BOISE PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSIONERS MEETING DEPARTMENT OF PARKS & RECREATION THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013 4:00 P.M The Boise Parks & Recreation Commission (Commission) met this date at Boise City Hall in the City Council Chambers. Staff Present: Doug Holloway, Tom Governale, Wendy Larimore, Cheyne Weston, Jerry Pugh, and Dee Oldham. Others Present: Mike Markham, IT, Pat Riceci, Boise City Legal; Kristine Smith, minutes recorder. I. IN THE MATTER OF CALL TO ORDER: Commission President, Patricia Whipps, called the meeting to order at 4:04 p.m. II. III. IN THE MATTER OF ROLL CALL: Commissioners Shelly Alder, Thomas Chandler, Stacie Curry, Scott Raeber, Brad Turpen, Louis Uranga, and Patricia Whipps were present. Commissioner Harvey Neef was absent. ELECTIONS: Doug Holloway, Boise City Parks & Recreation Director, informed the Commission that the agenda was amended to include elections for the Commission President and the Commission Vice President as current Commission President P. Whipps and Commission Vice President S. Curry s terms were set to expire before the next Commission meeting. ACTION: S. ALDER MOVED THAT THE BOISE PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION NOMINATE S. CURRY FOR PRESIDENT. SECONDED BY S. RAEBER. THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. ACTION: B. TURPEN MOVED THAT THE BOISE PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION NOMINATE S. ALDER FOR VICE PRESIDENT. SECONDED BY T. CHANDLER. THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. IV. IN THE MATTER OF NEW BUSINESS: 1. Consent Agenda ACTION: S. RAEBER MOVED THAT THE BOISE PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA CONSISTING OF: BOISE BLUES SOCIETY FOR SUMMER BLUES BEER/WINE SALES FOR JULY 21, 2013, IN JULIA DAVIS PARK, THE HULA HUT CONCESSION LICENSE AGREEMENT, AMENDMENT NO. 2 TO ANNE FRANK MEMORIAL DEVELOPMENT AND LICENSE
Page 2 AGREEMENT. SECONDED BY B. TURPEN. THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. 2. Minutes May 16, 2013 Boise Parks & Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes ACTION: S. CURRY MOVED THAT THE BOISE PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION APPROVE THE MAY 16, 2013, MINUTES. SECONDED BY S. ALDER. THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. 3. Signs for West End Trail Neighborhood Reinvestment Grant Wendy Larimore, Parks Project Coordinator, worked with the Veteran s Park Neighborhood Association for the placement of the West End Trail interpretive signs in Fairview Park and the future Esther Simplot Park. The Veteran s Park Neighborhood Association is looking for approval of the interpretive signs from the Commission. Jeff Anderson, Veteran s Park Neighborhood Association, explained that in 2011 a Neighborhood Reinvestment Grant was received to produce an interpretative historical walking trail from Fairview Park to Esther Simplot Park, the original grant provided for the Capital Improvements including signs and trail markers. In 2012, the neighborhood association applied for, and received, a Boise 150 Grant to produce a walking trail guide in PDF format. An image of one of the proposed signs, Farmland and Fairgrounds, was presented. Fairview Park and the surrounding areas were originally outside of the Boise City limits and included the original fairground, a horse track and a dairy farm owned by Esther and Frank Davis brother to Tom and Julia Davis. Six signs are planned to be installed. Four of the signs will be interpretive signs similar to the Farmland and Fairgrounds sign with information relating to both the diversity and history along the trail. Two of the signs will be introduction signs informing readers of the West End Trail. Two interpretive signs and one introduction sign will be placed at both Fairview Park and Esther Simplot Park. J. Anderson provided a sample of the material the six proposed signs will be constructed from. The signs will be produced by Fossil Industry and the sign color is guaranteed for color for up to ten years the signs will be similar to those used in the Boise Foothills which have proven to hold up well in the elements. The sign material is a high pressure laminate. The bases for the signs will be made by a local company, Trade Mark Signs, and the design for the bases will be decided once all of the signs are finalized.
