementary
3. Concord Elementary
4. Countryside Elementary
1996 EDINA PARK BOARD MEETING DATES
Staff recommends the following dates for the 1996 Edina Park
Board meetings:
1. Tuesday, April 9, 1996, 7:30 p.m., Manager's Conference Room
2. Tuesday, May 14, 1996, 7:30 p.m., Manager's Conference Room
3. Tuesday, June 11, 1996, 7:00 p.m., Park Tour (Depart from
City Hall at 7:00 p.m.)
4. *Tuesday, July 9, 1996, 7:30 p.m., Manager's Conference Room
-5-
5. Tuesday, July 16, 1996, Braemar Golf Course Inspection Tour
6. Tuesday, August 13, 1996, 7:30 p.m., Manager's Conference
Room
7. Tuesday, September 10, 1996, 8:00 p.m., Manager's Conference
Room
8. Tuesday, October 8, 1996, 7:30 p.m., Manager's Conference
Room
9. Tuesday, November 12, 1996, 7:30 p.m., Manager's Conference
Room
10. Tuesday, December 10, 1996, 7:30 p.m., Manager's Conference
Room
*The July 9, 1996, Park Board meeting will convene only if
necessary. Otherwise, any minor Park Board matters can be
handled at the Braemar Inspection Tour on July 16.
Also, please note that the September Park Board meeting cannot
legally begin until 8:00 p.m. due to Primary Election night.
Staff recommends the above meeting dates, times and places.
•
February 4, 1996
Edina Park and Recreation Department
Park Bond Referenda
4801 West 50th Street
Edina, MN 55424
Dear Park Board and City Council Members:
On behalf of the Concord School Playground Committee, I am writing to
support the allocation of some of the funds generated by the upcoming
Park Bond Referendum to the Edina elementary schools for their use as
they renovate their playgrounds.
Despite the fact that the school property is not officially city property,
the city uses our school playgrounds for their summer recreation
programs, and the citizens of Edina use them year-round, whether they are
students or not.
I have discussed this matter with Frank Bennett, Edina Park Board
member, School Board member, and Concord parent. Frank supports this
letter. I explained to him that each school has needed to raise funds -
beyond those given to it by the School Board, and that the cost of redoing
our playgrounds to meet current safety codes and ADA standards has been
very high.
It is surely in the best interests of all citizens of Edina that our most
frequently used playgrounds, those on school property, be supported by
this referendum.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Mary Elfingen
Chair, Concord Playground Committee
cc: Frank Bennett
• Dr. Ken Dragseth
Dr. Susan Goetz
0
.'L'l7/Qlo
• --Ie.QPT.lokn�
1 hank Uo- a3a i`r -a,- ix n9 a,4- our PTO
IhGG+inq �[tS�'Jwc�k. 7oue- presen4agar% WctS
intere64;r-j and Very in{nrrwa-iiu�.
AS an ir4e-gro-I pa, -4 o� 4hG. Edina.
Cornmun'tt w4 % nu--erou6 4-"Paypr6i We.
4al Sirong(y about Ir1c.Iu,Sion P6j9roecnc4
4c.,ds in 4l,e. Park -band . pla.99rcunAs
are, n4 class J +�-- 4',1+" week .ru-,G. � 0(-
DIN
rOr• week-end4) a4cL4 are used as pari- of
E-4---005 "Park SyS%r°M" -G, n -4,,j
u. x, MI(BGG.
Oe- koPe. yojl1 ser-*io"61 ra -corsic�er-
Inc lluelun p� p�QyOrbitna5 4
l `n1c rel SSSf�G.
