Loading...
Park Board Minutes 2012 05-10-12 APPROVED 6/14/12 Yorkville Parks and Recreation Department City Hall 800 Game Farm Road May 10, 2012 at 6:00 p.m. Call to Order: Deb Horaz called the meeting to order at 6:18 p.m. Roll Call: Ken Koch - no; Debbie Horaz - yes; Kelly Sedgwick - yes; Amy Cesich - yes; Vickie Covney - no; Mark Dilday - no; Seaver Tarulis - yes. Introduction of City Officials and Staff: Laura Schraw - Director of Parks and Recreation Scott Sleezer - Superintendent of Parks Tim Evans - Superintendent of Recreation Krysti Noble - Community Development Director Other Guests: None. Public Comment: None. Presentations: None. Approval of Minutes: The minutes from the April 12, 2012 meeting were approved. Motion made by Seaver Tarulis and seconded by Kelly Sedgwick. Bill Review: The bills list was approved by voice. The Park Board budget report was discussed. Laura Schraw stated that the year ended with a surplus of around $55,000 in the 79 budget and a deficit of about $25,000 in the 80 budget. Old Business:Proposed Text Amendment to the PUD Ordinance - Krysti Noble stated she presented this Text Amendment as a discussion item for the Zoning Commission, as they were looking to amend the zoning ordinance. There has not been an amendment since 1978. Ms. Noble said the process started in July 2010 and the city looked at several versions of PUD ordinances. The city decided that out of those discussions and review, they want to streamline the process. Ms. Noble stated the way it works now when someone comes in for a PUD, they have to go through two processes. The first is a public hearing before City Council or an authorizing government board, or they can set up a planning commission or zoning board hearing. After that, it goes to City Council to approve. Ms. Noble said right now, the city has a four step process the developer goes to EDC, Park Board, Planning Commission and City Council. She stated the city is not trying to skirt the review process or the scrutiny of the plan. The purpose of this change is to make a more technical review by staff and police, fire etc. for the pre-application meeting. 1 Ms. Noble stated all kinks can and should be worked out before the plan goes to public hearing. She said what happens then if everyone has not had a chance to look at it, we will get a plan with a ton of changes to add or take away and then staff has to go back and make sure those things get done. She stated the purpose is the city is wanting to cut those things out and get things taken care of at the technical phase. Ms. Noble said the Park Board is an advisory body. If a plan commission comes out with a negative recommendation on anything, it will take a super majority of the City Council to override the recommendation. If the Park Board comes with a negative recommendation, they only need the regular majority vote. Ms. Noble stated this will allow the Park Board to be a member of the Plan Commission and have that authority and a vote. If a plan is teetering, the Park Board could make a difference. Ms. Noble said this also allows the Park Board's comments and concerns to be part of public record and part of the discussion and comments would have to be considered. Deb Horaz asked if the Park Board will be able to continue to do the things as done in the past. Deb stated that the Park Board never held up a PUD in the past. The Park Board discussed having the board talk over the proposals and then have the one representative go before the commission. The board discussed how that might put that person in a hard position. Ms. Noble said as part of this process, the city engages the school board, the library board and the police and fire and those boards also have representation on the planning commission. Ms. Noble said the city has a representative from every board to provide comments and input in the technical phase of the process. This way the developer doesn't have to attend all of the various board meetings. Ms. Noble stated that Laura Schraw will bring in the plan and show the Park Board and they can look it over and come up with comments and concerns and send the board representative to the commission. The board discussed as long as the Park Board has a say in the process, they don't necessarily have to have the developer attend their Park Board meeting. Deb Horaz stated the Park Board has previously given up things in their power to take care of and sometimes it works out and sometimes it doesn't. Deb Horaz stated this change really concerns her. Deb Horaz said when things are streamlined to push the process through, maybe the process should take more time because these are very important issues. Deb Horaz said this is something she doesn't take lightly because this will really have an effect down the road. Laura Schraw asked what her concern is. Deb Horaz stated she liked when the developer came to the Park Board and the board had the discussion with the developer and then the Park Board had time to look over the document and sometimes the developer had to come back. Amy Cesich stated that the parks are the priority of our board and then the developer sees that priority. Deb Horaz stated how well it worked in the past. Deb Horaz said she does appreciate the fact the Park Board can be more involved in the commission. Ms. Noble stated she knows how important the parks are and that is why she wants to have a representative from Park Board on the Planning Commission. Ms. Noble said the city is not trying to rush the process. Ms. Noble said the city wants to spend more time on the technical phases looking at things from the technical perspective. She stated then all of those things are thought out and presented 2 at the public hearing. The board discussed with Ms. Noble their feelings and thoughts on this topic and how the voting and process will work. Laura Schraw stated there will be one voting member, but all of the Park Board is welcome to be in attendance at the hearing. Deb Horaz stated the board doesn't have a problem with the process other than the developer not meeting with the Park Board. Ms. Noble stated the city is wanting to get all the