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06/22/2021 Parks and Recreation Board Meeting Minutes June 22, 2021 City of Clearwater Main Library- Council Chambers 100 N. Osceola Avenue Clearwater, FL 33755 m A Meeting Minutes Tuesday, June 22, 2021 6:30 PM Main Library - Council Chambers Parks and Recreation Board Page 1 City of Clearwater Parks and Recreation Board Meeting Minutes June 22, 2021 Roll Call Present 6 - Chair Bruce Rector, Vice Chair Mark Rodriguez, Board Member Lisa Tuttle, Board Member Jason Hood, Board Member Patrick Raftery, Board Member Martin Armstrong Absent1 - Board Member Scott Thomas (technical issues prevented Member Thomas from attending via phone) Also Present— Jim Halios — Parks & Recreation Director, Patricia O. Sullivan — Board Reporter 1. Call To Order The Chair called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. at the Main Library. To provide continuity for research, items are in agenda order although not necessarily discussed in that order. 2. Approval of Minutes 2.1 Approve the April 27, 2021 and May 25, 2021 Parks & Recreation Board Meeting Minutes Member Raftery moved to approve the minutes of the April 27 and May 25, 2021 Parks & Recreation Board meetings as submitted in written summation. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. 3. Citizens to be Heard Regarding Items Not on the Agenda Kenneth Brant said he was associated with St. Petersburg College and was studying improvements to Clearwater's annual tree giveaway program, noting the importance of large trees to slow climate change. He said he would forward his report when it is completed. Joseph Morgan said being an essential worker was a constant struggle. He encouraged the City to set aside free Capitol Theater seats for the underprivileged and provide children free access to all park system activities. 4. New Business Items 4.1 Volunteer Program Presentation Recreation Specialist Samantha Moullet introduced herself as the Parks & Recreation Department's volunteer coordinator and provided a PowerPoint presentation on Parks & Recreation volunteer programs, opportunities, and future plans. Ongoing volunteers were subject to a background check. One-time event volunteers filled out an online form when signing up for park and beach cleanups, native plantings, landscaping projects, habitat restoration, recreation center events, special events, and Page 2 City of Clearwater Parks and Recreation Board Meeting Minutes June 22, 2021 athletic events. Volunteers also participated in waterway cleanups using Sandy Feet Kayaks, painting projects and environmental restoration. A 2-year commitment for 2 cleanups per year was required for corporate groups, churches, neighborhood associations, scout troops, etc. that adopt a park, adopt a trail, or adopt a street. So far this year, more than 1,000 volunteers participated in 73 events, donated 5,600 hours and removed 6,298 pounds of litter. In response to a question on encouraging residents to pick up litter in their neighborhood parks, Ms. Moullet suggested the Neighborhood Association email her or Neighborhood Coordinator Jordan Morang. If a neighborhood did not have an association, the City organized cleanups where needed and listed activities on the volunteer calendar. The City's volunteer newsletter was distributed to local businesses, churches, and others. A sign at Crest Lake invited volunteers to participate in a park cleanup every Tuesday morning. She did not have a map of areas in need of volunteer efforts, but noted that maintaining the beaches was an ongoing challenge. One individual submitted an eComment supporting a volunteer process to access closed park bathrooms that was read into the record by the Board Reporter(see page 6). 4.2 Discuss Citizen Input Process on Parks and Recreation Facilities Discuss citizens' procedures for input on our Parks & Recreation facilities. Countryside Recreation Center staff was complimented. Based on resident requests, it was recommended the City install bathrooms at Forest Run Park. As a way to increase citizen input, It was suggested the City install boxes at parks to collect resident comments. Parks & Recreation Director Jim Halios said residents can connect with the City through its website and provide online suggestions, concerns, and comments. All input is routed to an assigned liaison in the appropriate department for a quick response. The Sunshine Law required the City to preserve and track all comment cards, even if damaged by the elements. Considering the large number of new residents, he will request Public Communication to promote the City's online communication capability. Mr. Halios said the department was preparing to upgrade park signage,- signage ignage;signage could direct residents to online communication and volunteer opportunities and encourage residents to pick up trash and maintain their neighborhood parks. Unfortunately, all City park and beach trash cans were surrounded by litter. 4.3 Discuss Ability to Access Closed Restrooms Page 3 City of Clearwater Parks and Recreation Board Meeting Minutes June 22, 2021 Discuss procedures to open restrooms for a party or a neighborhood event. One individual submitted an eComment requesting a list of closed neighborhood restrooms and recommended adding restrooms on trails and restroom information on trail signage that was read into the record by the Board Reporter(see page 7). Mr. Halios said park bathrooms required crews to open and shut them and clean them. In 2010, the City determined that park bathrooms were a luxury. Bathrooms at Woodgate Park, Glen Oaks Park, Cherry Harris Park and Belmont Park were not open. Those who reserved shelters at those parks could obtain a key to the park restroom and the City would assign a crew to maintain that bathroom. The City did not have resources to clean all park bathrooms regularly. Residents could request the City Council to budget additional staff to clean park bathrooms. Mr. Halios said the number of resident requests for restrooms ebbed and flowed. Restrooms could be considered in the visioning process which will anticipate needs in a decade. No CIP (Capital Improvement Project) funding had been set aside for park restroom construction which required expensive utility connections. Ongoing staff, maintenance, and utility costs also were high. The department did not allocate resources to maintain restrooms in neighborhood parks that served residents within a 1-mile radius. Crest Lake Park was staffed and had open bathrooms, even with staff precautions, some problems have occurred. Concern was expressed re safety issues in park bathrooms, which could be dangerous when park visitors so not know who is inside. 