�►4nk JOu.. J
J �IAC-e- �lf�
her �atn�-r(side PTO
`• W
MEMORANDUM
WITH RESPECT TO COST-SHARING
IN DEVELOPMENT AND MAINTENANCE
OF PLAYGROUND AT CORNELIA
PARK SCHOOL SITE
It is proposed that Village of Edina and Independent School District No. 273, Hennepin
County, co-operate in development and maintenance of a playground at the Cornelia Park School
site, where School District will in 1959 and 1960 erect a new elementary school. School District
owns approximately 15 acres and Village owns 10 acres contiguous thereto. A small portion of
Village's tract is the site of a lift station, and is to be excluded from any consideration in the
proposed development. The playground will contain baseball (which includes softball) fields and
backstops, a hockey rink, playground facilities and parking areas.
Legal authority of this co-operative exercise of powers is set forth in Minnesota Statutes,
Sections 471.15 through 471.19. Before School District may enter into an agreement with
Village, the right to do so must be obtained by voter approval at the annual school election held in
May (or by special elect on where this question is submitted.)
Notwithstanding the spirit of co-operation between the parties in this matter, it is
recognized that school property must be used primarily for school purposes, and secondarily for
recreational purposes, pursuant to said Sec. 471.19.
It is proposed the eventual agreement be drawn along the following lines:
Division of Costs.
(a) Grading, black dirt, seeding and sodding.
School District shall develop and improve its area in accordance with the "master
plan" hereinafter referred to, making such of the above described expenditures as it
would normally make in the grading, sodding and otherwise improving an
elementary school site, including the playground area. All additional improvement
thereto shall be made by Village at its expense and in accordance with the said
master plan.
(b) Recreation equipment.
District shall pay cost of normal amount of playground equipment selected by it
and customarily provided at a school of this size and type. Village shall pay cost
of all additional playground equipment.
(c) Blacktopping.
School District shall pay cost of blacktopping normal amount of playground and
parking area and sidewalk for school of this size and type. Additional
blacktopping for playground and parking purposes and sidewalks, if needed, shall
be paid for by Village.
(d) Maintenance.
Each party shall maintain equipment provided by it pursuant to subparagraph (b)
hereinabove. Each party shall bear cost of mowing, watering, fertilizing, turf care
and blacktopping upon its own acreage. Baseball diamonds (including infields),
hockey rinks and tennis courts, wherever located, shall be maintained by Village.
(e) Planning.
Fees of Lang & Raugland, architects and engineers, shall be paid by School
District and fees of Harrison & Associates, planning engineers and landscape
architects, shall be borne by Village. Their respective duties are outlined below.
2. Administration
(a) Planning.
Lang & Raugland are architects and engineers employed by School District on a
contractual fee basis and their duties include planning and development of the
school site. Harrison & Associates are skilled in planning and improvement of
recreational areas and have been employed by Village herein and will serve as
consultants to Lang & Raugland, but their fees will be entirely paid by Village
except in connection with item (4) hereinafter mentioned. The following items
shall be prepared by Harrison & Associates in cooperation with Lang & Raugland:
(1) Master plan of the entire recreational area
(2) Grading plan
(3) Detailed plans and specifications which include working drawings
(4) Planting plan; the expense of preparing the plan by Harrison &
Associates shall be divided by the parties upon an acreage basis, the
entire acreage of both Village and School District and the amount
of expense of this item (4) to be borne by each party herein to be
determined jointly by Lang & Raugland and Harrison & Associates.
All plans shall bear the names of Lang & Raugland and Harrison & Associates.
Supervision of the work shall be divided between them as they shall determine.
Final approval of the work prior to payment therefor shall be given by Lang &
Raugland which shall consult with Harrison & Associates and may rely thereon.
(b) Award of Contracts.
Contracts shall be awarded separately by School District and Village for work to
be performed by each but may be let by School District with the advice of Lang &
Raugland after joint co-operation of the parties herein has been authorized by the
voters at a duly held election.
(c) Operation.
Each party shall appoint a representative for the purpose of co-ordinating joint use
of the playground facilities and matters of detail in carrying out the contract. Each
party will conduct its own recreation program, to the extent it wishes to do so,
having regard for the fact that education purposes must be served first.
