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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1983-10-11 Park Board PacketEDINA PARK BOARD October 11, 1983 7:30 p.m. Edina City Hall AGENDA I. Update on Hennepin County and Regional Parks II. 1984 Budget III. Update on Golf Course Construction Projects Clubhouse - Par 3 - Maintenance Building IV. Tree Trimming Program V. Update on Wooddale School 0 REPORT OF FIRST MEETING OF TECHNICAL ADVISORY TASK FORCE - SEPTEMBER 28, 1983 Those in attendance were: Bloomington - Gene Kelly Brooklyn Center - Eugene Hagel Brooklyn Park - Dennis Palm (absent) Crystal - Ed Brandeen Eden Prairie - Robert Lambert Edina - Robert Kojetin Golden Valley - Charles Corlett (absent) Hopkins -Minnetonka - Richard Wilson Maple Grove - Douglas Bryant (absent) New Hope - Shari French Plymouth - Eric Blank Richfield - Don Fondrick Robbinsdale - Robert Wicklund St. Louis Park - George Haun Metropolitan Council Staff Robert Nethercut Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board Staff: Gary Criter, Cornelia Einsweiler, David Fisher Hennepin County Park Reserve District Staff: Robert Callecod, John Christian, Don Cochran, Clifton French, Robert Gove, Marty Jessen, and Greg Mack Clif French welcomed all representatives to the first meeting of the Technical Advisory Task Force and thanked them for their willingness to participate. He indicated that the purpose of this first meeting of the Task Force was to discuss how well recreation needs of Hennepin County residents are being met and to identify specific issues which would be meaningful and appropriate for the Task Force to address at future meetings. History and Role of Hennepin County Park Reserve District French then gave an overview of the Hennepin County Park Reserve District, its purpose as defined by its enabling legis.lation (Minnesota Statutes Chapter 398) and its role as an implementing agency in the regional system. He explained that although acquisition and development are not complete, the District had reached a point of shifting its major emphasis from land acquisition and development to delivery of outdoor recreation opportunities and services. He noted that as more of the District's properties become available for public use, municipal park and recreation departments may wish to take advantage of these resources as a means of expanding leisure opportunities to their people. Insofar as the majority of the District's budget is derived from all county taxpayers, citizens should be encouraged to use the county park system and think of it as an extension of each municipal park system. Municipal and park departments can program activities in the county/ regional park system that are carried on under the operating policies of the District. Greatest use of the county/regional system is by people coming on their own and not part of organized groups. Technical Advisory Task Force - 2 - September 28, 1983 Regional Park Use Cornelia Einsweiler and Gary Criter presented a summary of a Minneapolis citizen advisory committee report that had addressed problems being experienced in the City of Minneapolis. The advisory committee was made up of representatives from special recreation interest groups, citizens living adjacent or near regional parklands as well as other residents from throughout the City. The committee dealt with three problems or concerns with regard to regional parks in Minnea- polis: safety, usage, and tax inequity. Using a series of charts and maps, Gary Criter noted that approximately 370,000 people live in the City of Minneapolis, 324,000 live in the rest of the fully developed area within Hennepin County (generally first tier suburbs) and 245,000 people reside in the balance of the County. He pointed ntct that Distric properties lie outside the fully developed area and suggested that the effect of this is increased pressure on the regional parks within the City of Minneapolis by non -City residents, particularly those living in the first tier suburbs. He noted that 26 percent of the users of District areas and facilities come from the fully developed area of Hennepin County, where approximately 70 percent of the District's tax support comes from. Minneapolis, on the other hand, receives no suburban tax support for the operation of regional parks within the City, yet 44 percent of the usership comes from outside of the City. Clif French pointed out that these user origin patterns may change significantly as the District develops regional parks on Medicine, Eagle, Fish and Bryant Lakes. In addition, usership may change as people become more aware of developed District facilities. Dave Fisher noted that although there is an inequity issue with regard to the City of Minneapolis residents paying for the operation and maintenance of regional parks within the City as well as the County, this can be minimized if some sort of regional funding source is developed. The long term issue, however, is how do we