HomeMy WebLinkAbout1977-09-13 Park Board MinutesMINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF
THE EDINA PARK BOARD
Tuesday, September 13th, 1977
EDINA CITY HALL
MEMBERS PRESENT: J. Rice, Chairperson;
M. McDonald; D. Pavek;
G. Warner
MEMBERS ABSENT: NONE
A. Fischer; J. Lonsbury; W. Lund;
V. Shaw; L. Wanninger; and
STAFF PRESENT: K. Rosland; B. Kojetin; R. Jacobson; R. Campbell, III:
and P. Benjamson
OTHERS PRESENT: Dorothy Anderson, League of Women Voters
I. MINUTES APPROVED
Mrs. Lonsbury made a motion to approve the Park Board Minutes of
Tuesday, July 12th, 1977, and of Tuesday, August 9th, 1977, as
written and submitted. Mr. Lund seconded the motion and the motion
was approved.
II. ADDITIONS TO AGENDA
Mr. Rice added the following to our agenda for this meeting:
VII. Park and Recreation Department Budget VIII. Edina School
District Request for Strategic Planning IX. Historical Site
Excavation Report X. Property Abutting Hebrew Cemetery
III. PLANNING REQUESTS:
Z-77-15 and S-77-16 (Woodbury Park Second Addition)
Mr. Rosland presented this proposed rezoning and subdivision
of Woodbury Park Second Addition, generally located east of
France and south of 55th Street, requesting realignment of
the lot line between Lots 4 and.5, an acceptable developer's
agreement, parkland dedication, and easement, deed restriction,
or some other means to ensure no direct access from Lots 2 and
3 to France Avenue and vacation of the alley on the southern
portion of the site, plus a request for a subdivision to create
two single family lots and three double bungalow lots. Mr.
Rosland recommended that we accept 5% cash in lieu of land.
Z-77-17 and S-77-18 (Peter Deckas, Deckas Addition)
Mr. Rosland presented this proposed rezoning and subdivision
of Deckas Addition, generally located on the southwest corner
of Olinger Road and Vernon Avenue South, requesting access to
Lots 1, 2, and 3 from cul-de-sac and not from Vernon Avenue,
an executed developer's agreement, parkland dedication, the
berm be located on private property on the northern portion
and not on public right-of-way, plus a request for a subdivi-
sion of three doubles and four single family dwelling lots.
Mr. Rosland recommended that we accept 5% cash in lieu of land.
PAGE TWO SEPTEMBER 13th, 1977
III. PLANNING REQUESTS (Continued)
S-77-19 (Lot 29, Rolling Green Replat)
Mr. Rosland presented this proposed subdivision, generally
located southwest of Annaway Drive and southeast of Bywood West,
requesting one new single family lot. Mr. Rosland recommended
that we accept 5% cash in lieu of land.
S-77-20 (Jeam Addition. Garth 0. Holmes)
Mr. Rosland presented this proposed subdivision, generally
located south of West 63rd Street and west of Warren Avenue,
requesting one new single family lot. Mr. Rosland recommended
that we accept 5% cash in lieu of land.
Mrs. Shaw made a motion that we accept 5% cash in lieu of land
for the above zoning and subdivision requests. Mr. Fischer seconded
and the motion was approved.
IV. LOU LARSON PROPERTY - TOWNES ROAD
Dr. Larson owns four lots at or near 4700 Townes Road. Mr. Rosland
reported that the neighbors of Dr. Larson want to know if the City of
Edina would accept the property if Dr. Larson offers it. We have 80%
of this land (the largest outlot) in a perpetual easement. Of the other
three lots, only one may be buildable. Mr. Rosland recommended that
the Park Board recommend the preservation of this land as open space.
After some discussion, Mr. Rice recommended that the Park and
Recreation Department staff bring back additional information and some
graphics regarding this proposal to our next Park Board meeting.
