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Snake River Racing - Car Track Meridian Parks & Recreation Memo RECEIVED SEP 1 0 200~ City of Meridian City Clerk Office To: Mayor and City Council CC: From: Will Berg Doug Strong, Director ,W. Date: September 9, 2004 Re: Remote Control Car Track - Snake River Racing During our July Park and Recreation Commission meeting the Commission reviewed the request from Snake River Racing Club to build a remote control car track on the property west of the Meridian Police Station. This was the second review of this request by the Commission as it had been reviewed at their November 2003 meeting and recommended for approval at that time. This additional review was at the request of the Council and it was the Commissions recommendation that the Mayor and Council approve the request. Ten thousand dollars has been budgeted in the 2005 budget for development of this property for use by the Club. The Parks and Recreation staff is requesting that this item be placed on the September 21st City Council consent agenda for approval. The following provides further description of what is proposed. . Snake River Racing is a local club of remote control car enthusiasts who are looking for a more central valley location for a track for club activities as well as region wide sanctioned races. The five-acre parcel next to the Meridian Police Department has been proposed as a possible site because of its proximity to the freeway. The track would occupy an area of approximately 250 feet by 175 feet and would be constructed and maintained entirely by the club. A sketch of the track area is attached along with the Staff Summary of Parks & Recreation Commission Recommendation to City Council. ,,-. e:M'e;ÚÙ;[J1 .;;\ \. ","'" ) ~ STAFF SUMMARY OF PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL Project Name: ~\uwtUv~~ p~~~ ~\J- - ~ J\JJ F~ Park: \J\JI\. ~ 1\J:¡j¡\,~ Applicant: ~Ú IU \\-u\. ~'-t, ';f' Ì'f\?í\ - Ilé, 1 P&R Commission Meeting Date: I - ¡ L/ - ÒL I Recommendation: ~t~l>--\ w'd:C\ !/lÙ Uy~V) (QÜ ~) Summary of Public Hearing:, '. + ll\~cb. 0-r-. I( - 9 + ~1i\lÌ~ cvW,-, + Llrlutc ~ ~R ,Q, :-tNLck + ~~~ ~~~~ rrh ßrnK \:i,J6 Q;LQ[;,----" Key Commission Changes to Staff Recommendation: + ~ ~ J'\Øv\;~ + + Outstanding Issues for City Council: + N &-V\>--.---' + + APPROVED: c&.Ý (-\..lf4 AJPl ~Ðvt1- ~ Andee Stockton, President Bruce MacCoy would like to move the Parks Commission Ordinance from a Discussion/Informational Item to the Action Calendar if an agreement can be met with the commission. Bruce would like to keep it in the Discussion/Informational Item at this point but take action on it tonight if possible and move it forward. Creg Steele made a motion to approve the agenda as amended, seconded by Andee Stockton. Motion passed unanimously. PRESIDENT'S COMMENTS None APPROVAL OF OCTOBER 08. 2003 MINUTES Creg Steele made a motion to approve the October 08, 2003 minutes, seconded by Bud Porter. Motion passed unanimously, minutes was approved as written. ACTION ITEMS REMOTE CONTROL RACE CAR TRACK After a brief discussion on the remote control race car track the commission moved this ite,m from the Discussion/Informational Items to the Action Calendar for approvaL Andee Stockton made a motion to have the commission take a vote to go ahead and have the staff work with the people to get the remote control race car track going and make it a reality. Seconded by Creg Steel, the motion passed unanimously and will be moved to City Council for approvaL ~ PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION ORDINANCE After a lengthy discussion on the Parks and Recreation Commission Ordinance Bud Porter made a motion to adopt this ordinance with the changes that were made and send it on to City Council for approval, seconded by Andee Stockton. The motion passed unanimously and will be moved on to City Council for adoption. DISCUSSION / INFORMATIONAL ITEMS STOREY PARK PHASE II RENOVATION Elroy Huff stated he had a drawing of the renovation of phase II of Storey Park he will pass around for everyone to take a look at. Elroy reported that what we are dealing with is we did not have a complete survey to do the drawings and drainage problems from when it was created twenty five plus years ago and the codes are much different then what they were several years ago. We are required to manage our drainage water, which we are required to do for a hundred year flood. Parks and Remation Commission Minutes Novemberl9,200J 2 Meridian City Pre-Council Meeting February 10, 2004 pese 2 of 21 Bird: Mr. President, Nary: Mr. Bird. Bird: Before we get off that, I would also like to know what type of building they are planning on. Some kind of an idea of whether, you know, I don't want a (inaudible) out there or something like that. At one time, they had talked about something like that. I would like - if they got an idea of what the makeup of the building is going to be. Nary: I will ask them if they have some drawings or something like that as to what their expectations are - my assumption