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Home My WebLink About1997-10-06 - MinutesFAYETTEVILLE THE CITY OF FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS • • DEPARTMENTAL CORRESPONDENCE TO: PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY BOARD FROM: DATE: SUBJECT: Dale D. Clark, Parks & Recreation Director September 26, 1997 PRAB MEETING ON MONDAY, October 6, 1997, AT 5:30 PM IN ROOM 219 OF THE CITY ADMINISTRATION BUILDING I. Approval of PRAB Minutes - September 8, 1997 Meeting II. Bill Waite nominated and received the Volunteer of the Year Award from A.R.P.A. - Clark III. SWEPCO donated lights to Walker Park - Clark IV. Golf driving range fencing/netting near Lake Fayetteville Softball Complex - Clark V. P.R.A.B. Tulsa Tour to meet with Landplan - Ackerman VI. Public Lake Fayetteville Trail Meeting Announcement on Tuesday, October 6, 1997 - Ackerman VII. Proposal on increasing the Green Space money in lieu formula update - Dugwyler VIII. Butterfield School pavilion completed - Rogers IX. Sport's events schedule update - Dawson X. Parks' Project Status Report - Clark XI. OTHER BUSINESS ATTACHMENTS: Green Space Report • HMR Report • News article on SWEPCO donating lights to Walker Park • Tour with Landplan in Tulsa' to visit and evaluate their park • trails to further educate us in our efforts on building the Lake Fayetteville trail • PRAB REGULAR MEETING OCTOBER 6, 1997 The meeting was called to order by Chairman Ackerman at 5:30 p.m. in Room 219 of the City Administration Building. Members Present: Ackerman, Bleidt, James, Judy, King, Thiel, Waite Members Absent: Staggs - Out of town Staff Present: Clark, Dawson, Dugwyler, Nelson, Paschal, Rogers Guests Present: Peggy Smith - Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce Media Present: Jill Smith, Morning News Pamela Hill, Northwest Arkansas Times BUSINESS: 1. MOTION: JAMES/WAITE • The Minutes from the September 8, 1997, PRAB regular meeting were approved unanimously 7-0. 11. Bill Waite nominated and received the Volunteer of the Year Award from A.R.P.A. - Clark The Arkansas Parks & Recreation Association receives nominations each year of persons who have made a contribution to the parks division in their local community. Clark presented a special recognition award to Waite; Susan Driver was recognized for her efforts last year. At the ARPA conference in Hot Springs, Arkansas, Waite was presented with the Volunteer of the Year award for his outstanding accomplishments. Mr. Waite has been a member of the Parks & Recreation Advisory Board for over seventeen years. He served as chairman for four years and vice chairman for two years. Along with other board members, Mr. Waite pursued the idea of the hotel, motel, and restaurant tax. The HMR tax passed in a special electica; in November 1995, and it provides approximately 800,000 to 900,000 additional dollars of revenue per year for the Parks Division. Mr. Waite has also served on the Fayetteville Youth Center Board for over a decade. III. SWEPCO donated lights to Walker Park - Clark Clark: It has been several years now since the extension of Block Street from 13th Street Page 1 • • • PRAB Regular Meeting October 6, 1997 to 6th Street, and we had been unable to get lighting along it [Block Street]. The question of lighting this area has been frequently asked, particularly during baseball season (at Walker Park], and recently Southwestern Electric Power Company installed poles and lights along this street. Thanks to SWEPCO and City of Fayetteville Traffic Superintendent, Perry Franklin, we were able to light this area These lights came at no cost to the Parks Division; the city will pay the monthly electric bill [from the Street Department utilities]. This is a big accomplishment, and we thank everyone involved. IV. Golf driving range fencing/netting near Lake Fayetteville Softball Complex - Clark Clark received a proposal from Nets Unlimited, Inc. requested by Hog Heaven owner, Tommy Hasseloff. The bid proposal was to remove existing netting and replace and install knotted -nylon barrier netting (dimensions of 700' x 409. Hasseloff is requesting a cost partnership on this project. Clark: 1 am looking to the PRAB for some direction as to the handling of this. At the golf dnving range there is often stray balls coming onto the softball fields. The golf driving range was there before we constructed the softball fields. There has been a chicken wire fence between us approximately fifteen feet high and 600-700 feet long. The proposal is to install nylon netting forty feet high and 700 feet;ong. The cost would be approximately $1.00 per square foot. The owner [of the driving range] is inquiring about the consideration of a partnership on the netting. The cost would be $15,000 to $17,000. Bleidt: That is the total amount? Clark: No, that would be half of the total amount of $30,000 to $34,000. James: What is the life expectancy of nylon netting? Clark: Seven to ten years. Thiel: Is that the best recommendation for the situation? Clark: It would be one of the best recommendations you could do for that. The problem with putting up any kind of netting is the wind load is tremendous. Ice, rain, and snow are factors, and I think this would be better than trying to install a chainlink fence that high which would be great weight itself. James: The forty feet height would alleviate some of the problems having players hit by golf balls because it would double what is in place there now. I don't know how often a ball gets over there [on the softball field]. It does happen, but it's not an every day occurrence. Ackerman: I am having a problem seeing where the Parks & Recreation program and/or the City of Fayetteville is responsible for=etaining those golf balls or preventing them from coming over into the park area. It looks to me like it would be the responsibility of the property owner who had the driving rangy to protect the citizens who might be struck if his property is not long enough to prevent the golf balls from bouncing into the play area of the ballfields. I think he would probably be responsible for taking action to curb that. I would be hard pressed to see our PRAB take any responsibility not to mention entering into Page 2 • PRAB Regular Meeting October 6, 1997 a cost sharing agreement. James: Did we put up the netting that is currently in place? Clark: No. Bleidt: 1 agree with Ackerman. 