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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2001-06-29 Minutes, City CommissionMINUTES OF THE SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CITY COMMISSION BOZEMAN, MONTANA June 29, 2001 The Commission of the City of Bozeman met in special session in the Commission Room, Municipal Building, on Friday, June 29, 2001, at 9:00 a.m. Present were Mayor Youngman, Commissioner Frost, Commissioner Kirchhoff, City Attorney Luwe and Clerk of the Commission Sullivan. Commission Brown and Commissioner Smiley were absent. Authorize absence of Commissioners Brown and Smiley from this meeting, in compliance with Section 7-3-4322(2), M.C.A. It was moved by Commissioner Frost, seconded by Commissioner Kirchhoff, that the absences of Commissioner Brown and Commissioner Smiley from this meeting be approved in compliance with Section 7-3-4322(2), Montana Code Annotated. The motion carried by the following Aye and No vote: those voting Aye being Commissioner Frost, Commissioner Kirchhoff and Mayor Youngman; those voting No, none. Sieninq of Notice of Special Meeting Each Commissioner, in turn, signed the Notice of Special Meeting. Commission Resolution No. 3450 - authorizinq application for Land and Water Conservation Fund Assistance for Rose Park disc .qolf course Distributed just prior to the meeting were copies of Commission Resolution No. 3450, as approved by the City Attorney, entitled: COMMISSION RESOLUTION NO. 3450 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF BOZEMAN, MONTANA, AUTHORIZING APPLICATION FOR LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND ASSISTANCE. Ms. Kate Gardner, member of the Recreation and Parks Advisory Board and preparer of the grant application, provided a brief overview of the application. She noted that the proposal is to develop Rose Park primarily as a disc golf course, thus allowing for elimination of the course in Lindley Park. She stated the new course will have some interesting features, including large scale, tough sculptures and possibly "artifacts of the industrial or agricultural variety". She noted that these objects will provide both visual interest and multiple obstacles along the course. A considerable amount of berming is proposed for the park, as well as landscaping, primarily with native vegetation. This application also includes trails through the park, some of which are links in the "Main Street to the Mountains" trail system, a parking lot and restrooms. Ms. Gardner stated that this will be the only park in the northern part of the city with native plantings. She noted that, as the northwest quadrant of the city grows and as developments continue around this parkland, it is hoped parkland dedications will expand the size of Rose Park. She suggested that the additional parkland could be developed with more trails, a children's playground, a pavilion, picnic tables and benches. She noted that a wide variety of active and passive recreational activities have been anticipated in this park, and suggested that the berms for the disc golf course could double as sledding hills for young children in the winter. 06-29-2001 Special -2- Responding to Commissioner Kirchhoff, Ms. Gardner stated that the first step is delineation and mapping of the wetlands in Rose Park. The next step will be the construction of the berms and, hopefully, by March or April the trees can be planted. Further responding to Commissioner Kirchhoff, Ms. Gardner stated that under the Commission's previous action, an interim location for disc golf was to be provided and the course removed from Lindley Park. She noted that no interim location has been identified, and the course in Rose Park will not be done until late next summer. She cautioned that this site cannot also be used for an interim course, since the placement of the baskets or tone poles would interfere with construction of the permanent course. Mayor Youngman suggested that the Commission change the deadline previously established for removal of the course in Lindley Park, based on approval of this plan and commitment of a location and monies. Commissioner Kirchhoff noted that the Commission had previously identified a couple possible locations for an interim course, those being the City's land near the old Highland Boulevard and the East Gallatin Recreation Area. Ms. Gardner responded that, while the disc golfers would love a course near the old Highland Boulevard, Superintendent of Facilities and Lands James Goehrung has cautioned this is cemetery land, and the City currently has a lawsuit against it to prohibit any use of that land other than for cemetery purposes. She noted that the local Audubon Society has objected strenuously to disc golf at the East Gallatin Recreation Area because to would disturb prime bird habitat. Ms. Joanne Jennings, Chair of the Recreation and Parks Advisory