2004-09-13
Official Minutes
Approved by Parks and Recreation Board 10/11/04
1 CITY OF SOUTHLAKE
2 PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD MEETING
3
4 September 13, 2004
5 MINUTES
6
7 Board Members Present: Bobby Rawls, Chairman; Frank Cornish, Vice-Chair; Mary
8 Georgia, Secretary; Elaine Cox, Emily Galpin, Liz Durham, Mike Mills, Katrina Peebles,
9 and Cara White.
10
1 I Board Members Absent: None
12
13 Staff Members Present: Malcolm Jackson, Director of Community Services; Steve
14 Polasek, Deputy Director of Community Services, Chris Carpenter, Senior Park Planner
15 and Steve Moore, Recreation Superintendent.
16
17 REGULAR SESSION
18
19 Agenda Item No. 1. Call to Order
20
21 Chairman Rawls called the meeting to order at 7:10 p.m.
22
23 REPORTS
24
25 Agenda Item No. 4. Administrative Comments
26
27 The following administrative comments were announced:
28
29 A. Playground at Bob Jones Park - The Southlake Girls Softball Association
30 (SGSA) is investigating options to fund the playground and softball plaza
31 development and will present a request to the Board at a future meeting.
32 SGSA hosted their first tournament at Bob Jones Park complex this
33 weekend, which was a tremendous success. Batting cages have been
34 completed and shade structures are nearing completion.
35
36 B. Park and Recreation Board minutes streamlined - Staff will provide
37 condensed minutes for each of its boards, committees, commissions
38 meetings. Future plans also include the use of digital recordings. Cassette
39 tape recordings of all board meetings will continue to be available to the
40 Board and public through the Office of the City Secretary.
41
42 CONSENT AGENDA
43
44 Agenda Item No. 3-A. Approval of the Southlake Parks and Recreation Board meeting
45 minutes of August 9, 2004.
46
September 13, 2004 Parks Board Meeting Minutes Page 1 of 6
Official Minutes
Approved by Parks and Recreation Board 10/11/04
1 A motion was made to approve the August 9, 2004 meeting minutes [with one
2 revision].
3 Motion: Cornish
4 Second: Galpin
5 Ayes: Cornish, Cox, Durham, Georgia, Galpin, Mills, Peebles, Rawls and White
6 Nays: None
7 Abstention: None
8 Vote: 9-0
9 Motion carried.
10
11 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON CONSENT ITEMS
12
13 Agenda Item No. 3-A. Approval of the August 9, 2004 meeting minutes. Minutes were
14 approved with a revision to add a comment to Agenda Item 5-E, Proposed FY 2004-05 to
15 FY 2008-09 SPDC Capital Improvement Plan and FY 04-05 Capital Budget. Ms. Peebles
16 requested that surveys be conducted earlier and the results be made available prior to
17 Park Board review of the CIP.
18
19 REGULAR AGENDA
20
21 Agenda Item No. 4. Public Forum
22
23 Chairman Rawls opened the Public Forum by reading the provisions for a public forum.
24 No one was present to speak during Public Forum at this time.
25
26 Public Forum was closed.
27
28 Agenda Items No. 5-A. Absence of Parks and Recreation Board members (standing
29 item
30
31 The Board considered the planned absence of Park Board member Elaine Cox from the
32 August 9, 2004 meeting due to a summer vacation.
33
34 A motion was made to excuse the absence of Elaine Cox at the August 9, 2004 Park
35 Board meeting.
36 Motion: Durham
37 Second: Peebles
38 Ayes: Cornish, Cox, Durham, Georgia, Galpin, Mills, Peebles, Rawls and White
39 Nays: None
40 Abstention: None
41 Vote: 9-0
42 Motion carried.
43
44 Agenda Item No. 5-B. Recommendation to City Council for Public Use of the Tucker
45 Propert
X
46
September 13, 2004 Parks Board Meeting Minutes Page 2 of 6
Official Minutes
Approved by Parks and Recreation Board 10/11/04
1 Director Jackson presented a timeline of the proposed plan for transitioning of the Tucker
2 property from a private lease to a public use and requested the Board make a
3 recommendation to forward to City Council.
4
5 The approved SPDC CIP contains an allocation of $60,000 in the FY 04-05 Capital
6 Budget, plus $10,000 in existing FY 03-04 funds to prepare the property for public use.
7 Use of the ranch house by the public is expected to cost approximately $4,000. It is also
8 anticipated to cost $25,000 annually to cover the equivalent of one full-time staff person
9 for grounds and building maintenance.
