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Home My WebLink About2013-02-04 - MinutesNft a e ay-1.1e Alt%A H'•M1' FAYETTEVILLE PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY BOARD Minutes for February 4, 2013 Opening: The regular meeting of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board was called to order by Phillip Watson at 5:40 p.m. in Room 111 at the City Administration Building at 113 West Mountain Street in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Present: Parks and Recreation Advisory Board members Maxwell, Paul, Lawson, Watson, and Proffitt were in attendance. McKnight and Leonard came in later. Meldrum and Sass were absent. Parks and Recreation staff members in attendance were Edmonston, Humphry, Jumper, Gipson, Mihalevich, and Thomas. AGENDA: 1. Approval of January 7, 2013 PRAB Meeting Minutes: PRAB Motion: Proffitt motioned to accept the minutes as written, and Paul seconded it. Motion passed 5-0-0 by voice vote. 2. Park Land Dedication: Superintendent Development Name: Engineer: Owner: Location: Park Quadrant Units: Total Acres: Land Dedication Requirement: Money in Lieu Requirement Alison Jumper, Park Planning 1 New Horizons Bates and Associates Jim Knight Between Rupple and Salem roads, north of Mt. Comfort NW 15 Phase one, 56 Phase two Approx. 18 acres .36 Phase one, 1.34 Phase 2 $13, 800 Phase one, $51,520 Phase two Existing Parks: Developer's Request: Staff Recommendation: Estimated Annual Maintenance: Justification: Salem Park, Gary Hampton Softball Complex, Clabber Creek Trail Money in lieu Money in lieu N/A The existing parks and trail in the area will meet the recreational needs of this development. Jumper went over the information about the development. She also said that Eric Heller was the representative in attendance to answer any questions. Watson asked what parks were in the area. Jumper replied that the parks were Salem Park, Gary Hampton Softball Fields, and Clabber Creek. Maxwell wanted to know what the amenities were at Salem Park. Jumper said there was a basketball court and a playground. Watson asked if these units were for starter families. Heller said that yes, they were. Paul wanted to know when the construction would begin. Heller replied that it would be about four months from now. PRAB Motion: Paul motioned to accept the money in lieu of $13,800 for Phase One and $$51,520 for Phase Two. McKnight seconded it. Motion passed 6-0-0 by voice vote. 3. Mahler Land Donation: Matt Mihalevich, Trails Coordinator Approximately 1.65 acres of land are being offered as a land donation for the Cato Springs Branch trail (see attached maps). Staff Recommendation: Staff recommends accepting the donation pending results of a site inventory and assessment to verify the absence of hazards or hazards materials. 2 Mihalevich said that Alex and Lori Mahler, who were present at the meeting, own a piece of land by the creek on Cato Springs Road. They want to donate the land for a trail and trail head. It is in a floodway. He said the area is in the original FATT plan. Watson asked if Parks thinks hazardous material will be found. Mahler said there is some rock and concrete, but no hazardous material. He added that there is a house in bankruptcy in the area, and it would be nice to include it in the donation. He said last time the area flooded, water was rushing through the house. Paul wanted to know how often the area flooded. Mahler said that since he has owned it, it has flooded at least five times in 28 years. He added that he would like to name the trailhead after his wife. Watson asked if houses are on the land to be donated. Mahler said no. Watson replied that he just wanted to make sure. Paul asked Byron if he was ok with this donation. Humphry said yes. He added that native grasses would be planted on it. Mahler said the area would need to be blocked so no one can dump trash. Edmonston said there is a park naming policy. The request has to go before PRAB, and then to the City Council. A form needs to be filled out and it can be presented to PRAB. Mahler said he would come to the March board. Paul wanted to know the acreage of the land. Mihalevich said it was 1.65 acres. Paul said he understood the options were to pass it now, and then come back for the naming, and give it a month for public input, and then it goes to Council. c PRAB Motion: Paul motioned to accept the land donation pending results of the site assessment to verify the absence of hazardous material. Lawson seconded it. Motion passed 6-0-0 by voice vote. 4. Mt Kessler Greenway: Frank Sharp Discussion will continue about Mt Kessler Greenway with Frank Sharp present to answer questions. Sharp brought a large map with contour lines for everyone. He commented he had someone come look at some trees on the property, and discovered they were ancient chinquapin trees that were approximately 300 years old. He said the age was determined from a sample from a fallen tree. Sharp also gave everyone a letter with sample pages from his report. The area is being used as an outdoor classroom and recreation. Maxwell said that the Lake Fayetteville Trail is the most used trail in NWA. Sharp said that all the landowners in the area of Mt Kessler are happy to allow people to hike and enjoy the area. He said he would like to help Fayetteville have