Loading...
2006-10-19 PARKS, RECREATION AND BEAUTIFICATION BOARD REGULAR MEETING MINUTESMINUTES — REGULAR MEETING OF THE PEARLAND PARKS, RECREATION AND BEAUTIFICATION BOARD, OF THE CITY OF PEARLAND, TEXAS, HELD ON THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2006, AT 8:00 A.M., IN THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT CONFERENCE ROOM, AT 2947 BROADWAY STREET, PEARLAND, TEXAS I. CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order at 8:07 a.m. IL BOARD MEMBER ROLL CALL Ben Carranza Vice Chairperson Laura Austin Board Secretary Scott Sherman Board Member Marjorie Wilcoxson Board Member Joe Miller Board Member Ed Miller, Sr. Board Member Jon Branson Parks and Recreation Director Michelle Smith Parks & Recreation Superintendent Randi Wyatt Parks & Recreation Office Coordinator Mike Hodge Assistant City Manager Cara Nesby City Project Manager Helen Beckman President of Keep Pearland Beautiful Sheila Condon Clark, Condon & Associates, Consultant Richard McNamara Clark, Condon & Associates, Consultant Bob Randall Randall -Porterfield, Consultant III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES — June 22, 2006 and September 14, 2006 Motion to approve both sets of minutes made by Mr. Sherman; Motion seconded by Mrs. Austin; Motion passed 6 to 0. IV. WATCH VIDEO "THE VITAL ROLE OF CITIZEN -BOARD MEMBERS" Video has been tabled to the next meeting due to the presentations being made by Sheila Condon, Richard McNamara and Bob Randall. V. DISCUSSION AND ACTION FOR INDEPENDENCE PARK — SHIELA CONDON Sheila Condon and Richard McNamara brought presentation boards for review. 1 Ms. Condon began by reminding everyone that at the last meeting she requested opinions and ideas from the Parks Board Members. Today, they have brought in a plan for review per those suggestions. She wanted everyone to look at the plan overall to make sure that they have not missed anything that was in the Master Plan, surveys or from the Parks Board input. Ms. Condon mentioned the highlights of what the park needed to provide: parking and circulation and access, events lawn, pool area, tennis, playground, picnic facilities, dog park, teen area, splash pad and enlarging the pond for detention and using it as an amenity. Ms. Condon then began walking through the park diagram. Mentioning first the new entry to the park from Pearland Parkway. Making it a significant park entrance. She advised that they have placed smaller parking areas throughout the park, based on the event areas or facility areas so that we do not end up with one massive parking area. The road is intentionally curvy so that the traffic would be slower and it makes a nice loop around the lake. She advised she would like to have a gate placed at Liberty Drive as a maintenance or utility drive or for use at events. Ms. Condon mentioned that they have put the dog park/run in the old Rotary Park playground area. It makes the dog park separate for safety of the other citizens. Mr. McNamara advised that they would remove the existing restrooms in that area. Ms. Condon advised that they would renovate the pool house to be a tennis center with community area bathroom. This would double the amount of tennis by taking in the parking lot. Ms. Condon advised that it made sense to them to add the volleyball component and a teen area at that location. Possibly add a small pavilion to make an informal area for teens to gather — where they would not be so front and center in the park. Ms. Condon then began to describe changes to the existing basketball area and the addition of a Events Lawn. She advised that they went with an Events Lawn instead of an in ground Amphitheater. The lawn and pavilion could double as a stage for particular events in the park. They want to create this area to be the hub or the heart of the park, with the pavilion/stage, spray ground, leisure pool being the center of attention. This area would set at the edge of the lake for views and the lake would also serve as a detention area. Placing the Events Lawn near the basketball allows the basketball court to be set up as an additional pavilion or covered space for events and activities. Ms. Condon suggested that they move the playground in a more central place that is more accessible near the basketball pavilion. 2 Ms. Condon advised that with linking everything together it provides a lot of trails and connectivity. She advised that this would let you move throughout the park. Ms. Condon stated that they left an area behind the old pool building for a maintenance area. She advised the City could store maintenance equipment and such items there. Ms. Condon presented a phasing board with different ways that the park could be phased. In which a discussion ensued regarding the phasing process and ideas were provided about what was needed first. Ms. Condon and Mr. McNamara then gave an overview of a cost estimate for each phase or area. Mr. McNamara then asked what is needed for the Council meeting from Ms. Condon and him at this time. Mike Hodge then stated that the City needs a cost estimate and some discussion about what you want to see as phase one and then the subsequent phases as well. It will mainly need to be the infrastructure and roads. Mr. Hodge advised that we are looking at $2.2 million dollars as the preliminary budget for the first phases of Independence Park. Ms. Condon advised that after getting this input she wants to set up a meeting with Mrs. Smith and Mr. Branson to get better estimates about the phases. Ms. Condon advised that today's action was really to get feedback and make sure that she heard the Parks Board's desires correctly. Mr. McNamara asked Mrs. Smith if the Board needed to accept the Master Plan prior to Council. Motion to accept the plan as presented was made by Mr. Sherman, Seconded by Mrs. Austin. Motion passed 6 to 0. VI. DISCUSSION AND DESIGN FOR SHADOW CREEK PARK — BOB RANDALL Mr. Bob Randall began by handing out a Preliminary Site Plan to each person for review. Mr. Randall wanted to remind everyone that he is a month behind Ms. Condon. He advised that this is all new construction verses