V•. EDINA ART CENTER REPORT
Mr. Rosland reported that the two co -directors of the Edina Art
Center, Mrs. Marion Ward and Mrs. Pat Greer, opened the center on
September 12th, with two hundred people enrolled in classes and with
one hundred, fifteen members. Mr. John E. Lonsbury, was in charge
of the remodeling crews and did an excellent job coordinating the
work. The parking lots will be built, as soon as plans are finalized
and funds are available. A spinet piano, worth $500.00, has been
donated: 3M .Company will be contributing a $2,000.00 security system.
Mr. Rosland also mentioned that the parking lots have been planned
as follows: eight to nine cars in the meadow area and eight to nine
cars in the old driveway area will be completed first; next spring the
lot will be expanded down over the hill; in about three years we will
put in some plantings and add seven or eight more parking spaces.
Mrs. Shirley Taylor, who was on the Edina Park Board, will be donating
funds to make a nature area (or buffer area) to the south of the center
in memory of her son.
PAGE THREE SEPTEMBER 13th, 1977
V. EDINA ART CENTER REPORT (Continued
Mrs. Lonsbury reported on the meeting with the neighbors of the
Edina Art Center: they were all satisfied by Mr. Rosland's report
on the construction plans and progress.
Mr. Rosland further reported that Mrs. Jean Adams has been hired
as a part-time staff person for the Center. One of her duties is to
do the publicity for the Center: she has started a newsletter called
THE CENTERFOLD. Forty-one volunteers have signed up to help at the
Art Center with whatever is necessary to be done. A picture window
has been donated to the Center by Mr. George Warner and will be in-
stalled in the new kiln room.
VI. PARK AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT REPORT
Mr. Jacobson presented a written summary report of the partici-
pants in the park programs in 1976 and 1977. The majority of the
programs increased by a slight percentage. All are fee -charged
programs. The adult softball program had 104 teams, including women's,
men's, and co-rec teams. The champions of the women's teams won the
Minnesota State Tournament.
Mr. Rosland said the Frizbee Golf Course has opened and they will
be paying us $500.00 per year. There was a change in management, but
that should not affect our course. Between them, two Park and Recreation
staff members scheduled 4,000 games, for a three month period this summer,
at our fields. Mr. Rosland reported that a new C.E.T.A. employee will
be starting at the Senior Citizen's center as a social worker. The
Senior Advisory Board has been very active: their program has between
450 and 500 members. Mr. Rosland will report on the Golf Course Par 3
Extension at a future Park Board meeting: we have already received the
permit from the state to drill a well and extend the irrigation system.
Mr. Kojetin reported that the 1977-1978 football season sign-up has
almost the same number of participants as last year: the fifth grade
is larger by two teams, with the seventh grade being the largest. Girls'
basketball has begun.
The 1977-1978 hockey season will be starting soon, with the sign-up
September 24th and September 28th. Mr. Pavek reported that the Reimann
Memorial Tournament will be held in February 1978 for the Midgets and
the Juniors (Juveniles).
Mr. Rosland reported that Mr. Al Fischer has been doing an excellent
job overseeing the Golf Course finances: there is a $35,000.00 increase
in revenue this year. Mr. Rice commented that the increase in fees
charged this year seemed to have presented no problems. Mr. Rosland also
reported that Mrs. Lonsbury has been overseeing the Edina Municipal Swim-
ming Pool finances in a year that has had few good days for swimming and
therefore a downward trend in fees received has been experienced.
Mr. Rosland mentioned that the ventilation system in one of the pool
maintenance rooms has to be improved, since it has corroded badly: it
is needed to ventilate the little maintenance room.
PAGE FOUR
VI. PARK AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT REPORT (Continued
SEPTEMBER 13th, 1977
Mr. Kojetin reported that the installation of irrigation systems
at Garden Park and Pamela Park is progressing very smoothly. Mr. Rosland
reported that our summer park maintenance crews have been busy spreading
the wood chips,that have been recovered from the condemned boulevard
trees, at Utley Park and other City parks.
