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Home My WebLink About1991-08-05 - MinutesPRAB REGULAR MEETING AUGUST 5, 1991 The meeting was called to order by Mark Robertson room 326 of the City Administration Building. Members Present: Alexander, Robertson, at 5:30 p.m. in Anderson, Einert, Jenkins, Palmer, Waselues, Waite Staff Present: Clark, Cox, Edmonston, Kevin Crosson, Don Munsell, Chief Watson Media Present: Tom Sissom, Ron Wood, Channel 5 Guests Present: BUSINESS: Judi Alexander, John Lewis, Herb Lewis, Clem Johnson, Jim Glenn, Diana Woodall • I. MOTION:ALEXANAER/FINERY The PRAB minutes from the July 1, 1991 meeting were approved unanimously 7-0. II. LAKE FAYETTEVILLE SOUTH Chief Watson reported there had been 38 arrests in four and one-half days. Twenty-two of these arrests were from Springdale and Fayetteville, the rest were from surrounding Arkansas cities or from out-of-state. The Police Chief recommended that the park be closed for a while. DISCUSSION: Robertson: What will happen next spring when we open the park again? Watson: We will work on getting more legitimate users. Jenkins: I had a call that even with the park closed. Watson: After the walk gate arrest for trespassing. Alexander: What time were see the legitimate users? people were still walking in is secured, the police would your officer at the park to Watson: Weekdays before 5:00 p.m. PRAB Page 2 Einert: Would posting signs or publicizing to the media help keep these people out? Watson: No, because one man arrested was back at the park immediately. Palmer: I wish to say a personal thanks to the Police Department for taking note of our requests and patrolling the park. Wouldn't publicizing the names deter future use? Watson: Maybe, the names are available at the. Police Department. PUBLIC COMMENT: Diana Woodall: I do not disagree with group usage, this is a special park, but there are gay men that use the park for uses other than sexual. Such as last Sunday, a group of gay men met for volleyball. Watson: Most of the gay men that were arrested were arrested for public sexual indecency, sexual exposure, criminal trespass, etc. I have no problem with sexual preference, just what they are .doing in the park. Palmer: It does not matter if a person is homosexual or heterosexual, sex is not for parks. Clem Johnson(Ozark Volleyball Club): Closing the park is like'taking Wilson Tennis Courts away from tennis players and telling them they have to be let in every time they wish to play. The volleyball users helped fund the courts and would like to use them at anytime. The police Department viewed the legitimate users before 5:00 p.m. The volleyball club uses the park ,after. 5:00 and on weekends. There should be another way to approach this problem without closing the park. The courts were originally installed to deter the homosexual activities at the park. A big problem with these men is that they circle the drive in their cars fast and this is a danger to children. Our players bring their children. Alexander: Being a volleyball player, I have never been approached. Robertson: Could we have another surveillance or two instead of closing the parks? Even if we close the parks, it will still be a secluded park with woods next spring. Watson: We need to get large groups to use the trails. Munsell: needed by closing, Volleyball After what • PRAB. Page 3 This is a beautiful park, known for gays, volleyball. Maybe during the temporary we could build a large pavilion, etc. users were not enough to deter gay users. I saw at the park, something has to be done. Jim Glen(Ozark Volleyball Club)• Is there anything we could do to help? Such as patrol the trails occasionally? Anderson: Are these people dangerous? Watson: It is possible. Clem Johnson: One surveillance bust every ten years is not enough. Edmonston: During the summer, many groups use the parks. A larger"pavilion is needed. This is the only park with facilities to handle large groups. MOTION:WAITE/EINERT The PRAB recommends to close the park for the remainder of the season, except for scheduled events. To encourage and schedule groups to use the facilities with parks staff opening and closing the gate for the groups. MOTION APPROVED 5-3 (Alexander. Robertson, Palmer nay) Einert: Why is the park closed in the winter? Clark: There is not enough use in the winter months. Alexander: This