Page 3 In Esther Simplot Park it is likely that a temporary location will be determined until the park design is finalized and a permanent location can be selected. The Veteran s Park Neighborhood Association is working to have the signs placed before the end of the year to be part of the Boise 150 Celebration. In Fairview Park, the proposed sign location is in the northern portion of the park near the sidewalk closest to Bannock Street which connects to the sidewalk leading to the park playground the walking trail will proceed along Bannock Street. The signs will be set as a semi-circle on a concrete pad which will be installed to accommodate the signs. L. Uranga questioned if a marker would be used to indicate to users that they are on an interpretive trail. J. Anderson responded that at each park location the two interpretive signs will be 18 x36, the third introduction sign will be 18 x18. The introduction sign will include a symbol which will be used to identify the trail. On the sidewalks which follow the West End Trails a marker with the trail symbol will be epoxied to the curbs similar to the Eddy Trout makers near storm drains. There will also be a link on the sign to a PDF formatted trail guide which will include a map of the interpretive trail the PDF will be available for users to download onto their phone or by printing the maps from the online link beforehand. ACTION: T. CHANDLER MOVED THAT THE BOISE PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION APPROVE THE INTERPRETIVE SIGNAGE REGARDING THE WEST END TRAIL. SECONDED BY S. CURRY. THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. 4. Recommendation to Modify Boise City Code 13-03-01 and 13-03-06 Jerry Pugh, Parks & Recreation Community Programs Coordinator, explained that in the last year multiple new developments have occurred resulting in a need for Boise City Code to be updated to include newly developed areas onto the dog prohibition listing to be referenced by Animal Control. Currently Boise City Code references the Platt Gardens, Municipal Park, and Kathryn Albertson Park during the bird nesting season. There is a need to include the dog prohibition of newly developed areas into Boise City Code as well as clarify a previously listed location. The first location proposed to be included in Boise City Code to prohibit dogs is Hyatt Hidden Lakes Reserve. The Management Plan was put together based off of input received from the surrounding neighborhood and stakeholders and includes that Hyatt Hidden Lakes Reserve should not allow dogs and/or other domestic pets to mitigate disturbances to surrounding wildlife.
Page 4 The second location to be included in Boise City Code is Marianne Williams Park. Included in the gift deed from the donor was that dogs not be allowed in the interior of the park. The path on the south and north side of Marianne Williams Park and the path leading to the restroom would not be included in the dog prohibited area and would allow dog on-leash use. The third area is the Platt Gardens. The Boise Train Depot grounds and Platt Gardens are separate areas. We believe the original intent of listing Platt Gardens as a dog prohibited area included the Boise Train Depot grounds. The department has decided to clarify the Platt Gardens description to include the Boise Train Depot grounds and make Boise City Code easier for users to understand. The final areas to be included in Boise City Code prohibiting dogs is the three city cemeteries; Morris Hill Cemetery, Pioneer Cemetery, and Fort Boise Military Cemetery. There have been dog restrictions in the past however it has not been addressed by Boise City Code. The three areas are recommended for inclusion into Boise City Code to respect grave markers, lots and visitors of the cemeteries. ACTION: T. CHANDLER MOVED THAT THE BOISE PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION APPROVE THE RECOMMENDATION FOR THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO BOISE CITY CODE 13-03-01 AND 13-03-06 TO THE BOISE CITY COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL. SECONDED BY S. CURRY. THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. 5. Barber Mills Estate Request for a Boise River System Permit Tom Governale, Parks Resources Superintendent, explained that the Barber Mills Estate has requested a Boise River System Permit. They are looking to develop a 47-unit subdivision off of Lysted Avenue. The property is currently being used as a sewage treatment facility for the Golden Dawn Estates as well as the Idaho Shakespeare Festival. The sewage treatment facility will be abandoned for the proposed development. The interest of the Boise City Parks & Recreation Department in the proposed development is for Greenbelt Connection. The active Greenbelt follows the north side of the Boise River and crosses Eckert Road. The proposed location of the connecting Greenbelt would be east of Eckert Road towards Lysted Avenue, the path would run through the Barber Mills Subdivision/Triplett property and then connect to Warm Springs Avenue partially traveling through the Riverstone School property. The connecting path as presented is considered to be the best option by staff. The existing Greenbelt path along Warm Springs Avenue will be removed as