Mr. Rosland presented a review on the Minnesota State Subsidy pro-
gram for reimbursement to homeowners for part of the cost of diseased
tree removal. The State has authorized payment to homeowners and the
Edina City Council authorized $100.00 per tree, as the maximum to be
reimbursed: the State will pay 37% and the City will pay 63%. To date,
we have received subsidy requests in the amount of $26,000.00. There
have been about 1,000 trees removed, so far, but the total cost to the
City and State is less, because some people have elected to waive their
subsidy and cut the trees down themselves (we haul them away free, but
the State reimburses us for doing this hauling), plus some trees are
smaller and half of the cost of taking them down comes to less than
$100.00 per tree.
Mr. Rosland reported on the re -forestation program. We need more
staff to accomplish our goals. The City Council wil be discussing this
at their next meeting, so we will find out more about this at our next
meeting.
Mr. Campbell reported that 1,033 privately owned trees have been
condemned, 161 of these were removed in August, and about 500 boulevard
trees have been condemned. Edina has the best record of trees removed,
with 92% of the private trees removed and 96% of the condemned boulevard
trees removed. The City of Edina started a Dutch Elm Disease program in
1958: by 1983 we will be losing trees at the rate of 5,200 per year.
The next step in our program is to take down all privately owned trees
that have not been removed voluntarily and assess the property for the
cost of doing so.
Mr. Campbell said the Park and Recreation Department will ask the
Edina City Council, next year, for a revised diseased tree removal
program, which will hopefully streamline the procedures for removing
the diseased elms and oaks.
VII. PARK AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT BUDGET
Mr. Rosland requested comments from the Park Board after their
perusing the proposed budget for 1978. There was quite a bit of
discussion with these conclusions being made: the Park and Recreation
Department programs will not be expanded at the present time, since
we would need to increase our present staff to do so; Mr. Wanninger
said the schools are not encouraging expansion in their programs at this
time; Mr. Rosland and the Park Board recommend that a volunteer of the
PAGE FIVE SEPTEMBER 13th, 1977
VII. PARK AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT BUDGET (Continued
year award(s) be given by the Mayor of Edina, since we depend so heavily
on volunteers; the City has found car purchase to be more economical
than car leasing, except for a few of our cars; the increase for
central services is not as yet in the budget - we do not know what the
City Council will add to this - we do not have any control over the
amount; we have not added any extra funds, this year, for the Dutch
Elm Disease program, but we will be reviewing the possibility of doing
so next year, since we have had to pull five tree trimmers and, also,
several workers from the Street Department to work on tree removals.
Mrs. Lonsbury made a motion to approve the "Edina Park and
Recreation Department Proposed Budget for 1978" as submitted. Mr. Lund
seconded the motion and the motion was approved.
VIII. EDINA SCHOOL DISTRICT REQUEST FOR STRATEGIC PLANNING IDEAS
Mr. Rice presented a request from Mr. George Hite, of the Edina
School Board, for our recommendations for input on their proposed
program goals. They would like this written, or oral, report for their
September 26th meeting.
The Park Board decided to have a special Edina Park Board meeting
September 20th, in order to get our recommendations readied for
presentation.
IX. HISTORICAL SITE EXCAVATION REPORT
Mr. Rosland reported that the Heritage Preservation Board has
decided to leave a smooth portion of the foundation showing, at the
Old Mill Site, in order to define the outline of the mill, instead of
using oyster shell chips for the whole outline. Mr. Campbell, III,
explained that the work the summer help did on the Old Mill Site was
set back considerably by the once -in -two -hundred -years storm we had
a few weeks ago, but that the work is again progressing.
X. PROPERTY ABUTTING HEBREW CEMETERY
Mr. Rice decided to continue this to a future meeting of the Park
Board, due to the late hour.
Mrs. Shaw moved to adjourn the meeting. Mr. Fischer seconded the
motion and the meeting was adjourned at 10:35 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Ken Rosland
Edina Park Board
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