that there is no existing park other than the Nature Park that is on the right hand side of the park. Mr. Randall advised that he has gone out and photographed the area and has this today for review. He stated that after visiting the site and spending a little bit of time with Engineering, he had to compile a FEMA map base and bring in the line that you see in the 3 center of the site diagram that is dark purple. This FEMA line has serious implications on the site that separates the Flood Plan from the Flood Way. In good practice and theory you should not build any structures in the Flood Way — that is any thing that is above the purple line in the diagram. Mr. Randall advised that due to this line, he tried to mitigate this and take a look at the program elements that he was given in the budget in the preliminary plan. Mr. Randall advised that creating the ball fields is the number one deficient in the Master Plan for recreational opportunities. He advised that he has to do a balance of cut and fill within the Flood Way to mitigate the impact of building the ball fields in the Flood Way. Mr. Randall advised that he has pulled what he can of the development up above the line into the One Hundred Flood Plain to where we can achieve this plan. Mr. Randall advised that he wants to leave here today agreeing to what the first priority of recreational opportunity is. His opinion is that the hardball fields are priority. He stated that seems to be the biggest deficient and need from the Master Plan. The Master Plan clearly stated that the greatest deficiencies are tennis, volleyball courts, baseball, softball fields and swimming pools. Mr. Randall stated that this site plan differs from the previous plan that was drawn up, by the water amenity being extracted from the left side of Kingsley and moved to the right side. By pulling the water amenities out of the heart of the organized sports play and flood way we could attract a Private Sector opportunities as previously discussed in the last meeting. By moving it across the street it would be separate and perhaps the Private Sector involvement could build it for all the bodies to pay to play in a fenced area and it would be controlled separate from the operating seasons of the ball fields. Mr. Randall advised that everything on the left side of Kingsley could be broke into two phases. Everything for the ball field complexes would be priority phase one which includes the associated parking and restrooms. Phase two would be the completion of landscaping and the tennis and volleyball courts. Phase three would be anything on the right side of Kingsley. A discussion ensued regarding the cost estimate of each area of the park. Mr. Randall also advised that there is a second option to the plan that takes the water park out of the site and adds additional soccer and tennis courts and possibly an addition basketball court, with additional parking. Mr. Randall advised that on the left side of Kingsley Road there is a really nice jogging trail around the baseball fields that equals one mile. Mr. Randall stated that he feels that he is far enough along in the planning El process to get the phasing and budgeting back to the City by mid- November. Mr. Branson advised the Parks Board that Ms. Smith and himself will get in touch with the local groups to find out the needs and desires of the fields. Ms. Smith suggested that the Parks Board could approve the basic concept of the fields to day with the understanding that Mr. Branson and herself would talk to the user groups to get the needs the fields. Motion to accept the West side of Kingsley with the possible replacement of a smaller field with a larger field after talking to the user groups as currently stated in the diagram and adding an additional basketball court if feasible; Motion approved by Mr. Joe Miller; Motion seconded by Mr. Sherman; Motion passed 6 to 0. VII. DIRECTOR'S REPORT Mr. Branson advised that he is very excited to be here. He stated that from a Parks Board standpoint it doesn't get any better than it is right now; there are numerous projects to look at and you have the opportunity to shape the growth of the community for many years to come. Mr. Carranza asked Mr. Branson to tell the Parks Board a little about himself. Mr. Branson went into detail of where he went to college and gave a bit of information about his past employment experiences and why he desires to work for the City of Pearland. Mr. Branson advised that on Monday he had the opportunity to meet with Mr. Randall's partner Mike Porterfield. Mr. Branson advised that they discussed the Nature Center at the Southwest Environmental Center. Mr. Branson then handed out a copy of the plan that Mr. Porterfield has presented. He advised the Board that he has also had the opportunity to meet with Linda Cowles with Keep Pearland Beautiful and she confirmed that the components that Keep Pearland Beautiful discussed are in this plan and she is excited about the plan and gives the green light to move forward with the essential plan that has been presented. Mr. Branson requested that Mr. Randall briefly discuss the plan and give a little detail about the center. Therefore, a discussion ensued regarding the elements of the building and Mr. Randall pointed out some of the environmental enhancements. Mr. Randall advised that he also feels that due to the programming of this building, it has the opportunity to be LEAD certified. He feels that we could achieve the Platinum Level, which is the highest level of LEAD certification. 5 Mr. Branson advised that Mr. Randall is going to go ahead and move forward with the elevations assuming that there are not any objections to what you see before you today. The members of the Parks Board agreed that they love the plan as is. VIII. ADJOURNMENT Motion to adjourn made by Mr. Sherman; Motion seconded by Ms. Austin; Motion passed 6 to 0. The meeting adjourned at 9:45 a.m. These minutes respectfully submitted by: cav�jl Randi Wyatt Parks Office Coordinator Minutes approved as submitted and/or corrected this 1CA 2006. 3tc/IS Ca Wan-((,\JI(,C lvers0VI rel day of 0C�taw ,