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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1983-06-27 Parks & Recreation SummaryKENAI PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION Meeting of June 27, 1983 Kenai City Hall Richard Hultberg, Chairman AGENDA 1. ROLL CALL 2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA 3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES of May 17, 1983 4. PERSONS SCHEDULED TO BE HEARD S. DIRECTOR'S REPORT a. Gravel at Ballf ields b. Summer Report C. Playground Equipment 6. OLD BUSINESS a. Beautification Committee Report b. Tax Foreclosed Lands 7., NEW BUSINESS a. Request for Extension of Candlelight Drive - Jill Burnett b. Development of City -owned Lands Along Spruce Drive c. Development of Section 36 Lands 8, COMMISSION QUESTIONS & COMMENTS 9. ADJOURNMENT KENAI PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION Meeting of June 27, 1983 Kenai City Hall Richard Hultberg, Chairman 1. ROLL CALL Present: Richard.Hultberg, Eileen Bryson, Jim Hanson, Shirley Morgan, and Marvin Siekawitch Absent: Roger Siebert and Bettina Towne both excused 2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Kayo McGillivray asked that under 7-d, Camping Facilities be added. Agenda approved with addition 3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES of May 17, 1983 Commissioner Bryson asked to change the name from Hultberg to Bryson on the motion for item 7-b. There were no objections 4. PERSONS SCHEDULED TO BE HEARD None 5, DIRECTOR'S REPORT a. Gravel at Ballfields This refers to -two softball field parking areas. There is alot of powdery dirt, when it rains it turns to a sticky gooey mess. City Engineer, Jack LaShot suggested the Recreation Dept* purchase some gravel for these two lots, the City having none available to dump in at these sites. Kayo McGillivray explained that there was still $52,000 remaining in the parks improvement account with $15,000 approximately still to go to playground equipment. Gravel runs approximately $9-10 per yard with a total cost of around $1,000. MOTION: Commissioner Hanson moved to recommend spending up to $2,000 for gravel for the softball park parking area, seconded by Commissioner Siekawitch. Motion passed unanimously, KENA I PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION Meeting of June 27, 1983 Kenai City Hall Richard Hultberg, Chairman 1. ROLL CALL Present: Richard Hultberg, Eileen Bryson, Jim Hanson, Shirley Morgan, and Marvin Siekawitch Absent: Roger Siebert and Bettina Towne both excused 2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Kayo McGillivray asked that under 7-d, Camping Facilities be added. Agenda approved with addition 3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES of May 17, 1983 Commissioner Bryson asked to change the name from Hultberg to Bryson on the motion for item 7-b. There were no objections i f 4. PERSONS SCHEDULED TO BE HEARD None 5. DIRECTOR'S REPORT a. Gravel at Ballfields This refers to two softball field parking areas. There is alot of powdery dirt, when it rains it turns to a sticky gooey mess. City Engineer, Jack LaShot suggested the Recreation Dept* purchase some gravel for these two lots, the City having none available to dump -in at these sites. Kayo McGillivray explained that there was still $52,000 remaining in the parks improvement account with $15,000 approximately still to go to playground equipment. Gravel runs approximately $9-10 per yard with a total cost of around.$1,000. MOTION: Commissioner Hanson moved to recommend spending up to $2,000 for gravel for the softball park parking area, seconded by Commissioner Siekawitch. Motion passed unanimously, KENAI PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION RegularJimeeting, June 27, 1983 b . Summer Report Page 2 The summer recreation program has around 100 kids enrolled for activities being held at Kenai Elementary this year, Sears being unavailable. Little league is going strong and will finish up this week with 2 tournaments. The women's state softball tournament will be played in Kenai this year.. Kenai has been highly praised by Peninsula cities as being the best to play on, the best maintained, etc. There are now 7 ballfields and all are busy. The.park crew has been busy repairing and upgrading playground equipment, painting & sanding or staining. The Beautification crew has been working on the Blue Star Memorial grounds. However, due to rain, some of the grass turned brown, but with watering for a week, it's coming back. The Commission discussed the strip.along the sidewalk and highway. One usggestion was to scrape off the sand, fertilize and seed, however, since snow, nand, and salt gets dumped on it every year, it may be more feasible to place gravel on it. C. Playground Equipment The remainder of the equipment needs to be ordered. Commissioner Bryson and Chairman Hultberg will look through the catalogues and bring back recommendations. Limit will be around $15,000 - $20,0000 d. Excercise Equipment There have been so many requests for exercise equipment that a sign up sheet has been placed in the rec center for those interested to get an idea of numbers. Last year the high school had a class for about 15 women who worked out on a hydrogym and they loved it. From a safety standpoint a hydrogym is better than a universal type gym and would cost in the neighborhood of $6,000 for the size of the room at the Center. The women who had been having the aerobics classes would then move to the gym and would not interfere with the basketball games as the aerobics usually ends about 7 p.m. and basketball begins at 7 p.m. The Commission supported the idea, keeping in mind that the Kenai Fitness Center which first voiced objection has moved to the C-Plaza. The gym is looking for a completion date of September 1st. KENAI PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION Meeting. of June . 27 , 1983 6, OLD BUSINESS a. Beautification Committee Report Page 3 The minutes of the last Beautification Committee meeting were attached for update and information. Kayo McGillivray indicated that the work on the Blue Star Memorial area is moving along. Commissioner Bryson voiced her concern over the 3 wheelers and off road vehicles which are destroying many places in the city that are earmarked and being worked on from a beautification standpoint as well as private property. One of the best examples.being in the area of the City Cemetary where off road vehicles have torn up and ruined the seeding. The Commission agreed that a letter of support for the efforts of controlling or monitoring off road vehicles would go to the committee that has been formed to come up with an ordinance regulating those vehicles. No beautification or park effort can be effective if it is destroyed before it has a chance to succeed. b. Tax Foreclosed Lands This item returns for final decision on lands that have been passed over to the city through foreclosure