#3 BOARD OF PARK COMMISSIONERS REGULAR MEETING Park and Recreation Department Conference Room, 11th Floor, City Hall Monday, April 11, 2005 3:30 p.m. Present: Bob Aldrich, Dennis Brunner, June Bailey, Colleen Craig, Glen Dey Absent: Janet Miller Also Present: Officer Paul Zamorano - Wichita Police Department (WPD) - Community Policing; Donna Aldrich, President - Orchard Park Neighborhood Association (OPNA); Paul Treweeke - Owner of the Pusher; Jim Noland - ConocoPhillips; John Philbrick - Director of Property Management; Jade Dundas - Water and Sewer Department; Jamsheed Mehta, Nancy Harvieux, and Aprajit Desai - Wichita-Sedgwick County Metropolitan Area Planning Department; and Doug Kupper, Lisa Klaassen and Maryann Crockett (staff) President Bailey called the meeting to order at approximately 3:33 p.m. PUBLIC AGENDA No items. REGULAR AGENDA On motion by Aldrich, second by Dey, IT WAS VOTED UNANIMOUSLY to take up Item #6 - Discussion of Proposed Mini Skate Park - Orchard Park, as the first agenda item. 1. Discussion of Proposed Mini Skate Park - Orchard Park. Bob Aldrich provided a brief background on the item stating that the area residents, Community Police, recreation staff, and members of the Orchard Park Neighborhood Association (OPNA) had been trying to get some of the local youth more involved in park activities and programs as a way to help curb some of the vandalism and other activities that have been occurring in and around Orchard Park. He said several meetings were held and area youth communicated their desire for a "mini-skate park" at Orchard Park. He added that since these meetings have been held, the vandalism and other problems at the park have ceased. He introduced Officer Paul Zamorano, WPD - Community Policing. Officer Paul Zamorano commented that WPD had met with area residents and recreation staff to discuss their concerns about safety issues and the increase in crime in the area of Orchard Park. He said one of the items discussed was youth that hang around the park, but refuse to participate in the City's "After School Program", which he said was geared towards elementary and middle school children. He said a meeting was held with the youth and their parents and that one of the positive solutions that came out of the meeting was the addition of a skateboard area at the park. He said additional meetings have been held to involve area youth and to develop a plan of action to accomplish their goal of establishing a skateboard park. He said they were not requesting funding, which they understood there would be no Capital Improvement Program (CIP) funds available until approximately 2007. He said they planned on funding the project through community support, grants and other donations. He said they were requesting the Park Board's approval and support of the proposed project. He added that they had received project endorsements from both the Orchard Park Neighborhood Association (OPNA) and District Advisory Board (DAB) VI. He introduced Donna Aldrich, President, Orchard Park Neighborhood Association (OPNA) Donna Aldrich said she wanted to reiterate what had already been said and added that they would rather build a skateboard park in Orchard Park than have the young people skateboarding on the streets and parking lots. She said it was also an opportunity for the kids to show their responsibility by participating in fundraising activities and also caring for (providing basic maintenance) the park once it is constructed. She said both the OPNA and DAB VI had endorsed the idea and asked the Park Board to add their support for the project. Paul Treweeke, owner of the Pusher, commented that Officer Zamarono had asked him to assist with the project including organizing the youth and fundraising activities. He said they have received commitments from local businesses around Wichita towards the project. Responding to a question, he said the skate park design consisted of a concrete pad with a couple of ramps. Aldrich commented that many of the parks in the City were underutilized and that they were working to get more community and resident involvement. He also commented that if the kids work towards establishing the skate park, they will be more likely to feel ownership in it, appreciate it, and take care of it. Responding to questions from President Bailey, Mr. Treweeke indicated that the proposed pad was 30' X 40'. He said they had not worked with park staff yet, but that he had attended one of the meetings held concerning development of the downtown skate park. President Bailey asked if anyone from the public wished to comment on the issue. The following individuals spoke: * Rosemary Weber, GreenWay Alliance - asked about the relationship of the proposed skate park to the rest of the park amenities, like the children's playground? She also asked how large the park was? Director Kupper indicated that he has had