a 700 acre park rather than just a 200 acre area. He asked that everyone please read the information for the next meeting. He said he wasn't expecting a decision tonight. He invited everyone to come out and see the area. Paul wanted to know why the City doesn't just buy it. He wanted to know what the deterrent was. McKnight asked how much the property cost. Sharp said parts of the land are really rough. In 2007 the land appraised at $15,000 an acre. He said it's now worth 3 to 5 thousand an acre. Paul said it seems that great lengths are being taken to go through the U of A and the City for this property. Edmonston said it was probably money that is keeping the City from buying it. She said that there is a very tight budget. Sharp said the foundation needs to be laid. He said if the City wants to buy it, go for it. 11 Paul said that the revenue generated through Regional Park could help pay off bonds. He added that an amphitheatre could be built. Maxwell asked if an amphitheatre was planned. Edmonston said yes. Jumper said it would be larger than the one at Gulley. Someone asked what a large crowd would be at Gulley Park. Gipson said 2,500 to 3,000 would be a big turnout. Paul said he was concerned about how many voices are involved with this property. He wanted to know why we would want anyone else tell us what to do with the land. Sharp said he would love the City to buy it. He said he was going on an assumption that money will have to be raised since it is so tight right now. PRAB Motion: No motion was made. Discussion will continue at the next meeting. 5. Botanical Garden Society of the Ozarks Report: David Proffit, PRAB/Byron Humphry, Park Maintenance Superintendent Humphry said the Botanical Garden is looking to rework the contract with the City. A draft is being worked up, and it will be brought to PRAB and the City Council for approval. The Botanical Gardens have land leased up to Veterans Park, and want to give back some of the property that they can't do anything with. Parks wants to work with the OORC and Progressive Trails to enhance the nature trail on. The Botanical Gardens want to develop the Master Plan for the user fee areas. That planning is in the early stages and will hopefully come before PRAB in a couple of months. Watson asked if the Farmer's Market was done. Humphry said yes, it's being tried on a trial basis. Watson asked if any problems had developed. Humphry said not to his knowledge. There were no problems from the Parks perspective. 5 Watson wanted to know if the Botanical Gardens had any issues. He said he knows that the Farmer's Market traffic was using the BG restrooms, which could possibly require more staff to maintain. Humphry said they had initial conflicts such as parking, but it got resolved. From the Parks end, it's okay. 6. 2012 Annual Parks and Recreation Department Report: Connie Edmonston, Parks and Recreation Director According to Article II, Chapter 33.018 (B) in the Fayetteville Code of Ordinances, Parks and Recreation Advisory Board is to prepare an annual report to City Council. Once the annual report is approved by PRAB, this document will be forwarded to the City Council. PRAB Staff Recommendation: To approve the 2012 Annual Report to be presented to City Council. Edmonston said that according to City Ordinance, PRAB has to approve the Parks annual report. Watson asked if the report was in the notebook given to everyone at orientation. He said he had not looked at it. Paul said on page 36 there were negatives. Edmonston said that the City captures it in that way. Proffitt suggested that it be tabled until next month. PRAB Motion: No vote was taken. The report will be discussed next month. 7. Other Business: Paul asked about the trail route that may have hazardous materials. Edmonston said they just got to look at it on Wednesday. Paul wanted to know if the entire corridor would be looked at. Jumper said no, just that piece of land. Edmonston commented that even though there are piles of debris, they may not contain any hazards. 3 Paul wanted to know if the whole corridor would be examined to make sure it would work out. Watson said they will do the best they can. McKnight said the City will probably get the other property. Edmonston commented that you have to start somewhere. Maxwell asked if anything has been done to see if any problem will come up. Jumper said no, the land is privately owned. Paul asked if the City had ever gotten any land they couldn't use. Lawson answered with "Regional Park". Edmonston said that caution needs to be used. Maxwell said, for trails, there are cheaper materials that can be used. If the dollar amount is cut down, more can be done. Paul said the City should know if it's hazardous before accepting it. He asked if the land could be rejected. Edmonston replied that once the land is deeded to us, it's ours. Humphry commented that the land has always been residential, not commercial. Lawson added that lots of the area is creek area, and unlikely to have hazardous materials. Edmonston said PRAB can take a trip to the area. Watson said he wouldn't know what to look for. He said Staff can look at it. Edmonston announced that Brandon Shrader began work today as the new Adult Softball programmer. 8. Adjournment Meeting was adjourned at 6:35 pm. 7 Minutes taken by Melanie Thomas