HomeMy WebLinkAbout1996-07-01 - Minutes• • • TO: FROM: DATE: SUBJECT: PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY BOARD DALE D. CLARK PARKS & RECREATION DIRECTOR JUNE 24, 1996 PRAB MEETING ON MONDAY, JULY 1, 1996 AT 5:30 PM IN ROOM 219 OF THE CITY ADMINISTRATION BUILDING ****************************************************************************** II. IV. V. Approval of PRAB Minutes - June 3, 1996 [ Regular Meeting] Introduction of new Parks Board Member, Chester Jones - Clark C[wasn't here - on vacation - just nominated]] Gulley Park - Mr. Sullivan(was late so moved to IVJ Request of vacating easement of Lot #48 adjoining Horseshoe Subdivision park land - David Harwood GREENSPACE Development: Garland Square Apartments Engineer: Hill Group Owner: ERC Properties Location: North of Cato Springs, west of Garland Park District: SW Priority: None Total Acres: 4.06 Units: 56 multi Land Dedication Requirement: 1.12 acres Money in Lieu:$13,440 1990 Needs: 10-20 acres 2010 Needs: 12-24 acres Existing: 5 acres Staff Recommendations: Money in Lieu • • VI. • GREENSPACE gfnt4w ? a3'° _ z Development: Deerfield_Place_ 8 tt ggao Engineer: Jorgenson Owner: Gordon Wilkins Location: Highway 16 east, west of Molly Wagoner Road Park District: SE Priority: None }1 ablt? Total Acres: 11.72 Units: 29 Land Dedication Requirement: .58 acres Money in Lieu: $8,700 1990 Needs: 7-14 acres 2010 Needs: 16-32 acres Existing: 8 acres plus 1779 acres (3 different parks) Staff Recommendations: Money in Lieu Lake Fayetteville Bridge - Ackerman d 31 L„,tstaa."'iy 4)A Veterans Memorial Park Dedication on the Fourth of July - Clark [ no park tour / - park tour is now hack on as of tonight's meeting - CIP Budget Approval - Clark Other Business Tentative Park Tour date: August 14th, 5:30 - 8:00 pm Attachments: HMR Report Greenspace Report 6/6/96 Special Meeting on Jefferson playground and on Vandergriff and Holcomb playgrounds 6/12/96 Park Tour/Discussion Meeting: Motion on Vandergriff and Holcomb playgrounds, several Board Members that were present postponed the park tour due to personal conflicts and absent Board Members .4 Late Addition - Gulley Park TraillSweetser Donation of Land • PRAB REGULAR MEETING JULY 1, 1996 The meeting was called to order by Bill Waite at 5:30 pm in room 219 of the City Administration Building. Members Present: Driver, Richard, James, Ackerman, Waite, Mackey Members Absent: McCutcheon, Jones - vacation Staff Present: Clark, Orzek, Nelson Staff Absent: Dugwyler - vacation Guests Present: David Harwood, Horseshoe Subdivision Lot #48 Brenda Love, The Hill Group, Inc. Victor Squicimari, The Hill Group, Inc. Dave Jorgenson, Deerfield Subdivision Tim Sullivan Media Present: Rusty Garrett, Northwest Arkansas Times • Jennifer Pinkerton, Morning News • BUSINESS:' • I. MOTION: DRIVER/JAMES The Minutes from the June 3, 1996 PRAB meeting were approved unanimously 6-0. II. INTRODUCTION OF NEW PARKS BOARD MEMBER, CHESTER JONES -CLARK as Waite: We have a new board member, Mr. Chester Jones, but he is out of town until July 8. We will meet him at our next meeting. Driver: Can you tell us anything about him? Clark: Mr. Jones teaches at the University of Arkansas. He's vacationing in Philadelphia, which I understand is native country for him, and he is in the field of health education and recreation. 1 / July 1, 1996 • III. GULLEY PARK - MR. SULLIVAN • Waite: A presentation regarding Gulley Park was supposed to take place. However, Mr. Sullivan is not present tonight. This is the second deferral, so we will not put him back on the agenda unless he notifies the park department. (MR. SULLIVAN ARRIVED AT THE MEETING LATE.) Sullivan: My name is Tim Sullivan, and I live on Township. I'd like to say that I admire the work of the PRAB Some of the things we, the neighbors, are looking at is the expansion of the parking lot off of Township. This is a real concern to us. The parking lot is overcrowded, but we do not feel that this is the place that it should be expanded. We understand Mrs. Gulley is ready to do something with her property, and it was our understanding five years ago that parking was going to be facilitated off of Old Wire Road. We feel Township is bearing a very heavy brunt of Gulley Park traffic. It causes a lot of accidents, traffic tie ups, near collisions, and a lot of extra noise for those of us that live there. There are a lot of things that have been done at Gulley Park, and there are a lot of maintenance things which need to be done that are not getting done. We have fencing that is not being taken care of. There has never