10
11 A SPIN meeting will be coordinated to present the details of the transition plan; however,
12 as of this meeting, a date for the SPIN meeting has not been established.
13
14 Discussion:
15
16 The Board discussed general issues associated with conversion of the Tucker building
17 into a center that would house the nature center - timeline, programming, operations and
18 maintenance questions, the involvement of community groups, the existing size of rooms
19 and layout of the building and oversight responsibilities for the events held at the facility.
20
21 During the Board's discussion of the timeline, it was determined that since the
22 architectural design could be impacted by the uses of the facility, it is essential to have a
23 recommendation of the types of programming and user needs, excluding the fundamental
24 changes to the building required to meet ADA and City requirements. A committee of
25 three BJNC members will conduct a tour of the Tucker property to ascertain the existing
26 layout and develop a proposed recommendation of uses prior to the SPIN meeting.
27
28 Carol Lee Hamilton, 1210 Cross Timber Drive, Southlake, Vice President of the Bob
29 Jones Park Nature Center (BJNQ, spoke in favor the transition timeline of the Tucker
30 property to public use and lauded past and present Park Boards for their sensitivity to the
31 development of a nature center. Ms. Hamilton highlighted the need for the BJNC and
32 other community groups that will use the facility to provided input into the design of the
33 facility so that the space can function for many joint uses. BJNC will provide a list of
34 some of the needs they may want to request that are essential to a nature center, such as
35 storage space, convertible classroom space, ante-room with counter or desk. Ms.
36 Hamilton said the fundamental need of the BJNC is to have a place for the nature center,
37 then programming can be established with the development of a strategic plan.
38
39 Cindy Gaither, 403 Valverde Court, Southlake, BJNC member, talked about possible
40 programming development, such as scout programs, assorted nature walks geared for
41 specific audiences, photography workshops, junior national programs, science classes and
42 stressed the need to have a facility so that the programming can be coordinated.
43
44 Concluding the discussion, Chairman Rawls asked Ms. White to contact Mr. Carter (the
45 current lessee) and city staff to arrange a site tour and Carol Lee Hamilton to recruit three
September 13, 2004 Parks Board Meeting Minutes Page 3 of 6
Official Minutes
Approved by Parks and Recreation Board 10/11/04
1 BJNC members to take tour and to prepare their recommendations before the SPIN
2 meeting.
3
4 A motion was made that the Park Board, as a board, recommend to City Council
5 that these future dates [as presented on the timeline] be adhered to for development
6 of the Tucker property into a nature center at Bob Jones Park.
7 Motion: Georgia
8 Second: Durham
9 Ayes: Cornish, Cox, Durham, Georgia, Galpin, Mills, Peebles, Rawls and White
10 Nays: None
11 Abstention: None
12 Vote: 9-0
13 Motion carried.
14
15 Senior Park Planner Chris Carpenter will email a copy of the slide presentation to each
16 Board member.
17
18 Agenda Item No. 6-A. Election of Officers for Parks and Recreation Board
19
20 Director Jackson provided background information about the election of officers and
21 requested the Board's input as to whether an amendment to the ordinance is desired to
22 modify the current process.
23
24 The current ordinance requires that board members select officers at the first meeting
25 following the annual appointment by city council and that the officers shall serve for one-
26 year terms. An opinion presented by the City Attorney clarified that officers shall serve a
27 minimum term of one-year. Therefore, election of officers did not occur after the 2004
28 appointments by the council. Election of officers will occur either after the ordinance is
29 amended or after appointments by council in 2005.
30
31 Mr. Mills offered that elections could have been held at the July board meeting, but the
32 results could not have been effective until August.
33
34 Agenda Item No. 6-B. Parks and Trails User Survey for Master Plan Updates
35
36 Director Jackson said staff recently sent out Requests for Proposals (RFPs) to conduct the
37 2004 Parks and Trails User Survey in advance of the updates to the master plans and has
38 received five proposals to review. Staff's choice is Decision Analyst to perform the
39 random telephone survey.
40
41 The Board offered the following suggestions concerning the general content of the survey
42 questions:
43
44 1. The survey was too long and repetitive. Changes are needed to questions 8, 10,
45 11, and 13.
46
September 13, 2004 Parks Board Meeting Minutes Page 4 of 6
Official Minutes
Approved by Parks and Recreation Board 10/11/04
1 2. Activities not included on the previous survey that need to be included are:
2 lacrosse, peewee football, in-line skating, volleyball or "other."
