HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-09-08 Parks & Rec Comm MinutesDraft Minutes☐
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Approved October 13, 2020
Minutes
City Of Edina, Minnesota
Edina Parks & Recreation Commission
VIRTUAL MEETING
Sept. 8, 2020
7 p.m.
I. Call to Order
Chair Ites called the meeting to order at 7:07 p.m.
II. Roll Call
Answering roll call were Commissioners Good, Miller, Nelson, Willette, Nahlovsky,
McAwley, Dahlien, Doscotch, Ites
Absent: Commissioner Strother and Student Commissioners Mork and Sorem. Student
Commissioner Sorem was attempting to, but unable to connect due to technology issues.
Staff present: Staff Liaison Perry Vetter, Assistant Director Parks & Natural Resources Tom
Swenson, Assistant Director Recreation & Facilities Tracy Petersen, and Administrative
Coordinator Janet Canton
III. Approval of Meeting Agenda
Motion made by McAwley to approve the meeting agenda. Motion seconded by
Good. Roll call vote. Motion carried.
IV. Approval of Meeting Minutes
Motion made by McAwley to approve the Aug. 10, 2020 minutes. Motion seconded
by Nelson. Roll call vote. Motion carried.
V. Special Recognitions and Presentations
A. Introduction of New Student Commission members
Staff Liaison Vetter introduced new student commission member Will Nahlovsky who
took a few minutes to introduce himself to the commission and explain why he chose the
Parks & Recreation Commission.
VI. Reports/Recommendations
A. Approve 2019 Work Plan Recommendations
Staff Liaison Vetter asked the commissioners if they had any changes or wording to the
updated version of the 2019 Work Plan. He then went through the seven initiatives.
Commissioner Miller indicated with regards to Initiative #5 (Investigate possible alternative
funding options to support future growth and development of Edina’s parks, programs and green
spaces) he will send Staff Liaison Vetter a better explanation in bulleted points of what
was done and what they are considering going forward.
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Motion made by Good to consider the changes Commissioner Miller will be adding
to Initiative #5 to the 2019 Work Plan and to approve that staff accept it, finalize
it, and pass the recommendation along to City Council. Motion seconded by
Miller. Roll call vote. Motion carried.
B. 2020 Work Plan Report
Staff Liaison Vetter asked the commissioners for any updates on the 2020 Work Plan. He
also asked how they would like to go about adding the new student commissioners to
the 2020 Work Plan. He noted staff could reach out to them and place them on a work
group once they can further gauge their preference.
The following updates were given on the 2020 Work Plan initiatives.
Initiative #1 - Review and comment on the Flood Risk Reduction Strategy and
Climate Action Plan
Staff Liaison Vetter informed the commission this group does not have any materials to
review and comment on and therefore are not in need of any action at this time.
Initiative #2 - Co-chair a cross-commission committee (HRRC & PARC) in partnership
with communities of color to identify barriers for participation in programming by
creating a plan to reach communities of color through different modes, structure of
feedback, and how data will be used. (R&E 20.B) Committee will be comprised of not
more than 2-3 members from each commission and one member from each commission
will serve as co-chair.
Staff Liaison Vetter informed the commission they are converting this initiative into a staff-lead
initiative. Staff will create the plan for review and comment from the commissions that is
reflective in the 2021 Work Plan for consideration later. Staff Liaison Vetter noted he will be
in contact with Commissioner Strother once that information is available from the Parks &
Recreation staff and the Race & Equity staff.
Initiative #4 - Develop criteria that incorporates sustainability and equity for
prioritizing capital improvements for park infrastructure needs, including playground
equipment, warming houses and core amenities for expansion and replacement. Parks
and Recreation Commission will create the criteria and both Energy and Environment
commission and Human Rights & Relations commission will appoint up to two members
for feedback on final criteria before it goes to council.
Commissioner Nelson informed the commission the way Initiatives #3 and #4 are written
Initiative #4 leads into Initiative #3 and will therefore start with Initiative #4.
Commissioner Nelson informed the commission they are working on creating some formal
definitions and meaning behind how they prioritize. They have created a rough draft of the
criteria and are currently waiting for feedback from staff. Staff Liaison Vetter indicated he did
forward the draft to the two liaisons for the Human Rights and Relation Commission and the
Energy and Environment Commission to which they are currently reviewing. Once they have
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the feedback they will reach out to the group for a timeline on when they can present back to
the work group.
Initiative #3 - Develop an approach to build community by proactively connecting with
neighborhood groups, community athletic groups and underserved members of the
community.
Commissioner Nelson informed the commission this is really creating an approach in how they
want to be proactive in connecting with different groups including sports groups,
underprivileged areas in the community and how to be proactive in connecting. They need to
not only be proactive but be creative in how they reach out. They need to make sure they are
connecting the importance of having parks and connections with people through COVID,
mental health and all the above.