been any treating put on fence rails. Kids walk along the rails, and the brackets are not sufficient to hold them in place. The rails are warped, and they are becoming an eyesore. We put a lot of money into a restroom that is only used approximately three months, and the rest of the year it is locked. I understand the restroom cost over $50,000, half of which were matching funds, and it does not seem that very much consideration has been given to the big picture of Gulley Park. There is traffic at all hours because there is no gate. The Park Patrol sits in his vehicle for two minutes and leaves without getting out and looking around. It seems that if we are going to have a Park Patrol, he should be out walking the path and checking the happenings at the park. If we are going to have a Park Police it seems we should be able to have a gate such as the ones at Lake Fayetteville and Lake Sequoyah Parks to cut down on vehicle traffic and illegal activities. We don't mind foot traffic. We have a lot of young people hanging out in the park because the City does not have a curfew. We feel that there should be a gate put up at the park, but:we were told that the only way we could do that 2 / July 1, 1996 is if we could find someone to open and close it. We feel that if we have someone being paid on Park Patrol or Park Police that they should be able to open and close the gate. Someone is doing it at Lake Sequoyah and Lake Fayetteville. Why not Gulley Park? We feel additional parking should be off Old Wire Road or Country Way instead of Township. The service road causes another hazard due to unauthorized use. We feel like there would be more utilization of the other side of the park if there was more parking over there. There is a volleyball court and a pavilion there. The pavilion was put there with the understanding that we were going to have Pops in the Park. I have seen the pavilion used four times since it has been put in. Waite: Dale, could you refresh me on the parking lot? We reviewed that parking lot, and I think we scaled it back. Clark: The total we were trying to get was 30-32 spaces. Waite: It's not a substantial increase in parking. Driver: Dale, there were some good suggestions. I like the suggestion of using the Park Patrol to open and close the gate. I know some of the parks residents have taken on that responsibility, and I believe they are paid by the City for that service. Clark: We have people opening and closing the gates at Lake Fayetteville South and Finger Park. Driver: I think that is a real possibility. I agree with you that there should not be any nuisance in the park in the middle of the night. As far as the restroom usage, I think it extends quite a bit further than three months out of the year. Clark: We usually have to close it in November when the weather gets cold. Sullivan: It closed in October last year. Orzek: We have to close the restroom in cold weather to prevent the water pipes from freezing and bursting. Sullivan: That's not my main concern. It's just that we utilized $53,000 to build a restroom dust so we could utilize Federal grants. We had $26,000 that could have been used for maintenance of our City parks. Instead of using that money to maintain parks we were afraid of losing matching funds. To me maintenance is much more important than adding to our parks. If we don't take care of what we have we are going to get into trouble. Our parks are not being maintained. Fences are falling down. We have playground equipment that looks like its • 3 / July 1, 1996 30 years old because its never had anything done to it. I think we needed the restroom, but I think we needed to take care of maintenance first. The restroom is in the flood plain. Driver. It's on sewer line. I think that's what determined its location and the camouflage of the trees surrounding it. Waite: I'm not sure of what you are suggesting, Mr. Sullivan. Sullivan: I would just like to see us put more efforts into maintaining our parks instead of just adding to them Waite: Before we add restrooms? Okay. Sullivan: I've been told we don't have money in our budget for maintenance. What's better? To have new restrooms here and leave old restrooms to fall apart? I think maintenance should come before restrooms in the parks. Waite: As far as location is concerned there is no additional land to put parking. Driver: I'd like to add that our maintenance budget did expand with this fiscal year. I hope that you will be patient, and I hope you will soon see the results of that. I think all of us are in agreement that our maintenance needed more