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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2005-0425 Parks & Rec MIN City of Ashland PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING MINUTES April 25, 2005 ATTENDANCE Present: Commissioners D. Amarotico, Eggers, Gardiner, Lewis, Rosenthal; Director Robertson; Superintendent Gies; Superintendent T ~ige; City Council Liaison A. Amarotico Absent: None CALL TO ORDER Gardiner called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM at Council Chambers, 1175 E. Main. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Reaular Meetina - March 28. 2005 Under Unfinished Business item "Capital Budget Discussion,. Eggers asked that a sentenCE~ be clarified to read: "Eggers advocated for land acquisition and development noting the importance of shtfting budget funds beginning with the upcoming fiscal year, because land prices are increasing at a much f1reater rate than the overall cost of living.. MOTION Rosenthal moved to approve the minutes as amended. Eggers seconded the motion. The vote was: 5 yes - 0 no Study Session - AD~iI 18. 2005 Under Old Business item "S-Year Capital Improvement Plan,. Eggers requested that the first sentence be changed to read: "Robertson presented a 5-year capital improvement plan, which was based on suggestions he rereived from commissioners, staff, and the general public throughout the 2005-2006 budget planning process and on an existing S-year plan found in departmental archives. · MOTION Lewis movedl to approve the minutes as amended. Rosenthal seconded the motion. The vote was: 5 yes - 0 no PUBLIC PARTICIPATION OPEN FORUM Julia Sommer, 573 Sloonic Drive, speaking on behalf of the Scenic Condo Association and nHighbors in the surrounding area, expressed concern about the large tractor trailer container containing CERT supplies that was deposited on thE~ N. Main I Scenic pa~ site approximately one month ago by the Ashland Fire Department. She conv,eyed her overall disappointment with the condition of the pa~ site, including the lack of maintenance, the dearth of "No Pa~ing" signs, and the generally unsafe and unclean conditions at the location. Susan Rust, 42 N. VVightman Street, spoke of her appreciation for the wo~ of the Ashland Pa~s and Recreation Commission and the department, and especially for the wo~ of the staff at N. Mountain Pa~ in terms of their Environmental Stewardship Program. She also expressed gratitude for the fire reduction efforts in the Siskiyou Mountain Pa~ area, the management of forest lands, the trails wo~ around and within the city, and the public me~9tings regarding the development of a linked trails system in Ashland. ADDITIONS OR DELETIONS TO THE AGENDA None. Page 2 of4 Regular Meeting Minutes - April 25, 2005 Ashland Parks and Recreation Commission UNFINISHED BUSIINESS LITTLE LEAGUE BATTING CAGE REQUEST Robertson reminded the commission about the request by the Ashland Little league to add a permanent batting cage structure at Hunter Parle He suggested placing the permanent structure! closer to the baseball field [than whe!re the temporary cage is currently located] to allow for future growth of the tree canopy. Jack Opgenorth, 575 Elizabeth Avenue [Ashland Little League vice president], and Matt Small, 385 Cherry Lane [design clrchitect], reiterated their desire to install a permanent batting cage facUity at Hunter Park and responded to the concern expressed at the March meeting regarding lighting the proposed batting cage. Opgenorth and Small agreed with the staff suggestion to move the cage closer to the baseball field. Discussion Amono Commissioners Commissioners discussed avoiding the drip lines of trees and deliberated about whether the structure would require lights. Gardiner called for a motion. MOTION Lewis moved to approve the installation of a permanent batting cage structure at Hunter Pa~, including lights, on the condition that staff would oversee and approve adequate! setbacks. Rosenthal seconded the motion. The vote was: 5 yes - 0 no BUDGET APPROVALS Robertson read aloud the packet memo entitled "Adoption of Proposed 2005-2006 Budlget" and thanked staff members and the commission for their efforts throughout the budget preparation prOCE~SS. He recommended the approval of the proposed 2005-2006 APRC budget. Susan Rust, 42 Wightman Street, asked staff to post the Pa~s Department budget on the City's Web site for the benefit of the citizens of Ashland, and she spoke of her appreciation for the funds allocated toward open space acquisitions in the coming fiscal year. Greg Weston I! 620 Sherwood Lane, spoke on behalf of the local baseball community in requesting the inclusion of North Mountain Pa~ baseball field lights in the 2005-2006 budget. Discussion Amono Commissioners Commissioners reviewed the memo and Eggers offered some clarifying points, specific:ally with regard to the support the department would provide to the senior community in Ashland. Commissioners reviewed the Pa~s budget spreadsheets and asked questions relating to a number of items, including potential cost savings for tennis court lights. Eggers again expressed her uneasiness with the inclusion of funds for baseball field lights and reiterated her desire for a renewed effort with regard to the acquisition of open space property. Rosenthal asked the commission to consider developing a long-term capital