12-17-1979REGULAR MEETING
OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION COMMISSION
December 17, 1979
A regular meeting of the Golden Valley Open Space and Recreation Commission
was held on December 179 1979, at the Brookview Community Center. Members
present: G. Burton Brown, Diane Asproth, Lowell Benson, Charles Burmeister,
Emilie Johnson, Richard Lyons, Raymond Petersen, and Robert Szyman. Members
absent: Rhoda Jaffe. Also in attendance: John Brenna, Charles Corlett,
Carl Vogt, Dean Mooney, and Robert Close.
MINUTES
The minutes of the November 26, 1979, regular meeting were read and approved
with the following amendment. The item number 7 on page 6 is to be deleted
and the items are to be renumbered accordingly.
PARK SECURITY REPORT
Officer Dean Mooney from the Golden Valley Police Department distributed a
frequency count of the offenses recorded per type of offense per park. He
noted that the relative frequency of the offenses were at or below last year's
level. There is no out of the ordinary behavior in the parks. He stated,
however, that statistics don't reflect strong armed robberies which are charged
to the classes and street address of the occurance. These he estimated
between five and ten a year. He also felt that there is no general trend of
increasing offenses, and that there is, if anything, a negative correlation
between burglaries and the increase in miles of trail in Golden Valley.
INTRODUCTION OF NEW RECREATION SUPERINTENDENT
John Brenna introduced Charles Corlett, the new Recreation Superintendent;
his previous position was in New Brighton, and he brings considerable expertise
to the position.
UP DATE ON NATURE AREAS
Carl Vogt and Robert Close reported on the progress they were making toward
fulfilling their present assignment. Their first objective was to set up a
schematic plan and management recommendations; i.e. plant species, costs,
and instructions for development of City owned parcels. Their second was
to make recommendations on schematics, management, and purchase of privately
owned open space. The basic concept was to capitalize on the things that
make the area unique, and to maintain and develop the qualities of the parcels
for people to enjoy. Their basic idea was to cmntinue with the linear
concept to join the parcels together. They are inventoring the parcels and
will make recommendations on 12 City owned parcels and 15 private parcels
with the idea of determining which of those parcels should be save for open
space and which of those do not fit into the overall scheme. Burt Brown
suggested that the colaboratives look at the trail system as it relates to
the open space system. It was recommended that Vogt and Close be prepared
to report back to the Commission in January regarding their recommendations.
Open Space and Recreation Commision
page two
REVIEW SCHEDULED ATHLETIC ASSOCIATIONS MEETINGS
The Commission decided to meet with the various community athletic
associations. The following months for meetings were designated: January,
Hockey Association; February, Babe Ruth Baseball; March, Little League.
Corlett briefly reviewed his idea to develop executive committees comprised
of presidents and vice presidents of the youth and adult sports organizations
to solve some of the problems such as conflicting sports season.
DUTCH ELM
John Brenna presented an update on the Dutch Elm disease program. The state
has appropriated $15,896.92 to Golden Valley to help home owners offset ex—
penses incurred in cutting down these Elm trees. The formula presented for
reimbursement was based on the diameter of the tree at breast height. The
total reimbursement to homeowners using this formula will be $15,577.10,
based on $1.90 per diameter inch. It was noted that the funds from the State
were not to be used to reimburse the City or the railroad for their trees.
Motion: Robert Szyman oved to accept the Dutch Elm disease program
recommendation and to pass it on to the City Council. It was the concensus
of the Commission that the present formula was extremely fair.
HENNEPIN COUNTY REGIONAL TRAIL
John Brenna gave a brief review of the Hennepin County concept of a regional
trail. This proposed trail system would form a loop around the west side of
Minneapolis. Different sections of the trail would be put to different types
of uses based on the surrounding environment. Hennepin County is looking
at the southern linkup of the loop, and pursuing a cooperative venture with
Golden Valley to include its bike trails as part of the system. It was John
Brenna's suggestion that the county look at the railroad right of way as a
better alternative to the Golden Valley trail system as the southern linkup
for the trail.
COMMISSION'S REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
Chairman Brown reported that during the December 3rd Ciy Council meeting, he
presented both the Commission's report and the Brookview Study report. The
Council accepted both reports with a note to furnish the task in 90 days.
This final report is to be in written form and include a cost estimate.
All this is to be accomplished by March 1st.
An. InIIRNMFNT
The meeting was adjourned at 10:37 p.m.
Chairman Brown Vice Chairman Jaffe