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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Parks & Recreation - 11/28/2011 City of Boulder Parks and Recreation Advisory Board Council Chambers 1777 Broadway November 28, 2011 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: Bob Yates, Michelle Estrella, Marcelee Gralapp, Rick Thayer, Myriah Conroy, Kelly Wyatt, Mike Conroy Board Absent: None Staff Present: Kirk Kincannon, Jeff Dillon, Alice Guthrie, Sarah DeSouza, Sally Dieterich, Keith Walzak, Stacy Cole, Matt CIaussen, Mike Lamb, Steve Whipple, Christie Coleman, Jeff Arthur Guests Present: Adrienne Horn and Katie Sevier - Museum Management Consultants, Inc. Donna Gartenmann, Arts consultant Bill DeOreo, Board Chair, City of Boulder Water Resources Advisory Board (WRAB) The meeting was called to order at 6:08 p.m. 1. APPROVAL OF AGENDA The agenda was approved with the following change: Items VI-A and VI-A1 reversed order to have public participation prior to the consultant summary in order to permit the public to ask questions. Yates made a motion to approve the agenda. Estrella seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. II. FUTURE BOARD ITEMS AND TOURS Kincannon provided an update on future Board items: • Prior to 1/23/11 PRAB meeting - Pottery Lab outreach meeting with the PRAB, staff and Friend of the Pottery Lab (FoPL) members - date TBD • 1/17/11 - City Council meeting - Tentative public hearing and acceptance of the Boulder Reservoir Master Plan • 1/23/11 PRAB meeting Pottery Lab Report discussion 1 a 1/23/11 PRAB meeting - Capital Improvement Program (CIP) discussion related to the impact of the approved 2011 Bond and 2013 CIP and beyond 0 1/23/11 - Update on the Department Master Plan • Spring 2012 - PRAB tour of the Pottery Lab and Columbia Cemetery III. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION Public participation was opened. Al Gunter, resident, spoke on the Pottery lab assessment, feeling it to be very narrow and not looking at all the possibilities available. He suggested that staff design a program with the PLAY Boulder Foundation that would allow memberships, tax deductible donations and allow control to be kept with the City of Boulder. He added that staff should encourage public/private partnerships and explore all options. Public participation was closed. IV. CONSENT AGENDA A. Approval of minutes from October 24, 2011 The minutes from October 24, 2011 were approved as written. B. Informational Items 1. Park Development Update 2. Update on National Cyclocross Race Bid 3. Boulder Creek Festival Update Written updates on these items were provided to the Board as part of the packet materials. Board Chair Yates explained that these items are informational items that require no Board action or discussion. If the Board prefers more detailed information or discussion, the item would be moved to Agenda Item VI, Items for Discussion/Information. Gralapp made a motion to accept Item IV-B. Estrella seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. V. ITEMS FOR ACTION A. Public Hearing and Recommendation of Approval of the Boulder Reservoir Master Plan (BRMP) Walzak gave a power point presentation providing an overview of the Boulder Reservoir Master Plan (BRMP). He said that the PRAB is being asked to approve the adoption of the plan. 2 He explained that the purpose of the Master Plan is to establish management goals and objectives for the Boulder Reservoir. He added that the Master Plan was developed over a three year period in three phases: I. Vision, Goals and Issues Il. Policy Options III. Draft and Final Master Plan He said the Master Plan represents months of discussions, public meetings and input from recreational users, neighbors, members of the community and water quality specialists. He added that after the Master Plan is approved by the PRAB and City Council the next step will be to develop the one year Management Plan, funded through the Parks and Recreation Capital Improvement Program (CIP). The public hearing was opened. Kelly DiNatale, non resident, spoke on the need for the Department to address traffic and noise impact from existing special events at Boulder Reservoir before adding more special events. Soraya Smith, non resident, spoke on the negative impact of automobile idling on 51" Street, the access road to the Boulder Reservoir. She said 51" St. traffic at idle can be backed up for 30 minutes or more during a special event at Boulder Reservoir. She said idling puts more carbon monoxide into the air in one minute than three packs of cigarettes and added that this is a terrible impact on the Valhalla neighborhood air quality. Gretchen Nordham, non resident, spoke about negative impact on environmental quality and habitat destruction at Boulder Reservoir and the Valhallah neighborhood during the past 13 years. Neil Anderson, non resident, thanked staff for the development of the Master Plan, but expressed concern about doubling or tripling the number of special events at Boulder Reservoir. He felt the potential exists to transform the character of Boulder Reservoir from a recreational resource that hosts events into an events center. He asked the PRAB to look at the true impact of this type of change. Nancy Delacroix, non resident, spoke of the negative impact of sound and activity levels on wildlife at Boulder Reservoir. She congratulated Stacy Cole, Boulder Reservoir Manager, for her willingness to meet with the Valhalla neighborhood and for having the neighbors included in this process. Delacroix provided some