Park Board Minutes 2007 04-12-07 APPROVED
UNITED CITY OF YORKVILLE
Yorkville Parks& Recreation Department Board Meeting
Administration Office—Riverfront Building,201 W. Hydraulic St.
Thursday April 12,2007, 7pm
Call to Order:
The meeting was called to order at 7:05pm by Chairman Chris Rollins.
Roll Call:
Board members present: Chris Rollins, Ken Koch, Van Truman, Debbie Horaz, Kelly
Sedgwick.
Introduction of Guests, City Officials and Staff:
Also present:
Director of Parks and Recreation—David Mogle
Superintendent of Recreation—Sue Swithin
Superintendent of Parks— Scott Sleezer
Park Planner—Laura Haake
Approval of Minutes:
The minutes of March 22, 2007 were amended. Van Truman pointed out that on Pg. 3 the
operating budget for Parks & Recreation had a typo. Should've been a comma instead of
period in the amount. Dave Mogle pointed out that on Pg. 4 the upcoming referendum
should be referenced as the upcoming Forest Preserve District referendum. Van Truman
approved and seconded by Sue Swithin. Motion carried unanimously by voice vote.
Bills Review:
Cash Analysis
Bill List
Checks have been circulated for signatures. Van Truman had a question about the budget
deficit. Dave Mogle has mentioned the deficit to be carried over to the next fiscal yr.
Chris Rollins motioned to approve. Ken Koch approved and seconded by Van Truman
the cash analysis and bills list. Approved unanimously on a roll call vote: Rollins-yes,
Koch-yes, Truman-yes, Horaz-yes, Sedgwick-yes.
Old Business:
Edwards Hospital Development:
There was much discussion on the development of a recreational park or some type of
activity trail on the 2.1 acres available. The Board mentioned a recommendation to be
made to keep the trail out of the woods. The trail could possibly go around the perimeter
of the facility. By consensus, a recommendation was approved to propose a trail/linear
park to the developers. The trail could be made wider to accommodate picnicking and the
addition of benches.
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Grande Reserve Regional Ball Diamond:
Adding a commercial building for a concession stand. Estimating that the concession
stand will be up and operating by early May. The lights have been tested and they look
great. Installed a green snow fence, Shrubs are on order, Residents voice concern for a
natural fence.
Townes at Windett Reserve Development:
Yorkville was to project what types of park facilities it plans for the park site. Both the
park/school contribution due from the developer Wiseman Hughes, and the adjacent park
contribution would be combined and viewed as a total "footprint" for how the school and
park will be sited.
YMCA Partnership Proposal Update:
Plans to break ground fall of 2008—Dave to meet with YMCA next week Tuesday. To
ask them are we in this or not. Present to the board at the next meeting. Make an agenda
item on the 26th
We weren't sure if we can legally build on a piece of property that someone else owned.
It turns out that it can be done.
The YMCA has an agenda, a timetable, and a plan for the things they intend to do. We
don't want to turn away any potential partners, but it doesn't necessarily mean that their
timetable is our timetable or their priorities our priorities. Struggling with the things that
Andrew was talking about their desire to install an indoor pool and other things that
( would help their membership situation, but wasn't finding a balance in what we need, for
instance an activity center or a gymnasium where we would have primarily control over
the programming of that space. We don't know if we can count that on happening with a
YMCA partner.
A survey is coming out and it would behoove us to really see what the results of this
survey is before proceeding and make it part of the larger plan. To kind of test the waters
for what the demand is. A more elegant way to defuse some of the issues is to remind
ourselves where we are getting our marching orders about what we are trying as a body
here on behalf of the city. If we get that information from the residents,to say what we
need as a community at large.
New Business:
Grande Reserve Park—A Concept Plan:
Speaker Mark Harrison presents a concept plan of the Grande Reserve Park. The plan
shows the 5 acre site being divided into baseball field(s), a soccer field and a tree house
theme park. The budget for the Grande Reserve Park is $116,000. Parking to be added in
phase 2. Mr. Sleezer to create proposals to send to manufacturers.
