HomeMy WebLinkAbout(4a) MinutesNovember 10, 2008
Page 1 of 3
Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, the City Council for the City of St. Joseph met in special session
on Monday, November 10, 2008 at 6:30 PM in the St. Joseph City Hall.
Members Present: Mayor AI Rassier. Councilors Dale Wick, Renee Symanietz, Steve Frank, Rick
Schultz. Administrator Judy Weyrens.
Park Board Members Present: Chair Bruce Berghorst. Board Members Marge Lesnick, Chuck Muske,
Allison Brown-Bell.
City Representatives Present: Finance Director Lori Bartlet, Park Plan Consultant Veronica Anderson.
Others Present: S. Paula Revier, S. Katherine Kraft
Public Hearino, Master Park Plan: Mayor Rassier called the joint City Council/Park Board hearing to
order and stated the purpose of the hearing is to consider adoption of the 2008 Master Park and Trail
Plan. At this time Rassier turned the floor over to Veronica Anderson of SEH, consultant hired to prepare
the master plan.
Anderson stated that she has been working with the Park Board over the past months to develop a
Master Park and Trail. The purpose of the Park Planning is: provides a picture of the current system -
identifies issues and opportunities; responds to the needs and desires of community -based on
community survey and open house; provides evaluation of parks within the system; provides vision,
mission, goal and policy statements that establish clearly defined guidelines f developing a beautiful,
well maintained and functional park and trail system; provides recomm s -general and specific;
provides cost estimates for short, medium and long-term propose ents.
The Plan included the following tasks: Project initia ' n; dat ollec ' nand alysis -parks evaluations;
visioning, goals and policies; park classification an S me y; plan ommendations -
concepts; draft park and trail system pl al pa trail tem plan. a data collected in the
plan includes population growth, a ups ous a recreation trends. Some of this data
was collected through a syp~hat s s ith t i-m I tility bills.
Anderson stated that th ark Bo nt a c~itl~rable amount of time establishing the vision
statement for the Master an and mi 'on statement for the Park Board. The Vision statement for the
Plan is: St. Joseph shall vid attractive, well-maintained park, open space and trail system that is
safe and accessible to all pity members and that provides a range of active and passive
opportunities for diverse and changing recreation needs. The Park Board Mission statement is: To plan,
develop, preserve, improve and maintain our City's parkland for a balanced and diverse park and trail
system.
Plan Highlights include:
Goal: Provide a sufficient amount of public land to meet the recreational needs of
existing and future residents.
Objective: Provide 10 acres/1000 people to be set aside for parks, trails and open space to
accommodate the needs of future residents in the year 2030.
Policies: The shall continue to acquire land as needed to maintain the 10 acreas per 1,000
person standard within search areas shown in the Parks, Open Space and Trails
Plan; Search for land appropriate to the intended recreational use; Pursue grants
from regional, state and federal agencies to obtain funding for park and open
space planning, acquisition and administration; Coordinate park system efforts
with other functional and governing agency plans.
Park
November 10, 2008
Page 2 of 3
Classification: Klinefelter Park -Community Park (25.04 A); Centennial Park -Community Park
(2.30 A); Cloverdale Park -Mini Park (.48 A); Hollow Park -Neighborhood Park
(.54 A); Memorial Park -Special Use Park (4.89 A); Millstream Park -
Community Park (35.0 A); Monument Park -Special Use Park (.31 A); Northland
Park -Neighborhood Park (9.25 A).
Existing Park
Acres by type Park System -188.42 A; Community Parks - 62.34 A; Neighborhood Parks -
25.10 A; Mini Parks - .48 A; Special Use Parks - 5.2 A; Regional Parks 95.30 A.
Anderson also presented the concept plans for each park illustrating uses. She stated that the concepts
are merely a vision and before development can begin detail park plans will need to be developed. The
Plan includes proposed costs for implementation of each concept plan and it will be up to the Park Board
to prioritize the development based on available funding.
Mayor Rassier opened the hearing to those present for questions and/or comments.
S. Katherine Kraft, 104 Chapel Lane, spoke in support of the Plan. Kraft commended the City for
undertaking the development of a Park Plan and encouraged the Council and Park Board to continue to
set aside land for recreation and open space. Kraft stated that she was encouraged to see that the plan
addressed the CR 75 underpass as it connects to Millstream Park. The underpass is in dire need of
updating and currently it is the only safe way to cross County Road 75 to access Millstream Park.
S. Paula Revier, 104 Chapel Lane spoke in support of the Plan. She al ended the City for
planning for open space and recreation. Revier encouraged the reserve high quality
environmental areas as St. Joseph develops.
Councilor Frank suggested that the City change th eling treet t ome other name due to
the complexity of the transportation stu con a s a ciated with t same. Frank questioned
if the plan takes into account safet isti equ d equipment/material available.
Anderson stated that the P es lud saf evie f e City's insurance carrier. As the Park
Board moves forward mp n pl alternative materials and equipment can be
researched.
Councilors discussed min typ phical changes such as changing the name of Kennedy to the St.
Joseph Community Schoo a present were asked to submit their changes to the City Office staff for
inclusion in the final draft. nderson stated that she would like to have the comments within the next 10
days to finalize the Plan.
Symanietz made a motion to close the public hearing at 7:10 PM; seconded by Schultr and passed
unanimously.
Mayor Rassier stated that the Master Park and Trail Plan is a component of the Comprehensive Plan and
the public hearing for the Comprehensive Plan is scheduled for Wednesday, November 12, 2008. The
Comprehensive Plan cannot be finalized until the Master Park Plan is adopted. Weyrens stated that the
Council could adopt the plan with the contingency that the minor corrections will be completed. Wick
requested that the population projects included in the Master Park Plan be consistent with those of the
Comprehensive Plan.
Schultr made a motion to approve the Master Park and Trail Plan with the minor corrections and
updating of the population data. The motion was seconded by Wick and passed unanimously.
The joint meeting of the Park Board and City Council was adjourned by consensus at 7:20 PM.
Councilor Schultz left at 7:20 PM.
November 10, 2008
Page 3 of 3
At 7:30 PM Frank made a motion to close the public meeting to consider and discuss strategy for
labor negotiations or review negotiation proposals pursuant to Minn Stat Sec 179A.01 to
179A.25(the Public Employment Labor Relations Act) and pursuant to Minn Stat Sec 13D.03, Subd
1 (b)(the Open Meeting Law). The motion was seconded by Wick and passed unanimously by
those present.
Mayor Rassier opened the meeting at 8:30 PM at which time Symanietz made a motion to adjourn,
seconded by Wick and passed unanimously by those present.
Judy Weyrens
Administrator
PFD
O~