conversations with the Superintendent of Recreation, Landscape Architect, center recreation staff and grounds maintenance staff concerning location of the skate park with regard to the Summer of Discovery Program (the City's licensed summer child care program), maintenance and other issues. He added that in-line and extreme skating is one of the fastest growing sports and has been for ten years or so and that staff was in agreement with the proposal for a mini skate park at Orchard Park. He said he applauded the group and their efforts on the project. (It was noted that the park is approximately 20 acres.) * Lisa Klaassen, Assistant Director, Orchard Park Recreation Center - stated that staff was very supportive of the project. She said the group would be obtaining private and grant funding for the project from outside sources. She said they were encouraging the kids to be involved in the design of the mini park so they will take care of it. She briefly mentioned discussion regarding liability issues. Dey asked about lighting. Officer Zamorano said that was a good point and stated that as the plan is developed, issues such as lighting, signage regarding hours, use of protective equipment, rules for use of the area, etc. and other items will be discussed and decided upon. President Bailey asked staff if there were plans for other skate parks in Wichita. Director Kupper responded that ultimately, the City would like to construct a skate park in each quadrant of the City. He commented that Edgemoor Park was next for development of a skate area, since the neighborhood had been asking for one for almost ten years, and in addition, being close to a recreation center, staff could program the area for events. On motion by Aldrich, second by Dey, IT WAS VOTED UNANIMOUSLY that the Park Board support the concept of the skateboard area in Orchard Park. Director Kupper stated that Commerce Construction had been awarded the bid for the downtown skate park to be located between Topeka and St. Francis, under the Kellogg flyover. He said the park would accommodate skateboarders as well as in-line skaters. He said construction was due to start next month and that the project should be completed by fall. 2. The minutes of the March 14, 2005, Regular Meeting were reviewed and approved as corrected. 3. Naming of Park Areas - Linwood and Planeview. This item was deferred from the March meeting. President Bailey briefly reviewed the names that had been submitted in March as follows: Stearman; George F. Williams; Jay Hunter; Roger Savage, Celebration, Sylvia Hirahara-Hartley and Lulu. She said two new names were submitted by Board members, which where Goldenrod (she referred Board members to a handout provided by Dr. Dey) and Greenway. She mentioned that the Old Linwood school site with the small community building was a small "pocket park" consisting of 2.05 acres. She said the Planeview parcel was a larger, undeveloped area consisting of approximately 16 acres. Bob Aldrich said he didn't particularly like the concept of naming a park after a person. President Bailey suggested that the Board address each park separately, starting with the Planeview area. She reviewed each name submitted and commented that she believed the School Board planned on naming an athletic field after Roger Savage. She asked if there were any other suggestions. When there were no further suggestions, she asked what Colleen Craig recommended, since the park was located in District III. Craig said she recommended the name of "Stearman Park". There was discussion concerning naming the Old Linwood school site and the community center separately. Director Kupper commented that a park could get very congested with signs and mentioned McAdams Park. Responding to a question from Aldrich, he added that sometimes a donation is contingent upon the area being named after a certain individual. There was further discussion concerning the possibility of naming a portion of the Gypsum Creek Bike Path and Trail after Sylvia Hirahara-Hartley. Rosemary Webber commented that the path had been known as "Gypsum Creek" forever; however, she thought Project Beauty would like that idea, since Ms. Hirahara-Hartley was so instrumental in development of the bike path. She also commented that they liked the idea of the less formal name of "Sylvia's Park or Bikeway" more than using her complete name. * M.S. Mitchell - suggested the idea of naming one of the ball fields at West Side Athletic Field after Tommy Allen, former Director of Parks and Recreation. On motion by Craig, second by Dey, IT WAS VOTED UNANIMOUSLY to recommend that the City Council approve naming the Planeview site located at 3500 E. Cessna "Stearman Park". Dey moved to name the Old Linwood school site "Goldenrod Park. Motion died due to lack of a second. Aldrich mentioned the possibility of naming the park and the community building separately. He