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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2012-08-06 - Minutes�Itn�H'•M1' FAYETTEVILLE PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY BOARD Minutes for August 6, 2012 Opening: The regular meeting of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board was called to order by Steve Meldrum at 5:37 p.m. at the Frisco Trail, west of the Greenhouse Grille, and north of MKL Blvd. The meeting then convened at Room 111 at City Hall at 113 West Mountain in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Present: Parks and Recreation Advisory Board members Meldrum, Watson, Lawson, Leonard, McKnight, Paul, Proffitt, and Waite were present. No one was absent. Staff members Edmonston, Gipson, Jumper, Mihalevich, and Thomas were in attendance. AGENDA: 1. Extension of Frisco Trail Project: Matt Mihalevich, Trails Coordinator Matt will be presenting PRAB with three options to cross Martin Luther King Boulevard in extending Frisco Trail on site. (See above note.) On July 1 lth, the Active Transportation Advisory Committee voted to utilize the tunnel option (4-0-1 abstaining). PRAB is requested to make a recommendation prior to going before the Street Committee. Attached is information referring to this request for your review. We also suggest for you view the Active Transportation meeting on July 11th at http://accessfavetteville.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view id =2 to better understand the project. Mihalevich said this trail ends at MLK Blvd. A Home Depot grant was obtained for the project, as well as support from the Walton Family Foundation as part of the Razorback Regional Greenway. Garver, the contractor for the project, came up with three concepts with the pros and cons. No trail signal would be allowed by the Arkansas Highway Department because of the close proximity of the traffic signal at MLK 1 and School Street. The three options were: an above grade bridge option that would cost $1,615,088; an at grade crosswalk option that would cost $960,726; and a below grade tunnel option that would cost $1,339,397. Garver recommends the below -grade tunnel option with an at -grade pedestrian bypass for the crossing at MLK Blvd. The public input from two meetings and an on-line comment sheet indicated that the below grade crossing was generally preferred by the public. The major concern about the tunnel was that the homeless would hang out in it. Mihalevich said that the tunnel would be approximately 140' long with good lighting. The highway department was agreeable to it. Waite asked if some of the driveways would be closed in the area. Mihalevich said only one driveway would be, and the owner was ok with it. The delivery service driveway would remain open. Edmonston commented that if someone was uncomfortable with using the tunnel, they can cross the street at the light. Mihalevich said that the process for the tunnel has included several public meetings, as well as a comment forum. The representative for Garver said that the tunnel was the best option. Leonard asked if the sidewalks that will be added are wrapped in the same project. Mihalevich said the sidewalks probably would be done in-house. Aubrey Shepherd asked if the bridge at 81h St had been rejected. Mihalevich said yes, it had, because it's near the parking lot at Walker Park. The building there is owned by the school system, and EMS is currently using it. Shepherd said he was also concerned about the flood plain in that area. He commented that there is lots of beauty there. PRAB Motion: Paul motioned to accept the staff recommendation for the tunnel, and McKnight seconded it. Motion passed 8-0-0 by voice vote. 2. Approval of July 2, 2012 PRAB Meeting Minutes: 2 Watson said he had a correction. He said in section 7 the last sentence should be amended to read "the soccer fields are used year round". Paul also had a correction. He said in section 8 his comment should say that "the new projects we've seen are unlikely to pay $37,000 per acre". PRAB Motion: McKnight motioned to accept the amended minutes, and Waite seconded it. Motion passed 8-0-0 by voice vote. 3. Botanical Garden Society of the Ozarks Report: Phillip Watson, PRAB Watson said the Botanical Gardens says that they have an operating agreement with the City, not a leasing agreement. They have a concern with their fundraising. Under the standard agreement, they have to discuss it with the City. Also, the Farmer's Market wants to use the lot south of the Botanical Gardens. According to their agreement with the City, they can't sublease, but have to go through the City. They are currently negotiating those issues with the City. Some of the upcoming events at the Botanical Garden are the group `Still on the Hill' on August 23, the Botanical Garden's annual meeting on September 9, and `Chef in the Garden' on September 13. 