Special Business: Representatives of Yorkville Youth Baseball, Pete Athens &
John Pakel, expressed concerns about the allocation of fields to other
organizations on Tuesdays & Thursdays. They are requesting more practice time
for approximately 4 to 5 weeks; the remaining Tuesdays &Thursdays through
April and the first few weeks in May. Pete&John are to meet with Dave Mogel,
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Scott Sleezer and Sue Swithin @ 1:00 p.m. Friday April 13th to discuss in further
detail. Parks &Recreation resumed discussion on field allocation later in the
meeting. They feel that they have accommodated Yorkville Youth Baseball to the
schedule that they have submitted. Parks &Recreation have not wavered from the
terms of the agreement with Yorkville Youth Baseball. Also Parks & Recreation
owns the fields and still have the final say on the allocation of the fields for the
time&days that are not under contract. Hopefully a resolution can be achieved in
tomorrow's meeting.
Prairie Gardens Trail:
Dave presented the board with historical background on the vacating of the sidewalk.
Chris mentioned that when we ended up taking the trail easement for Prairie Garden,it
was done because this was originally an age restricted development where they didn't
want a park at all.
A homeowner who owns a lot adjacent to where the sidewalk that would connect Prairie
Gardens with Green Briar petitioned the city and asked if they would consider moving
the sidewalk 25 ft North so he can have more use of the land. When that became known
to the City Council,they suggested the engineering staff go back and survey the
community. 58 out of the 60 residents were against the trail easement. Dave, questioning
the board do we want to go forward? Chris replied, I don't think we want to abandon the
trail easement. The trail is part of a larger plan of Yorkville's trail system. City may have
to look at this from a standpoint at what constitutes a greater public good. One property
owner may be satisfied by moving the trail 25 ft, if all that means is that we would have
an issue with another property owner. Sometimes we have to take some type of neutral
position; stating that the trail is probably positioned in the best place it can be and we
understand it can be perhaps a privacy issue. We can address that issue by putting in tall
natural plantings to create a buffer.
We need to think about the buffer being much larger than it ordinarily would be,when
we need to put a sidewalk in between people's homes.
We may need to deviate the trail to avoid the detention area. We might have to use
natural planting along the trail to block the slope or put in a low guard rail.
Consensus is we don't want to abandon the trail easement. Send a letter to each of these 2
homeowners announcing what the City's intentions are with the easement. Just because
we're not putting in a sidewalk now,this lets them know where we stand on the issue.
We will still have the issue of how do we connect the trail at the North end of it? There
are still a lot of options available to us. Vacant lot spaces, Parfection still hasn't develop
yet or built out.
Dave & Laura are updating the trail map.
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Hiding Spot Park Renovation Update:
( Scott Sleezer talked about a musical theme park. He met with the Vice President of Game
Time to let him know that we were interested in creating partnership with them where we
would have some control on how the park gets designed. He seemed very interested.
Purchase some elements of the playground through U.S. Communities, where companies
offer equipment at a discounted price,which could perhaps as much as double the value
of our budget of$60,000. As a promotional tool, create a video of the park being
developed,which could be showcased at the National Park&Recreation Show in
Indianapolis in September '07.
City Appreciation Dinner:
The City Appreciation Dinner is scheduled for the night of April 26th which conflicts
with the next scheduled Park Board meeting. The meeting has been cancelled and re-
scheduled for Monday April 30th 0 7:00 p.m.
Reports:
Parks Report: No report
Recreation Report: Great Report. Other municipalities were amazed at all of the activities
that we have going on.
Additional Business:
Fox Hill Park Baseball Storage Shed:
A baseball storage shed has been donated to the Fox Hill Park. A proposal by a contractor
offered to build the shed as long as he can put his name on it. Parks& Recreation to have
final say on the size & shape of the advertisement.
Caboose:
We are pleased to announce that the purchase of the green Caboose got approved. The
cost of the Caboose is $724,000. The Caboose will eventually be located at the Wood
Spring Meadow Park.Need to receive bids on the restoration of the Caboose. If we do
not move the Caboose after purchase,the city will be charged$1 a day storage fee.
There was no further business to discuss and the meeting was adjourned at 9:35 p.m. on a
motion and carried unanimously.
Minutes submitted by
Jean Dlugopolski, Minute Taker
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