suggested the idea of naming the park "Greenway Park" and the community building the "George F. Williams Community Center" since Mr. Williams was involved in the education system and the site was previously a school. Director Kupper asked about getting permission from the family before recommending a name for the facility. President Bailey said she has spoken with Mr. Williams' family and they were delighted with the idea. Aldrich agreed to withdraw his previous suggestion and separate his motion. On motion by Aldrich, second by Craig, IT WAS VOTED UNANIMOUSLY to recommend that the City Council name the building at the Old Linwood school site the "George F. Williams Community Center". On motion by Dey, second by Brunner, IT WAS VOTED UNANIMOUSLY to recommend that the City Council approve naming the Old Linwood school site "Goldenrod Park". On motion by Brunner, second by Dey, IT WAS VOTED UNANIMOUSLY to recommend that the City Council name the Gypsum bike path and trail the "Sylvia Hirahara-Hartley Bike Path and Trail". 4. Sale of Cell Tower Easement - MacDonald Golf Course. This item was deferred from the March meeting. Director Kupper introduced John Philbrick, Director of Property Management. Mr. Philbrick briefly reviewed the item stating that the company that owned the cell tower at MacDonald Golf Course had made an offer to pay off the current lease and secure a 30-year easement for the tower. He said the current lease was in its 5th year; earning $700 per year, with a 3% increase annually. He said the lease had three 5-year renewal options after completion of the first term, and also included an option for the client to cancel with a 30-day notice and the City with 180-day notice. He said the suggested price to pay out the lease was $96,000. He said the current market cap rate was approximately 8.9% for these types of buyouts. Mr. Philbrick stated that there were both benefits and negatives to the proposal. He said if the Board recommended the buyout, there would be no market risk. He said cell phone technology was evolving so rapidly, who knew what would happen to the industry within the next 5-10 years. He commented that the City would lose the ability to cancel the contract within 180 days and would also lose the possibility of any additional rental monies, particularly if a second user were added to the tower. He asked the Board whether they wanted to "cash out" the lease or continue the status quo. There was discussion concerning various scenarios such as continuing the current lease and each renewal option, consequences if the lessee goes out of business, how 5% inflation would affect revenues, the possibility of selling the tower to another user, renegotiation of the current lease, and risk versus loss. Bob Aldrich commented that he did not feel that exercising the buy-out showed good fiscal responsibility. He added that he also did not believe the City Council would want to have their hands tied for 30 years. Glen Dey asked about similar agreements. Mr. Philbrick said he believed something had changed in the tax laws regarding corporate finance and lease capitalization that prompted the request. President Bailey asked how other cities were handling the issue. Mr. Philbrick said he had not researched information on other cities. He added that in the past, other cities had contacted Wichita to inquire about the City's cell tower policy. President Bailey asked if anyone from the public wished to comment on the issue. The following individuals spoke: * Allison Hamm, GreenWay Alliance - asked if the $96,000 would go the Park Department or General Fund. Mr. Philbrick answered the Park Department. She also asked if the Park Department had a policy on cell towers. Board members responded that requests are reviewed on a park-by-park basis. On motion by Aldrich, second by Craig, IT WAS VOTED UNANIMOUSLY to decline the lessee's offer to secure a 30-year easement on the land the cell tower is located on at MacDonald Park. 5. Easement at Emery Park. Director Kupper explained that the Water and Sewer Department was enlarging an existing concrete vault along MacArthur at Emery Park. Jim Noland, ConocoPhillips Company (CPPL), introduced himself and provided Board members a handout, which was a request for a pipeline easement through Emery Park, along with several maps explaining the situation and copies of previous right-of-way (ROW) agreements dated in 1976. He gave a brief background of the project stating that ConocoPhillips (formerly known as Conoco Pipe Line Co.) owned and operated a 4" jet fuel pipeline that runs from its Wichita South Petroleum Products Terminal to the Mid-Continent Airport in west Wichita. He referred Board members to Attachment "1" of the handout. He explained that the line runs east/west parallel along the south side of McArthur Road, just west of the KTA I-35 east of Hydraulic. He said the City of Wichita