is that they are trying to raise money and they are going to have something to show people - Bird: That and well, they got an idea if they are going to - you know they say they want to raise about 2.5. So, they got an idea of what the kind of building they are going to have. Nary: We will re-communicate with the folks doing that and ask them to come - it won't be for a couple of weeks now, but we have got some other things more pressing on the agenda for the next week or two. Item 4. Discussion of Snake River Racing Remote Control Car Track: Nary: Mr. Strong. Strong: Madam Mayor, Members of the Council this issue has been discussed in our Park's & Recreation Commission Meeting back in November, I believe and was passed to bring forward to the Mayor and to Council. Essentially what we are looking for or what the club is looking for is a central valley location for their club racing activities for remote control cars. The site that was discussed in the Commission meeting would be the five-acre track next to the Police Station, which gives it good access near the freeway and easy access for anybody traveling from either east or west to take part in racing events or weekly practice activities. What's being proposed is the club would build and maintain the track and the dimensions are roughly 250 foot by 175-fOO area of that five-acre track and in discussion it seemed like it would be compatible use with other things being considered for that area next to the Police Station. It's a dirt track, there is not much development that takes place other than wood borders and structures like that and an area to operate the cars. If you have questions about the track, Mr. Jeff Oviat with Snake River Racing is present tonight and can answer questions specific to what they are proposing, Bird: Did he bring one of his cars down? They are neat. They are fantastic. Strong: The Commission was able to actually see and touch and tear apart one of the cars, so- Meridian City Pre-Council Meeting February 10, 2004 Page3of21 De Weerd: And we didn't get that opportunity? Bird: No, you didn't. I was hoping he'd bring it, it was neat. I am sorry, Mr. President. Mr. President. Nary: Mr. Bird. Bird: I know Chief Musser is in agreement with this and everything - it's use for the five acres. Musser: President Nary, members of the Council, Madame Mayor - got through the whole litany there. Director Strong and I have been talking about this five acres, seeing if we can come up with some sort of mixed use approach on our own and find a couple of different types of uses for that land out there so it just doesn't sit vacant and we can help develop and give something back to the community and also demonstrate a joint effort between departments. I know I had mentioned in the past that we were looking at a K-9 training facility that would also be open for off lead type of dog usage with some of our K-9 clubs in the town. The dirt track area for the cars is just but one area that we occupy with that and then we were also kind of toying with a third application, which would be an area for the BMX bikers to help keep them off the skate board park too. Ultimately, that is what we were working at and we have had some conceptual things, but we are just trying to get by in for what we were looking at from the Council, the Commission so that we can move forward on it and see if we can't provide something in general for the citizens here, Nary: Doug, I was a little curious on the way that it's worded in your memo it says the track would be constructed and maintained entirely by the club now. I am assuming that the intent is to - the club would sort of have first use for advanced activities or some sort, but they would sponsor or promote for this site. But the off time when it's not used for those activities it would be open to the public? Is that what's intended, or what? Strong: Mr. President, Members of the Council, I would assume a scenario similar to that. I think that an agreement would have to be struck that would identify use and priorities for use, While, there are concerns that has been discussed in Commission is that there has also been a proposal to develop a small 8MX bike area there with dirt mounds and that - possibly some paved areas or hard surface areas for BMX bikes, but also dirt areas. We would want to ensure that eager BMX bikers didn't use the remote control car track for their jumps and things like that, so Chief Musser is correct in that we are exploring compatible uses for that site. Obviously, there would be some investment by the City upfront in our department to develop a gravel parking lot and access into the site. We would probably need some water and electrical hookup and some minimal site developments like that before we move ahead and then I believe Chief Musser has somebody working on a plan for the K-9 area and help with the Meridian City Pre-Council Meeting Februery 10, 2004 Page 4 of 21 development of that, so we would need to probably come back with a master site plan for the entire site that would include