The meeting was called to order by Committee Chairman Dave Barrons at 2:03 p.m.

Transcription

1 Leelanau County Parks and Recreation Commission Veronica Valley Steering Committee Wednesday, September 20, :00 p.m. Leelanau County Government Center, Suttons Bay, Michigan Tentative Minutes Meeting Recorded The meeting was called to order by Committee Chairman Dave Barrons at 2:03 p.m. Committee Chairman Barrons asked that the Pledge of Allegiance be dispensed with, as it will be recited during the Regular Session, which follows at 3 p.m. Roll Call: Dave Barrons, Committee Chairman Steve Christensen Bob Johnson John Popa Guests present. Approval of Agenda and Late Additions/Deletions: Barrons requested to add updates on the Plamondon fence and prairie to Action Items. Barrons also requested adding approval of the August 16, 2017, minutes. Motion by Christensen to accept the agenda, as amended. Seconded by Popa. Discussion none. Ayes 4 (Christensen, Johnson, Popa, Barrons) No 0 MOTION PASSES. Action Items Approval of Minutes August 16, 2017: Motion by Popa to approve the August 16, 2017, minutes as presented. Seconded by Christensen. Discussion none. Ayes 4 (Popa, Barrons, Christensen, Johnson) No 0 MOTION PASSES.

2 Prairie Update: Committee Chairman Barrons said the US Fish and Wildlife Service has stated that there is not a lot of seed that has come up in the prairie and that they will spread the seed again in the spring. Barrons mentioned that the seed should continue to sprout. Discussion ensued about what plants have grown in the prairie. Barrons mentioned that there was concern about whether the prairie had been sprayed correctly. However, the Fish & Wildlife acknowledge that they are at fault, but are not concerned with its current state. Barrons said that DNR Fisheries Biologist Heather Hettinger would walk around Veronica Valley with him sometime this fall. Barrons sent Hettinger pictures and she does not seem concerned. Discussion ensued on the types of seeds will be sprayed. Plamondon Fence: Barrons said that two-thirds of the fence is right in the middle of vegetation. Christensen noted that removing the fence is looking to be a lot more difficult. Ron Plamondon, adjacent property owner, said he is willing to help the committee. Plamondon said he was walking the fence last night and there is a spot where a deer has apparently gone through, and now there is a hole. He mentioned that the cedars farthest to the north have died on the bottom and now there are just branches, which make a clearer path. Plamondon noted that he was surprised to see that. Popa commented deer only need stretches of holes so that they can go through. Plamondon noted that he was thinking about going in with bolt cutters at the edge of each post, grab on to it with a tractor, and pull it straight out. Plamondon stated he does not care if the fence post remains in the ground. Discussion ensued on the section of fence surrounded by roselow crab. Popa suggested the Committee pick a day to start the removal. Plamondon said it might be easier to do the removal in the spring, but it can be attempted earlier. Discussion ensued on what day the Committee should remove the fence. Popa suggested the removal be between October 15 th and November 1 st. The Committee agreed that the tentative date to remove the fence would be on October 18 th at 9 a.m. Maintenance Worker Scott Bradley said he would talk to Maintenance Director Jerry Culman about the fence removal. Johnson noted that the removal might be easier if the fence is cut at every other post and the chain is put around the post in the middle. Discussion ensued on the best way to remove the fence. Plamondon stated that he believes the fence removal will not be hard to do. Plamondon and Popa remarked that they both have a set of bolt cutters. Discussion ensued on what tractor the Committee will use to remove the fence. If Plamondon cannot get his tractor back before October 18 th, the Committee would talk to Culman. The Committee and Plamondon will discuss whether or not a tractor is needed a week prior to the removal date. Input on Conceptual Plan: Barrons stated that Gosling Czubak Environmental Sciences, Inc., walked around Veronica Valley Park and added to the conceptual plan. Barrons said he would like to hear more ideas the Committee has regarding the plan. 2