has a 66" sewer line that runs north/south through there that crosses the CPPL line in McArthur ROW. Mr. Noland stated that the City's plan to enlarge the concrete vault will create an encroachment conflict that will require the 4" CPPL line to be relocated a short distance. He said it is not possible to relocate their line within the street ROW because the area was too congested. He said they were requesting a permanent pipeline easement of approximately 15', which was 7.5' each side of the pipeline and 300 linear feet along park property at Emery Park. He referred Board members to attachment "4" of the handout, which was a schematic of the pipeline. He said they would also like to bury the pipeline a minimum of 4' deep, since additional depth would create a hardship to service the line. There was brief discussion concerning ingress and egress from Emery Park during construction. Jade Dundas, Water and Sewer Department, commented that at least one lane would be kept open during the project, which was estimated to take approximately two months. Responding to a question, he also commented that additional landscaping, shrubs and trees would be planted around the proposed vault and that it would be much more aesthetically pleasing than the current site. (Re: attachment "3" of the handout). He added that the structure would be a concrete box, instead of the current exposed pipe. Aldrich asked about a safety barrier. Mr. Dundas said they would install bollards painted to match, he also mentioned Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requirements. He added that the proposed project had also been reviewed and approved by the Design Board. On motion by Aldrich, second by Dey, IT WAS VOTED UNANIMOUSLY to accept ConocoPhillips's plan as presented, and to instruct staff to insure that the legal easement documents are accurate. 6. Discussion of 2030 Long Range Transportation Plan. Jamsheed Mehta, Wichita-Sedgwick County Metropolitan Area Planning Department, introduced Nancy Harvieux, and Aprajit Desai. He provided Board members three handouts which were 1) a "Summary of Public Meetings [Round 1] and Stakeholder Interviews; 2) "Goals and Objectives 2030 - Transportation Plan Update", and a current bike path map. Glen Dey commented that he requested the discussion so the Park Board could become integrated in the process. Mr. Mehta began the presentation by saying that a Long-Range Transportation Plan had always been part of the Comprehensive Plan; however, the Transportation Plan has now become a separate "stand alone" document. He commented that staff has attempted to get as much public input as possible and stated that public meetings were held on March 15 and 16, 2005. He added that stakeholder interviews were also held on March 16 and 17 to discuss local and regional transportation issues. He stated that additional stakeholder meetings would be held in the near future. Mr. Mehta referred to the Summary of Public Meetings [Round 1] and Stakeholder Interviews that included a category entitled Bike/Pedestrian. He briefly reviewed several comments including the following: abandoned rail lines are an untapped resource for bicycle/pedestrian trails; parts of Wichita are not "walk able"; existing bicycle paths are not well connected - a county-wide plan is needed; need bicycle trails to connect to small cities; and connect bicycle trails to major employers and activity centers. He said there had also been discussion regarding use of public funds to secure easements for connections. Mr. Mehta referred to the "Goals and Objectives 2030 - Transportation Plan Update". He referred to the following strategies. Strategy A4 - which was revised to read "provide pedestrian facilities in the design of arterial and collector streets, or provide appropriate substitute off-street walks, throughout the urbanized areas." Strategy B2 - which was revised to read "eliminate or reduce rail/auto conflict points through abandonment, grade separation or realignment of rail corridors and along major arterials", and Strategy E1 - which was revised to read "develop a comprehensive regional trail plan for the transportation planning area to ensure integration and connectivity of existing and proposed trails, and E6 - "connect adjacent subdivisions with walkways to enhance pedestrian/bicycle coordination." There was discussion concerning greenways, trail and rail banking, participation in the plan by small cities, and cost of plan development. Responding to a question from Bob Aldrich, Mr. Mehta explained that the cost of funding the transportation plan was separate from park funding and the park capital improvement program. He added that most trail development was funded with 80% federal funds and a 20% local match. Bob Aldrich said he had major concerns about the fact that parks need updates and repair and that there was not enough money to maintain the