3
4 3. Keep survey brief.
5
6 Staff will review the final survey to ensure conformity to the Park Board's
7 recommendations prior to the survey being conducted.
8
9 Board members requested a copy of the "raw" results after the survey is conducted in
10 advance of the official results.
11
12 Agenda Item No. 6-C. Master Plan and Trails Plan Update Process Review
13
14 Director Jackson presented the "Parks Master Plan and Trail System Master Plan Update
15 Schedule" timeline and answered questions from the Board regarding the content and
16 proposed timing of the updates. The timeline explained the various steps involved in
17 updating the "Parks, Recreation and Open Space Master Plan" and the "Southlake
18 Pathways - Trail System Master Plan." A copy of the schedule is attached to the
19 approved minutes on file with the Office of the City Secretary.
20
21 Board members would like to address the problem of having fragmented information by
22 receiving copies of the comments/notes input by the public that are received during
23 presentations of the plans during meetings with sports associations, SPIN or other
24 meetings. Staff will provide a monthly update report in Park Board meeting packets.
25
26 Mr. Mills asked that Park Board hold a work session once the draft copy of the updated
27 plans become available in February 2005 to allow for a detailed review of the plans.
28
29 Park Board Grant Writing Training Classes - UTA will offer two grant writing training
30 classes open to Park Board members. The classes cover information on researching grant
31 opportunities and successful writing techniques used in submitting grant applications.
32 Ms. Georgia and Ms. White will attend the two classes.
33
34 Agenda Item No. 7. Liaison Reports
35 Board members reviewed the following:
36
37 (a) Recreation/Special Events - Southlake Saturday Nite event was extremely
38 successful and attended by 505 youth.
39
40 (b) Youth Sports Associations - Sign-ups are underway for hockey and coach
41 look. Soccer season started last weekend with baseball and flag football
42 starting next Saturday, September 18. Over 320 lacrosse players have
43 signed up for the fall season. Volleyball leagues are now underway with
44 about 200 participants.
45
September 13, 2004 Parks Board Meeting Minutes Page 5 of 6
Official Minutes
Approved by Parks and Recreation Board 10/11/04
1 (c) Community Groups - A board/director training seminar will be held
2 sometime in November to provide information about operating non-profit
3 organizations. All Southlake community organizations will be invited.
4 Information will be distributed at a later date.
5
6 Repairs at Liberty Garden have been completed. Board members were
7 invited to visit the Garden.
8
9 (d) SPIN - September 14, 2004, 7:00, 3rd floor Training Rooms - SPIN Town
10 Hall Meeting: Regional Economic Forum.
11 "~'(e
12 (e) - Ne'wkamGeml~cb~ers ~t~o
SPDC were John Terrell, Erin Shoupp, John
13 usralla, Virginia Muzyka and Craig Rothmeier.
14
15 (f) JUC - Members requested a copy of the Joint Use Analysis Report.
16
17 (g) City Council Monthly Report - Cara White will trade assignments with
18 Bobby Rawls and present the Park Board Report at the October 5 City
19 Council meeting. Mr. Rawls will handle the March report to council.
20
21 Agenda Item No. 8. Adjournment
22
23 A motion was made to adjourn the meeting at 9:09 p.m.
24
25 Motion: Cox
26 Second: Mills
27 Ayes: Cornish, Cox, Durham, Galpin, Mills, Rawls, Peebles, and White
28 Nays: None
29 Abstention: None
30 Vote: 7-0
31 ried.
32
33
34
35 Bobby Ra s
36 Parks & Recreation Board Chair
37
38
39
40 Mary Georgia
41 Parks & Recreation Board Secretary
42
43 Attachments: (Attached to approved meeting minutes on file with the City Secretary)
44 Item 6-C. Timeline for master plan updates
45 '~on.~c..r S*w ~-Y 40-o
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September 13, 2004 Parks Board Meeting Minutes Page 6 of 6
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City of Southlake
Park User Survey
2 ze
Please take a moment to answer the following important questions about Southlake Parks and
Recreation. Please answer as indicated and your responses will be automatically sent to the Parks Department. Your
responses will be very valuable in helping Southlake's officials during this year's update of the Parks, Recreation and
Open Space Master Plan and the city's Trail Master Plan.
