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05/20/1996PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD CITY OF CLEARWATER May 20, 1996 Present: Charles Weaver Donald Harris William Kirbas Larry Lindner Freda Clayton Chair Vice Chair Board Member Board Member Board Member   Ream Wilson Art Kader Steve Miller Gwen Legters Parks and Recreation Director Parks and Recreation Assistant Director Recreation Superintendent Board Reporter  Absent: Gary Giordano Gary Meritt Board Member Board Member   The Chair called meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. in City Hall. To provide continuity, the items are listed in agenda order although not necessarily discussed in that order. Minutes Approval - April 22, 1996 Member Lindner requested correction on page 4, paragraph #2 to indicate budget priority listings of #10 for tennis court lighting and #20 for Clearwater beach pool replacement or aquatic park. Member Harris moved to approve the minutes as corrected. The motion was duly seconded and carried unanimously. Correspondence A letter from the Pinellas County Metropolitan Planning Organization invited board members to attend upcoming Bicycle Advisory Committee (BAC) meetings. A memo from Terry Finch, Environmental Programs Supervisor, transmitted two proposals for naming the park located along Bayshore Boulevard. Daniel Grimmer of the Del Oro Groves Homeowners Association suggested “Coopers Bayou Park,” due to the location. Commissioner J.B. Johnson proposed “Urschel Park,” after the former owner who made it possible for the City to acquire the land. Mr. Wilson will advertise for the Board to conduct a public hearing to receive input prior to making a recommendation to the City Commission. Upcoming Recreation Events - Report by Steve Miller Mr. Miller distributed handouts highlighting programs and events scheduled for the month of June. He called attention to 1) Auditions for City Players production of Funny Girl; 2) MoonLight Recreation at Martin Luther King Recreation Center; 3) Pool teams and Learn-to-Swim Lessons at City pools; and 4) Summer Concerts in the Park beginning June 14. Old Business A. Responses to Board Members -- Ream Wilson Mr. Wilson said the City Commission supports reducing the Parks and Recreation Board from nine to seven members and leaving the Beautification Committee at nine members. This will be done by ordinance. Discussion ensued regarding repainting tennis net lines and practice walls at Forest Run, Morningside and Coachman Ridge. It was thought a wall at Sid Lickten Field contained no lines because it is for racquetball, not tennis practice. Mr. Wilson stated staff ran into problems trying to install dividers on park benches and will try a shorter length bench instead, to make them less “sleepable.” Mr. Kader reported the stations for the exercise court are in the shop being assembled. He hoped they would be installed soon. Staff is pursuing possible grant money for a rubberized court surface. B. Board Tour of Facilities -- Proposed itinerary Mr. Wilson distributed copies of an itinerary listing 31 stops at City Parks and Recreation facilities. Board consensus was to view the sites and get a feel for the location and activities at each. If more in-depth tours of certain facilities were wanted, the board felt they could be arranged at a later time. C. Proposed Roller Skating Ordinance -- Discussion and Recommendation, 2nd draft Mr. Wilson reported staff realized, with skating becoming more popular as a transportation mode, skating should be exempted from the hours of day limitation for downtown, especially with the Pinellas Trail coming through. The Police did not object and Legal changed the ordinance, leaving in the provision for skaters to yield the right-of-way to pedestrians and observe posted prohibitions. This would allow spot regulation by posting signs, if needed. While it was felt the intent was good, the board expressed a number of concerns with the second draft. It was felt the ordinance should apply city-wide, not just to downtown, and should address the types of maneuvers, rather than the sport in general. Skaters and skateboarders should be expected to follow the same traffic laws as bicyclists and automobiles when using streets for transportation. Expanding on some of their concerns, members indicated prohibiting skateboards on residential streets and holding parents legally responsible would become an enforcement problem. While racing down parking garage ramps would be extremely dangerous, a citizen would not be expected to walk barefoot from their car to put on their skates outside a parking garage, if they wished to skate downtown. Prohibiting skating in parks and parking areas would force all skaters into the streets, causing more of a traffic hazard. Staff pointed out the ordinance focuses on downtown due to the increased number of sidewalks and amount of pedestrian traffic. It was noted many middle-schoolers use skateboards for transportation. Board members felt stronger enforcement of existing rules and ticketing those in violation of pedestrian safety laws could preclude having to go to extremes by ordinance. D. Penny for Pinellas Projects -- Discussion and Recommendation Mr. Wilson copied an amended preliminary draft of Parks and Recreation’s Penny for Pinellas priority list for the years 2000 to 2010. He noted where priorities were changed to coincide with board recommendations and where items were deleted due to being duplicated by other departments. Purchase of the Magnolia Falls Property was moved up to #1 priority. Questions were raised and discussion ensued regarding the history of this complicated issue relating to property ownership, mitigation and SWFWMD permits. The City wants to buy the Safety Harbor property because of its location adjacent to a 30 acre