1 also see a need for the netting. Ackerman: Unless there is strong support for us to take positive action here, 1 suggest we ask Mr. Clark to answer the letter and stipulate that we do understand his concems; however, we do not feel we are in a position to assist him with the situation. V. P.R.A.B. Tulsa Tour to meet with LandPlan - Ackerman Ackerman: A number of members were able to make the trip to Tulsa to review the trails constructed in the Tulsa area. We were all very pleased with what we saw and with the information we received. The engineering firm who is doing our conceptual design on the Lake Fayetteville trail was our host, and they did a remarkable job showing us around and giving us an idea of the various construction styles, sizes, and locations of trails in the Tulsa area. It was a phenomenal feat designing trails around the rivers, railroad bridges, and underneath interstates. It was very educational. The weather was rainy yet the trails were being highly utilized by bicyclists, walkers, joggers, and people sitting on benches. Their overall design was spectacular. Judy was impressed by the usage of the trails during inclement weather. Ackerman commented on the implementation of art incorporated into the trail design by utilizing dead trees andraised manholes. King was also impressed by the longevity and low maintenance of the asphalt trails. VI. Public Lake Fayetteville Trail Meeting Announcement on Tuesday, October 7, 1997 - Ackerman The public was encouraged to attend the public meeting regarding the Lake Fayetteville trail October 7 at 7:00 p.m. at the Continuing Education Building. VII. Proposal on increasing the Green Space money in lieu formula update - Dugwyler Dugwyler: A staff agenda form request for City Council was forwarded to City staff requesting an increase of the money in lieu formula. It was returned with a memo concerning some questions City staff had. We will be responding to this memo. Ackerman: The staff prepared a recommendation to be brought before City Council. The mayor and staff at City Hall has asked us to review some questions before moving the request on to City Council. We are now in the position of answering the questions and Page 3 PRAB Regular Meeting October 6, 1997 concerns of City Hall and at that time the determination will be made to move forward to City Council. Waite: We did not pass the Green Space Ordinance. It was passed by previous City Councils. This has been passed, and it is a present ordinance. We can amplify or perhaps interpret it, but we're not the body that enacted it. Thiel: But according to this memo, we are being asked to recommend a withdrawal of that ordinance King: Or to either cut it in half or eliminate it. Waite: I would point out that is a direct contradiction to what one of our leading realtors, Mr. Lindsey, recommended and would defeat the purpose of the green space which is in part to generate green space; not just money when taken in lieu of land. Preferably, where we can use it we want the land If we cut the rate, as Mr Lindsey pointed out, with the price so low we'll never get another square foot. Ackerman: We will answer the concerns we have here to the best of our abilities and let City Council decide whether they want to amend the ordinance, change it, terminate it, or whatever their desire may be. VIII. Butterfield School pavilion completed - Rogers Rogers announced the completion of a pavilion at Butterfield School Park. Green space matching funds helped fund the project. We purchased the 20 x 36 pavilion from RCP Shelters, and the School System provided the concrete pad and the labor. The pavilion is located behind Butterfield School. IX. Sport's events schedule update - Dawson Program Coordinator, Dudley Dawson, updated the PRAB on the current sports events schedule. Currently basketball, volleyball, flag football, and softball programs are underway. There have been few problems, and the programs are running well. Basketball began September 22 and will end December 4 and has 200 participants. Games are being played at the Holcomb and Vandergriff community gymnasiums. Fall volleyball has over one hundred participants with games being held at the Fayetteville Youth Center gym. Flag football began September 18 and will conclude November 20. With eight teams and over one hundred participants, football games are played Thursdays at Babe Ruth Park. Softball began August 11 and regular season play will end October 27 contingent on rain outs. This year there are over 1600 participants in the softball program. A Monster Sm4sh tournament will cap off the season. Upcoming scheduled events include the Turkey Trot run, the Reindeer Run, women's basketball, and more volleyball. Page 4 • PRAB Popular Meeting October 6, 1997 X. Parks' Project Status