this portion of that five acres. Wardle: Mr. President. Nary: Mr. Wardle. Wardle: Doug, when you - do we have any preliminary budget numbers for what that might cost the City as far as gravel parking lot and some utilities? Any preliminaries? Strong: I do not. Wardle: Would that be something that could be brought back with the master site plan for the area? Strong: That would be the best time to take a look at cost. Wardle: I agree that this would be a great use if we can get other uses in there. I would like to see, personally, a site plan and some proposed costs and an agreement. Do you have any information as to what Boise's agreement with the site at (inaudible) Boise is with their track? Strong: Mr. President, Councilman Wardle, I haven't explored any of their costs or what they have done there at all. One of the things that when we were first exploring the concept of developing this five acres would be relatively inexpensive ways to use the site on an interim basis. Recognizing that that five acres is a part of potential future development for the Police Department. We wouldn't want to create anything that would be so hard surfaced or so in place that if the Police Department needed to expand their building or other facilities that would be in conflict with those future plans. Things we are looking at would be relatively inexpensive to developing and probably could be done within current budget and that's the way we would approach it, either by getting groups like this that are going to do the entire development maintenance of the site and then some Police Department resources for the K-9 training area and things like that. So, we will have to put a cost to it at some point when we master plan it. Rountree: Mr, President. Nary: Mr. Rountree, I am sorry. Rountree: (Inaudible). Don't take my comments as trying to dissuade you. I just need to know. Talking about three concepts. Right now we are talking about the local remote car usage. What kind of traffic are you going to generate? How much use? Are there tournaments? Are there race days? What do we plan for? Meridian City Pre-Councll Meeting February 10, 2004 Page 5 of 21 Strong: Mr. President, Council Rountree I think I would like to defer that to Jeff who is here who can best answer that question. Rountree: Let me give a couple more to you and then I will hear that. I heard mention that possibility of a gravel parking Jot concerns me a little bit. I assume it would have to go through some kind of a variance process with the City because I don't believe we'd let anybody else develop a gravel parking lot, even though it is a temporary use. So, that's an issue that needs to be confronted. I read in the memo and I heard you say something a little bit different about the maintenance. I read in the memo that they agreed to develop and maintain the track. Strong: Yes. Just the track. Rountree: I heard you allude that they may maintain the area or at least their portion of the area and I think that needs to be made clear who is going to maintain this area because it's going to be occupied by other's litter. If it's not a developed area with vehicles off a gravel or a paved parking lot, you are going to be grading, you are going to be doing all kinds of things to maintain the site. So, is that something that you are asking the City to contemplate? Your department is going to do? Any thoughts on that? Strong: Mr. President, Councilman Rountree, obviously we would have some increased maintenance of the site if we have any activity there at all. All we would obligate this group to would be the maintenance of the area that they are using. There would be garbage containers and some other minimal maintenance, probably some grassy areas to mow and things like that. So, there would be additional maintenance to our department. Rountree: To your department? Okay. I guess my final comment is I think it's great that we use these open spaces to the benefit of the community on an interim basis. As long as agreements are written in such a way as the folks can understand it's interim, I encourage it. But, we do have some issues that we have got to take care of. Nary: Council, do you want to hear from the gentleman from the Snake River Racing? Rountree: Please. Just curious to find out about the events and the primary folks that participate, Oviat: Good evening. Nary: Could you state your name for the record, please. Oviat: Jeff Oviat. Nary: And you are with Snake River Racing? Meridian CIty Pre-Councll Meeting February 1O, 2004 Page 6 0121 Oviat: Yes, Nary: Could you give us a kind of a sense of the usage, your expectation would be for this site and the type of traffic that might generate - numbers of people and those kinds of things. Oviat: Based on the club that's in Boise right now it's an average of 20 to 30 participants on an every other weekend basis brought up by a schedule of because of holidays and what not we go through a whole year and come up with the schedule of every other weekend. Right now the other place has a schedule and I have agreed to work