provide regional parks for people in the fully developed area that will relieve the overuse on the regional parks within the City of Minneapolis. He advocated identification of "social regional parks" within the first tier suburbs. He suggested that insofar as water resources are not available, other man-made attractions might be appropriate. He challenged those present to identify potential sites that might better serve the people by converting from present use to that of a "social regional park." He suggested Bassett's Creek as one possible area. French suggested Meadowbrook Golf Course plus adjacent wetlands along Minnehaha Creek might be redeveloped and so utilized. Several of the representatives suggested that much of the use at municipal facilities comes from non-residents, with many from Minneapolis. They indicated general acceptance that these uses tend to balance and offset one another. George Haun noted with regard to the equity funding issue that some people within the City of St. Louis Park have suggested that since their residents tend to use the regional parks within the City of Minneapolis, perhaps the City ought to receive a portion of St. Louis Park's contribution to the Park Reserve District. Technical Advisory Task Force - 3 - September 28, 1983 Regional Parks and Open Space System Bob Nethercut gave a brief overview of the history and role of the Metropolitan Council in the provision of a Regional Parks and Open Space. He noted that since 1974, the Minnesota Legislature had authorized $120,000,000 in bonds for acquisition and development of regional parks and open space within the Metro- politan Area. Initially, the majority of these funds were used for the acquisition; however, recently there has been increased emphasis in development. Funds for acquisition and development are allocated to the implementing agencies within the Metropolitan Area. The Metropolitan Council has, as a primary objective, the establ-i-shment of a balanced system within the Metro Area. Two issues of concern to the Metropolitan Parks and Open Space Commission are: 1. Operations and maintenance funding for regional parks 2. Public awareness of regional parks Hennepin County Park Reserve Use Bob Callecod reviewed the user occasion information for areas and facilities within the Hennepin County Park Reserve District. The information projects a steady increase in user occasions as new facilities are developed and people become more aware of the District. He noted that dramatic increases in use are projected for the regional parks that are closest to the fully developed areas. In addition, leisure activity changes will result in increased demand on certain facilities, such as trails. Issues Identified for Task Force Study at Subsequent Meetings 1. Public Awareness How can we more effectively make people aware of what is available to them in the County/Regional Park System? Will greater awareness of County/Regional parks reduce overuse in Chain -of -Lakes Parks? 2. Marketing Strategies What marketing strategies can be developed and utilized that will increase use of county park facilities and, hopefully, bring about a better distribution of that use? 3. Changed and perhaps continually changing recreation patterns and interests Physical fitness interest Holistic health approach Analysis of demographic data as one indicator of meeting leisure interests of identifiable people groupings Other factors Technical Advisory Task Force - 4 - September 28, 1983 4. Park Reserves and most County Regional Parks are mostly located outside of the more densely populated centers. What can be done to alleviate the problems this causes? (An acceleration of the development of Fish, Eagle and Bryant Lake Parks and places on the Mississippi River.) 5. Are there areas in the first tier suburbs that could be acquired and developed as Regional Parks? 6. Public transportation to County/Regional Parks What are possibilities? What are the limitations? 7. What municipal park areas and facilities besides those in Minneapolis are meeting recreational needs of people who do not live in the city whose facilities they are using? 8. Can the apparent inequity of use be alleviated to some extent by development of special use facilities? 9. What is the most practical way to finance the operations of the County/ Regional Park System? 10. There is a need to improve communications and understanding between the different Recreation and Park Boards throughout the County. 11. Interdepartmental shared use of equipment 12. Interdepartmental shared/cooperative programming. Several representatives asked for the opportunity to review results from the District's recent public forums on funding of regional parks in Hennepin County. French indicated that summaries would be distributed at the next meeting. Next Meeting Date The next meeting of the Technical Advisory Task Force was scheduled for Wednesday, October 26, 1983, 8:30 a.m. at the Medicine Lake Regional Park Office.