CITY OF EDINA
PARK AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT
MEMORANDUM
DATE: March 21, 1996
TO: Mayor Richards and City C uncil Members.
FROM: John Keprios, Directo2Q
SUBJECT: Edina School District Playground Equipment.
As you will note in the attached Edina Park Board meeting
minutes, the Edina Park Board passed the following motion:
"MOVED THAT WE ADVISE THE CITY COUNCIL THAT WE ARE NOT IN
FAVOR OF APPORTIONING ANY MONEY TO THE SCHOOLS AT THIS TIME
AND THAT IT'S THE SCHOOL DISTRICT'S RESPONSIBILITY AND THAT
THEY BE APPROACHED IF ADDITIONAL FUNDS ARE REQUIRED."
To give the Edina City Council more background information on
this issue, the following is a segment of the staff report and
original recommendation to the Edina Park Board.
There is a perception among many residents around the community,
that the"City of-Edina'should-'irovide financing to build
playground equipment at the Elementary Schools in Edina.
In 1995, the Edina School Board provided $50,000 per school for
the following four (4) elementary schools (a total of $200,000)
to replace their school's playground equipment:
1. Cornelia Elementary
2. Creek Valley Elementary
3. Concord Elementary
4. Countryside Elementary
According to Edina School District Business Administrator,
Mr. Ted Suss, that figure of $50,000 per school was decided upon
for two reasons:
1. The Edina School Board budgets $200,000 per year for capital
upkeep, such as roof repair etc. The School Board decided
that the entire $200,000 should be allocated that year to the
four elementary schools in need of playground equipment
replacement ($50,000 each).
2. The Edina School Board decided to provide each elementary
school with the same amount that was given to fund the
Normandale Elementary School and Highlands Elementary School
playground equipment projects, which were $50,000 each. The
School Board also stated that any additional playground
equipment plans that exceeded $50,000 would have to be funded
through fund raising efforts.
Cornelia School is still in the process of raisin funds to
accomplish their playground equipment project, which is planned
to ultimately cost approximately $125,000. Cornelia School
intends to install phase one of their playground equipment plan
in September of 1996. To date, they have raised approximately
$20,000...
-2 -
Concord Elementary School completed their fund raising efforts
and has already installed $70,000 worth of new playground
equipment. Mary Ellingen, Chair of the Concord Elementary School
Playground Committee, stated that she would like to see more
playground equipment for the 5-12 year old age group, as well as,
new playground equipment to serve the 2-4 year old age group.
Countryside Elementary plans to begin installation of their new
playground equipment during the first week in May, 1996, assuming
that they can raise the additional $6,000 still needed for their
$82,000 playground equipment plan. According to the Countryside
PTA President, Tina Hatch, they are currently short an additional
$20,000 in landscaping and pathways needed to complete their
project.
Creek Valley Elementary School PTA has also been fund raising to
accomplish their plan to install approximately $75,000 worth of
playground equipment in mid-May, 1996.
The Normandale Elementary and Highland Elementary school
playground equipment is fairly new and not in need of
replacement.
Over the years, the City of -Edina has provided playground
equipment at 24 different parks. If..the General Park Imvrovement
Bond Issue passes, the plan is to replace playground equipment at
13 of those sites:
1. Arden Park
2. Birchcrest Park
3. Braemar Park
4. Countryside Park
5. Garden Park
6. Highlands Park
7. Lake Cornelia Park
8. Lake Edina Park
9. Strachauer Park
10. Tingdale Park
11. Todd Park
12. Walnut Ridge Park
13. Weber Park
The plan is to spend just over $500,000 to replace the equipment
at the above 13 parks.
Through a number of Park Referenda community presentation
meetings, we (staff) have heard several comments and requests for
the General Park Improvement Bond Issue to include funding for
additional playground equipment at the elementary schools.
