2000-11-11
JAN - 8 2001
c_r. _.. _._ ._:._~.
Meridian Parks and Recreation Commission November 11, 2000
The regular meeting of The Parks and Recreation Commission was called to
order by David Moe at 7:42.
Present were David Moe, Sheri Baker, Ed Fong, Tammy De weerd, Debbie
Watkins, and Tom Kuntz
Agenda: Debbie Watkins made a motion to adopt the November agenda, Sheri
Baker seconded, all ayes motion carried.
Approval of Minutes: Sheri Baker made a motion to approve October's minutes
seconded by Debbie Watkins, all ayes, motion carried
Public Introductions/Comments: Present was Jerry Dragoo from MIG.
Correspondence/Announcements: None
Old Business:
Action Plan-
Sheri Baker made a motion that the Commission recommends to Council to
adopt diagram 2, which includes the seven-park layout with trails as shown with
our action/comprehensive plan. Debbie Watkins seconded this, all ayes motion
carried.
Issue 2-park planning- Jerry went over level of service vs. cost of service-if you
start charging for services costs go down. He also went over the different type of
recreation centers. The first is a community center, which focuses on passive
events such as meetings with no recreation space. The second is a recreation
center, which is more of a health club theme, with some meeting rooms. These
facilities should generate revenue, some break even. The question is do we want
one. Debbie Watkins asked if we want one as a part of the park system, or do
we want someone else to come in and get the revenue. Jerry said that in
partnering, you do lose some control. Sheri Baker said that she had a real
problem trying to hold a function for one hundred people, and there is no facility
in Meridian to house such an event. The old high school is too pricey and you
can't reach the owner to even make a reservation. Debbie Watkins said local
PTA's need to go to Boise for their events and the City is having their Christmas
party in Nampa. Tom said the issue here is does the community want a
recreation center, and should we put it in the action plan. The commission said
yes. Sheri Baker said the Commission represents different areas and
backgrounds in the community, and we are getting big enough that we definitely
need something like that. Tom said the next step would be the needs
assessment which will tell what will actually go into the facility. Tom said if you
want the recreation programs to grow, we need a recreation center.
Jerry Dragoo discussed some specialized recreation facilities that as the City
grows, we can provide specialized recreation facilities. Some of those are and
adventure playground, splash pool, rose garden etc. The cities that have them
may hold fundraisers and a community weekend to build the facility. The skate
park is already in the budget, and the Commission liked the ideas for an inline
hockey rink, an adventure playground and group picnic areas. The question then
was how aggressive of a plan will we have here. Meridian has been going along
on a pay as you go system with impact fees and general fund money. The
Commission stated this tactic is not getting us very far. The second option is to
go for a bond to build a large amount of improvements atone time. That would
get us caught up with the demand, but could we get a bond. Sheri Baker said we
should go for the bond. David Moe said he would like to go for bond, but we just
passed another school bond. Sheri Baker said that it was aforty-five million-
dollar bond for the school, so ten or twenty million for a parks system doesn't
seem so big. Sheri also feels that if we show diagram 2 to the public, and tell
them that if we pass this bond in the next five years we will have all of these new
parks. We will need to buy the land while it is cheap and available and we would
like to build this community/rec. center. If we present these ideas to the public
and show them what they can get for only two dollars per thousand of your taxes,
they may go for it. The down side to this is that if they don't pass this bond, and
it is twenty years before we ever see half this amount of land. Debbie Watkins
said that we have to be aggressive, we don't have a choice. If we don't buy the
land today, it won't be here tomorrow. Ed Fong asked about the cost of
maintaining the land per year after it is purchased. Jerry said he estimated three
to four thousand an acre. Jerry then gave a hand out to the Commission for
them to figure out where to spend the funds. The Commission's shared priorities
are developing community park sites, acquisition of parkland, development of
sports fields, trails and an indoor recreation center. Tom suggested that we
initially put money into development to show the community that we can do
something. David Moe feels that impact fees should be raised to purchase land
so that bond dollars can go to the development of parks. It is the opinion of the
Commission that we go for a bond.
Steve Siddoway from Planning and Zoning came in and discussed the landscape
ordinance with the Commission. Tom said he felt the landscape ordinance has a
direct bearing on who will take care of the small 1-acre neighborhood sites.
Steve talked about a new draft plan, one section of which deals with required
open space in new subdivisions. The initial draft states 5% of entire area must
be usable for recreation. This is exclusive of any entryway or street landscaping.
Developers have balked at this idea saying that we are trying to make another
park impact fee out of this ordinance and have asked that we include the street
buffers and entryways. However, P&Z realized that some subdivisions could
reach that 5% with those buffers and have nothing for passive or active
recreation. One suggestion was to state that half of the five percent could be the
buffers and the rest must be internal. The question is, is that enough to give the
subdivisions a feeling of open space in them so that we don't feel like we have
four miles of housing with no break up whatsoever. The 5% works pretty well
with the big chunks of land, but not the more typical 20-acre subdivisions. Sheri
asked if the developers see the benefit of open space in their neighborhoods.
Steve he asked the developers if they weren't already doing this or more already.
The developers agreed, but said the City shouldn't be requiring them to do this.
Ordinances write a minimum standard, this is for the developers who are doing
nothing. Debbie asked what other cities require. Steve said he could not
remember. Jerry said the one stake that we still have is that we can say we will
just raise the impact fee. David said if we do this trail system, we are talking
about using the trail as open space. Jerry would like to see us encourage
developers to create a linear trail system that will connect the neighborhood to
our parks. Sheri said if the developers don't go for it, what does it matter,
potentially nothing. What are they going to do, not build here? Steve has been
instructed by the Council to work this out, and he feels it is important to have the
developers support.
Ed Fong made a motion that the Parks and Recreation Commission adopt the
position of supporting the current internal 5%, exclusive of street buffers and right
of ways to support park concept number 2. Seconded by Debbie Watkins, all
ayes motion carries. Jerry suggested he and Tom should meet with the Council
to go over the park plan in pre-council meetings. Steve suggested having a
Commissioner at the next Council meeting to reiterate the support of the 5%
because at the following meeting that is when BCA (the developers) will speak.
Someone should be at that meeting as well incase we need a rebuttal.
Sheri Baker stated some concerns that she has regarding the Council and the
lack of time they have to study this action plan. David Moe said the Commission
has given a recommendation regarding this plan, and the Department is behind
this plan as well. The Council should look to those departments regarding this
plan. David also said the makeup of this Commission was that we would be the
voice of the community. One thing on our side is that we have a Council who
seems favorable to the Parks and Recreation Commission and its
recommendations. Sheri said that this is the role of the Commission, the Council
can't know every little detail, nor do they have the time to study it, this is our job.
Tom would like to propose that we get this before the Council next week so that
we can take them through the steps that the Commission went through tonight
and Tom would like to have the Commission there.
Jerry asked how this fit into Norm Landerman Moore's plan. The Commission
said that we would adopt the first plan and adopt the action plan as an
addendum. Jerry said we should adopt Norm's plan as is and get direction from
addenda.
Sheri Baker asked if we would have any say in designing the 5% landscaping in
the new developments. Jerry said yes. Jerry feels that the big piece is trying to
get the financing plan together.
David said handed out resumes for the commission seats, and would like to
know the top 4 from each Commissioner.
Sheri made a motion to adjourn at 9:15 seconded by Debbie Watkins.