1. How often do you visit the city park? Daily-- 15 Weekly=61 Monthly=38 Yearly=4
2. Our family participates or desires to participate in: (check all that apply)
83=Jogging/Walking 34=Adventure Alley 45=Bicycling 29=Baseball
70=Hiking/Nature-walks 34=Other playgrounds 7=BMX 8=Lacrosse
20=Gardening 4=Senior Center Activity 12=Mountain-Biking 25=Basketball
11=Frisbee/Disc-Golf 35=Pet Activity 19=Volleyball 7=Hockey
29=Bird-watching 9=Sport-Swimming 29=Horseback Riding 35=Soccer
35=Camping 38=Leisure-Swimming 14=Girls Softball 11 =Flag Football
27=Boating/Kayaking 23=Skating/Skateboarding 14=Golf 32=Tennis
33=Kite-flying 43=Fishing 3=Peewee Football 7=Adult Softball
Other(specify) (See other side)
3. Which park do/did you enjoy the most? (check all that apply)
2=Koalaty 6=Lonesome Dove 61=Bob Jones 15=Southlake Sports Complex
5=Noble Oaks 2=Royal and Annie Smith 71=Bicentennial 6=Liberty Park at Sheltonwood
2=Chesapeake 16=Equestrian (Corps of Engineer area) 25=Rustin and Family (Town Square)
4. Number of children in family: 27=None 9=One 50=Two 26=Three 13=Four +
5. Children Ages (check all that apply): 13=Not Applicable 22=Under 5 59=6-10 50=11-15 29=16+
6. Please indicate your age range for demographic purposes:
15=18 & Under 8=19-34 55=35- 44 39=45-54 0=55-64 1=65 or older
7. Please indicate your sex for demographic purposes: 39=Male 78=Female
8. Initials: (Needed to verify survey origin) Date:
9. Other comments?: _(See other side)
10. (OPTIONAL INFORMATION): Contact data
Name: E-mail: Phone:
Southlake Parks and Recreation - 400 N. White Chapel - Southlake, Texas 76092
E-mail: ccarpenter(a)ci.south Iake.tx.us Phone: 817-481-1585 Fax: 817-481-1594
i Question #2 (other comments):
Hanging out; dog park; star gazing; picnic areas.
Question #9 (other comments):
• We enjoy the wildness of the park, but would enjoy a walking path along the western edge of the meadow
The parks in Southlake need more mountain biking/hiking trails
• Southlake needs much more undeveloped passive park land. Too much emphasis is placed on lighted athletic
fields that reduce our quality of life and are used by a limited number of residents. We need a lot more small
local undeveloped neighborhood parks.
• We love the fishing dock and pavilion at Bob Jones Park. It is nice that the restrooms are open and clean
whatever time of day we fish (early morn or early eve). We live near Chesapeake Park and my children fish
there almost daily.
• Our parks need to be developed. We have recreational fields, but, not much for the general citizens.
• Too many ball fields. Not enough park facilities for everyone to use. We need more places for families to
spend quality time outside of the minority that participate in organized sports.
• Please develop parks for Southlake.
• We want treed, shady developed-marked trails where families can go and spend quality time.
• No more ball fields spend money on park amenities that all of the citizens will be able to use.
• The fields at Bicentennial are in terrible condition. We have played tournament ball all summer and every park
we have been to has manicured fields (including batting cage and practice field areas) that are beautiful. Then
you come to Southlake
• 1 wish there were more nature trails and open park spaces.... and wonderful playgrounds for the kids! I have
lived here for 3 years from Washington state and miss the family parks....... there is no place for a family picnic
except for Bicentennial.
• We moved to Southlake specifically for the equestrian trails. Is there any way to create some type of message _
board so that we could locate other folks we could ride with?
• Southlake Parks seem to have a sufficient budget to develop the park system BUT the supporting service
(public work) does not seem to be able to keep up the growth.
• Of particular concern is growth of Bob Jones.
• Along with city parks, we would *love* to have a bike trail that connects Continental and the Hwy 26 bike trail
along Brumlow. The sidewalk ends, and families are left with absolutely no shoulder to circumvent all the traffic.
• We most use Bicentennial Park because it is the closest to us. But, we would be very interested in parks that
have more natural shade (so can be used more often); and parks that have natural hiking and biking trails. This
is something we do with our children.
We really enjoy the passive use of the park. Today my 2 year old and I had lunch in the pond pavilion then
played on the playground. It is great for one on one time together.
• Soft surfaces ONLY for trails please. No concrete. Concrete is entirely inappropriate for running or walking as
it creates shin splints and many other injuries. Even asphalt is much better than concrete.
