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City of Hastings Natural Resources and Recreation Commission Minutes January 10, 2006 6:00 pm 1)Roll Call at 6 pm: Commissioners Christenson, Brown, Rohloff, Schommer and Vandehoef, Parks and Recreation Director Bernstein and Superintendent Smith. Absent: Commissioners Popp and Vaughan. 2)Approved December meeting minutes. Motion by Brown. Seconded by Christenson. Passed unanimously. 3)Director Bernstein welcomed Commissioner Brian Schommer to the NRRC as the newest member. 4)Setting Agenda: Commissioner Christenson informed the NRRC that he had received a letter from Tecla Karpen from the Hastings Environmental Protectors and requested that it be read during the discussion of Featherstone Oaks. 5)Director Bernstein handed out departmental updates to the NRRC members for their review. 6)Levee Park Update: Director Bernstein has received information from Bonestroo related to the conceptual design structure. At this time, there are no actual plans, but we have received a timeline related to the project. The goal is to have something set by the next construction season this spring. 7)2006 NRRC Goals: The NRRC decided to table this issue until the February meeting when all of the commissioners could be present. 8)Featherstone Oaks Development: The letter from Ms. Karpen which expressed concern about the destruction of trees on the property was read to the NRRC. Superintendent Smith shared with the NRRC how the Tree Preservation Guidelines / Plan are reviewed by himself and the City Forester before submitting recommendations to the Planning Department. In this case, the recommendation from the Parks & Recreation Department was to not approve the plan as presented. Superintendent Smith and the City Forester felt the plan was not detailed enough and recommended that the contractor hire an arborist to oversee the plan and preservation of the various trees. Director Bernstein mentioned that these are just guidelines, not hard and fast rules, and so our recommendation doesn’t carry a large amount of weight. Commissioner Brown stated that the weight of our recommendation should be with the Planning Department in the initial stages. The other issue involving Featherstone Oaks is whether to request land (11%) or cash dedication. MOTION: Commissioner Rohloff motioned to receive cash dedication in lieu of land for the Featherstone Oaks Development. Seconded by Commissioner Schommer. Approved unanimously. MOTION: Commissioner Brown motioned that the NRRC supports staff’s recommendation to decline the Tree Preservation Plan dated December 21, 2005 for Featherstone Oaks. Seconded by Commissioner Vandehoef. Approved unanimously. 9)Facility Use Fees – Aquatic Center: Director Bernstein showed the NRRC a proposal from Darbie Johnson, the Aquatic Center Manager, to adjust fees at the Aquatic Center to be more comparable with other facilities in the area. One issue that was discussed was the opening date for this year. In the past, the Aquatic Center has opened Memorial Day weekend and then closed down again until school was out. This creates a cost of about $4,000 to open and maintain the pool while it is not being used. The attendance on Memorial Day weekend has not been high enough to warrant this extra cost. So, it is being proposed that ndth our opening date be June 2 and our closing date be August 27. This is in line with what other facilities in the area are doing. Also discussed in the proposal were slight admission increases, the addition of family passes and punch cards instead of season passes, and the elimination of Saturday morning swim lessons with evening classes being offered instead. MOTION: Commissioner Rohloff motioned to accept the proposal for the Hastings Family Aquatic Center as written. Seconded by Commissioner Brown. Approved unanimously.