10-06-75 Council Meetin Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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REGULAR MEETING OCTOBER 6, 1975 REGULAR MEETING - RECONVENED (CONTINUED) Councilman Miller made a motion to accept the report as read, place it on file and approve the minutes, seconded by Councilman Taylor. The motion carried. REPORT FROM THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE Councilman Newburn made a motion to waive the reading of the report of the Committee of the Whole, seconded by Councilman Miller. The motion carried by a roll call vote of nine ayes (Councilmen Serge, Szymkowiak, Miller, Taylor, Kopczynski, Horvath, Nemeth, Newburn and Parent). REPORT FROM THE DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC PARKS Mr. James Seitz, Director of the Department of Public Parks, made his quarterly report to the Council. He indicated that he wished to summarize some of the major accomplishments for 1975 and some of the accomplishments during the last four years. In 1975, the Bicentennial Park was com- pleted and dedicated on July 4th. The park was the start of a park -green belt area along the west bank of the St. Joseph River. Island Park was under construction and soon work would be started on Pier Park. Plaza Park, south of Jefferson, was also under construction and should be completed next spring. The tract of land in front of the Morris Civic Auditorium was improved in an effort to beautify the downtown area. Construction was started on Belleville Park and should be com- pleted by November, 1975. Engineering on park projects has been done on an in -house basis by the department. The Belleville Park and the Southeast Side Park projects have been handled by the Department of Engineering and saved the city $17,000 in engineering services. Plans were almost completed for the development of the Southeast Side Park. A "mini" park was erected at the corner of Randolph and Sampson and playground equipment was donated by the Ridgedale Presbyterian Church. A new roof had been installed on the shelterhouse at Walker Field. Park Department personnel also cooperated in the construction of Safetyville at Rum Village Park. Mr. Seitz listed some of the major accomplishments of the Park Department in the last four years, as follows: do Renovation of the domestic animal area at Potawatomi Zoo. Construction of a shelterhouse at Pulaski Park. Paving of tennis courts, parking lots and drives at Boland Park. Installation of new softball lighting at Memorial Park. Installation of new lights at Potawatomi Park tennis courts. Construction of baseball field at Riverside Manor Park. Construction of rifle and pistol range at Newman Center. Construction of a "mini" park at 936 West LaSalle Street. Construction of baseball field at Booth Tarkington Park. Construction of Martin Luther King Recreation Center. Lighting of fifteen tennis courts at Leeper Park. Installation of wood floor at LaSalle Recreation Center. Construction of shelterhouse at Boland Park. Renovation of Potawatomi Park shelterhouse. Lighting of Harrison, O'Brien and Boland Parks softball fields. Construction of nature center at Rum Village Park. Construction of Arizona Desert Room at Potawatomi Park. Construction of new maintenance garage and greenskeeper's residence at the Erskine Golf Course. Installation of new roof at Newman Recreation Center. Installation of new filtration system at Potawatomi Pool. Lighting of tennis courts at Marshall and Boland Parks. ;Lighting of basketball courts at LaSalle Park. Resurfacing of basketball courts at LaSalle Park. Resurfacing of Marshall and Boland Parks tennis courts. Resurfacing of tennis courts at Kennedy Park. Acquisition of over 75 acres of park land in the urban area. Receipt of over $210,000 in funds from the Bureau of Outdoor Recreation. He indicated that future plans for the department involved the renovation of Potawatomi Zoo as a number one priority. He indicated that plans were being prepared for the development of the Edison Road property, Pulaski Park renovation, additional access to Boland Park, additional development at the Southeast Side Park and the addition of tennis courts at Marshall Field. He indicated that it was his feeling, and not necessarily that of the Park Board, that an effort should be made to maintain and upgrade the existing park facilities and not burden the department with additional high cost maintenance facilities and additional large land areas to maintain. He expressed concern over the problem of maintaining the tree -lawn areas within the city and felt tha some day soon, a forestry department would be needed to handle the problem. Councilman Szymkowiak commended Mr. Seitz and his staff, and the Council, because of the great amount of work done in the last few years in the area of parks. Councilman Serge wondered when the forestry department could be established. He felt this was of great importance. Mr. Seitz indicated that a two or three man department had been started for the parks alone. He stated that the equipment could cos the city a couple hundred thousand dollars. He felt some day soon, the forestry department would be a necessity. Councilman Szymkowiak talked about the necessity of trimming the trees around the city's street lights. He felt this was very important, and he hoped the Council would act accordingly. PETITION TO AMEND ZONING ORDINANCE (600 and 700 blocks of Portage Avenue) I (We), the undersigned, do hereby respectfully make application and petition the Common Council to amend the Zoning Ordinance of the City of South Bend as hereinafter requested, and in support of this application, the following facts are shown: 1. The property sought to be rezoned is located at the 600 and 700 blocks of Portage Avenue. 2. The property is owned by: The City of South Bend Ken and Grace Murphy St. Germain Foundation Marden, Inc. Dave Doren Miriam Reyer Veronica & Dennis Bunbury Harold and Teri Dunlap Eugene & Emilia Karczewski Gafill Projects, Inc. Dimitris & Victoria Petrou Pauline & Charles Menyhart Norton & Joan Mumford Richard & Norman Dorman Aurelia Thilman Charles & Flossie Whitney Frank Hiss