Minutes - Parks and Recreation Commission - 03/10/2011

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you are doubling what is available for what is already a saturated market and he doesn't feel this is going to raise revenue. Right now they are aggressively marketing them and it is a very slow market and to think these new lots are going to generate more sales and more income is not very realistic. Commissioner LaMere asked if this doesn't go forward now what would be the timeline for doing a park in that area. Park Supervisor Riverblood stated there isn't a lot of momentum of satisfying the initial park improvements for these residents without atleast a sale of a lot. He stated the proceeds may not be available right away but it may add momentum for park improvements. Commissioner Bennett's concern is if we don't move forward now with this recommendation that we lose the park altogether and asked what the HRA's perspective is. Development Manager Lazan stated it has been the HRA's goal to maintain as many community components as possible and stated it is fully developable piece of property and that's where this is at. To date he has looked at marketing kind of a different product type as much as possible. Commissioner Barr is concerned we already have parks that we are struggling to maintain and that we continue to still have budget cuts. Commissioner Barr stated she is not comfortable going forward with this right now if there were 80% of the lots already sold then she would feel comfortable with it. Motion by Commissioner Bennett, seconded by Commissioner LaMere to recommend to City, Council and the HRA to create, develop and sell more residential lots that minimize the impact to the area from a total number of home sales. Give us the ability to look back and take into account some of the additional recommendations from the public of what that park ultimately looks like, and get to those park improvements and ultimately we end up with a park and a dedicated park there and limit the amount of potential growth. Motion carried. Voting Yes: Vice Chair Olsen, Commissioners Bennett, Fyten, and LaMere. Voting No: Commissioner Barr. Absent: Chairperson Shryock. COMMISSION /STAFF INPUT Parks Supervisor Riverblood reviewed that City Council at City Council Work Session last Tuesday authorized staff to move forward with placing a Resolution on their agenda for March 22 °d for applying for MN DNR Trail Grants. These grants are very competitive and if awarded he reviewed the project schedule for the two trails listed in the City's CIP for 2012 -2013 and also what has been presented to the Commission previously. The other item Park Supervisor Riverblood discussed was the Environmental Expo. He explained he spoke with Chairperson Shryock earlier that day and she thought what might work is to place this on the Commissions agenda for April. She also discussed scheduling a work session before or after that meeting to talk about shift coverage and what things were needed at the Expo. Separate from the Expo, Chairperson Shryock would like to have conversation Park and Recreation Commission/March 10, 2011 Page 3 of 4