Session 05-04, a Special Meeting of the Homer Parks & Recreation Advisory Commission was called to order on April 21, 2005 at 6:30 p.m. by Chair Daugharty at the Homer City Hall Cowles Council Chambers located at 491 E. Pioneer Avenue, Homer, Alaska.
PRESENT: COMMISSIONERS GANN, DAUGHARTY, TOLVA, HAMIK, STEWART
POORE, MCCALLUM
STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE BAECHLER
AGENDA APPROVAL
Commissioner Poore asked to add Amendment of the Bylaws as item F under pending business.
The agenda was approved as amended by consensus of the Commission.
APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES
A. Unapproved minutes of March 17, 20005
HAMIK/GANN MOVED TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS WRITTEN.
VOTE: YES: UNANIMOUS CONSENT
Motion carried.
PUBLIC COMMENTS UPON
MATTER ALREADY ON THE AGENDA
Tracey Tillion, city resident, commented on Lot 79, Ocean Drive Loop. She asked what the definition of a pocket park is. Commissioner McCallum replied that it is a small area with minimal development, like a picnic table or a bench or a bike rack, a place where someone could sit and rest. Mrs. Tillion said she is not opposed to a pocket park but voiced her concern that there is no parking available for this area. If people are to drive to this park it will cause a problem. She pointed out that this property is close to the beach and has no beach access. She does not want to get into a situation of having a prescriptive easement issue from people walking through her yard to get to the beach.
Donna Rae Faulkner, a resident on Ocean Drive Loop, agreed with Mrs. Tillion’s comments. She said her husband recommended that raspberry bushes would be a nice addition. She suggested it could be used to fill another need of the neighborhood, which is access to the beach. Right now the only beach access is next to the Ocean Front B&B but you have to walk across their private property to get to it. If that access is used, it goes down to the seawall, which is a good distance from the beach and a person would have to jump off of the wall to get down onto the rocks, which is not safe. Ms. Faulkner suggested that if the City were to sell that property, perhaps they could purchase an easement across along a neighboring property whose owner lives out of state and does not want to sell her property. Perhaps something could be worked out with her to develop an access to the beach.
Sue Butler, a property owner to the east, has mixed feelings about it. She has a personal bond with the trees on Lot 79, and if there is going to be a park it would be nice if the trees were not cut down. She is concerned with the parking issue because the street dead-ends at her house. She thinks a pocket park is a nice idea if the trees will be left, or selectively thinned at the most. She expressed interest in purchasing the lot.
STAFF REPORT
VISITORS
PENDING BUSINESS
A. Lot 79, Ocean Drive Loop
Commissioner Poore commented that at this point in Homer, it is more correct to use the term “pocket park” than “green space”. She didn’t believe that the Commission necessarily suggested that this had to be dedicated as a pocket park. They are trying to find areas in town to protect the green spaces, but need community support to do that. Ms. Poore clarified a green space is something that is undeveloped and some people look at it as a waste.
The Commission discussed that it is not their intent to recommend that the trees be taken down and a lawn put in. Having it designated as a park, the City then has some responsibility to ensure that it stays kept up. There was discussion about Parson Lane being a legal access, but it is undeveloped, goes down to the seawall, and people would have to cross personal property along the seawall.
The Commission was in agreement that leaving it as is or with minimal development is their intent for the lot, but based on the comments tonight it appears that the neighbors are just hearing about it. They agreed it would be best to advertise again and hold a public hearing to get more input from others in the area before making recommendation to the Council.
Commissioner Stewart pointed out that there are other lots listed under Commission Business for them to consider.
MCCALLUM/POORE MOVED THAT THE PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION RECOMMEND THAT THE CITY COUNCIL NOT MAKE A FINAL DECISION ON THE PIECES OF LAND UP FOR DISCUSSION THAT WERE SENT ON THE MEMORANDUM DATED APRIL 18, 2005 UNTIL THE PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR PUBLIC COMMENT. THE LOTS REFERENCED ON THE MEMORANDUM ARE:
There was discussion about having the public notice posted at the booths for park day.
VOTE: YES: MCCALLUM, GANN, DAUGHARTY, POORE, TOLVA, HAMIK, STEWART
Chair Daugharty asked the members of the public who spoke if they felt their needs had been met.
Mrs. Tillion, Ms. Faulkner and Ms. Butler agreed that they were satisfied with the discussion and will encourage neighbors to attend the next meeting.
There was discussion about the neighborhood adopting the park and the property owners in attendance thought that was a good idea.
Mrs. Tillion commented about the two City lots at the end of the seawall. She said they are really eroding badly underneath where the webbing was placed and that it is a shame that they took all of the trees out that were anchoring some of the soil.