Board, cautioned that the cemetery land is also used for cross country ski trails; and the two uses could be in conflict with each other. She suggested another alternative location might be the new library land. Commissioner Frost cautioned that the old railroad property has not yet been purchased for a new library; and clean up of that site would interfere with a disc golf course. Mayor Youngman stated that developing of an overall park design around a disc golf course should help to alleviate the conflicts that are encountered when trying to design a course in an existing park. She suggested that the trails, picnic tables and other amenities could be located a safe distance from the course. She noted that there are other things the City would like to have happen on the 20 acres in Rose Park; however, this is the first practical plan submitted for development since the City acquired this parkland in 1986. Commissioner Frost suggested that the disc golf group be required to raise some monies for this project, citing the recent development of the skate park as an example of public/private cooperation. Ms. Kate Gardner stated that this grant application includes the materials and construction of the berms, parking lot and restrooms. The rest of the labor is to be donated; and that represents a significant portion of the overall project. She noted there is also a small amount in the grant for identifying the wetlands area and identifying the native plants that would best be planted on this site. Mayor Youngman noted that the disc golfers have submitted applications for monies from the $75,000 for park development contained in the capital improvement program, but the Recreation and Parks Advisory Board has been unable to recommended approval of their project because they had no location. She noted that the group now has a location, however all of the monies for Fiscal Year 2001-2002 have already been committed. As a result, she suggested that the Commission commit the $75,000 from Fiscal Year 2002-2003 be committed to this project. She noted that the City has funded 26 different park projects over the past three years from this funding source, in the form of matching monies to various groups, and it seems appropriate to now commit those monies to a project of this magnitude. She concluded by suggesting that the Commission could simply commit $75,000 to the project without identifying the source at this time, thus giving the next Commission more latitude in funding the commitment. 06-29-2001 Special -3- Responding to Commissioner Kirchhoff, Ms. Gardner indicated the cap on Land and Water Conservation Fund grants is $50,000 and that amount, if combined with $75,000 from the City, would leave $25,000 to be raised through other sources. She stressed the importance of requiring the group to participate in all aspects of the project, including raising a portion of the monies. It was moved by Commissioner Kirchhoff, seconded by Commissioner Frost, that the Commission designate $75,000 from the parkland development funds for Fiscal Year 2002-2003 for the purpose of initial construction of Rose Park. The motion carried by the following Aye and No vote: those voting Aye being Commissioner Kirchhoff, Commissioner Frost and Mayor Youngman; those voting No, none. Commissioner Kirchhoff stated it is nice to see Rose Park become a reality, noting that this portion of the community is in need of a developed park area. Ms. Kate Gardner stressed that, while the disc golf course is being constructed at this time, Rose Park is to be a multi-use park. She indicated that she has diagrams of how the park is anticipated to develop, and suggested that the berms could be used to minimize conflicts between uses. She cautioned that a disc golf course typically needs 1 Y2 acres per hole, and this course will be constructed with 1 acre per hole. She noted that, to adequately serve the needs of the community in the future, it may be necessary to expand the size of the course, particularly since a portion of the existing park is wetlands area. It was moved by Commissioner Frost, seconded by Commissioner Kirchhoff, that Commission Resolution No. 3450, authorizing submittal of an application for Land and Water Conservation Fund assistance for the Rose Park disc golf course, be adopted. The motion carried by the following Aye and No vote: those voting Aye being Commissioner Frost, Commissioner Kirchhoff and Mayor Youngman; those voting No, none. Adiournment - 9:25 a.m. There being no further business to come before the Commission at this time, it was moved by Commissioner Kirchhoff, seconded by Commissioner Frost, that the meeting be adjourned. The motion carried by the following Aye and No vote: those voting Aye being Commissioner Kirchhoff, Commissioner Frost and Mayor Youngman; those voting No, none. MARCIA B. YOUNG~ ATTEST: Clerk of the Commission 06-29-2001 Special