01/26/76 Board of Public Works Minutes

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REGULAR MEETING JANUARY 26, 1976 A regular meeting of the Board of Public Works was convened at 9:30 a.m, by President Rollin E. Farrand with Mr. Farrand, 1-fr. Brunner and Mr. Mullen present. Deputy City Attorney Kathleen E. Cekanski was also present, MINUTES APPROVED Mr. Farrand reported to the Board that he had reviewed the minutes of the previous meeting and he made a motion that the minutes be approved as submitted. The motion was seconded by Mr. Brunner and carried. PUBLIC HEARING -.VACATION RESOLUTION 110. 3425 - DEPART14ENT OF PARKS This was the date set for holding a public hearing on Vacation Resolution No. 3425, on the petition of the Park Department for the vacation of all streets and alleys located within the tract of land briefly described as follows: Beginning at the Northwest corner of Lot 2 of the Elder Place Addition to the City of South Bend; thence easterly along the north lines extended of Lots 2 through 19 inclusive to the northeast corner of said.Lot 19 of.the said addition; thence southerly along the east line extended of Lots 19, 35, 52 and 73 of the said addition to the southeast corner of Lot 73 of the said addition; thence westerly along the south lines extended of Lots.56 through 73 inclusive to the southwest corner of Lot 56 of the said addition; thence northerly along the west lines extended of Lots 56 and 2 to the northwest corner of Lot 2 of the said addition and the point of beginning; all contained in the northwest one-wuarter of Section 13, Township 37 North, Range 2 E in the City of South.Bend, Portage Township, St. Joseph County. Vacated streets are portions of Paris and Elder Streets. The Clerk tendered proofs of publication in the South Bend Tribune and the Tri-County News which were found to be sufficient. Mr. Farrand advised the members of the Board that the Area Plan Commission held a public hearing on this petition and recommended it favorably to the Board of Public Works with the suggestion that the legal description be amended. Mr. Farrand said the Board then amended the legal description in the petition to omit the perimeter alleys and include only those alleys and portions of streets within the proposed park area. James R. Seitz, Superintendent of Parks, was present and advised the Board that this proposed vacation was for the establishment of the Southeast Park. Mr. Seitz displayed preliminary plans for the park. The land was acquired from the Department of Redevelopment. Mr. Seitz said the park will have three basketball courts, three tennis courts, hard surface parking lots, a baseball diamond, a tot lot and a volleyball court. At the present time there are no funds available for a shelter house. Mr. Seitz said the property involved is all vacant land. Mr. Mullen asked Mr. Seitz where the nearest park was to this property and Mr. Seitz said that Studebaker Park, about nine blocks from this area, was the closest and he said Studebaker is a small park. Ile said there is a definite need for a park in this southeast neighborhood. The total cost of the park will be approximately $90,000. Mr. Seitz was questioned about security and said there will be a recreational supervisor on duty but he said security will present a problem as it does at other parks. The Police Department will be asked to patrol the area when possible. Mr. Seitz said it was his hope that the Park Police Force would be expanded to allow for more security patrol of City parks. Mr. Brunner asked whether the basketball courts would be lighted and noted that in some parks basketball playing on lighted courts late at night has caused problems for area residents. Mr. Seitz indicated that the lights on these courts would be on a timer and would not be on past 10:00 p.m.. Mr. Farrand asked if there was anyone else present who wished to speak regarding this vacation. There was no one else present who wished to speak. Upon motion made by Mr. Farrand, seconded by Mr. Mullen and carried, the Board confirmed the Vacation Resolution and referred it to the Department of Engineering for preparation of the Assessment Poll.