BOARD OF PARK COMMISSIONERS REGULAR MEETING Park and Recreation Department 11th Floor City Hall Monday, April 14, 2008 3:30 p.m. Present: Glen Dey, Bryan Frye, Janet Miller, Tom Roth, Andy Solter and John Stevens Absent: Doug Leeper Also Present: Doug Kupper, Director of Park and Recreation; Karen Walker, Assistant Director of Park and Recreation; Larry Foos, Superintendent of Recreation; Don Harrison, Golf Course Superintendent and Myca Bunch, staff. President Miller called the meeting to order at approximately 3:30 p.m. PUBLIC AGENDA No Items. REGULAR AGENDA Item 1: Approval of Meeting Minutes Motion 1: On motion by Roth, second by Frye, IT WAS UNANIMOUSLY VOTED that the Board approve the March 10, 2008, Park Board minutes. Item 2A. Park Department Strategic Issues Director Kupper explained that at the April 8 City Council Workshop he spoke on the strategic issues which will guide the Park Department in the coming years. He said that these issues focus on where the Park Department fits into the community and how they relate to increasing health care costs. A handout was provided outlining the cost of national chronic diseases, healthcare costs, obesity trends and strategies on preventing or treating these issues. Kupper said many of the handouts showed a direct correlation between the reduction in recreation centers and/or staff to the increase in childhood obesity. He said that the PROS Plan may answer some of the questions raised about facility updates and the possibility of adding new recreation centers. The PROS Surveys revealed that 67% of Wichita residents felt the City should be providing parks but that recreational opportunities should be provided by multiple entities. The surveys also pointed out that citizens want a variety of recreation opportunities made available to them. Dey asked if the City Council had any discussion on including park trails in the referenced acreage totals. Kupper said that trails are already included in the 7000 acres they maintain and that they do identify those areas and the impact it has on grounds maintenance. He said they insure that when Public Works bids the construction of new trails the new signage is now included in the total price. Stevens asked if there were any actual dollar amounts to detail how much money is saved from citizens who use the parks. Kupper said that the completed PROS plan will show the economic social value of the Parks and the impact to the value of those properties that have a park located nearby. Miller said that the retention and recruitment of the City’s workforce is something that Park and Recreation impacts as well. Roth asked if the City Council had any response to the presentation. Kupper replied that a few of them asked to have the parks mowed more often and that he asked them to provide the specific acreage they wanted to see maintained in the 7-14 day window and he would put together a cost estimate to meet their request. Item 2B. Request for Cell Tower at Orchard Park Greg Ferris said he felt that the Board should make a recommendation to the City Council to allow the Park Department to retain all revenue gained from any cell tower located on Park property. Ferris then asked the Board to consider his request to place a cell tower at Orchard Park. He said he is coming to the Park Board first and will then take his request to the Neighborhood Associations and the District Advisory Board and then to the Planning Commission for approval. Ferris provided a map of a proposed area for placement of the tower but said that the location was negotiable and that the cell tower would not interfere with any park activities. He said the tower would replace an existing light pole with a 120 foot pole. Stevens asked Ferris is his policy is to check with the affected Neighborhood Association before coming to the Park Board. Ferris said that if he were looking at private property his first step would be to obtain a lease with the property owner and then visit the Neighborhood Association. He said that there are generally 2 or 3 public hearings on these issues and he feels that going to the Neighborhood Association prior to visiting the Park Board is backward. Stevens said that he felt the Neighborhood Association should be advised of the request first. Ferris said the Park Board is the land owner and that if they deny the request first, then he drops the request as the Board’s decision is final. Stevens said that his concern is that many of the Neighborhood Associations are never notified of these requests until late in the approval process. Ferris said that most times he calls the Park Department and Kupper generally advises him to contact the Neighborhood Association prior to visiting the Park Board. Ferris said that he likes to take a complete package to the Neighborhood Associations to include a finalized location and he can only obtain that information by visiting the Park Board first. Miller informed the Board that the Wireless Regulation and Zoning Guidelines were approved by the City Council on April 15. She said the document included the Park Board’s listing of those parks where they would consider placing cell towers. She said that Orchard Park is an approved park under the guidelines. Ferris said that Hadley Middle School is located next to Orchard Park but that he could not consider using that land for the tower. He said that several years ago he tried to finalize a deal with the school system to build cell towers on school property. The School Board voted to not use any of their current light towers as cell towers. Ferris said that since they made that decision he no longer contacts them with proposals. Miller asked if the audience had any comments. Bob Aldrich, 1013 Compton, Wichita, KS. Mr. Aldrich spoke and said that he is the current Vice-President of the Orchard Park Neighborhood Association. He said about 3 months ago he received a call from Ferris concerning the possible placement of a cell tower. He said he made calls to his Board and advised them of the request and he would like for it to be presented to the Neighborhood Association at their monthly meeting in either April or May. Miller