improve!ment plan for the Oak Knoll Golf Course in the upcoming fiscal year. E~,gers asked a number of additional questions relating to details within the spreadsheets and staff provided feedback. Commissioners expressed appreciation for the information provided during the budget process, and Gardiner called for a motion. MOTION D. Amarotico moved to approve the proposed 2005-2006 Ashland Pa~s and Recreation Commission budget. Rosenthal seconded the motion. The vote was: 5 yes - 0 no Page 3 of 4 Regular Meeting Minutes - April 25, 2005 Ashland Parks and Recreation Commission NEW BUSINESS UTILITY EASEMENT REQUEST Robertson reported that two citizens requested a utility easement across Pa~s-owned land at 752 Terrace Street. He welcomed :the property owner and the developer and invited them to speak to the commission. Dallas Hymans, 75~~ Terrace Street [property owner] and Tom Bradley, 700 Terrace Street [property developer] requested a utility easement at the top of a 5-acre lot between Terrace Street and Ashland Loop Road, af the forest interface but within City limits, that would be sufficiently wide to enable the placement of a natural gas line for a private residence. Discussion Amono Commissioners Commissioners askedl about the history of the property and staff provided background information. Robertson informed the commission that utility easements are common in many places. When asked whether utility equipment could damc:ige the land, the commission was told that the small equipment used for such purposes generally does not halm the landscape to any significant degree. Lewis asked that the easeme!nt be limited to a single-service easement [gas only] for a single residential unit so as to minimize potential damage to the land. He also asked that staff review the project and approve it in terms of potential impacts on the surrounding trails and plant life. Gardiner called for a motion MOTION Eggers moved to approve recommending to the City Council the request for a utility easement across Pa~s-owned land, on the condition that it would be used solely for a single residence and a single utility, and contingent upon staff review and approval in terms of environmental impacts. Lewis seconded the motion. The vote was: 5 yes - 0 no SIGNS, PLAQUES APPROVALS Gies reported that thE~ Signs, Plaques, and Memorials Subcommittee and staff toured lithial Park with the intention of locating areas within the pa~ that might accommodate benches with plaques, and that they found three sites that could ,accommodate a total of four benches. He reported that the subcommittoe reviewed all existing requests for benches with plaques and found four that clearly fit the criteria outlined by the subcommittee. Judy Kettler, 488 Lon Lane, requested the placement of a memorial bench with a plaque in Lithia Pa~ in honor and memory of her husband, Jake Kettler, who was deceased more than one year ago. Discussion AmonQ Commissioners Commissioners voiced appreciation for the wo~ of the subcommittee and Gardiner called for a motion. MOTION Lewis moved to approve the placement of four benches with plaques in Lithia Park. Rosenthal seconded the motion. The vote was: 5 yes - 0 no SUB-COMMITTEE and ST.AFF REPORTS Robertson reported that the Ashland City Council proposed a series of joint study sessions with the Parks Commission and the Ashland School Board in June and July to discuss topics of mutual intemst or concern, including the lease on the Ashland Gun Club, open space funding, the future of the Briscoe and Lincoln Elementary School pltaygrounds, and any other issues of mutual concern. Commissioners agreed to the proposed meetings and requested notification of specific dates and times in the near future. Robertson thanked North Mountain Park staff for their outstanding work in creating a successful 2005 Earth Day event on Saturday, April 23, at which approximately 4,000 people attended. Page 4 of4 Regular Meeting Minutes - April 25, 2005 Ashland Parks and Recreation Commission ITEMS FROM COMMISSIONERS Eggers updated the commission on the outcome of the recent goal setting study session of the Forest Lands Commission, on which she serves as a regular voting member. Eggers asked staff for an update on the landscaping at the Meadowbrook Park II subdivision. Commissioners discussed the request from the Ashland Chamber of Commerce for Ithe use of Lithia Park; specifically, thE~ Butler Bandshell and the lawn area between the playground and the lower duck pond, on July 3 and 4, for the purpose of staging and conducting the annual 4th of July events in the park. Eggers asked that vendors be instructed not to d~ve their vehicles on the vegetation and not to dump their wastewater into the gutters, and that Chamber organizers provide an alternative receptacle for the wastewater. UPCOMING MEETING DA TE(S) and PROPOSED AGENDA ITEMS · Public mE~eting set for April 28, 2005, at 6:30 PM, Pioneer Hall, 73 Winburn W,ay, for the purpose of receiving public input toward the development of a master plan for the N. Main I S<~nic pa~ site. · Study session set for May 16 at 7:00 PM - Parks Office, 340 S. Pioneer. · Regular meeting set for May 23 at 7:00 PM - Council Chambers, 1175 E. Main. ADJOURNMENT - By consensus, with no further business, Gardiner adjourned the meeting at 8:55 PM. Respectfully submitted, I~~. . Susan Dyssegard Ashland Pa~s and Hecreation