funding and more attention. It certainly received my support. Richard: I'd like to look at some of the suggestions Mr. Sullivan made and see if they are feasible. Orzek:On our park reservations we do receive quite a few for Gulley Park. Sullivan: For the pavilion? Orzek: Yes, it's one of our number one places requested. Sullivan: I don't want to take away from what has been done. You have done a good job there. You have completed something there that is fantastic and that is being used. You have a beautiful park there. I just don't want to see it brought down by lack of maintenance and additional parking in an area that can't afford it. IV. REQUEST OF VACATING EASEMENT OF LOT #48 ADJOINING HORSESHOE SUBDIVISION PARR LAND - DAVID HARWOOD Harwood: I'm a property owner in Fayetteville. The property in question is Lot #48 of the Horseshoe Subdivision. I've distributed copies of the lot to each of you. I am requesting ;.1 of an access easement owned by the City of Fayetteville be vacated on the north boundary of the property. The current 20- foot easement;that the City currently has gives it access to 4 / July 1, 1996 • • • a small park area behind my lot. Another 10 -foot easement that I have on the south boundary of the property add up to 30 -feet which from a 70 -foot width lot is fairy burdensome due to the restrictive covenants in this subdivision. It's almost impossible to build a duplex under the required dimensions in the 40 feet that is clear for construction and even at that the duplex is butted against the access easement. This has negated sales. I tried to sell the lot during the past 24 years through three different realtors, and even at a discounted price, I was unable to do so because specifically that driveway would butt against the duplex wall. I am asking a reasonable request that 10 -feet of the City's 20 -feet easement be vacated. The City would be left with an adequate width to access its property with tractors, mowers, and light trucks. If the PRAB would award me the 10 feet it would restore the salability of my lot and give me the option to build on or sale the property. Waite: Has the staff had a chance to look at this, and do they have any recommendations? Clark:We looked at the property several times because of Mr. Harwood's and realtors' requests. We do not have a recommendation. Our lot is locked in except for that easement. It's our only access to our property. Driver: What is the acreage? Harwood: Approximately 1/4 of an acre. Driver: Can I ask how much you are asking for the lot? Harwood: I paid $18,900. We discounted it at $16,900 and have been unable to sell it at that price. I don't deny that is the City's only access to its property. I'm just trying to reach some sort of compromise. Ackerman. Dale, do you see any long term consequences if we vacate? Clark: I'm not sure that I see any long term effects, but I am not sure. We will maintain the property with mowers, probably not large tractors because of the property size, but I don't know. Ackerman: Do you know of any reason why we should not consider this gentleman's request? Clark: The only thing is we are short on space. Harwood: The reason you are short is because of the developer. Not me. If you want to seek remedy for being short of land, I think you should pursue the developer who has perhaps not 5 / July 1, 1996 • complied with things promised. James: I don't think we have even half of an acre. I would rather see it stay at the 20 feet just to have the other 10 feet in there if need be. There's not much room there to develop much of a park anyway. We need that extra 10 feet in the future. Harwood. Would you explain why you would need that because the land that you own will not expand because it is locked in? James: If we give up 20 feet does that include part of a utility easement? Harwood: There is utility access in there, but they do not require 20 feet. James: If they did need 20 feet it would be there. Harwood: The projection of possible needs in the future is hurting me now. I am being an unfair burden. Because you can get by with 10 feet, I think it would be a fair and reasonable compromise on the City's part to let me use the lot for the purposes of which I purchased it. Right now I cannot. While it is not the City's fault in any way, the City is the only venue outside the judicial process I have to access any remedy at all. If the City vacated the easement, I could use my property and the City would not be harmed at all. Everything you need can be taken in and out of the property in 10 feet. Waite: There will ultimately be a sidewalk