proceedings. Two,parcels are no longer available, E% .of lo:t .34 and Lot 7 Block 7 Mommsen's S/D. The Commission discussed the need for parks in the area of Mommsen's S/D as the Wildwood playgrounds were private and outside the city limits and there was no playground for the entirety of Mommsen's. The other parcel the Commission felt was needed for future use would be behind Woodland S/D in that there are no parks or playgrounds for that area except Sears Elementary. The parks that were originally set aside for that subdivision is now a house. MOTION: Commissioner Bryson moved to recommend to the City Council that Tract A Woodland S/D and Lot 7, Block 7, Mommsen S/D be retained as park lands, seconded by Commissioner Hanson. Motion passed by unanimous roll call vote. 7. NEW BUSINESS a. Request for Extension of Candlelight -Drive - Jill Burnett The area in question was pointed out to the Commission and possible alternatives were discussed. Kayo McGillivray pointed out that there KENAI PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION Meeting of June 27, 1983 Page 4 have been many requests for a cross country ski trail and this very area had been considered for some time as it is the only available land in the City that would be suitable for that purpose. The ski trail would start in the area of the Oilers field where a jogging trail now runs and would continue across the park lands where the road now crosses. MOTION: Commissioner Hanson moved that Parks & Recreation recommends to the City Council that any existing easement be eliminated and that all of those acres be reserved for parks & recreational purposes, seconded by Commissioner Seikawitch. Motion passed by unanimous roll call vote MOTION: Commissioner Hanson moved that until such time as the parks & recreation has use for that property, the developers be given permission to use the road until they develop an alternate road, seconded by Commissioner Seikawitch . Motion passed unanimously. b. Development of City -owned Lands Along Spruce Drive P Y g P Material was given to the Commission detailing the design as drafted by the Planning & Zoning Commission, and it was pointed out that Government Lots 131 and 166 were no longer available due to a question of ownership, Lot 114 is the only lot.of the 3 that the City holds title to. The Commission discussed the proposed development. MOTION: Commissioner Hanson moved to rec:bmmend that the entire strip between 4th & Kenai Spur Highway and west of Spruce between Spruce and the gulley be designated as parklands, seconded by. Commissioner Bryson. Motion passed unanimously. C. Development of Section 36 Lands Material from the land manager, Jeff Labahn was passed out and most comments were taken from the Concept #1 page. The Commission expressed approval of the idea of holding 100' setback from the bluff with no houses at all to be built along the bluff destroying the view. The concept of having a break at the points indicated along the bluff was also noted as a very good idea -the entire layout being called Viewpoint Park. KENAI PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION Meeting of June 27, 1983 Page S MOTION: Commissioner Hanson moved to recommend to the City Council that in addition to the park proposed (Viewpoint) for Section 36 that at the southwest portion of the left side of Spur Highway that there be 2 additional playgrounds, seconded by Commissioner Siekawitch. Motion passed by unanimous roll call vote. d. Camping Facilities The City Council has been discussing camping.facilities that are needed in the City for cannery workers and to relieve the burden of some of the neighborhood parks and has asked the Parks & Recreation Commission .to consider the problem and make a recommendation. Kayo McGillivray explained some of the problems being faced in the City parks right now which include no way to monitor how long campers have been in the park, the refuse problem, cutting down trees for firewood, overcrowding, defacing the restrooms, etc. This includes all campers, not just the cannery workers and of course the City has dealt with the cannery workers on the bluff for some years, the refuse being left probably the worst problem right now, and also, since the cannery workers are gone all day, the parks crew can't catch them to find out who has been camping at the park for any length of time. The way the ordinance reads right now, it is unenforceable and the second problem is lack of a full time crew to take care of the parks. 'The Commission discussed the proposal presented during the Capital Improvements talks earlier in the year and that is the area of Marathon Road. It is close to the canneries, away from private develop- ment, and water is available. Councilwoman Bailie and Kayo McGillivray discussed charges for use of the facility and also of placing wooden or cement slabs for tents and campers, the number to be served around 100 - 2000 MOTION: Commissioner Hanson moved that the Parks & Recreation Commission recommends to the City Council that City parks be made available for campers for not more than 72 hours, seconded by Commission Siekawitch. Motion passed unanimously. The intention of the motion is to alleviate the problems of enforcment of the parks regulations. MOTION: Commissioner Hanson moved that City owned lands adjacent to Marathon Road be developed as a long term camp ground, seconded by Commissioner Bryson. Motion passed unanimously F KENAI PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION Meeting of June 27, 1983 Page 6 Along with the City parks discussion, Chairman Hultberg noted that there are junk cars in the park that have been sitting with flat tires for some time. Kayo McGillivray stated that the problem was being worked on. Councilwoman Bailie noted that living directly across the street from the park she could hear brawls, parties, fights, etc. and felt that the park was very unsafe and asked if any sort of protection could be made available. Kayo McGillivray pointed out that his crews work days and the problem of getting anyone to stay at the park was very costly. Perhaps a great deal of the problem will be alleviated with the development of the camping area on Marathon Road which would remove the campers from a residential area. Commissioner Siekawitch asked if the City had considered hiring a security service, perhaps working it in with the need for security at the high school. This will be discussed later. 8. COMMISSION COMMENTS & QUESTIONS Commissioner Bryson informed the Commission that during the construction of Lawton Drive, trees had been cut and fell across the jogging path and still have not been cleared. Kayo McGillivray indicated that those had been left by the contractor doing the project and he will � check with public works to see if they can come back and clear the trees. 9. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned. Submitted by: �,.LJ Janet Loper, Secretary