Page 5 development occurs by the Brighton Corporation and Harris Ranch property owners. D. Holloway stated that the department does not have funding available to make the Greenbelt connection however the department is a finalist for a 2013 Federal Access Grant if the grant is awarded to the department, the funding will be used to proceed with the Greenbelt connection. Without the grant, staff will continue to move forward with receiving approval for the connection however development will not occur until funding can be secured. In the Federal Access Grant Application Cheyne Weston, Parks Planner, submitted two additional connection options which were not provided in the Commission Packet. The path option preferred by staff would travel from Marianne Williams Park through a proposed Eckert Road underpass east through Alta Harris Park connecting to Lysted Avenue. Permission for the Greenbelt connection has been given from a number of different entities to allow the Greenbelt connection. Harris Ranch property has granted an easement allowing a Greenbelt path from Eckert Road to Lysted Avenue. From Lysted Avenue the path will continue east of the Triplett property ponds. Once the path is north of the most northern pond, the Greenbelt will travel along the Riverstone School property and continue north to Warm Springs Avenue. Both the Triplett property and the Riverstone School property have given their approval for the Greenbelt path on their property. A second option for Greenbelt connection is to have the Greenbelt connect to Lysted Avenue from the Harris Ranch property. From Lysted Avenue, the Greenbelt would continue south of the southern Triplett property pond and then travel north connecting to the Riverstone School property and Warm Springs Avenue. A Third option is for the Greenbelt to travel below the southern portion of the Triplett property pond and remain along the Boise River until connection is made with Warm Springs Avenue. For the third option it would require approval from many of the land owners in the area but the exact location where the Greenbelt would connect with Warm Springs Avenue is not known. The presented and preferred Greenbelt connection is dependent on approval from the Planning and Zoning Commission for the proposed property development on the Triplett property. If the development is denied by Planning and Zoning, it is possible that Triplett property will not allow Greenbelt development on the property and the department will have to look for an alternative Greenbelt connection. The recommendation is for the Commission to approve the Boise River System Permit. Once the Planning and Zoning Commission makes a decision, staff will continue to search for the best Greenbelt connection options Greenbelt connection will require approval by the Commission before development takes place.
Page 6 B. Turpen questioned what the department concerns were with the option of having the Greenbelt travel south below the Triplett property ponds and then east toward the Riverstone School property. T. Governale responded that the property south of Triplett property ponds acts as a levy, to put a path on levy property would require that the integrity of the levy is maintained and a 200-foot setback of the path from the Class A lands. There are also added concerns regarding the elevation and grade difference of the property. L. Uranga questioned if the area of development had all been previously excavated and was now classified as Class C land. T. Governale responded that all projected development was outside of Class A land. B. Turpen questioned the locations of the Class A and Class C lands. T. Governale responded that the Class A lands are located south of the Triplett property ponds in the Barber Pools area. The Class A lands are the reason why options two and three as presented by D. Holloway are not the more preferred options. The presented development is outside of Class A land. An additional option is to have the Greenbelt travel north to Lysted Avenue, but the sidewalk width and conflict which may be created by added users is a concern and there is not enough road way to widen the sidewalk. An additional problem with the added option is that the Greenbelt could not hook into the existing pathway, a requirement of the property is that realignment must occur, currently a crook in the path exists and it will have to be straightened adding additional costs for the department. T. Governale explained that the staff recommendations include an at-grade crossing because the development would have road access for the entry way into the development. The recommendations also include fencing along the Class A habitat in an effort to keep domestic pets out of the area. T. Chandler questioned if the location of the at-grade crossing would be off Lysted Avenue near the southwest corner of the ponds. T. Governale responded it would be dependent on the development access point. T. Chandler questioned if the approval of the River System Permit would approve the presented Greenbelt location. D. Holloway responded that the approval of the River System Permit is separate from the approval of the connecting Greenbelt location. T. Chandler questioned at what point the Greenbelt location would be back to the Commission. D. Holloway responded that the Greenbelt location approval would be dependent on the approval of the Triplett property development, after development has been settled, Greenbelt locations will continue to be considered. Once a plan has been solidified it will be presented to the Commission for a decision. T. Chandler divided the presented Greenbelt into three parts. The first part is between Marianne William Park and the Triplett property ponds the location of the Greenbelt through that section follows the Boise River and is
