Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Parks & Recreation - September 22, 2008 City of Boulder Parks and Recreation Advisory Board Council Chambers, 1777 Broadway Monday, September 22, 2008 Action Meeting Minutes To listen to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board meetings in their entirety, please go to the following link: www.boulderparks-rec.org Board Present: Norm Murphy, Chad Julian, Todd Bryan, Joel Davidow, Pete Webber, Frances Hartogh, Alan Smith Staff Present: Jan Geden, Alice Guthrie, Sarah DeSouza, Teri Olander, Abbie Novak, Sally Dieterich, Perry Brooks, Matt Clausen, Maureen Spitzer Guests Present: Claudia Browne, Biohabitats, Inc. Mike Lighthiser, Biohabitats, Inc. Carol Ellinghouse, city of Boulder Water Resources Lee Rozaklis, AMEC Earth and Environment Susan Richstone, city of Boulder Long Range Planning The meeting was called to order at 6:03 p.rn. I. APPROVAL OF AGENDA The agenda was approved. II. FUTURE BOARD ITEMS AND TOURS Geden indicated that new information on the PRAB agenda will list future City Council meetings that include Parks and Recreation agenda items. TII. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION Public participation was opened. Sue Bryant, city of Boulder resident, spoke of the need to incorporate more child friendly programs such as gymnastics, climbing wall and child friendly swimming into South Boulder Recreation Center programs. Bruce Greene, city of Boulder resident, suggested upgrades to outdoor handball courts at East Boulder Community Park as part of Phase II development. 1 Jim Traut, city of Boulder resident, spoke about the need for repairs and upgrades to the outdoor handball courts at East Boulder Community Park. Stanley Wolpoff, city of Boulder resident, suggested construction of more handball courts as part of East Boulder Community Park Phase II development. Public participation was closed. IV. CONSENT AGENDA Minutes from June 23, 2008 were approved as amended. Minutes from the September 8, 2008 Special Meeting were approved as amended. V. ITEMS FOR ACTION A. Public Hearing and Consideration of a Motion Recommending a Management Option for Thunderbird Lake at Burke Park. Guthrie provided a summary of findings of staff and consultants relative to eight management options for Thunderbird Lake. Of the eight options, staff recommended the adaptive management option with no supplemental water. Guthrie requested that the PRAB provide a management option recommendation for the lake to be presented to City Council at the November 25, 2008 meeting [This item has been moved to the December 2, 2008 City Council meeting]. Board discussion: Hartogh asked if the options for adding water to the lake would be jeopardized if a drought occurs and what the appearance of the lake would be if that happened. Guthrie responded in the event of a drought all Parks and Recreation Department lakes would be in jeopardy including Anderson ditch. She added that the appearance of the lake could remain as it looks now or be much lower if there is a drought similar to 2002. Smith questioned what type of impact potable water has on the eco system within the lake. Guthrie answered that the potable water would need to be declorinated. Hartogh asked what the equivalent of 300,000 gallons of water would be and how much evaporation would occur per season. Browne said that 300,000 gallons is about one acre foot of water approximately the size of a football field with one foot of water on top. The evaporation would be approximately three feet minus precipitation. The net would be about two feet of replacement water. 2 Guthrie added that even the use of potable would come under drought restrictions from the water utility. Browne explained the four stages of drought restriction that could be imposed if a drought similar to 2002 occurred. The public hearing was opened. Chuck I Iowe, city of Boulder resident, representing Friends of Burke Park Lake, spoke about the group's desire for a higher quality lake with more than would be offered by the adaptive management option. Ray Joyce, city of Boulder resident, spoke of the need to restore Thunderbird Lake to its condition prior to 2002. Board Discussion: Hartogh asked staff how many lakes and ponds the Department is responsible for acid if they have independent water flow. Her concern was that if water is added to Thunderbird Lake there would be expectations that other lakes in distress would be dealt with in the same manner. Guthrie responded that the Department is responsible for Viele Lake, the ponds at the East Boulder Community Center, Maxwell Lake, the irrigation pond at Valmont City Park and Coot Lake. She said ponds at the EBCC have ditch water, Maxwell Lake has Silverlake ditch water and Viele Lake has storm water and ground water. She added that distress occurring in other lakes is a serious concern. Julian raised concerns about various options, related costs and pushback from the community. Davidow asked if dredging would be included in the adaptive management plan. Guthrie responded that dredging could be a potential option with staff weighing the pros and cons. Smith noted how Thunderbird Lake enhances the neighborhood. He added his support for the adaptive management option with concerns about future maintenance costs. Bryan was concerned that if adaptive management is only focused on the land, wetland and water features inside the park that it is likely not to work and will cause the lake to continue to degrade. 3 Webber made the following motion: That PRAB supports staff's recommendation to go with the adaptive management alternative. Julian seconded the motion. Bryan asked to add a friendly amendment to the motion. He added: PRAB recommends not adding water, but proactively addressing the existing anticipated environmental conditions at the lake and surrounding uplands including community involvement in determining and monitoring recommended management actions both inside and outside the park (Adaptive Management- No Supplemental Water). Webber did not agree to Bryan's friendly amendment to the motion. Murphy, Julian, Webber, Hartogh and Smith voted for the motion. Bryan and Davidow voted against the motion. The motion passed 5 - 2. VI. ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION/INFORMATION A. Impact Fee/Development Excise Tax (DET) Study Update Susan Richstone, representing the city of Boulder Long Range Planning division, provided an overview of this item. She said that a City Council study session is scheduled for October 14, 2008 to discuss this item together with proposed changes to Plant Investment Fees (PIF's) and other development related fees. VII. MATTERS FROM THE DEPARTMENT A. Valmont City Park Design Process Update Brooks gave a brief verbal update on the status of the Valmont City Park project. He said that staff has formed a design team and technical advisory committee to begin the design of Phase 1. He added that a request for public art is included in the budget and the artist chosen will become part of the design team. He indicated moving the historic Platt farmhouse closer to Airport Road will be brought before the Landmarks Board sometime in November 2008. Brooks said that 50 percent of the bike park design is expected to be complete by January 2009 with 100 percent complete by spring 2009 with construction expected to begin in summer 2009. 4 B. Aquatic Invasive Species Clausen gave a brief update on this item. He said that staff sent a Weekly Information Packet to City Council on August 14, 2008 detailing potential introduction of zebra and quagga mussels to Boulder Reservoir. He said staff is working with the Division of Wildlife, Northern Colorado Water, city of Boulder Watershed Management, city of Boulder Utilities Department and city of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks to develop along-term plan for preventive measures. VIII. MATTERS FROM BOARD MEMBERS A. PRAB Response to Community Emails The Board appointed Murphy as Board representative for response to citizen emails. IX. NEXT BOARD MEETING: The next Board meeting is scheduled for October 27, 2008. X. ADJOURN The meeting adjourned at 10:40 p.m. APPROVED BY PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY BOARD n urp'y B and air Attest: _ ' )1 ~ ~,.G22 Sally Dieteri Recording Secretary 5