4.4 Provide Direction on the Possibility of Adding Restrooms to City Trails One individual submitted an eComment recommending trail and playground access to restrooms and including restroom information on trail signage that was read into the record by the Board Reporter(see page 7). See Item 4.3 for discussion. 4.5 Discuss Lake/Pond at Glen Oaks Park In response to a question, Mr. Halios said an abandoned well in the lake at Glen Oaks Park might be the reason water was draining from the lake. Engineering and Stormwater were investigating solutions. He will report on staff progress. He reviewed the Glen Oaks Park stormwater project which redeveloped the former golf course to mitigate wetlands and prevent flooding. 4.6 Establish a Dog Park in the Greenwood Area Page 4 City of Clearwater Parks and Recreation Board Meeting Minutes June 22, 2021 It was reported a resident had requested the City Council build a dog park in his North Greenwood neighborhood. It was suggested a dog park in that location could be added to the department's master plan. Mr. Halios said the City had a dog park on the east side of town on Enterprise Road and one on the west side at Crest Lake Park. Interaction with citizens during the planning process may indicate that resident demand had changed. He will discuss the suggestion with the consultant; the number of park facilities was based on national park standards. A resident expressed concern that many pit bulls lived in North Greenwood and may pose dangers for children and others at a neighborhood dog park. In response to a question, Mr. Halios said Risk Management was in charge of liability issues. One individual submitted an eComment recommending the City build additional dog parks that was read into the record by the Board Reporter (see page 8). 5. Old Business Items: None. 6. Director's Report Mr. Halios said gates open at 6:00 p.m. at BayCare Ballpark for the City's 4th of July celebration; tickets were available online. It was noted that tickets were inexpensive. 7. Board Members to be Heard Member Tuttle requested that the project report be distributed for each meeting. 8. Adjourn Attest: irdti The meeting adjourned at 7:10 p.m. Reporter eporter City of Clearwater Chair' =-Pa-rkilit Recreation Advisory Board Page 5 Parks and Recreation Board on 2021-06-22 6:30 PM 06-22-21 18:30 4.1 ID#21-9323 Volunteer Program Presentation 1 1 0 0 4.3 ID#21-9325 Discuss Ability to Access Closed Restrooms 1 1 0 0 4.4 ID#21-9326 Provide Direction on the Possibility of Adding Restrooms 1 1 0 0 to City Trails 4.6 ID#21-9331 Establish a Dog Park in the Greenwood Area 1 1 0 0 Sentiments for All Agenda Items The following graphs display sentiments for comments that have location data. Only locations of users who have commented will be shown. Overall Sentiment Overall Sentiment St. PPo . r:, ■ Opp e N^flH ,cA-:_� Elizabeth Davis Location: Submitted At: 10:27am 06-18-21 Please consider having some process for small neighborhood parks to have a local neighborhood team and leader, in charge of monitoring, perhaps signing off on the keys to the bathrooms, with a deposit, liability, signatures on record. There are some parks with local leaders who would love to be more committed to the local park and it's use. Test this with those who would like to own it. Maybe even one of you would be able to lead this in your own neighborhood. Thank you. Overall Sentiment pf c,;.: I CLy 111 ▪ N:; ikspc^so' d.::,.. Elizabeth Davis Location: Submitted At: 10:33am 06-18-21 As you review this, Please discuss a list of where we have neighborhood restrooms that are not open. Having a list to discuss the possibilities will help prioritize, what's possible. Currently with all of our park space, only the beach, The Long Center (I think) and Crest Lake Park have any city restrooms to use. I think we may have a port a let in Kapok for the trail. We build trails, have neighborhood parks, but offer practically no restrooms. Adventure and play with children, aunts,uncles, grandparents, should have restrooms. Leaving a party togo find a restroom is not recreation. It is a burden. Perhaps SPectrum field could have an exterior restroom to support the trail. We have facilities built, Evaluate the possibility. Most of all please sign how to have access everywhere. It is currently a mystery. Thank you for addressing this. Overall Sentiment Suppe'. I Ot. • Opp3 ▪ Nc.aa(C,: Elizabeth Davis Location: Submitted At: 10:45am 06-18-21 Trails and walking a distance deserve restrooms every 2-3 miles! "Usability" by residents is a function of convenience. Our trails would be used more if this restroom amenity is added. Playgrounds should also have a bathroom access. we have 16.45 natural, pedestrian, trails, with a random port a let. Please include in the next capital plan. The restrooms may already be nearby, just not open, or signed on the trail maps, and paths — i.e the Long Center, Moccasin Lake, Eddie C Moore, Countryside Community Park, Wood Valley. We could even sign on the Del Oro/ Bayshore trail, that the Safety Harbor Marina , has bathrooms, that are always open ( 1.5 miles north). Overall Sentiment • Dp; sec ▪ 1,1:%,tta:r = Pk nes.e^se 0-. Elizabeth Davis Location: Submitted At: 10:24am 06-18-21 u6 I strongly support adding dog parks to our amenities. Currently Enterprise dog park is always packed on the weekends, with very little parking. Crest Lake is also well used. Sand Key County dog park is our 3rd, but not servicing many residents from Clearwater. Surely investment from the city on fencing and equipment can make this a controllable, execution within our existing budget. This is a perfect place to respond to citizens requests, and improve lifestyle for our neighborhoods. Please vote to request to City Council to approve this now. Thank you.