Page 7 consistent with most of the existing Greenbelt. The second part is the portion which travels along the west side of the Triplett property pond to the Riverstone School property. His preferred option would be to not have the Greenbelt travel through a subdivision, instead he would prefer the Greenbelt travel between the Triplett property ponds and the Barber Park Reserve. For the third, he prefers the possibility of following the Boise River to Highway 21. There is an expectation from the public that the Greenbelt will follow the Boise River. D. Holloway stated that staff will review the possibility of keeping the Greenbelt closer to the Boise River. S. Raeber questioned the current location of the Greenbelt. T. Governale responded that the Greenbelt runs along Warm Springs Avenue to the old Eckert Road and through Marianne Williams Park. A portion of the Greenbelt along Warm Springs Avenue was scheduled to be closed however, after citizen input, it has remained open but does not receive maintenance. The Greenbelt travels through the wetlands connecting to old Eckert Road and the Eckert Road underpass which is dependent on funding. The Greenbelt would continue through the proposed Alta Harris Park, along the Ted Trueblood Trout Unlimited Stream and then connect to Lysted Avenue. Currently, the Greenbelt path comes out of Marianne Williams Park and hooks into Eckert Road, the old Eckert Road or the old 12 foot Greenbelt path along Warm Springs Avenue can be used. S. Raeber questioned why the existing Greenbelt cannot continue to be used. T. Governale responded that the majority of the existing Greenbelt path is scheduled to be removed with development. The Greenbelt west of the new Eckert Road was maintained by Ada County and will be removed while the portion east of new Eckert Road will remain. D. Holloway responded that a bike path is proposed for the sidewalk along Warm Springs Avenue for those who preferred to not take the path through Marianne Williams Park. S. Raeber questioned if an option could be to have the Greenbelt travel underneath Eckert Road and along Warm Springs Avenue until Highway 21. C. Weston responded that is a possibility. C. Weston explained that as presented, the Greenbelt will transect with the Idaho Power Corridor and the department has been granted permission for the option but the neighbors are upset that the Greenbelt will conjoin with their backyards. A possibility could be to have the Greenbelt below the road. On the Triplett property, an easement is being proposed for a 14-foot pathway along the west and north sides of the property ponds. The corner for the Foundation of Parks and Lands as well as the Riverstone School property a seven-foot path has been agreed upon by both entities allowing a 14-foot pathway to connect to Warm Springs Avenue. The Boise City Parks & Recreation Department has teamed with Ada County and the Army Corp of Engineers to apply for the 2013 Federal Access Grant. The grant would allow
Page 8 for reparation and construction as well as striping from Lucky Peak to Eckert Road. An additional alternative if Planning and Development Services (PDS) decided to not pass the developer s request is to work with Ada County Highway District to connect the Greenbelt with the small sidewalk along Lysted Avenue to have a bicycle friendly pedestrian strip. D. Holloway explained that they are looking at an August vetting period for PDS. It is likely that Greenbelt location options will not be back to the Commission with a recommendation until September or October. ACTION: T. CHANDLER MOVED THAT THE BOISE PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION GRANT APPROVAL TO CONSTRUCT 47 RESIDENTIAL UNITS ON APPROXIMATELY 11-ACRES WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THE COMMISSION WILL REVIST THE GREENBELT LOCATION AT A FUTURE DATE AND WITH THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS: 1) ANY GREENBELT PATHWAY EXTENSION CONSTRUCTED ALONG THE WEST SIDE OF THE PROPOSED SUBDIVISION WILL INCLUDE SAFETY BOLLARDS (COMPLETE WITH STOP SIGNS AND SPEED DEMON DECAL WARNINGS, AS WELL AS A STOP BAR PAVEMENT MARKING ALONGSIDE ANY PROPOSED AT-GRADE CROSSING AND/OR OTHER SAFETY RELATED MEASURES THAT MAY BE DEEMED NECESSARY). DESIGN PLANS FOR ANY AT-GRADE CROSSING WILL BE COORDINATED, APPROVED, AND INSPECTED BY BOISE PARKS & RECREATION DESIGN STAFF. 2) THE DEVELOPER SHALL COMPLY WITH APPLICABLE LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL, REQUIREMENTS FOR GRADING AND CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES WITHIN THE BOISE RIVER FLOODPLAIN. 3) RESIDENTIAL LOTS SHALL BE SEPARATED FROM CLASS A HABITAT BY SECURED FENCING THAT PREVENTS DOMESTIC PETS FROM ENTERING HABITAT AREA. SECONDED BY S. CURRY. THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. VI. IN THE MATTER OF ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business to come before the Commission at this time, the meeting was adjourned at 5: 14 p.m.
Page 9 ACTION: B. TURPEN MOVED THAT THE BOISE PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION ADJOURN. SECONDED BY S. CURRY. THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. Patricia Whipps, President