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HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-25-16 PARCOFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK KAREEMAH FOWLER, CITY CLERK PARC COMMITTEE Committee Members Present: APRIL 25 2016 4:55 P.M. Randy Kelly, Dr. David Varner, Oliver Davis, John Voorde, John Mazurkiewicz, Ralph Lampkin Other Council Present: Jo M. Broden, Karen White, Gavin Ferlic (Late) Others Present: City Clerk Kareemah Folwer, Alkeyna Aldridge, Joseph Molnar, Kathleen Cekanski - Farrand, Adriana Rodriguez Agenda: Bill No. 16 -45 — Special Elbel Advisory Committee Recommendations Aaron Perri, Dept. of Parks & Recreation Update Councilmember Randy Kelly, Chairperson of the PARC Committee, called the meeting to order with one bill on the agenda. Chairperson Randy Kelly introdueced the two (2) citizen members for the PARC Committee, John Mazurkiewicz and Ralph Lampkin. Bill No. 16 -45 — Special Elbel Advisory Committee Recommendations Chairperson Randy Kelly stated that the Elbel Advisory Committee wrapped up its work and has come up with some very solid recommendations. He asked Councilmember Jo M. Broden to brief the Committee on the work they did and also the recommendations. Councilmember Jo M. Broden reported that the Special Elbel Committee held four (4) meetings in total each around two and a half hours. The Committee is sending to the Council six (6) official recommendations. The first recommendation is to engage a golf course consulting firm for all three (3) city run golf courses. The Committee found out through this process that the three (3) courses really need to be analyzed together and this recommendation will commence rather soon. 455 County-City Building • 227 W. Jefferson Boulevard • South Bend, Indiana 46601 Phone 574- 235 -9221 • Fax 574- 235 -9173 • TDD 574- 235 -5567 • www.SouthBendIN.gov JENNIFER M. COFFMAN ALKEYNA M. ALDRIDGE EMILY SEXTON CHIEF DEPUTY/ CHIEF OF STAFF DEPUTY/ DIRECTOR OF POLICY ORDINANCE VIOLATION CLERK The second recommendation is to engage with ecological assessment consultants not just with Elbel but with all the major parks in the City. The purpose of this recommendation is to flush out the valuable assets in all of our parks. There are some endangered species at Elbel and we really need more information regarding them and the wetlands. The third recommendation is that the existing work product developed in the advisory committee on Elbel such as the ongoing engagement with local experts, City Departments, key stakeholders, and the public be integral in the contractual terms of the City hired consultants. We want to make sure the work done already is available to these consultants going forward. One of the strong things which prompted this recommendation was the large level of public involvement. The fourth recommendation is that the Park Department and Park Board, in conjunction with public input, update the City of South Bend five (5) year Park Master Plan. Additional advisory or standing committees must be formed. Throughout the entire process, it was invaluable how much information was brought out from the community and other groups and it is important to use that information to update the Master Plan to get everyone working from the same page. An advisory or standing committee would serve as a resource for the Park Board and Park's Staff. The fifth recommendation is that the Parks Department maintains and manages Elbel Golf Course throughout 2016 and funds be designated as such for Fiscal Year 2017. The future use question was differed at this time and will be contingent /informed by findings and outcomes of Recommendations one (1) through four (4). Regardless of the outcome, public access must be guaranteed and ecological integrity assured. The sixth recommendation is that monthly progress reports be provided on Recommendations one (1) through five (5) for both the Park Board and the PARC Committee by the Park's Department. Councilmember Jo M. Broden reported the Committee is disbanded as of April 15th 2016. She expressed her hope that the conversations and planning will continue. With the help of the consultants and the work of the Parks Department and Parks Board there will then be enough data to make final decisions on the future of the park. Councilmember Karen White reported the Parks Board met and accepted these recommendations unanimously. Chairperson Randy Kelly stated before the PARC Committee vote on their own approval for Bill 16 -45 he asked Aaron Perri to come and give an update on Elbel and the Park's Department as the whole. Aaron Perri, Director of the Park's Department, gave an update for the department. On the front page of the Park's Department website is a button to take you to a page where all ongoing projects are listed including all the construction projects and their timelines. People are very excited about the Freemont Park Splash Pads and basketball court renovation which will finish up at the end of July. Kelly Park should also be finished around July. Martin Luther King Jr. Center is getting air conditioning and people are very excited about that. The dog