Chair Daugharty commented that there has been discussion on the adopt-a-park program for a long time and this is one of the first to come to fruition where the neighborhood is getting involved.
B. Community Park Day
The Commission discussed at length the plans for Community Park Day.
Points brought up regarding the structure of the event were:
ü Hours will be from 10 am to 1:00 pm
ü There will be two tents set up, one for Parks Presentation and one for Trails Presentation.
ü Set up will be near the Snack Shack, power is available there if needed and will be near, but not in the way of the softball game activity.
ü Commissioner Stewart would line up tents; Chair Daugharty said he would contact the Snowmads to see if their tents are available for use.
Points brought up regarding the Trails Presentation:
ü Commissioners Hamik and Poore said they would get copies of the Trails Brochure from Center for Alaska Coastal Studies.
ü Commissioner Stewart agreed to work with Planning Technician Engebretsen on the aerial pictures of existing trails and proposed development of trails.
ü Sign up board for people to volunteer with trail projects.
ü Have a copy of the Homer Non Motorized Transportation and Trails Plan and a copy of the Transportation Plan.
ü Have copies of Park Survey
ü Have a board where people can write suggestions.
ü Commissioner Stewart and Commissioner Tolva agreed to man the trails booth.
ü Commissioner Poore agreed to put together a flyer on trail etiquette.
ü Commissioner Hamik said she would talk to the Animal Shelter about pooper-scooper bags.
ü A sheet available with the Parks and Recreation Commissioners names and numbers on one side and the City Council Members on the other.
Points brought up regarding the Parks Presentation:
ü Commissioner McCallum is putting together the Scavenger Hunt Forms with Parks map on the back and the Coloring Contest Pages. She said she would provide the crayons as well.
ü Information about Adopt-a-Park.
ü Prizes for the kids.
ü Trash Can painting. Commissioner Stewart agreed to meet with Commissioner McCallum to primer the trashcans. The ladies who helped coordinate the last trash can painting project agreed to be available to help the kids with getting their hand prints on the cans.
ü Chair Daugharty agreed to put together information on how the fields are shaping up at Jack Gist Park and plans for Karen Hornaday Park.
ü Commissioner McCallum and Commission Poore agreed to man the Parks Booth.
Other items discussed were:
ü If people completed their Park Scavenger hunt and returned it the same day at a place, for example, that sold flowers they would get 10% off a flat of flowers over the weekend.
ü Targeting prizes toward young people.
ü Commissioner Gann said there was an opportunity to talk about Park Day on Glen Caldwell’s Slack Tide Show on Friday May 13, 2005 at 9:30 am.
ü Chair Daugharty agreed to contact Mayor Hornaday about attending.
ü The Community Garden is interested in having a table.
ü The Tree Board will be there to do a planting demonstration and hand out free spruce saplings.
ü Chair Daugharty said he would talk to Parks Maintenance Coordinator Hagerty about planting a sapling near the plaque at Karen Hornaday Park.
ü Commissioner Tolva agreed to price a banner.
ü Commissioner Gann passed around a handout for the Commission to review.
ü Contacting other groups, like the Garden Club, Softball Association and others to do demonstrations.
ü Volunteers for Ms. Hagerty for ground prep of the memorial flower garden.
The Commission agreed to have a Worksession on May 4, 2005 from Noon to 1:00 p.m.
C. Park Survey
Commissioner McCallum commented that the survey was complete for the most part. She will bring it back to the worksession.
D. Trails Committee Report
Commissioner Tolva commented that Sue Mauger from the Library Board talked to her about the library lots. Ms. Tolva pointed out that when the library was designed it was tied into these properties being kept as a park. They want to make sure that their plans are going to line up with the plans for Town Center, the Poopdeck trail and the sidewalks. The problem is that no one is sure what the City plans to do with the three lots. Ms. Tolva emphasized that the Commission needs to make a recommendation for maintaining the lots.
Commissioner Poore added that it was very clear in the beginning that area was to be kept as a green corridor connecting to Poopdeck trail and on into Town Square.
The Commission discussed the need to keep the property for the Library and have it dedicated for park space.
Commissioner Tolva pointed out that the Non Motorized Transportation and Trails Plan (NMTTP) is the road map for Homer to get where they want to be with an interconnecting trail system. Some of the action items have an exact plan of how to do it, including action items that point out what needs to be taken care of in City Code and so forth. But unfortunately not all of the plans have that. Ms. Tolva recommended that the Commission get a list of the action items, look them over, and see what they recommend. She said she would bring a list back to the next meeting.
E. Work List
Chair Daugharty commented that money has been allocated for the drainage ditch at Hornaday Park, the T-Ball Field is being developed and will have parking lots ready soon. They still can’t get any equipment to the park right now, as it is just too wet.
