Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutParks Commission minutes - 02-12-14.docx Yakima Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes for February 12, 2014 Commissioners Present: Chair Rod Bryant, Vice-Chairman Sam Karr, Mike Nixon, Tom Hinman, Jo Miles, Paul Williams and Maureen Adkison, Yakima City Council Liaison. Absent and Excused: Parks Commissioners Morgan Pualani and Jim Williams. Staff present: Ken Wilkinson, Parks & Recreation Manager and Jenise Sanders, Administrative Secretary for Parks & Recreation. Call to Order. Welcoming everyone in the audience and viewers watching on YPAC, Chairman Rod nd Bryant called the meeting to order at 5:35 p.m. at City Hall in the Council Chambers, 129 North 2 Street, Yakima, Washington. Approval of the Meeting Minutes for January 8, 2014. It was Moved by Jo Miles, Seconded by Sam Karr, to approve the Minutes as written from the January 8, 2014 Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting. The motion carried unanimously. Randall Park Improvement Committee Update Ken Wilkinson reminded that Randall Park is the focus for renovation. Ken stated Sam Karr is on the Randall Park Improvement Committee. Ken told the commission that he and Randy Murphy met with Cathy Reed from the Department of Ecology and Ryan Anderson from Waste Water, Storm Water Division. The meeting was held onsite by the pond at Randall Park last week. They are discussing using money for storm water retention to help with this project. The money and work can be used as match for the RCO grant. The Randall Park Improvement Committee will be making a list of needs. Some of the items on the needs list are new walkways and restrooms. Ken said we would also like to do a new playground and shelter. Ken informed the commission members there has been another donation of $100,000 made for the renovation of Randall Park. A donation of $50,000 had previously been received. The donor would like to issue a challenge to the community to match the donation. If the community matches the donation, that would bring the donation total to $250,000 toward the improvement project. Ken stated in-kind work done by park maintenance and other city divisions and $100,000 from REET II funds that Cindy Epperson, Director of Finance, stated should be available in 2015 will also go toward the total for match for the RCO grant. Ken said the goal is to make the Randall Park Improvements a $1,000,000 project. Ken commented that we know from the community survey that Randall Park is a well loved and popular park. Ken advised that James Davis, the landscape architect that recently graduated from WSU, is currently working on drawings that we can take to various organizations and give them examples of what we are trying to accomplish. Ken said the RCO grant should be funded in July 2015 if approved. Ken reminded that both the grants manager and ADA specialist have been to Randall Park within the last year and agree this is a worthy project and should score very well. Ken advised it all depends on how much the legislature earmarked for these types of projects also. Ken said the application has been started and we will present it in the summer and should know whether it has been approved sometime in the fall. Jo Miles asked if there is pre-design work that can be done now before the grant is approved. Ken stated that we will have to have some done that will not qualify for match. Sam inquired about different departments that we were going to speak with possibly partnering with on projects. Ken said that Dana Kallevig from Engineering th advised that there is no short term plan for improvements to 48 Ave. Maureen Adkison asked it this is in the flood plain. Ken advised that the south end of Wide Hollow creek is. Mike Nixon asked about the th feedback from the neighbors. Ken stated that Mary Faucher has the property across 44 Ave. and has been in contact with him and may have some ideas to help with the project. There are not a lot of th neighbors except to the North by the back of the Nature Area and a couple of houses on 44 Ave. Ken stated that he would like to put out a call for a Public Information forum if that would be ok with the commission members. Ken said that this kind of community involvement also helps with the grant score. Mike Nixon thought that hosting an evening walk around the park to explain the improvements that are planned would be a good idea, maybe sometime this summer. Sam suggested the use of our website to reach the community may be an option. Rod asked about the use of the clickers at the public meeting to get an immediate response. Ken stated that we have access to most of the social media avenues, including Facebook, which is another way to get feedback. Maureen asked if there would be anyway to have visual aids at the meeting. Ken said that we would have plans and drawings. Sam commented that he has been approached about putting in recreational backstop and/or a soccer field. Ken advised that Randall Park is designed to be a passive park. Off Leash Dog Park Update Tom Hinman informed the commission members of the first off leash dog park meeting that was held last week. The committee has been formed to come up with ideas about a Westside off leash dog park. Tom advised that discussions included South Randall and Gilbert Parks as possible locations. Tom stated that South Randall was an option because it is in a flood plain and Gilbert since it is the “unofficial” dog park currently. He said someone also suggested West Valley Park. The differences between Gilbert and West Valley is they already have established grass and irrigation but you also have neighbors, where Randall is great since it is not already developed and would be great as a