technicalities sorted out before a public hearing can even be scheduled with the developer. She stated that is how most other communities handle these things. Deb Horaz stated she doesn't know what to say, all she knows is that she thought the process was fine before and it worked out well and she appreciated when the developer met with the Park Board and she stated she wants to keep it that way. Ms. Noble discussed different scenarios of how things would work in the new process and explained it to the Park Board. Laura Schraw asked the board how they want things to go if the developer attended the meeting. The board discussed their ideas. Ms. Noble said the planning commission has set standards given to them by the state of what they can and can't do and they have to meet those standards. She said the Park Board things are not necessarily standards, but ideas. The Park Board comments might not necessarily be things that meet with standards and then the developer doesn't have a clear direction. This is what the city is trying to avoid by having the meeting ahead of time and then sending a representative to the Planning Commission. Laura Schraw stated they can recommend the developer attend the meeting, but it will not be required. Ms. Noble stated she wants the developers to take your recommendations very seriously. Amy Cesich asked Ms. Noble if she thinks this gives the Park Board more input into the process or less. Ms. Noble stated more because before it was a recommendation and now Park Board has a way to vote and now the City Council will have to consider your comments. Deb Horaz said she loves the idea of us being involved in that portion of it, she stated she doesn't want the process to change. Ms. Noble said she will make that known. Illinois Whitewater Festival Special Use Request - The board asked for clarification at the last meeting on this request. There will be approximately 15 camping spots in the woods and it will be $20.00 per spot per day. Motion to approve the special use for camping on July 13th and 14th 2012. Motion was made by Seaver Tarulis and seconded by Kelly Sedgwick. Motion approved. 2012 Grant Applications - Laura Schraw stated applications are due July 1st and she stated there is a long memo attached with detailed information to discuss. Bristol Bay 65 grant would have to add things the city doesn't have like a stake park to qualify. The board discussed what things could be brought to Yorkville Parks. Scott stated at Bristol Bay there are only soccer fields not much parking. He stated we could add a concession stand and parking. The board discussed full court basketball court, parking, stake park, concessions with bathrooms. Scott said maybe a jogging trail or exercise based equipment. Scott said tennis courts would be a good thing at Bristol Bay. Amy Cesich stated she likes the idea of basketball courts because the city really doesn't have a lot for older kids. Amy Cesich asked about more water park ideas. Scott said the sewer would be an issue there. 3 Laura said she spoke to the grant administrator and she stated she had not heard when the monies will be awarded. She stated the grant applications that are already in will be awarded, but we won't know until after July 1st. Laura said the city needs to apply for another one before then and if we received a grant, we would withdraw the other one. The board discussed what things they want to apply for and what to ask for. Deb Horaz stated that Riverfront is very important to Yorkville. Scott said we might be stronger reapplying for Riverfront and add some of the things we are talking about. Laura said she will bring it to the next City Council meeting, so if there are issues she will bring it back to the committee as a whole. Amy said a park at Riverfront is very important to the community. Laura said the land acquisitions talked about before are the Bollweg and Woodworth properties. Deb said Ken and I went and talked to them about the Bollweg property and he changed the price. New Business: Pepsi Contract - Laura said the Pepsi contract has been revised. Laura stated it is a good contract for the city and monies went up for us. Motion to approve the Pepsi Contract - Motion made by Amy Cesich and seconded by Seaver Tarulis. Motion was approved. Reports: Director - Laura said she is working on an ITEP grant for street lights from Somanauk Street down to Route 126. She stated she is trying to work out with Caledonia the land cash issue. Laura said a plan is worked out for a Riverfront parking lot being completed. Laura said we might receive a Home Depot grant to improve the community garden area. There will be a volunteer day cleaning up Riverfront Park by Nicor. She said the IDNR said the city needs to put up no fishing signs at the chute. Parks - Scott stated the trail at Raintree was paved today. He said he worked with the Cub Scouts to plant 300 day lilies. Scott said it is tournament season which is going well so far. Scott said a set of bases was stolen from Bridge. The board discussed complaints about weeds in the park. Scott said the city is only doing one treatment per year in the budget. The Tax Dodge Run had a record number of runners this year. Heartland has a new ADA marry go round, which is the first in the country. Additional Business: Deb Horaz said for informational purposes there was ah Adhoc meeting with the YMCA on Monday, May 7, 2012 and the city received a couple of proposals from them. Suspend Regular Meeting to go Into Executive Session: Motion to go suspend regular meeting and go into executive session. Motion made by Kelly Sedgwick and seconded by Amy Cesich. Motion to go into executive session. Motion made by Amy Cesich and seconded by Kelly Sedgwick. Executive Session began. Regular Meeting Called to Order: Meeting was called to order by Deb Horaz at 9:04 p.m. Motion made to go back to regular meeting. Motion made by Amy Cesich and seconded by Kelly Sedgwick. Adjournment: There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:05 p.m. Motion was made by Amy Cesich and seconded by Seaver Taurus. 4 Minutes Respectfully Submitted by: Lisa Godwin Minute Taker 5