there. Can we get our tractors in over a sidewalk? Clark: Not if we only have ten feet with a four foot sidewalk. Waite: We have to have a passage for equipment and a passage to stay open at all times for people. That's the only access to the land. If we put a sidewalk in there can a tractor straddle it or drive over it? Clark: They would have to dg one of the two certainly. Ackerman: How many residents does this park currently serve? Harwood: It would be minimal because of its unique nature and location. It's isolated. Clark: I believe there are thirty to forty houses in that area. Harwood: The lots go up to 51. They are a mixture of duplexes and single -family units. Ackerman. Is that park currently developed. Clark: No. Ackerman: My recommendation would be to take this under advisement, go out and evaluate the situation, and cooperate 6 / July 1, 1996 with this property owner if there is any way to without compromising our own situation long term. Perhaps we can work out an arrangement that would be satisfactory with both parties concerned. Driver: Mr. Harwood. I will be glad to follow that recommendation and look at it, but I am philosophically opposed to vacating this easement. You have a very legitimate reason to ask for the vacation of the easement, and I see the conflict it presents to you. I've been on the PRAB for 4 years and I know that there are many times when people see a use for park land that is more in their own interest. Harwood:I just ask that you look at it with an open mind. Clark: How much space are you lacking to build a dwelling? Harwood: I could probably make due with another 5-6 feet. Waite: It looks as if this is going to take some on site survey. This means another park tour. We do need to review this. V. GREENSPACE Development: Engineer: Owner: Location: Park District: Priority: Total Acres: Units: Land Dedication Money in Lieu: 1990 Needs: 2010 Needs: Existing: Garland Square Apartments Hill Group ERC Properties North of Cato Springs, West of Garland SW None 4.06 56 multi Requirement: $13,440 10-20 acres 12-24 acres 5 acres Staff Recommendations: 1.12 acres Money in Lieu Waite: Brenda Love has a presentation regarding Garland Square Apartments. Love: My name is Brenda Love, I am a partner in the Hill Group architectural firm, and I am here to represent the developers ERC Properties. We have changed the layout after working with the City on requirements of retention ponds, drainage, parking, and parking bays on the site. These changes have caused us to put the buildings closer together than we like. I'm here to request that the owners pay as opposed to giving 7 / July 1, 1996 park land because we do not have property to give. Waite: Does anyone have any questions? Is the staff recommendation to receive money in lieu? Orzek: It is near Greathouse Park. Nancy Dugwyler and I visited with Chuck Rutherford with the Trails Committee. It's too far south of the abandoned railroad area to tie into the trail. Richard: I noticed there is a play area. Love: That is private for our property. We like to provide a greenspace for children to play in on premises. MOTION: JAMES/ACKERMAN The PRAB accepts the staff recommendation to the Planning Commission to accept money, $13,440, in lieu of land for the green space requirement for Garland Square Apartments. MOTION APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY 6-0. VI. GREENSPACE gtntw? Pe 83 Development: Deerfield Place Engineer: Jorgenson Owner: Gordon Wilkins Location: Highway 16 East, West of Molly Wagoner Road Park District: SE Priority: None Total Acres: 11.72 Units: 29 Land Dedication Requirement: .58 acres Money in Lieu: $8,700 1990 Needs: 7-14 acres 2010 Needs: 16-32 acres Existing: 8 acres plus 1779 acres (3 different parks) Staff Recommendations: Money in Lieu Jorgenson: My name is Dave. Jorgenson, and I am representing the owner/developer Gordon Wilkins on this particular project. This property is located in Baldwin and consists of 31 lots. Two lots are RO, located on the highway, and the remainder of the lots are R1. We basically have 30, single family, residential lots. We think we can save a large tree, but we are not positive. Driver: What kind of tree? + ROI L COMA. wa.