solutions to aid in Valhalla residents having "peaceful living"restored. • Parking for special events could be in the lot behind IBM • Bussing • Exit to the north instead of south on 51" Street • Create additional exits to minimize congestion Carl Forest, non resident, spoke of the need for the City of Boulder to partner with Boulder County. He said the Boulder County Sheriff's Department blocks exits so that residents cannot enter or leave the neighborhood. He added that the Department is providing misinformation as to the actual number of events being held which doesn't fully address the larger noise/congestion impact. Anne Turnacliff, non resident, asked to add two additional factors that add to congestion: • Addition of the fire training center during the past year • Building of church at 5151 Street and Jay Road Bill DeOreo, Water Resources Advisory Board chair, suggested that in order to proceed with approval, that all references to limits be removed from the draft Boulder Reservoir Master Plan (BRMP). He said that currently limits are an unknown and before the BRMP Management Plan is begun the Carrying Capacity Study should be completed and neighborhood involvement should be part of the process. Arnie Rasker, non resident, felt the BRMP is an incomplete plan without substance, very superficial and only an idealistic vision. Diane Kelly, non resident, spoke of traffic issues on 5151 Street. She said that when she goes to work on Sunday mornings and there is a bike race, the street becomes a dangerous place to be. There are blind spots, very little shoulder on the road and autos attempting to pass cyclists which places everyone at risk. The public hearing was closed. PRAB discussion included: Estrella favored moving forward with passage of the BRMP with the following stronger language regarding transportation: • Chapter 8 - Goal 1 - 1 K - Implement improved bicycle, carpooling, alternative fuel vehicle and shuttle facilities and implement those that are found feasible in the redesign in the South Shore • Chapter 8 - Goal 1 - I L - Work with GO Boulder and appropriate agencies to develop a bicycle/vehicular parking management strategy that promotes and supports alternative transportation mode and carpooling to Boulder Reservoir. Establish incentives for pricing strategies to encourage carpooling and multiple occupancy visits • Chapter 8 - Goal 1 -1 M - Encourage and require the use of shuttles for special and group events through permitting processes that requiresa specific percentage of alternative transportation for large events and determine feasibility for requiring participants to use shuttles • Chapter 8 - Goal 1 - IN - Needs to be more definitive - find temporary shuttle pick-up and parking locations in other areas of the city for events 4 • Chapter 8 - Goal 1 - I P - Would like this to be stronger, but feels it is out of PRAB's control • Chapter 8 - Goal 8 - 8B - Work with appropriate agencies to explore the potential for a second vehicular access point Thayer felt that Goal 8 didn't address safety issues adequately. He said the traffic and safety problems were not captured or dealt with sufficiently. Wyatt also felt that Goal 8 doesn't really address the importance of the adjacent neighborhood. Conroy (Myriah) had the following comments: • Do we have a safety issue? Is there a safety record? • Need to address the number of people involved in the evens: participants, volunteers, staff, etc. • Time enforcement • Policy questions - capacity issues missing from the BRMP (parking, access questions, etc. - why add more parking if there are capacity issues? • West Shore trail - against this because of wildlife degradation • Transportation - not addressed in depth - need to look at transportation holistically, what transportation is, not just traffic - no mention of impact of transportation on carbon emissions • Air quality/water quality issues - fears wildlife destruction • Special events - too open ended Yates referred to the limits and regulations for special events on page 60, questioning if these limits are appropriate. He believes that the intention was not to increase events, but to make certain they don't exceed a certain number. Gralapp had concerns with no numbers on limits in the BRMP. She added that the management plan does not come under the PRAB's review and if the PRAB doesn't recommend limits at this point, two years later it may be three times as much. Kincannon said that the Department will continue to address concerns raised by the community, the neighborhood directly around Boulder Reservoir and community recreational users. He added that the Department's next step will be to move the Master Plan forward with the Carrying Capacity Study, the Resource Allocation and all that has been identified as part of the Site Management Plan. Conroy (Myriah) noted that she would like to pass the BRMP, but feels that it still needs more work. Yates agreed with EstreIla's proposed changes and suggested the following approach in response to the Board discussion: 1. Make changes now and potentially pass the BRMP tonight 5 2. Schedule a meeting continuation between now and January 4, 2011 to make changes and potentially pass the BRMP Yates polled the Board to determine how to proceed: • Conroy (Mike) felt that the Master Plan should be general and that most of the issues discussed could be handled in the Site Management Plan. He preferred to amend and vote on the BRMP at this meeting. • Thayer proposed adding 8C to Goal 8 in conjunction with impacted neighbors and develop a traffic and environmental impact mitigation plan. That would involve the neighbors and the issues of most concern; traffic and environmental. • Wyatt said she is conflicted • Conroy (Myriah) felt there could not be completion tonight and opted for a continuation of this meeting prior to January 4, 2011. She added that she spent considerable time on her changes and that they were not integrated into the BRMP. • Estrella preferred continuing the meeting and not proceeding tonight. • Yates suggested continuing tonight's meeting before January 4, 2011 due to tonight's meeting agenda being full. The PRAB decided to continue the meeting at 5:00 on Monday, December 5, 2011 at the West Senior Center, 909 W. Arapahoe Avenue. VI. ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION/INFORMATION A. Pottery Program Management Assessment Consultant Report Guthrie introduced Teri Olander, City of Boulder Recreation Administrator and Pottery Assessment Project Manager, Donna Gartenmann, Project Technical Advisor and Adrienne Horn and Katie Sevier representing Museum Management Consultants, Inc. (MMC). The Pottery Lab has been a valued community service for over fifty years, receiving a significant operating subsidy. A management assessment has been completed to address cost recovery goals. Horn provided a brief power point presentation of the management assessment detailing short and long term recommendations for operation and management of the Department pottery program. The assessment can be viewed in it entirety at httn://w~~w.bouldercolorado.gov/files/Parks%20and%2ORecreation/PRAB 2011_ rnw, packets/VI-A Att A.pdf A.1 Public Participation - Pottery Program Management Assessment Consultant Report Public participation was opened. b i Ann Fontenot, resident, thanked the consultants for their diligent work on Pottery Lab sustainability and felt that some constructive ideas have been addressed She asked about the possibility of continuing the process including Pottery Lab staff, members of Friends of the Pottery Lab (FoPL) and PRAB members, to bring it to the next step. She said she hopes all can continue to work together and make something wonderful happen. Irv Bell, resident, said he has been a student of the Pottery Lab for the past ten years. He added that he read the consultant's report, and was very impressed. He urged the City of Boulder to go with the 3-5 year transition period. He agreed that this plan makes sense if the City is firm on the subsidy reduction. Christy Gunter, resident, asked if there is to be a public/private for 3-5 years and then the City of Boulder is no longer involved or is this a 3-5 year time period in which to develop a long term public/private partnership? She questioned if this is the correct way to proceed. Public participation was closed. Next steps: • Solicitation of public feedback and suggestions through online and written comment • Online comment for available at ww w.boulderpottery.com • January 23, 2012 PRAB meeting - Review of management assessment recommendations and ideas B. Eben G. Fine Creek Restoration Project Christine Coleman, City of Boulder Engineering Project Manager for Greenways and Mike Lamb, Parks and Recreation Department Project Manager, provided a brief power point presentation on this project. Lamb explained that the purpose of the collaborative project is to redo the habitat and park restoration along Boulder Creek in Eben G. Fine Park. Coleman said the project restoration area is the northern portion of the park located between the park's two pedestrian bridges, north of the northern sidewalk She added that this area is most often used for picnicking and access to Boulder Creek. She noted that this area suffers from stream bank erosion, creating negative impacts on water quality causing the area to be unappealing to park users. The restoration project will provide habitat and recreation improvements. Stated project goals are: • Erosion control • Water quality improvement • Habitat improvement • Improved recreation access 7 • Park character enhancement Next steps: • Development of site plan • Finalization of cost estimate based on PRAB feedback • Researching of potential grant funding Coleman concluded with a request for feedback on the project from the PRAB. The Board was generally supportive of the project. VII. MATTERS FROM THE DEPARTMENT A. Update on Round 1 CISC Projects Kincannon mentioned that the CISC information has been presented to City Council. He said staff is meeting the definitions of the bond and as things move forward will return to the PRAB with an update in January 2012. VIII. MATTERS FROM BOARD MEMBERS A. December meeting The Board agreed to cancel the December PRAB business meeting, but to continue the Boulder Reservoir Master Plan portion of this meeting on December 5, 2011 at 5:00 p.m. B. Board and Commission 2012 City Council Priorities Yates said that City Council has requested that each City of Boulder Board and Commission provide a letter setting forth Parks and Recreation Department recommendations for City Council Parks and Recreation priorities for 2012. He added that he and Board vice chair Estrella could draft the letter with PRAB approval. Unanimous approval was granted by the Board. GraIapp made a motion to continue the public hearing portion of the Boulder Reservoir Master Plan (BRMP) on December 5. Estrella seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. IX. NEXT BOARD MEETING: January 23, 2012 X. ADJOURN The meeting adjourned at 9:15 p.m. 8 RK AND~pr V OR 0as Board Chair Atte st: 4 - uPt Sally Dieterich Recording Secretary 9