does not seem like apark issue but a public issue. The police need to take a bigger part in this problem. If this activity is not going on in the park, it will happen somewhere in Fayetteville so it is not a parks issue. Closing the park will damage the activities there. Clark: The park has already been closed except for the volleyball group and a. few other groups. This activity goingon has kept people away and basically closed the park for us. Clem Johnson: You don't close an environment because of a crime, you arrest the criminals. Alexander: This is a City problem, not a parks problem. There needs to be more surveillance and names published in the newspaper. PRAB Page 4 III. PASTURE LEASE FOR LAND ADJOINING LAKE SEQUOYAH The City had a lifetime license agreement with Herbert A. Lewis, Sr. for land adjoining Lake Sequoyah. Mr. Lewis passed away in 1990 and his heirs wish to continue with a ten year lease. e-44e1h_,1 MOTION:ALEXANDER/JENKINS �4 The PRAB recommends that the land formerly owned by Herbert A. Lewis, Sr. be leased to the Lewis heirs for a ten year period. NOTION APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY 7-0 IV. APPLICATION FOR ARKANSAS PARKS AND TOURISM OUTDOOR RECREATION GRANT This is a matching funds grant up to $50,000 for the development of Gulley Park and a public meeting must be, held by the 15th of August. NOTION:JENKINS/ALEXANDER The PRAB recommends to the City Board of Directors to adopt a resolution authorizing the City Manager to apply for funds up to $50,000 for the continued development of Gulley Park. MOTION APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY 6-0 (Robertson abstaining) V. GREEN SPACE Paradise View Estates Owner/Developer: Lindsey Family Trust Park District: NE Location: S of Sweetbriar Park, W of 265 Number of Units: 21 Land Dedication: .26 acres Money in lieu: $2,205 The PRAB requests to accept land next to Sweetbriar Park. NOTION-PALMER/ALEXANDER The PRAB recommends: to the Planning Commission to accept land, .26 acres, in lieu of money for the green space requirement of Paradise View Estates. MOTION APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY 7-0 OTHER BUSINESS LAKE FAYETTEVILLE SOUTH Alexander: We need to make decision on Lake Fayetteville South, just closing the park won't work. PRAB Page 5 Robertson: We could meet at the site for our next meeting and tour the facilities. Waite: We need to have concrete ideas for the Board, not just suggestions. Einert: We asked the police to perform the arrests. POOL REPORT Edmonston reported the report for the City pool this month is down dueto a main water line break. The pool was closed for five days to repair the water line. DONATING WORK Palmer reported the Jerry Sweetser is interested in providing in-kind construction work for a parks and school system project. The meeting adjourned at 7:20 p.m. Minutes Approved: Phi B thnj July 30, 1991 Fayetteville Parks and Recreation Advisory Board c/o Dale Clark, Parks and Recreation Director City Administration Building 113 W. Mountain Fayetteville, AR 72701 RE: Pasture Lease for Land Adjoining Lake Sequoyah Dear Board Members: Herbert A. Lewis, Sr., my father, had a lifetime License Agreement with the City of Fayetteville to use land between Lake Sequoyah and the eastern boundary of his 76.5 acre farm north of Arkansas Highway 16 East. Enclosed are a copy of the License Agreement and a plat showing the location of the Lewis farm. Dad passed away in 1990. His heirs would like to continue the agreement with the City of Fayetteville. Enclosed is a proposed 10 -year lease between the City and the Co - Trustees of the Herbert, A. Lewis and Marie Lewis Trust. Marie Lewis is Dad's widow. The lease includes an option to extend the term for an additional 10 -year period but provides that the City can terminate the lease at any time for all or any portion of the demised premises by giving 90 days notice if the City determines that the land is needed for public park purposes. It also includes a provision allowing the City to construct public walkways near Lake Sequoyah. I respectfully request the Fayetteville Parks and Recreation Advisory Board to approve the enclosed lease and recommend to the Fayetteville Board of Directors that a resolution authorizing its execution be adopted. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely Herbert A. L