returned the discussion to the Board. Ferris commented that his organization cannot do any engineering at a site unless they know from the Park Board that it is at least a recognized leasable site. On motion by Roth, second by Miller, IT WAS UNANIMOUSLY VOTED that the request to place a cell tower in Orchard Park is a leasable site and meets all previously approved criteria set forth by the Board. The Board approves the request pending input by the Neighborhood Association and reserves the right for final recommendation to the City Council. Stevens asked if the current motion meant that if the request was approved by the Neighborhood Association the Park Board would automatically approve the request as well. Miller replied “no” and said that the Board can always deny a request at a later time. On motion by Stevens it was asked that any applicant for a cell tower to be placed on Park property provide the required documentation to show that the Neighborhood Association had approved the request. If no Neighborhood Association exists, then the appropriate District Advisory Board is to hear the request. Motion died due to lack of second. Stevens said that his sole concern is that all neighborhoods have at least heard the concept of the requested cell tower to be placed in their area prior to the request being presented to the Park Board. Kupper said that not all applicants will be aware of how to contact the Neighborhood Associations and that is why they come to the Park Board first. Dey said that another alternative is for the Park Department to be the one to notify the Neighborhood Associations. Stevens said he feels that responsibility should remain with the applicant. Stevens said he would not vote for another cell tower unless he has proof that the applicant has notified the Neighborhood Association first. Miller asked Stevens if he would be willing to work with other Park Board members to develop a process to provide all cell tower applicants and have that process presented at the May Park Board meeting. Stevens agreed. Item 3A: BMX at Emery Park Larry Foos informed the Board that he spoke to Marv Rozner from the BMX organization and that they have not made any new developments toward their request to make improvements to their current location at Emery Park or to the possibility of finding a new location for the track. He said that the BMX Park has been very busy with their current racing season and that he would stay in contact with Mr. Rozner and update the Board with any developments. Item 3B: 13th St. Project Don Harrison updated the Board concerning the road widening next to MacDonald Golf Course along 13th Street. He said that Public Works Engineering Department would have the area staked on April 17 for the Park Board members to view as requested. Harrison said Public Works is looking at putting in a 3 or 4 foot concrete wall with iron fencing on the top as a barrier between the Golf Course and the road. They are also looking at placing sidewalks on both sides of the street with an 8 or 10 foot walkway on the Golf Course side. Frye asked if the course alignment would affect any insurance issues. Harrison said there would be no change and if the course was realigned that the City would accept the liability. Kupper replied that there are no planned changes to the course. Dey asked if there was a possibility of putting shrubbery around the concrete wall and to place an irrigation system to maintain the landscaping. Kupper replied that they are working to do this. Miller said they are asking Stevens to go to DAB I and seek their approval. He also stated Public Works will also visit the DAB and the Neighborhood Association, and then present the issue to the Park Board in May to seek final approval from the Board based on the presented information. Miller asked if there were any comments from the audience. Larry Ross, 2716 E. Douglas, Wichita, KS. Mr. Ross asked what the dark spot on the map represented. Kupper replied that it was a safety spot for bikers. Ross replied that the spot posed a safety problem and that the solution would be to build a bridge or elevate the crossing instead. Kupper said the cost to make a change like that would be very high and he has seen busier areas with these crossings, but he would take the concern under advisement when they begin planning the new Bike Path. Dey commented another solution would be to put in a pedestrian crossing. Item 3C: Kingsbury Development Karen Walker informed the Board that the Staff Screening Selection Committee interviewed 8 of the vendors who responded to the Kingsbury Development Request for Proposal (RFP). She said the team made their selection and will send their request to the City Council for approval in May. Item 3D: PROS Plan Walker updated the Board on the recent PROS plan developments. She said the reports are being finalized and the economic and financial analysis should be available around the end of August. Walker also stated that on April 28, MIG would be back in Wichita doing additional meetings to gather information from area recreation providers. Item 4. Review of Pending Items No Items Item 5. Updates from the Director and President Riverview Park – Kupper notified the Board that he would present the renaming of the old Riverview school site to become Riverview Park to the City Council on April 15. Linwood Cell Tower – Kupper said the Linwood Cell Tower request would also go before the City Council for approval on April 15. Park Board Member Resignation – Director Kupper reported that Doug Leeper, District 4 appointee, has resigned. Council Member Paul Gray has appointed Matt Goolsby to replace Leeper. Item 6. Issues on the Horizon Miller reported that at the May meeting, the Board would receive a presentation about City golf courses from Don Harrison and that in June, the new Executive Director of Botanica – Marty Miller – would be making a presentation. Item 7. Adjourn Miller adjourned at approximately 5 p.m. ___________________________________ Janet L. Miller, President ATTEST: _______________________________ Myca J. Bunch, Recording Secretary Board of Park Commissioners April 14, 2008 1