natural dog park. The down side to Randall is that we have to look at putting in a parking lot, sidewalk, gutter, curb and lighting. Tom stated that it would cost more money at Randall but will not have to contend with the neighbor issue. Tom suggested that since there has been money donated for the improvement to Randall park, we could possibly get the dog owner community to donate toward the match and it could be included in the Randall Park Improvement project. Tom advised we just had our first meeting so we are just in the beginning stages of planning. Tom stated that South Randall Park is ideal but will definitely be more expensive. Mike Nixon asked how much of South Randall Park we us for overflow parking for the concerts and what the requirement are for parking for the dog park. Ken advised that is where planning will need to come in. Joseph Calhoun who used to work for the city in both Parks and Recreation and Planning and now works for YVCOG has been invited to be on the committee and will be helpful in working with the city Planning Department regarding the requirements in constructing the dog park. Tom stated that with the creek there, wetlands will need to be brought in. He said it would be nice if we could incorporate the creek into the dog park, then water would not need to be brought in. Discussion followed. Maureen asked about the pond being a mitigation issue like the one at Kiwanis was. Ken advised it should not be since we are adding not taking anything away. Tom advised that Becky was at the committee meeting from Wags to Riches and Sonny was there as a citizen. Discussion followed. Harman Center Trip & Tours Ken Wilkinson presented the commission members with the 2014 Trip and Tours Book from the Harman Center. Ken stated that Ron Anderson, Traci Bennett and Irene Raptcheff work very hard and do a nice job putting together the trips. Some trips are day trips and some are much further away and are hopefully fulfilling the needs and wants of the travelers. Ken said the trips and tours are very popular. Discussion followed. The books are available at Harman Center, Public Works, should be on the website and may even be at City Hall. Sam Karr asked about the Senior Inc. meeting. Maureen advised that the next meeting is tomorrow and meet once a month. Tom commented about the Saturday morning breakfast and Ken advised that the price is now $5.00. Remote Control Model Aircraft Policy Information Ken Wilkinson advised that he received a phone call back in December regarding our policy on flying remote control aircrafts in the city parks. We have not had to deal with making a policy until now, maybe because there are enough areas outside the city limits. Ken stated we are working on a policy as this can be a serious issue. Some of these aircrafts are worth quite a bit of money and can do damage if they were to hit someone or someone’s property. Ken said he just wanted to bring it to their attention that we are talking about it and hopefully get a policy written for them to look at and give their opinion. Some cities are requiring people flying them to have insurance and others have banned them completely. Sam Karr stated that he thought they were able to fly them at Fulbright Park in Union Gap. Discussion followed. Ken said the person that called him wanted to fly at Perry Tech. Soccer field, which brought up the issue of FFA requirements since that is so close to our Airport. Discussion followed. Manager’s Report Ken Wilkinson stated that we handled all the snow by clearing the parking lots and sidewalks and then the warm temperature took care of the rest. Ken informed the commission that we had a small electrical fire at Lions Pool last month. We are not sure of the circumstances that lead up to the fire in one of the light fixtures so it is possible we may need to replace some of the lights. Ken stated this is a very challenging environment for anything metal, chlorine and water have a tendency to eat away at it, so we met with an electrical engineer to look at what will need to be done. Our Aquatic Specialist, Jason Zeller was able to put the fire out quickly but there a black spot. Replacing the lights could be very costly. Discussion followed. For the Good of the Order Sam Karr asked about application for the Youth Commissioner. Ken advised we did get one application and sent it to the City Clerk’s office so will need to follow up on that. Ken stated that Morgan took a different job, so she will be at the meetings whenever possible. We do have a vacancy as Alec Regimbal resigned after he went away to college. Maureen stated she will check into the Youth Commissioner application. Sam asked if anything is going on down at Kiwanis. Ken stated we are getting ready for the season. Sam inquired about the naming of the 3 fields. Ken confirmed that each of the fields has been named. Discussion followed. Sam asked about graffiti at the softball fields. Ken said there is a bit on the fences and some on the playground and the incinerator. Sam mentioned that the girl’s high school softball association is talking with parks staff about supplying P.A. systems for the 3 new fields. Sam stated he would like to find out what we need to do to get 3 new score booths. Ken stated that this complex is a bit smaller than the Gateway so that may make it a little tight. Maureen asked about the sign in the middle of the pond at Kiwanis. Ken advised that we decided against put one in the middle of the pond. Discussion followed. Mike asked what our tennis courts look like. Ken advised we are looking at resurfacing the tennis courts at Kissel in August or September. Adjournment The next Parks and Recreation Commission meeting will be March 12, 2014. The meeting adjourned at 6:20 p.m.