• You have come very close to turning Bob Jones into another Bicentennial. We tried for years to work on
compromises that left this park passive & nature laden. Your softball fields have demonstrated that you do not
share the nature orientation.
• Bicentennial Park needs to be better maintained. We like the wide open space at Bob Jones and wish that the
bike and hike trail would hurry and get completed throughout the city. I think this would encourage families to
get out and do more physically
• We enjoy the SL parks, and see opportunity for continued growth. Picnic areas & possible shelter structure
would be nice for Noble Oaks. Our entire family including 4 children enjoy the excellent sports fields & Tennis
Facilities.
• Trails need to be completed in some of the parks where they can be better utilized for bikes & appropriate
parking added, instead of replacing the ones that are used by walkers, runners, pet walkers & equestrians.
We are strongly in favor of retaining natural surface trails for walking, jogging, birding, nature observation and
lake access. We are strongly opposed to the continued increase in fund spent to destroy these existing areas
• The open park land in Southlake is what makes it unique from the neighboring cities. We would like to do
everything in our power to keep it that way.
• Always take grandson to Bob Jones Park when he is here. He loves it.
• My husband and I like the open spaces and walking trails at Bob Jones. We are glad they decided to make Bob
Jones more of a nature park. Not too many of those around.
• We use the parks primarily for baseball. Having the fields open for practice and games would be great. The
Southlake Sports Complex needs to have the fields leveled so that there are not as many ruts and holes. The
boys could twist ankles.
• Parks are currently meeting my needs. Even though I enjoy a wide variety of activities, they are not and do not
need to be met in Southlake. I have no desire to camp here for example, in the midst of the air pollution, ozone
and smog of the Metroplex.
We have found only one pond stocked with fish for fishing. We are a very sports oriented family. All the boys
participate in youth sports year round and family free time is spent playing sports together.
Our baseball fields need major improvements. We travel to many other fields in our surrounding area and we
have found Southlake Fields to be below standard. The fields are not groomed, watered, and kept mowed.
• Parks need to migrate from being mowed to really maintained as sporting facilities. The baseball fields at
Bicentennial are in poor condition. Colleyville fields are what we should have. The practice fields are so poorly
maintained that they are dangerous.
• I would like a nice park to go walking in - preferably in wooded areas.
• The irrigation at Bicentennial Park is very poor. The watering is particularly poor in the outfield areas. Does the
city fertilize the fields? How often?
• The practice fields at Southlake Sports Complex are poorly maintained if maintained at all.
• As I travel around to different soccer and baseball facilities our parks are generally second rate. For example,
Colleyville has great baseball and soccer fields. Oak Grove Park in Grapevine is a fine soccer park. Please
work to improve the quality.
• Southlake needs to balance between active and passive activities in its parks. We do not have to develop
every square inch of park for some kind of active sport.
• 1 really think we should have better ball parks, when you look at what's out there, ours rates pretty low, and we
pay the highest taxes around.
• Love the parks! Like Camp Mania for the little ones... great job!
• 1 would like to see some access to free tennis courts in the parks. I have never lived in a community where the
school tennis courts were locked and the parks did not have open tennis courts.
• It would be wonderful to have a water park in Southlake!!! (Just a small portion like Dove Park in Grapevine).
We do love Bicentennial and Bob Jones - they are great.
It would be wonderful to have water fountains at Noble Oaks park, along with benches & picnic tables,
playground, a cookout area, nature walk, etc.
• 1 think a water park is an excellent idea. However, I think a dog park and a recreation center should take
priority.
• 1 would love to see more nature trails.
My son has played baseball at Bicentennial Park for the last two seasons. I am also an SBA board member and
have "Field duty" once to twice per week during the seasons. The condition of the fields and the surrounding
areas, IE, batting cages/warmup areas (ran out of space)
• Southlake needs a recreation center. I lived in Hurst about 20 years ago, and they had one back then.
Grapevine has a center that is 6 years old. Keller has an awesome center now. So, we are about 23 years
behind. SAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
• Enjoy the corp. of eng. horse trails for walking. We do trash pick up of lake debris and hiking/riding debris.
Would like a place to take our dogs to be able to run and play with other dogs A place that they were made
welcome.
• 1 enjoy Bob Jones Park immensely. Hope you will not overcrowd it with fields so that we can continue to enjoy
it.
Please sign this form if you would like to speak
during PUBLIC FORUM.
Park Board Meeting
Monday, September 13, 2004
N e Tease Tint) Address Phone or Email Topic
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