The Commission discussed funding that is coming in to get the ditch at Hornaday Park taken care of and that they need to keep on top of it to help ensure that repairs happen.
F. Bylaws amendment
Commissioner Poore commented in reference to a memorandum that the Clerk’s office provided regarding meeting minutes. The memorandum recommended amending bylaws so that Public Comments precedes approval of the minutes. This will allow the public to make comment on the minutes before the Commission approves them.
POORE/HAMIK MOVED TO CHANGE THE BYLAWS OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY COMMISSION TO HAVE THE AGENDA LIST PUBLIC COMMENTS PRECEDING THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.
Ms. Poore commented that the minutes are historic and need to record what is said, not what was indented or meant to be said. Once the minutes are approved, if the public has a comment they can’t go back and make any changes. She continued that when they are approving the minutes, they are looking to see that they are historically correct, not to change what anyone thought they were saying.
VOTE: YES: HAMIK, MCCALLUM, GANN, DAUGHARTY, POORE, TOLVA,
STEWART
Motion carried.
COMMISSION BUSINESS
A. Homer Beaches and Homer Parks - a United Commission
There was brief discussion on the goals of the Beach Policy Committee and their task of performing an annual beach survey, which is similar to the Commission’s park walk through. It was suggested that a member of the Committee be invited to the next meeting of the Commission to give them an overview of what they have done. The Commissioners agreed that this is the logical place for it to come.
There was discussion in favor of having a subcommittee that meets quarterly, reports back to the Commission and acts as a liaison between the Commission and the Center for Alaska Coastal Studies (CACS) regarding the issues the Beach Policy Commission recommended CACS take on.
Chair Daugharty requested this be added to the next agenda under visitors.
B. Land Allocation Plan
Commissioner McCallum pointed out that by having the public hearing for the lots the City Council asked the Commission to make recommendation on, it will show the community support to help back their recommendation.
The Commission briefly discussed each of the properties to better familiarize themselves with the properties.
Commissioner Stewart commented that the Parks budget is very small and they need money to develop their ideas in the future. In March the City Council looked at the Land Allocation Plan and began looking at properties to sell for revenue, he questioned if the plan included any funds for parks. Mr. Stewart expressed his concern that the Commission needs to make themselves heard to get more funding.
Commissioner McCallum clarified that if the Council is recommending selling off parcels that the Commission would like to have as a park space, a percentage of those funds should go toward developing or improving existing parks.
Commissioner Poore asked if the Commission had anything specific they wanted her to address at the City Council meeting on April 25th regarding this topic.
Mr. Stewart replied that she ask them what percentage of the City’s annual budget go to parks and recreation.
Chair Daugharty commented that the question should be how they are planning to allocate the revenues from the sales tax for parks and recreation purposes.
Commissioner Poore reminded the Commission that previously they had spoken about the Land Bank. It seems to her that if the City is holding some parcels and they are off the tax rolls, but are still an asset, is there a way that that asset can be in Park and Recreation reserve somehow and can help them get grants. She asked that they consider that in the time before their next meeting.
Further discussion ensued regarding Government Lot 13 for potential parking and the Spit Trail and Park. They requested that Planning Technician Engebretsen bring them information to help them clarify the areas and the specifics for the Spit Trail and Park issues.
C. Schedule Park Walk Through
Commissioner Poore said she would bring the rotation plan to the next meeting to see what parks are up next.
A. City
Council Meeting Minutes of March 14 and 29, 2005
B. Commissioner Meeting List - City Council Meetings
C. Walking Guide to the Homer Area
There were no audience comments.
Commissioner Poore commented that Hope Finkelstein from the Community Garden would like to come as a visitor and talk to the Commission about what they are doing. Ms. Poore expressed that she feels like they are a good working Commission and thanked everyone.
Commissioner McCallum thanked Deputy City Clerk Jacobsen for getting her the information on the list of parks.
Student Representative Baecheler said she is really excited about Park Day. She thinks it will be fun.
Commissioner Stewart thanked everyone for the work they are doing for Park Day and thanked the City Staff, Planning Technician Engebretsen and the Clerk’s Office for being such a big help and part of this.
Commissioner Hamik echoed Mr. Stewart’s comments and thanked the Clerks. Ms. Hamik said she would like to have roundabouts on the next agenda. She thanked the Commission.
Commissioner Tolva commented that she feels good about the Commission and thanked everyone for a good meeting.
There being no further business to come before the Commission the meeting was adjourned at 8:45 p.m. The next Regular Meeting is scheduled for May 19, 2005 at 6:30 p.m. in the City Hall Cowles Council Chambers located at 491 E. Pioneer Avenue, Homer, Alaska.
Melissa Jacobsen, Deputy City Clerk
Approved