4A - Draft Minutes - Parks & Recreation - November 26, 2007City of Boulder
Parks and Recreation Advisory Board
Council Chambers,1777 Broadway, Boulder, CO 80302
Monday, November 26, 2007
Action Meeting Minutes
Board Present:
Stu Stuller, Norm Murphy, Chad Julian, Joel Davidow, Pete Webber
Board Absent: Frances Hartogh, Todd Bryan
Staff Present:
Jan Geden, Alice Guthrie, Sa11y Dieterich, Abbie Novak, Sarah DeSouza, Jamie
Sabbach, Peny Brooks, A1 Quiller
Guests Present:
Tom Gibney, Shapins Belt Collins
Erin Caldwell, National Reseazch Center
Cazol Adams, Studio Terra
The meeting was called to order at 6:03 p.m.
I. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
The agenda was approved.
II. FUTURE BOARD ITEMS AND TOURS
Geden mentioned that staff is proposing a PRAB study session for December on
the Valmont City Pazk Concept Plan.
III. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
Tai Patwazdhan, 4507 South Hampton, Boulder, CO, 80301, representing the
Boulder RC Club; requested that the City of Boulder Parks and Recreation
Department donate driving space for the Boulder Radio Control Club.
John Wise, 6818 Quigley Circle, Firestone, CO, 80504, representing the Boulder
RC Club, pooled his minutes with Tai Patwardhan.
Bobby Noyes, 2439 10~' St., Boulder, CO, 80304, thanked the Board, staff,
representatives from Shapins Belt Collins and Cazol Adazns of Studio Terra,
for their work on the Valmont City Pazk planning process.
Chris Grealish, 3158 8~' St., Boulder, CO, 80304, representing DBC Events, gave
a follow-up on the Boulder Cup Cyclocross that was held at Harlow Platts Park on
November 4, 2007.
Larry McKeogh, 2332 Spruce St., Boulder, CO, 80302, representing Boulder
Aquatic Masters, spoke on the Kinetics race being cancelled and the impact of
that on Boulder not-for-profit groups.
Public participation was closed.
IV. CONSENT AGENDA
Minutes from October 22, 2007 were approved. Stuller suggested that an audio
link be added to the Boazd Minutes section on the Parks and Recreation web page
to enable the public to listen to Board meetings.
V. ITEMS FOR ACTION
There were no Items for Action.
VI. ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION/INFORMATION
A. Valmont City Park Concept Plan
Guthrie provided a verbal update on the status of the project. Tom Gibney
representing Shapins Belt Collins and Erin Caldwell, representing the National
Research Center, discussed the results of the Valmont City Pazk Citizen Survey.
Guthrie said that 74% of citizens surveyed were in favor of a soft surface multi-
use path with 52% favoring a fenced dog park and 51% favoring multi-purpose
fields. Bike trails and facilities that include a bike skills park, a BMX track and a
mountain bike trail system for the north side of the park were supported by 69%
of respondents and an 18 hole disc golf course was supported by 31 %.On the
southwest portion of the pazk 81 % of respondents preferred amulti-purpose field,
a lighted field and a dog park. On the southeast portion of the pazk an outdoor
water pazk was preferred by 47% and 4 soccer/multipurpose fields was supported
by 38% of respondents. Lastly, when asked about indoor facilities, 39% of
respondents preferred a performing arts center, 38% preferred an ice azena and
35% preferred a basketball/volleyball center. The choice for a particulaz park
design was overwhelmingly Option 2 supported by 49% of respondents.Guthrie
said that the survey results have prompted more in-depth study of the data.
Gibney and Guthrie also spoke on the Open Houses held for the public on the
Valmont City Park Plan. These meetings were well represented by the cycyling
groups, disc golf groups and tennis groups.
Guthrie asked for PRAB priorities on this issue.
Murphy was concerned with feedback received from the Spanish speaking
community and sees this as an opportunity to integrate this community in
Boulder. He asked what else could be done in terms of outreach to the Spanish
community and said that picnic areas were indicated as an important element of
these pazks. He asked if there were other efforts that could be made to reach out
to the Latino community for design ideas.
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Stoller mentioned that they aze being asked to design a park for which there is no
money. He asked that the PRAB re-visit the original design of Valmont because
historical perspective is valuable. He suggested looking at other data sources to
see replications if any, costs of building facilities and to determine need for
facilities.
Julian asked about future demographic trends in Boulder and what the city's
needs would be with an older population and whether that should be factored into
this plan. He recalled that former Board member von Bleichert had a list of issues
regarding Valmont. Julian agreed with Stoller that they use past PRAB data to
enlighten the present Board about how things have progressed.. He mentioned
that the water pazk ranked high and was concerned about the short season it would
be open. He asked if there aze other water parks on the Front Range in towns the
size of Boulder.