� ala5147 bt + alta fats =43t4 )i° %1 8 / July 1, 1996 • Jorgenson: I believe it's a large oak tree. Waite: The staff recommendation is money in lieu. Orzek: It's close to Lake Sequoyah Park, Trammell Park, and David Lisle Subdivision which is a seven acre park. MOTION: JAMES/ACKERMAN The PRAB accepts the staff recommendation to the Planning Commission to accept money, $8,700, in lieu of land for the green space requirement for Deerfield Place. MOTION APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY 6-0. VII LAKE FAYETTEVILLE BRIDGE - CLARK Ackerman: Bill (Waite) and I did tour the east end of Lake Fayetteville where the trail will eventually cross Clear Creek. We evaluated it from a pure convenience aspect as well as environmental and also taking into consideration the proposed expansion of Highway 265. We don't know what is going to happen at Highway 265 yet. We picked a point on the creek which should be significantly west of any expansion of Highway 265. We picked a convenient point on each side of the creek to bring our trail from south to north and tie the loop together. We are comfortable that a cost effective bridge that will not obstruct with water flow can be built in the area we selected. This would be an interim bridge until we find out what is going to happen with the expansion of Highway 265. Driver: What kind of span? Ackerman: We are looking at approximately 60 to 75 feet to get the elevation we need to not interfere with the flow. Waite: You cannot span the entire flood plain there. Just span the channel. Driver: Most cities that have trails follow the course of their rivers and when it floods they close the trails. Ackerman: We feel we can get this project done timely and cost effectively and get our trails open. Waite. We're looking at doing it in-house. Ackerman: I think we can come up with a plan that would allow us to do it internally and not get into a lot of 9 / July 1, 1996 • logistics that are not necessary. Waite: It's a real education to walk that trail. We will have to decide with the Facilities Committee how best to implement this. Clark: I think we need to just develop a plan for starting the implementation and handle each problem as it arises and go from there. Waite: I think we need a meeting with Tim Ernst and Wade Coldwell. There is a determination that needs to be made regarding trail width. The width of the trail will make a substantial difference on the bridge. We need to make a decision on the width of the trail. Driver: I would certainly include a member of Botanical Gardens. Clark: I met with Donna Porter. She's anxious to discuss trail width. Waite: Can you set up a meeting sometime next week at LFS with PRAB members, Hal Brown, Wade, Donna, and anyone else who has interest in utilizing trail? Clark: Yes, we can set something up • VIII. VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK Clark urged each of the PRAB members to attend the July 4, 1996 dedication of Veterans Memorial Park. He encouraged all to set aside time to attend the program and view the new pavilion which is still being completed. Waite suggested that a meeting could possibly be held at the same time with the trail people. • IX. CIP BUDGET APPROVAL - CLARK Clark explained that the Facilities Committee met to discuss the proposed CIP budget and made a couple of revisions regarding Lake Fayetteville Trail money. DISCUSSION: Driver: What does the Satellite Community Centers expansion entail? Clark: Our thoughts were to have more educational rooms added to the facilities such as arts and crafts, babysitting, or something of that nature. Kids Connection, an after school care program, is also another suggestion 10 / July 1, 1996 • for both complexes. MOTION: MACKEY/RICHARD The PRAB moved to present the proposed CIP budget to the City Council. MOTION APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY 6-0. X. OTHER BUSINESS Clark: I distributed to you some information so you can set up another meeting. Waite: We had best set a date to meet. We just received the proposed agreement regarding the Gulley Park trail/Sweetser donation of land. This is complicated and controversial enough that it is going to take more than just a cursory reading. I haven't had a chance to read it fully myself. The City Council is going to take up this matter on July 16. I think we should have a Parks recommendation for them. This means we need to have a meeting before July 16 which will also give us sufficient time to study this in detail. THE PRAB SCHEDULED A MEETING ON MONDAY JULY 8, 1996 AT 12:00 PM AT THE FAYETTEVILLE YOUTH CENTER TO REACH A RECOMMENDATION FOR THE CITY COUNCIL REGARDING GULLEY PARK TRAIL/SWEETSER DONATION OF LAND AND THEN SURVEY SITE OF HORSESHOE SUBDIVISION FOLLOWING THE MEETING. Meeting adjourned at 6:32 pm. MINUTES APPROVED: 8-5-96 ?G" MINUTES TAKEN BY: /kit)" 477v4 John Nelson 11 / July 1, 1996 • "ilwrrti 15 Dcui 1.a. t�nn.wcrad.. 1/t _ fi-L�,-- kp _ tpa�SvE�i Vo�✓� MMM •