with them so long as this goes through to counter their weekends. But, that's what we are looking at is about every other weekend and then it is open to the public. Racing is open to the public - race days, practice days - you know, anytime that we are allowed to be there due to noise ordinance or anything like that. Rountree: Mr. President. Nary: Mr. Rountree. Rountree: Do you collect fees or anything for events? tournaments, those kinds of things? Do you have Oviat: There would be- Rountree: -- charge entrance fees? Ovíat: Yes, there would be a due to actually join the club. It all stays in the club. All the money will stay in the club and there are benefits to being in the club. It costs you two dollars less to be a club member to race than if you were a non- member. Everybody is eligible to r;:tce or to become a member. Bird: Mr. President. Nary: Mr. Bird. Bird: A couple of questions, Jeff. One is just the racers pay an entry fee? And it stays for trophies and stuff like that, right? Oviat: Yes. Bird: Also, with each car you say there is 20 to 30 cars on race days? Oviat: Yes, there could be. Meridian City Pre-Council Meeting February 10, 2004 Page 7 of 21 Bird: And what do you have? Two people with each car or one vehicle per car that comes to the track? Oviat: No, there are people that race various - there are classes of different cars, Some people race up to four classes. Bird: Okay, yes, I understand, but how many cars would you guess on a race day that would be out there? 20 or 30? Oviat: What kind of car? Bird: The driving car. (Inaudible). Oviat: The most I have seen is about 20 cars. Bird: Okay, I think that was the question that you asked wasn't it? Rountree: Yes, and he answered it, Bird: Oh, I am sorry, I missed it. I was going to sleep here. Oviat: Boy, it's going to be a long night. There is a lot of family or father and son, nephews with gentlemen that come out there and participate. So, it's not just one car per person. Nary: Any other questions? Oviat: Thank you. Powell: Mr. President. Nary: Ms. Powell. Powell: The use would likely require conditional use approvals, so if the Parks and Police Department would like to work with Planning a little bit before hand, we can maybe suggest some things, but don't forget - don't forget. Nary: I am sure that was their intent all along. Powell: Yes. Nary: Mr. Strong, do you need some direction from us to go forth and do that or do you - I guess, what my expectations would be and Council can correct me if I am wrong. What I would anticipate you doing now is coming up with some sort of master plan for this site with the Police Department and with this in mind as one of the pieces of that master plan and then whatever needs to be done working out those details with Planning as well as that issue in the gravel parking Meridian City Pre-Coone" Meeting February 10, 2004 Pageaof21 lot that Councilman Rountree raised. That way the BMX or excuse me the Snake River Racing folks know what schedule they are on to be able to put this together. Is that a fair timetable - is that kind of what everyone thinks process wise? Someone want something different than that? Rountree: Works for me, Nary: Does that sound okay to you, Mr. Strong? Strong: That would be fine. Nary: Great. So, ultimately, we will see it again before we get too much further down the road. Before we are tuming dirt, we will see it again. Strong: It will require communication with the Police Department and that could be tough. Nary: He is here every Tuesday night, at least for a while. Great. Thank you. Next is the Parks and Recreation Commission Ordinance. De Weerd: That's you again. ItemS. Discussion of Parks and Recreation Commission Proposed Ordinance: Strong: Mr. President, members of the Council, Madam Mayor. What you have before you is something that has evolved over time, I guess would be the easiest way to describe this. There has been several additions of a proposed change to the existing Pari< & Recreation Commission Ordinance, It's taken a number of months to get to this point. So, what you see before you - I hope you have a colored copy. You will see a read through by Mr. Bill Nichols our City Attorney that's in bold and statements from his review in between paragraphs and then some revisions in red that were made by Commission members working on the subcommittee to pull this ordinance together and then the edits that you see either underlined or crossed-out in green are my edits to the proposed ordinance. With all that being said, there is still some editing that needs to take place because I think that there are one or two places in the ordinance where I missed adding recreation to Parks & Recreation Commission, so that it reads throughout as Parks & Recreation Commission Ordinance. So, with that I will stand for questions if you have had the opportunity to look through it. Wardle: Mr. President. Nary: Mr. Wardle. Wardle: Doug, one of the things that we have talked about and I am just going to ask if it's been resolved is the difference between a recommending body and a