Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes_PAREB_06.14.2001CITY OF GEORGETOWN Parks & Recreation Board June 14, 2001 I. CALL TO ORDER John Philpott, chair, called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. II. ROLL CALL Members Present: Mr. John Philpott, Chair Ms. Tracy Dubcak, Vice Chair Ms. Brenna Nedbalek Ms. Jean Houck Mr. Douglas Blackard Mr. Wesley Kidd Mr. David Rinn Members Absent: Ms. Liz Mealy Mr. Dick Brown Visitors Speaking: Paul Lineham, Land Strategies Thos. B. Watts, Andice Development Company Greg Pfluger Barbara Austin, Richardson Verdoom Steve Kretzing, Richardson Verdoom Staff Present: Randy Morrow, Director of Parks and Recreation Kimberly Garrett, Administrative Manager III. CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON APPROVING THE PARKLAND DEDICATION ON THE CONCEPT PLAN FOR WOODLAKE SUBDIVISION Mr. Watts with Andice Development Company showed an overview of the Woodlake Concept Plan located at Williams Drive and Shell Road, adjacent to the new HEB shopping center. The development is mixed use consisting of commercial, multi family and residential, including a school site. The actual area required is only part of an acre with only 100-115 home sites under the old parkland dedication ordinance. They are proposing to give 4.2 acres. The tract of land is adjacent to Lake Georgetown and a 65 acre unsubdivided tract of land. John said as a concept plan, it looks good. Doug made a Page 1 of 5 motion to accept the parkland in the concept plan. Wesley seconded the motion and it passed by unanimous vote. IV. CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON APPROVING THE PARKLAND DEDICATION ON THE FINAL PLAT FOR SECTION SEVEN OF THE GEORGETOWN VILLAGE Paul Lineham with Land Strategies spoke to the board regarding section seven of the Georgetown Village. There is no street access to the proposed parkland as required by the parkland dedication ordinance. This section requires a variance to the ordinance. The access to the parkland is by going through a detention pond with a sidewalk over the dam. The plan also shows a mail kiosk and parking lot adjacent to the parkland. David made a motion to allow a variance for public access by a sidewalk off of a street instead of by street access. Brenna seconded the motion and it passed by unanimous vote V. UPDATE ON GIRLS FASTPITCH PROGRAM Greg Pfluger with the girls fastpitch program just wanted to let the board know that the Parks and Recreation Department has been working with him on the program and been very helpful. He has been using the fields at VFW. He just wanted to express his thanks . Greg and Randy agreed to work together to try to schedule more home games for this program. VI. UPDATE ON THE PARKS, RECREATION, AND OPEN SPACE MASTER PLAN Barbara Austin with Richardson Verdoorn presented an updated schedule, an example of the finished product, and the proposed survey for the master plan. Consultants have been going through the past planning efforts and gathering new information including an inventory map of current parks. Other items that will be done are a trend analysis and a need assessment. The survey will be sent out the first week of July and that information will be compiled the first of August. There will be a public meeting at the August 23th parks board meeting to show the inventory and the results of the survey. The survey was reviewed and some suggestions were to add questions about bike lanes, pocket parks, examples of different size parks, and a question about satisfaction of City parks. Any other additional comments should be submitted to the parks and recreation office by Monday. VII. CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON PARK IMPROVEMENTS AT KATY CROSSING PARK There is a small City park in Katy Crossing Subdivision. John Gavurnik, of Gavurnik Homes has proposed to provide a lawn sprinkler system for the park if the City of Georgetown would provide the electric and water. They also requested that the City upgrade the current landscaping to prevent constant washout onto a public sidewalk. Randy said maybe some of the landscaping could be donated. Doug questioned why the City would pay for these services, and Randy clarified that it was a City Park. Wesley Kid made a motion to accept the proposal made by Mr. Gavumik. Tracy Dubcak seconded the motion and it passed 4-1 with Doug Blackard opposing. Page 2 of 5 VIII. APPROVE MINUTES FROM APRIL 12, 2001 A motion was made by Tracy Dubcak to approve the minutes from the April 12, 2001, meeting. Doug Blackard seconded the motion and it passed by unanimous vote. IX. APPROVE MINUTES FROM May 10, 2001 A motion was made by Doug Blackard to approve the minutes from the May 10, 2001, meeting. Brenna Nedbalek seconded the motion and it passed by unanimous vote. X. CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE PURCHASE OF 18.78 ACRES OF LAND FOR FUTURE PARK USE The City is looking to purchase 18.78 acres of land adjacent to Annie Purl Elementary School. The property is appraised at $163,000 to $165,000. This is a large parcel of land in the middle of town. This area is heavily wooded and has