current park system. He added that most people think funding for the plan is coming from the general fund. Glen Dey mentioned the need for neighborhood involvement so that people will understand how the plan is to be funded. He asked if way-finding signage was included in the transportation plan. Director Kupper explained that signage for the bike path was a Park and Recreation item. Mr. Mehta commented that in the original Comprehensive Plan document staff had proposed 356 miles of trails within ten years. He said they have completed 93 miles and have funding for an additional 14 miles. Responding to a question from Bailey, he commented that the next public hearing would be May 17, 18 and 19. * John Stevens, Schweiter Neighborhood Association - indicated that his neighborhood association had not been notified and in addition, they saw no public notices in the newspaper. There was brief discussion concerning how the public meetings were advertised. Several suggestions were offered including notifying neighborhood associations (Planning staff indicated that had been done through the City Manager's Office); notifying DAB's (Planning staff indicated that had been done through the City Manager's Office); inserts in the Water & Sewer bills; and public notice in the Wichita-Eagle ((Planning staff indicated that had been done). 7. Review of Administrative Regulation - Charter Ordinance #125. This item was deferred from the March meeting. President Bailey asked Director Kupper to explain the next step in the process. He said a Council Agenda Report would be prepared and the item would be placed on the City Council Agenda. He commented that the Administrative Regulation was a separate issue from Charter Ordinance #125. There was considerable discussion concerning how the regulation was worded. Revisions were suggested to the following paragraphs: 1, 2, 4, 7; deletion of paragraphs 5 and 6; and the addition of a paragraph to clarify that any parkland disposed of would be replaced (preferably with the same neighborhood) so that current park acreage was maintained. It was also agreed that the Park Board should review any transactions concerning parkland, whether property is titled to the Park Board or City. There was also discussion of the need for a public hearing prior to any land transactions taking place, to include the sale or lease of parkland for any purpose. Bob Aldrich suggested that the Board define parks. It was suggested that any land listed on the most current published park inventory; that had signage identifying it as a park; and was maintained by the Park Department be considered parks. Glen Dey briefly mentioned that there had been discussion at the District I monthly breakfast meeting concerning the condition of the fence at MacDonald Golf Course and also the baseball field located there. President Bailey reiterated her suggestion that review of Charter Ordinance #125 be a part of the development of the "Strategic Master Plan". It was the general consensus that staff provide a revised Administrative Regulation for review and approval at the May meeting. 8. Director's Update. * Downtown Skate Park - Commerce Construction awarded bid. * Leon Robinson Shelter Dedication - Saturday, April 16, 2005, at 11:00 a.m. * Garvey Park - paving at parking lot almost complete * Watson Park Manager - interviews to take place this week. * Capital Improvement Program - still pending. * City Council appointments to Park Board. Any suggestions for Park Board appointments please pass them on to your Council member. * Country Acres - Dennis Brunner mentioned that the encroachments on the property owned by the Shrine had been removed. He asked about the status of the park property encroachments. Director Kupper said he would check on the status and report back to the Board. M.S. Mitchell asked if the Park Department got the easement they requested. * Reschedule May Meeting. President Bailey stated that she would be out of town on Monday, May 9th and asked about rescheduling the meeting. It was the general consensus of the Board to reschedule the meeting to Monday, May 16, 2005. * Lead Paint on Playground Equipment. President Bailey requested information. Director Kupper responded that equipment had been removed from eleven parks. He said it appeared to be limited to concrete turtles and dolphins located in various park playgrounds. * Orchard Park Neighborhood Association (OPNA) - Bob Aldrich invited board members to the OPNA "Party in the Park" on Saturday, June 25, 2005, from 11:00 am until 3:00 pm. * Schweiter Park - aerial for placement of tennis and basketball courts at park. There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at approximately 6:45 p.m. ___________________________________ June Bailey, President ATTEST: _____________________________________ Maryann Crockett, Clerk Recording Secretary Park Board 4/11/05 (Contd.) Page 5 of 5 1 5