3 Barrons also discussed the possibility of a fishing dock or changing the shape of the embankment for safety reasons. He noted that a dock would get higher points for grants and would be more likely to receive funding. Christensen noted that there is an intense competition for grants and that the Committee should obtain as many points with the conceptual plan as possible. Christensen discussed the previous grant application for purchase of Veronica Valley. Allowing hunting in the park was critically important in obtaining points and winning the grant. Barrons said he thought that was required of all Land Trust Funds that were passive activity. Popa asked if applying for a grant requires the approval of construction for the dock or if the Committee would receive credit for the existing bridge. Barrons replied that it would need construction of the dock. Christensen reiterated that if the fishing dock concept were revitalized, the Committee could receive more points for other grant projects. Committee Chairman Barrons noted there are no DNR grants for moving dirt and reshaping the embankment. The DNR does acknowledge, however, that fishing docks in support of kids fishing day are a huge point getter. Discussion ensued about whether the Committee should construct the dock. Christensen stated that Gosling Czubak could add items to the conceptual plan that would assist in grant applications. Christensen said he believes the Committee should build the dock. Barrons noted that additional points are available if the dock is universally accessible, as opposed to ADA. Anything done with that grant money would have to be ADA approved. Part of the expense with universal accessibility is that it would require the entire pathway from the major parking access to the dock to be universally accessible. Christensen noted that requires the ability for two wheelchairs to pass easily side-by-side, as well as some other rules. Barrons said that Gosling Czubak is familiar with those guidelines so that would not be an issue. If the Committee decides to move forward with universal accessibility, it would be more costly and would receive more points. Christensen stated that individuals winning grant applications are going beyond the ADA guidelines. Discussion ensued about the uncertainty of the cost of the dock. Popa noted that it would be expensive and would be cheaper for the County to slope the embankment. Christensen said the Committee does not need to decide on the dock right now. Discussion ensued on whether the extra points from the fishing dock are needed at this time. Christensen said that a fix is needed, but questioned whether it would be worth going for the dock and winning other items or just simply reshaping the embankment. Popa asked if the embankment could be called a fishing improvement area. Barrons stated reshaping the embankment would be considered routine maintenance, which would likely receive zero points. Discussion followed about how to determine the costs of reshaping the embankment versus building a dock. Popa mentioned that he was not yet able to go diving at Veronica Valley. He said he would go diving in the spring and produce a sketch for a proposal and quote. Christensen said if it would likely be less than $5,000.00, the Committee could obtain three quotes. However, if it exceeds $5,000.00, the project would have to go out for bids. Discussion ensued on the amount of the Parks budget already spent for Barrons stated the project could be completed next year. Christensen mentioned that the upcoming fence removal would cost money, as well as the hired maintenance through next October. 3

4 Christensen said however the Committee would probably have money to somewhat move forward with the project now. Discussion further ensued on the amount of the remaining budget. Christensen noted that it is a bottom line account. Christensen proposed talking to Klaus Heinert, Project Manager and Landscape Architect with Gosling Czubak, at the public input session to get a handle on what kind of money is needed. Moving the dirt will likely cost less than building the dock. Popa said he ran through several ideas with Don Clarke, owner of a local excavation company. Christensen suggested Popa produce a sketch to get closer to the final plan and then walk through Veronica Valley with Clarke. Barrons noted that a decision should be made by mid-january if the Committee wishes to move forward with a dock. Christensen said that they could cover bases and assume the dock is more expensive. He asked if the Committee could back out of the dock construction if it is decided against at a later date. Barrons replied no. If money for the dock is requested, a dock must be built. Discussion continued regarding the upcoming input session. Christensen said he thinks that a Committee meeting to look at Popa s sketch is unnecessary. Christensen said Popa and Heinert could get a ballpark number in order to make a timely decision. Committee Chairman Barrons noted that projects involving family use, kids fishing day, and education receive more points for grants. Barrons then asked about building the pavilion. Christensen inquired about the deadline for Heinert to have a decision regarding the pavilion. Barrons said the deadline is the end of October. Discussion ensued about the possible turnout for the input session. Christensen stated the Committee must talk with Heinert at the input session in order to find out what he needs and when. Discussion further ensued on future grant applications and what projects to apply for. Christensen mentioned that Heinert would be instrumental in deciding what projects should move forward. Barrons stated the Committee has to prioritize the grant projects. Christensen said he thinks the pavilion is high on the priority list, but noted that the park is pretty needy. Committee Chairman Barrons said the two general wish list items on the five-year plan for Veronica Valley County Park were to build a pavilion and support kids fishing day. At a minimum, Barrons noted that the County would have to make a commitment to pay for half of those items. Christensen mentioned that the County has historically not hesitated. Discussion ensued about previous meetings and the public comment for Indigenous Peoples Day. Johnson asked what size the potential pavilion structure would be and what function would it serve. Christensen said there would be flush toilet restrooms on either side of a utility room, a small meeting room, and a covered picnic table area. Discussion ensued on the plans for the pavilion. Johnson said he did not envision Veronica Valley being used for picnics. Barrons said he would bring up the pavilion topic during the following Commission meeting. Barrons stated that the disability network is strongly in favor of an ADA accessible pathway to the pond with an observation platform of some sort. The disability network believes a large number of their clients would use the pathway. 4

5 Bradley presented photographs of the universally accessible trail located at the Arcadia Bluffs. Photos included trail size, signage, and trail types, cabling on guardrails, boardwalks, rest areas, overlooks, and trail surface. Discussion Items Board Member Comment: Motion by Christensen to adjourn. Seconded by Barrons. Meeting adjourned to the call of the Chairman at 2:58 p.m. Kelsey Moore, Recording Secretary 5