a drainage ditch on it. There is a residence on the property that was built in the 1900's and will be removed. The intent is to keep it natural. Access is by Hutto Road. Wesley said that to get that much land in the middle of town is a gold mine. Doug said it would be a linear park and link up to other parks in the area and be an asset. John said timing is an issue. The property has been tied up so the parks and recreation board could have a chance to discuss it. John said the positive side is that it is a semi linear piece of land that is in several residential neighborhoods, the down side is that it is heavily wooded in most areas and significant clearing of the drainage ditch must be done. It is restricted from leveling and putting in more soccer fields. The Parks and Recreation Board has been asked to give an assessment of what they would like to see happen. The City Council has put down $5,000 to hold the property. The City Manager has looked at several options for payment. There is money in the zones around the area, there is also money in the Sun City unrestricted funds. Options are to pursue the property and suggest areas of funding or areas not to be used as funding. An environmental survey will have to be done on the property. The Parks and Recreation Board agreed that it would be a corridor link to other parks and that is why they would like to pursue the purchase. Doug Blackard made a motion to pursue the purchase of the 18.78 acres of parkland with the normal assessments being made, leaving a balance of $65,000 in the unrestricted parkland dedication fund to allow for future park development on the west side of IH35 such as Berry Creek, and that the land be deeded to the Parks and Recreation Foundation Trust to be used as a match for future trail funding. Jean Houck seconded the motion. It passed 6-0. XI. REPORT FROM POCKET PARKS SUB COMMITTEE Brenna Nedbalek, chair of the sub committee, reported that the sub committee met and reviewed the current Parkland Dedication Ordinance and the Parks and Recreation Page 3 of 5 Functional Plan. The sub -committee feels that the consultant doing the park master plan would have a better understanding if pocket parks are needed in Georgetown. The survey being conducted for the park master plan will provide a good indication of the needs of citizens. Once a need has been determined, appropriate amendments can be made to the Parkland Dedication Ordinance and the master plan. XII. REPORT FROM NON-PROFIT VS. COMMERCIAL FEE SUB -COMMITTEE A letter was drafted by the sub -committee to Mayor and Council to obtain more specific direction on the duties of the sub -committee. This letter was reviewed and corrections were made. The board was in full consensus of the letter and it was to be submitted to the Mayor and City Council. XIII. INFORMATION ON BUDGET REQUESTS FOR 2001/2002 Randy passed out the critical need requests that were submitted to Finance. The board also thought that a park planner should be included in the requests. This person would help with the planning process for parks, track parkland dedication and help write grants. John said that next year the board could have a planning session early in the year with key staff to help plan for budget requests. IVX. DISCUSSION ON STATUS AND PHILOSOPHY OF GRANTS IN PARKS AND RECREATION In the past, the Parks and Recreation Department has applied for grants from Texas Parks and Wildlife, Texas Forest Service, Texas Workforce Commission, LCRA and the TxDOT's Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA). Currently the only grant that the department has is one for Kid City. This is a summer program done in conjunction with the Georgetown Independent School District. The Parks and Recreation Department aggressively seeks grants such as the ones listed above and others available through the federal government and private sources. These funds are important to help implement the Parks and Recreation Functional Plan. In the Parks and Recreational Functional Plan, it states that the City should develop and execute a plan to ensure that all of these resources are utilized to the maximum extent possible. It further states that the parks and recreation function must include appropriate professional staff to ensure that these funds are continually sought and properly administered. VX. COUNTY PARK UPDATE Doug and Tracy were both unable to attend the last meeting. John asked them to get the minutes from the last County Park Meeting. Additional comments were made addressing these items Attendance records were submitted to the Mayor as of June 15, 2001. If a board member knows they are going to miss a meeting they should call or e-mail Kimberly and let her know as soon as possible. They also need to say whether they think the absence should be excused. If a board member does not call in or let Kimberly know they are not going to be at the meeting it will be an automatic unexcused absence. It will be the board members call as to whether they Page 4 of 5 believe they should be excused or not. IVX. ADJOURN Doug Blackard made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Page 5 of 5