City nature park. Mr. Wilson read through the list of proposed projects and priorities, explaining staff’s recommendations to the City Manager and City Commission. He said some of the items listed for refurbishment are in good shape currently, but the list is projected 5 to 15 years in the future. Over a ten year span, most of the items on the list have a good chance of getting done. He said prioritizing is sometimes a judgment based on staff’s familiarity with issues. Suggestions from board members ensued. One member wished to see Moccasin Lake Nature Park moved up to #2 because the operation is already well underway and would take relatively little money to upgrade to a first class park. Others felt North Greenwood projects should remain as #2 because providing more recreational outlets has reduced crime in the area. Consensus was to leave both in their respective positions on the list. While some felt nature should take priority over recreation facilities, Mr. Kader explained that neighborhood parks might generate greater voter support. Priorities were established to appeal to all neighborhoods, and special interest group projects, such as nature parks were mixed throughout. Mr. Wilson added rapid growth of girls’ athletic programs has created a need for more facilities. One member pointed out implementation of some items will exceed comprehensive plan requirements. Mr. Kader agreed, but said comprehensive plan standards are minimums that may be exceeded. Mr. Wilson briefly highlighted recreation trail improvement, a proposed downtown cultural center, future development of the parks at Lake Chautauqua and Alligator Lake. He touched on the possibly of a new location for Parks, Recreation and Nursery headquarters, and a new Phillies Complex and Stadium utilizing airpark property for practice fields. Staff will check availability of the Royalty Theatre for City use. New Business A. Nursery Division Program -- Mark Roether, Nursery Superintendent This item was heard before Old Business, above. Mr. Roether and Sheila Cole, from the City’s Beautification Committee, gave a slide presentation of the services provided by the Nursery. Mr. Roether explained the Nursery division has 26 employees and a annual budget of 1.3 million. They operate out of a five acre parcel on north Saturn Avenue where they cultivate landscaping materials for use on other City properties, store supplies and equipment and operate a field office. He explained the number of employees and their activities in the Landscaping, Landscaping Maintenance, Irrigation and Lawn and Ornamental Pest Control Sections. While most City mowing is done by the Parks Maintenance Division, he explained one full-time Nursery groundskeeper at Coachman park mows the park, Main library, Harborview Center and parts of downtown. While fountain maintenance is contracted out, the Nursery oversees that work. Discussion ensued regarding installation, service and maintenance of irrigation systems and showers on Clearwater beach by the Irrigation Section. Mr. Wilson commended Mr. Roether for his design of the 16 showers units on Clearwater beach. Mr. Roether reported they have continued to meet or exceed their goal to reduce water consumption by at least 5 percent each year. Mr. Roether responded to questions regarding pesticide and herbicide application, weed removal needed at Crest Lake, the role of the Nursery in the proposed Keene Road right-of-way extension, xeriscaping and other water conservation elements included in every City project, tree giveaways and tree planting, trimming and tree removal by the Forestry Section of the Parks Division, receiving donated healthy palms and relocating those with value into City landscaping schemes, and mosquito control as a Pinellas County function. It was indicated the City and County use oleanders in landscaping schemes. The City no longer furnishes and plants trees for residents because of the high replacement cost. Residents can sign up through Moccasin Lake Nature Park to receive two free trees, which they can plant on their own. The City no longer plants trees in street rights-of-way because of interference with utilities. Board Comments Member Lindner reported grass and weeds growing through cracks in the tennis courts along Cleveland Street at Pierce Boulevard. Mr. Wilson said these courts are scheduled to be replaced with other uses. Mr. Lindner expressed concern high school tennis courts are being damaged by roller hockey players and questioned if the School Board has contacted the City. Mr. Kader said some school principals have complained, so staff has arranged to post signs and contact the police for enforcement. Steve Miller is investigating skating ovals at Morningside and Soule Road Parks. Mr. Kader noted some recreation centers that have experienced a decline in tennis players are turning their tennis courts into roller hockey courts in response to the increasing demand. Ms. Clayton affirmed research shows in-line skating is not a fad and may become as popular as bicycling. In response to a question from Mr. Lindner, Mr. Miller stated proceeds from the Times Turkey Trot are used to fund a growing interest in intramural programs coached by City staff. Member Kirbas questioned the status of soft tennis courts for Clearwater. Mr. Miller said they looked at the CIP budget in an out year for the McMullen Tennis complex, but the operating cost of soft courts concerns staff. Board members felt players who desire soft courts understand the difference and typically pay double, or more, to compensate for the increased maintenance costs. Member Kirbas did not want to let this issue die without a definite answer. Mr. Wilson agreed to see whether the money for racquetball courts could be used for soft tennis courts. Adjournment The meeting adjourned at 8:43 p.m.