4. Park Land Dedication: Development Name: Engineer/ Surveyor: Owner: Location: Park Quadrant: Units: Total Acres: Land Dedication Requirement: Money in Lieu Requirement: Existing Parks: Developer's Request: Staff Recommendation: Developer's Comments: Justification: c Alison Jumper, Park Planning Superintendent Narrow Escapes Geoff Bates Adam Russell East of Frisco Trail SW 12 Single Family 2.15 acres 0.288 acres $11,520 Wilson Park, Scull Creek Trail, Frisco Trail are located within '/2 mile of this development. Money in lieu Money in lieu Wilson Park, Scull Creek Trail and Frisco Trail are located within '/z -mile from the project site. The size of the required park land dedication is less than two acres. Annual Maintenance Cost: None Jumper said this project came through in 2009. The units have been reduced from the first project. It will now have 12 single family units. The developer is requesting money in lieu. Meldrum wanted to know how many units were originally requested. Jumper said it was 40 units. Watson asked if PRAB recently looked at this project. Jumper said yes. It was a year or so ago. Paul wanted to know if it was coming through again because there was a problem. Jumper said the developer had to reapply since they changed the number of units in the development and were submitting a brand new application to Planning. Aubrey Shepherd asked if this development would impede the future of light rails in Fayetteville. Geoff Bates, the developer, said no, because there was still plenty of green space available, and the project is outside the right-of- way. PRAB Motion: McKnight motioned to accept the staff recommendation of $11,520 money in lieu, and Waite seconded it. Motioned passed 8-0-0 by voice vote. 5. FNHA Request to name Lake Fayetteville's Prairie Restoration Area as Callie's Prairie: Bob Caulk, FNHA See attached Park Naming Policy and proposal. Staff Recommendation: To name Lake Fayetteville's Prairie Restoration Area as Callie's Prairie. This item will be tabled for one month in order to allow for public input until the September 101h meeting. Bob Caulk, a member of the Fayetteville National Heritage Association, says the organization wants to rename the prairie as `Callie's Prairie'. The prairie is in the NE portion of the park. That area has been identified as former upland prairie. Parks has been 11 working with the group to help restore the area with controlled burns, and removing invasives. FNHA is working with the City to develop a restoration plan. He said by naming the prairie `Callie's Prairie', it can help teach the value of selective eco -restoration. He added that the area's history complements the Butterfield Trail, and Callie's romantic story adds interest. Edmonston said that the prairie naming has to be tabled for one month per City policy in order to allow for public comment. Meldrum thanked Caulk for the history behind the prairie. Edmonston also thanked Caulk as well as the FNHA for their work on this project. She said that the history is fascinating. PRAB Motion: This was tabled for one month to allow for public comment. 6. Rowing Club Presentation: Wynn Dickenson Wynn Dickerson, a member of the Rowing Club, said they now have 39 members. The member's ages range from 20 years old all the way up to 90 years old. She said someone is rowing every day. The club rows 3 days a week and on weekends. She said they get along with the fishermen, and Dollie at the boat dock. She said they now have an oar and boat rack, as well as 5013C status. Some of their goals are to improve the dock, try to keep geese off the dock, start a youth program, and install a boat house. She said she really appreciates PRAB's support. 7. Other Business: Edmonston said that the highway department is widening Highway 265 and 16. To do that, they need some land from both Lake Fayetteville and Lake Sequoyah. Both parks are in the recreation grant area. If an area has received improvements through a recreation grant, it has to remain the same. Parks had to give .79 acres to the highway department, so Edmonston had to do a land conversion. If land is taken away, it has to be replaced. She said that since we knew we needed a trail, Parks got some donated land that will be used for the land conversion. The donated 4.5 acres will also be used for the land that was taken away from Lake Sequoyah. The land must be appraised at the same value and the same recreational value. Paul asked if Parks could bank the land. Edmonston said yes. 5 Mihalevich said the land conversion takes a lot of paperwork. Edmonston added that in order to utilize the 4.5 acres, a waiver had to be requested from Arkansas Parks. Gipson said that the tennis grant was removed from consent and moved to the Council, and will be open for discussion. He said that if anyone wants to come to speak for the grant, please feel free to do so. Mihalevich said that the Frisco Trail repair was going very well. Edmonston said the last concert of the season will be on Thursday, August 9, and will feature our very own ChaseMissy. She added that the Wilson Park pool closes on Sunday. It will be drained, and the renovation will begin. Paul comments that last month a guest had told PRAB that the Holland Park playground was not suitable for young children. He decided to visit the park to see for himself. He said he watched children play, had a good time playing himself, and even asked the office nearby if they had heard of any complaints. They had not. S. Adjournment The meeting adjourned at 7:05 p.m. Minutes taken by Melanie Thomas 3