Report - Clark Clark reported that the Holcomb and Vandergriff community gyms are open afternoons from 3:00 until 9:00 p.m. and Sundays from 1:00-5:00 p.m. Each gym has six basketball goals. We will schedule half the gym for practice, but the other half will remain open to the public for free play'. Clark encouraged people to use the facilities. The entrance way off of Township at Gulley Park will be redone following Water & Sewer work which has been completed. A contract for a timber -framed gazebo for Davis Park has been prepared and in the hands of Mike Langford. Clark stated he believes the girls softball complex is ready for bids. Large scale development requires widening Mt Comfort Road and building a sidewalk if two additional soccer fields are constructed at Lewis. Clark suggested completing a fifth field only as opposed to two fields. Willow Springs is a 2 -acre green space park which adjoins Bridgeport. We are correcting a drainage problem by installing underground drainage. After the work is completed, the ground will be seeded and hopefully will become a soccer practice area or play area. Staff will consider the possibility of installing playground equipment in the near future. Clark also informed the PRAB of Perry Butcher's and Richard Doyle's visit before the Parks & Recreation Advisory Board during the July Z 1997 regular meeting. They wanted to clarify a misinterpretation regarding a pond at Bridgeport. They seeked to remove the words 'retention' and `detention' from previous minutes and leave simply `pond'. After completing some drainage improvements at Bridgeport, developers now do not want to build a pond. Clark recommends waiting until a heavy rain and evaluate the drainage improvements to determine whether a pond is necessary. The Parks Maintenance complex is due to be completed November 15, and staff will be relocating by the end of the year. Judy commented on the landscaping around the gazebos and throughout the parks in Tulsa and questioned whether staff had attempted to work with the Master Gardeners to achieve the same results in Fayetteville Parks. Clark said 'Subject to pre-emption for scheduled events Page 5 • PRAB Regular Meeting October 6, 1997 that idea had not been addressed, but the Landscape Maintenance Specialist was currently working on designs. Ackerman: I know there are a number of things in progress I think there are some boundaries we are looking at, perhaps fencing of our properties and other areas, or at least establishing where our boundaries are located. I think Hidden Lake may be on the agenda; 1 know there are several projects in motion. The Walker Park parking facility is being designed. There are a number of ongoing projects we will see coming to fruition in upcoming months. We are making good progress in a number of areas that will enhance our park system. Certainly with the advent of the HMR tax, and once we complete several projects to which we are committed such as the girls softball complex and the senior citizens facility, we will have the money to do a number of major things we want to do throughout our system. I am very pleased with the direction we have taken to date to get our parks up the standards in which we would like to see them. I know after our trip to Tulsa we picked up a lot of ideas on dressing up entrances and incorporating public art in various areas. I know there is a lot of volunteer support in the Tulsa area and other major cities around the country. 1 think as we move forward with our trails and development of our parks in general, we will solicit the support of a lot of citizens in the area on a project basis. We can be very proud of our park system in the days to come. • Xl. OTHER BUSINESS King wanted to go on record as a representative of the PRAB as being against reducing or recommending the withdrawal of the Greenspace Ordinance. King said that to do this would be taking a huge step backward. Staff is in the process of reviewing the questions, gathering data to respond properly, and the PRAB will review the recommendation(s) and move it forward appropriately. Waite said this issue will ultimately go before City Council, but the PRAB as opposed to the staff, should be prepared to make a presentation in support of amending the Greenspace Ordinance. Dugwyler reminded the group that a PRAB member needed to be appointed to the Botanical Garden Society of the Ozarks, Inc. Board of Directors. Responsibilities of that member include familiarizing one's self with the organization's policies, history, committees, mission and plans; become a participating member on at least one standing committee (Education, Finance, Plans & Properties, Membership, Fund raising, Board Development); devote time weekly on BGSO related activities (phone calls, committee work, promoting, networking); attend monthly Board meeting (2nd Tuesday of each month), BGSO functions/special events; and occasionally attend City Parks Board or City Council meetings to show support for BGSO. Thiel said the meetings schedule posed a conflict but she would be willing if no one else was Page 6 PRAB Regular Meeting October 6, 1997 available. Ackerman instructed those interested in representing the PRAB on this committee to contact Dugwyler. Dugwyler announced that Clark received the Citizen of the Year award from the Kiwanis Club. Meeting adjourned at 625 p m MINUTES APPROVED: // - o3 - 97 MINUTES TAKEN BY: �%, r ` ideu y� �) John . Nelson Page 7 • • • MONDAY. OCTOBER 6, 1997 REGULAR PRAB MEETING NAME (Please print) GROUP REPRESENTING A _ Sap Sin 0tiohfcigar �� Comme_d� ,: I LAS - � n k,,L,fze,