Guthrie said that staff has been looking at the city of Golden because they have a
water park about the same size as the one proposed. She indicated that staff has
information that includes costs and revenues of that water park. The city of
Broomfield also has a water park that is part of a lazger pazk.
Julian said from a historical perspective he would like to see more passive
recreation areas and parks to the north of Valmont. He had a question about the
existing irrigation pond and if it is kept in its natural state, what would be done to
ensure that the lake remains viable.
Guthrie said there would not be stagnant water issues because flow
through water rights exist at Valmont City Pazk.
Webber asked staff to discuss the water park in more detail. Are respondents
looking for a splash park, swimming, boating, etc.?
Adams said there aze at least two distinct groups. One looking for kayaking or
triathlon training and the other looking for something with spray grounds and
slides. She felt the reason Option 2 rated so high was that respondents had very
different visions of what a water park should be.
Webber asked if staff is leaning towazd a commercial style splash park or fun
zone as opposed to a passive, natural body of water.
Adams said because the water park scored so high, it would merit more
research.
Davidow felt that time and the historical perspective aze important functions in
the process. He referred to the survey as a snapshot with limited time duration.
Options he would like to look at during the December study session are phased
development, costs for initial development and operation and maintenance of the
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development phase. He also asked about potential partnerships for the vazious
phases.
Julian asked if other locations have been looked at for a disc golf course due to
the low rating received in the survey and the lazge amount of space required.
Guthrie said that Appendix K in the Master Plan has a disc golf study. Numerous
locations were looked at and ranked accordingly.
Murphy spoke of the multi use path and the possibility of sepazating the path for
runners, hikers and bikers to avert potential conflicts among these groups.
VII. MATTERS FROM THE DEPARTMENT
A. Update on department meetings with aquatics groups.
Geden gave a brief verbal update on the status of these meetings. She said there
have been follow up meetings with Boulder Swimming. Geden added that on
December 4 there is a follow up meeting scheduled with Aquateens to discuss
potential options of mutually beneficial ways to lower fees or boost membership.
Boulder Aquatic Masters was asked for a complete copy of the survey that BAM
discussed with the Board.
B. Update on City Manager's Work Group on Recreation Financing
Geden spoke about the November 13 meeting. She highlighted the following:
Kevin Burke, Deputy City Manager, spoke briefly about the business plan and the
business plan concept, City Council's community sustainability goals and how
they relate to projects, decisions or recommendations that staff would be making
to the City Manager and City Council and spoke in detail on the Blue Ribbon
Commission.
C. Washington School site update.
Guthrie and Geden gave a brief verbal update on the status of these meetings.
Stoller recused himself as he is an attorney with Caplan and Earnest, LLC,
attorneys for the Boulder Valley School District, owners of the Washington
School property.
Guthrie provided an update from the October 23 City Council meeting that was a
special meeting to call up the Washington School site plan. She said City Council
approved the plan with conditions that the developer not develop two of the single
family home sites on the southeast corner of the pazk for nine months to give the
city, the developer and the neighborhood time to come up with other funding
options to buy the two lots for park purposes.
Since that time some neighbors have submitted a petition to the city to have City
Council reconsider the project. If the petition is verified it will have to be
reviewed by the newly seated City Council. Geden indicated that those results
would then be passed on to the PRAB.
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D. Department Rules, Regulations and Suspension Policy.
DeSouza gave a brief verbal explanation of the new department Rules,
Regulations and Suspension Policy, providing conditions under which patrons
may be suspended from a department facility or programs.
VIII. MATTERS FROM BOARD MEMBERS
A. Discussion and possible adoption of Board Operating Procedures
Davidow gave a brief update on the status of the Boazd operating procedures,
presenting an alternative to Roberts Rules of Order, requesting review by the
Board. He suggested using the Standard Code of Pazliamentazy Procedure, 4s'
edition, copyright 2001 as an option to Roberts Rules of Order. He said it is a
streamlined version of Robert's Rules, eliminating some of the antiquated parts
and updating other areas. The layout is cleaz, making it easier to read and
understand. He said he believes that under the Code the Boazd can choose their
operating procedure type. He recommended changing to the Standazd Code of
Pazliaznentazy Procedure.
IX. NEXT BOARD MEETING
Due to the Christmas holiday, a December Boazd meeting is not scheduled. A
December 17, 2007 PRAB Study Session will be held to prepaze for the February
Joint Study Session with City Council on the Valmont City Park Concept Plan.
The next Board meeting is scheduled for Januazy 28, 2008.
X. ADJOURN
The meeting adjourned at 9:18 p.m.
APPROVED BY PARKS AND
RECREATION ADVISORY BOARD
Stu Stuller
Board Chair
Attest:
Sally Dieterich
Recording Secretary
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