Initiative #5 – Assist staff with the pursuit of funding opportunities for Braemar Park
Master Plan.
Commissioner Good questioned if the local option sales tax was their only option or if they
have some other options since the local option sales tax was unable to make any progress this
year. Staff Liaison Vetter indicated it was one option this year that was pursued and if they
want to pursue that again they will need to restart the process again as we head into the next
legislative session. There are other grant opportunities that exist however they would require
matching funds from the city in order to pursue them.
Initiative #6 - Assist staff with the pursuit of funding opportunities for Fred Richards
Park Master Plan.
Chair Ites asked Staff Liaison Vetter to explain how the lack of development might change the
master plan. Staff Liaison Vetter explained how the park dedication fees from the
redevelopment of the Pentagon Park area were going to fund the master plan for Fred
Richards Park; however, that development is not going forward. Therefore, they need to look
at alternatives to fund the Fred Richards Park Master Plan.
Initiative #7 - Study and report on the strategic goal of 15% of Edina land
dedicated to parks and green spaces.
Commissioner Good informed the commission Staff Liaison Vetter provided them with input
on some data from the NRPA around some benchmark data. He will try to set up a meeting
mid-month so they can have a little further discussion around how they want to take this
information and begin to layer on some things above and beyond just the 15% threshold they
seem to have achieved and are maintaining at the moment and try to identify some other
things that will be meaningful both operationally and strategically.
C. 2021 Work Plan Recommendation
The commission went through and discussed each initiative for the updated 2021 Work Plan
as well as went through the initiative type: project, ongoing/annual, or event. Staff Liaison
Vetter indicated these are the ideas that were generated for the 2021 Work Plan and if
anyone has any additional initiatives, this is the perfect time for that discussion. It was also
noted the initiatives are not in any specific order.
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Commissioners also indicated which initiatives they would be interested in working on.
Initiative #1 - Review and comment on a plan developed by P&R and R&E staff to
identify barriers for participation and reach communities of color through different
modes and feedback, determine how data would be used. With the HRRC (with the
PARC) implement that plan to gather information.
It was noted this initiative starts as a project and ends with an event. A target completion date
is December 2021.
Commissioners Strother, Miller, and McAwley are interested in working on this initiative.
Initiative #2 - Implement approach to proactively connecting with neighborhood
groups, community athletic groups and underserved members of the community.
It was noted this initiative is ongoing/annual.
Commissioners Nelson, Good, Dahlien, and Nahlovsky are interested in working on this
initiative.
Initiative #3 - Explore approaches to funding various portions of the park and
recreation system for the replacement and improvement of capital related park
amenities, facilities, and enterprise upgrades. Recommend to the City Council alternate
funding opportunities to consider for implementation.
It was noted this initiative is a project.
Commissioners Willette and McAwley are interested in working on this initiative.
Initiative #4 - Assist in categorizing underutilized amenities or areas; and identifying
more productive amenities that are tied to neighborhood needs. Strategic Plan Strategy
2.2.1.
It was noted this initiative is from the Parks and Recreation Strategic Plan and would be a
worthwhile exercise to review park amenities prior to any substantial system changes.
Commissioners Good, McAwley and Doscotch are interested in working on this initiative.
Commissioner Good suggested adding one more initiative that was in their comprehensive
plan and it could possibly be an ongoing/annual initiative with regards to keeping up with our
metrics and benchmarking.
The commission discussed the possible fifth initiative.
Staff Liaison Vetter and the commission thanked Commissioner Good for all his work on the
Comprehensive Plan Task Force.
Initiative #5 - Staff Liaison Vetter gave a draft of the text for Initiative #5 – Be
intentional in the use of benchmarking to assess progress against strategic
objectives. Review benchmarks on an annual basis and evaluate the measurement
effectiveness.
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It was noted this initiative would be ongoing/annual.
Commissioners Good and Dahlien are interested in working on this initiative.
Commissioner Dahlien questioned if there should be more specific language regarding
Initiatives #5 and #6 from the 2020 Work Plan with regards to assist staff with the pursuit of
funding opportunities for the Braemar Park Maser Plan and the Fred Richards Park Master
Plan.
The Commission had a discussion with the regards to the two master plans initiatives from the
2020 work plan. Staff suggested keeping them included as projects in the overall funding
initiative of proposed #3 for 2021.
Motion made by Good that staff finalizes the five initiatives and pass them along to the
City Council as the Parks & Recreation Commission’s recommended 2021 Work Plan.
Motion seconded by McAwley. Roll call vote. Motion carried.