park is opening soon on Niles Ave. We now have the old Notre Dame Boathouse on the river and people will be 2 able to rent spaces for their canoes and we are going to have some programming to highlight that facility soon. The Rum Village Aerial Adventure Course will open this summer and construction is under way currently. The neighborhood is very excited about the improvements to the park and we are expecting to see a lot more traffic to Rum Village this year. In a few weeks the blueprint planning for extending the river trails or "Blue Ways" from Leaper Park to the Farmer's Market. Next Friday the City will say goodbye to the Ice Skating at Howard Park due to its aging equipment and we will unfortunately have a season where we no longer have an ice ring but will have a brand new one soon. Regarding Elbel, Mr. Perri reported the course is looking very good and this coming Friday they are hosting a grand "Re- Opening" which we are marketing very hard. There will be food specials and people can check out the totally renovated clubhouse which helped keep operations a little more efficient. Also, hole #15 will be finally opened as Green #15 was damaged last year beyond repair and it is finally back up to a quality standard. Someone who specializes in turf management from the USGA came out and looked at the courses. A private donor helped make that trip possible and they will look at both Elbel and Erskine. We are going to get some of the best for the consulting and many people have already contacted the department asking to help. The department has hired Orbis Environmental Consulting, who provided a lot of the work done already for the Special Advisory Committee. They will be holding a kickoff meeting in about two (2) weeks and how the public can help them, they will be looking for volunteers as well. Chairperson Randy Kelly asked how sales are doing at the course. Mr. Perri responded season pass sales are at an all -time high for the past five (5) years. Some people were excited to get a deal before the rates were put back to the 2015 levels. There are a few less leagues who did find other courses but we have more outings than we had scheduled last year at this time. Even though last year was chilly and pretty cloudy it was packed and all the carts were on the course. Councilmember Gavin Ferlic joined the meeting at 5:22 p.m. Councilmember Oliver Davis asked since the ice rink will be closed next season if there has been any talk with either the Ice Box or Notre Dame to help offer rates for residents to use those rinks during that season. Mr. Perri stated that is a great idea to do some type of partnership with Notre Dame or the Ice Box. They did have a meeting a few weeks ago with the hockey community and are already looking into those partnerships. Councilmember Oliver Davis questioned if the Elbel Committee can disband on their own because they were created by the Council. Chairperson Randy Kelly and Councilmember Jo M. Broden stated that it was written in the resolution that it was a forty-five (45) day Committee. Councilmember Oliver Davis stated if the Council saw the need for their work to continue how would that go about happening. Council Attorney Cekanski - Farrand responded a new resolution would be needed to reactivate the Committee. Councilmember Oliver Davis stated he feels the ecological evaluation aspect is the only one that has not been fully vetted and he would like to see the Committee's work continue for that aspect. Chairperson Randy Kelly responded that Orbis has been hired to really look into those still standing ecological issues. Councilmember Oliver Davis stated he understands that but when their work is done he feels it is more appropriate for that information and presentation to given to the Committee because those members have the expertise already after participating. It would also help with the community feeling involved. Chairperson Randy Kelly stated that Councilmember Davis makes a good point and it did come up at the last Special Committee meeting and how to address this going forward. The idea that came up was maybe to do a combined meeting of the Park Board and the PARC Committee that could address these findings by the consultants. Councilmember Oliver Davis specified it was only his concern that the Council will do its due diligence on this issue because when we voted on the resolution it was never really an option that all of these questions would be solved in forty-five (45) days. Those wishing to speak in favor of the bill: John Finneran, Mishawaka IN, spoke in favor of the bill and is glad the City formed this Committee. Gary King, 730 N. Hill St., spoke in favor of the bill and the environmental inventory planned. No one from the public spoke in opposition to the bill. Councilmember Oliver Davis made a motion to send Bill 16 -45 to the full Council with a favorable recommendation. Councilmember Dr. David Varner seconded the motion which carried by a voice vote of six (6) ayes. With no further business before the Committee, Chairperson Randy Kelly adjourned the meeting at 5:30 p.m. Respectfully Submitted, G Randy Kelly, Chairperson F.