Similar to the two letters received from residents, we have heard
comments that the school's playground equipment areas serve as a
"park" during non -school hours and therefore, the City of Edina
should help pay for this playground equipment. Right or wrong,
this is the "real" perception of many residents.
As a gesture of cooperation and goodwill, it was staff's
recommendation to the Edina Park Board that the City of Edina
earmark $80,000 of the $5,500,000 bond issue to fund playground
equipment at four different elementary school sites ($20,000):
1. Cornelia Elementary
2. Creek Valley Elementary
3. Concord Elementary
4. Countryside Elementary
The playground equipment that staff is recommending is what is
referred to as age-appropriate "creative play equipment" (or
imaginative play equipment) for the 2-4 year old age group. If
it is determined that the City of Edina should be responsible for
-3 -
providing playground equipment at the elementary schools, then it
is staff's recommendation that age-appropriate equipment .for the
2-4 year old age group be provided at the above four sites.
There is currently no playground equipment for that age group at
any school playground site, mainly because the schools do not
serve that age group.
Staff is not recommending to add creative play equipment to the
Highlands Elementary School playground equipment site simply
because Highlands Park is only one block away. The General Park
Improvement Bond Issue plan includes funding to install creative
play equipment at Highlands Park.
If creative play equipment is added to Concord Elementary School,
then there should be no need to add similar equipment to the new
structure at Normandale Elementary School at the Edina Community
Center.
To have the City of Edina pay for "additional playground
equipment" would be consistent with the agreement established
between the Village of Edina and the Independent School District
No. 273 that was established in 1959. As shown in the
"MEMORANDUM WITH RESPECT TO COST SHARING IN DEVELOPMENT AND
MAINTENANCE OF PLAYGROUND AND MAINTENANCE OF PLAYGROUND AT
CORNELIA PARK SCHOOL SITE," it was agreed that:
"District shall pay cost of normal amount of playground
equipment selected by it and customarily provided at a school
of this size and type. Village shall pay cost of all
additional playground equipment."
Staff's recommendation for additional playground equipment for
specifically Cornelia School Park is consistent with this
long-standing agreement. However, this agreement does not.
necessarily apply to all other School District owned playground
properties. The only other joint School/City park areas is Creek
Valley Park. With the exception of the soccer fields at Creek
Valley Park, the property lines are very distinct.
Staff also recommended to the Edina Park Board that this $80,000
school playground equipment project be funded by the City of
Edina only if the $5,500,000 General Park Improvement Bond Issue
passes.
After discussing this matter with Edina School District staff, it
is agreed that the school district would accept the
responsibility to maintain this equipment, as well as, the
liability. Further, the City of Edina would not be obligated to
replace this equipment in the future when it needs replacement.
It was also staff's recommendation that this playground equipment
be purchased by the City of Edina in accordance with
specifications to be established by City of Edina staff.
As noted in the Park Board minutes, there was lengthy discussion
that ultimately led to a recommendation to not earmark any
® funding for Edina School District playground equipment.
FREE SEMINAR!
Lawn Care
for The 90's
"A PINCH, NOT A POUND"
Learn the best methods for combating weeds and other pests and the most prudent ... and cost
effective... use of chemicals and fertilizers. Learn why the timing of applications is critical to a
healthy lawn. What does "proper irrigation" really mean? Understand how overseeding your
lawn with the proper seed mix for existing conditions can make your work easier and your
lawn lush. These environmentally safe methods of lawn care are extremely important for
public health and safety.
As part of the Edina City Council's Turf Management Plan, the City of Edina is pleased to offer
this valuable Lawn Care Clinic free to the public. The clinic will be taught by Mr. John Hopko,
a nationally recognized expert in the area of turf management.
Thursday, March 28, 1996
7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
The Edina Community Center Auditorium
Sponsored hy:
The City of Edina with assistanee and support from the newly formed Edina Goes Green
Committee, as well as the League of Women Voters of Edina, the University of Minnesota
Extension Service and the Minnesota Department of Agrieulture