VII. Chair and Member Comments
Commissioner Good informed the commission he utilized the disc golf course at Rosland
Park this past month and had a suggestion for staff to consider some simple signage to help
direct play. He noted marking the starting point and directional hints from hole to hole
might be helpful. It’s clear there are still some things in the ground from when it was initially
set up but maybe park maintenance staff could do a bit of a refresher to make it easier for
people to find their way around, especially if they haven’t used it before.
Commissioner Good informed the commission he played the back nine at Braemar Golf
Course this past weekend and had a couple of people ask him what is underneath the blue
tarp between hole #16 green and #12 tee? Staff Liaison Vetter replied staff are building a
new tee box for the par 3 for hole #17 that could be used for tournaments or different
challenges to give the par 3 additional opportunities for different distances.
Chair Ites informed the commission that Jay Meyerhoff, PGA Head Professional at Braemar
Golf Course, just received an award from the PGA of America for having the top junior
program in Minnesota. He now has one of the largest in the country in terms of junior golf.
Chair Ites helped volunteer at a junior academy tournament on Aug. 22 and it was a great
success. The Braemar Golf Course enterprise has been very successful and thinks they may
even see a record year despite the social distancing.
Commissioner Dahlien informed the commission he went to take his son to Braemar Golf
Course over the weekend to hit some range balls; however, he called the course seven
times and it almost felt like they were going to voicemail or someone was picking up the
phone and hanging it up. They ended up going to Glen Lake Golf Course where they walked
in, got a bucket of balls and were on the course within three minutes. He wondered if other
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folks have had the same issue. Staff Liaison Vetter apologized to Commissioner Dahlien for
that experience. He noted the clubhouse has been closed as a safety protocol for staff. He
explained they recently switched the phone lines to have the ability to que calls. With the
prior system a call would only get answered when the next available staff person’s phone
would be open. He stated he will have to check with the general manager on what may have
happened over Labor Day weekend and ensure that system is working. They are trying to
have adequate staff levels to answer the phones. He noted for the future they are looking at
a new software system for reservations and payments to be able to do it online. The
current system is unable to do it because of the implications of player cards and multiples
rates. They hope to have a new system for the coming year.
VIII. Staff Comments
Staff Liaison Vetter gave the following updates:
Online registration for fall/winter classes was held on Aug. 19 and there were
approximately 660 registrants the first day. This is the first time they did not have a printed
directory due to the constant changes that would continue to happen due to COVID-19.
Staff was very satisfied with how it went and registration for classes is still going on.
Parks & Recreation was successful in receiving some grants that they implemented this
summer. The grants were funded by the Three Rivers Park District through a Hennepin
County program.
There has been a lot of use on the putting course and paddleboat rentals at Centennial
Lakes. The expansion of the paddleboat rentals was due to one of the grants that they
received.
There are still a couple of Thursdays left this year for the Farmer’s Market that has been
held at Rosland Park. They have had very good attendance even though it has been a much
different experience than when it was held at Centennial Lakes. It has been more of a
market shopping experience rather than a park experience.
Edinborough Park has been open for limited amenities: track, pool, and some of the fitness
apparatus for members. The project on the front entrance plaza does continue and it is
starting to take shape.
They are planning to reopen Braemar Field on Sept. 19 which will begin the fall season.
They will probably not offer the walking amenities until later. They are going to ease into
starting with the athletic associations in September and then slowly expand as they are able.
Adult open hockey will start at Braemar Arena on Sept. 9; the cost is $5.
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The golf dome is slated to open on Sept. 14 from 1-9 p.m.; the outdoor range will still be
available through then. There will be a dedicated COVID management plan at the golf dome
and staff wants to make sure people check out the plan before they go.
Some of the swales at Arden Park have been replanted through the watershed district as
well as the lawn and landscaping work is occurring right now. They have received concerns
about the condition of the area where the turf was to be established. The contractor did
re-till that subsurface as well as picked and removed rocks and debris out of that area. They
will amend the soil this week and will add that to the seeding area. They will be
hydroseeding it this year so they should get grass to pop up very quickly there. He noted
they are continually working on the area.
Next week, dependent on weather, they will be rehabilitating the parking lot at Bredesen
Park on Sept. 15 and Sept. 16.
At the October PARC meeting he is hoping to have two special project request
presentations. One is to add a bocce ball court and the other is to provide an additional
outdoor skate park.
IX. Calendar of Events
A. Upcoming 2020 Meeting and Events
Staff Liaison Vetter informed the commission they do not yet know the status or style of
meetings going forward; they are taking direction from the Administration Department and
will know that on a month to month basis.
X. Adjournment
Motion made by Miller to adjourn the Sept. 8, 2020 meeting at 8:58 p.m. Motion
seconded by McAwley. Roll call vote. Motion carried.