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Minutes 01-24-05MINUTES OF THE RECREATION AND PARKS BOARD REGULAR MEETING HELD AT THE SENTOR CENTER~ BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA, ON MONDAY, 3ANUARY 24, 2005, AT 6:30 P.M. Present Betty Pierce, Chair William Orlove, Vice Chair Margaret Murphy Pamela Winters Tom Williams ]ohn McVey, Alternate .lohn Spannuth, Alternate Wally Majors, Recreation & Parks Director .John Wildner, Guest Absent Lisa Peterfreund Betty Thomas Call to Order The meeting was called to order at 6:40 p.m. Attendance Chair Pierce called the roll and declared that a quorum was present. She commented that Ms. Peterfreund called her prior to the meeting and tendered her resignation. Ms. Peterfreund cited her reasons for resigning were due to scheduling conflicts and expressed her disappointment at not being able to remain active with the Board. Mr. Majors will investigate how the procedure works to replace her. 3ohn Caruso, 3ohn Calamaris, and Costa Pannice, owners of the Dunes Caf~ at the Town of Lantana Pier were also in attendance. III. Approval of Minutes of November 22, 2004 Ms. Winters commented that she did not receive the minutes from the Recreation and Parks Board meeting held on November 22, 2004. The Recording Secretary verified Ms. Winters' address and informed her that another copy would be mailed to her. Meeting Minutes Recreation and Parks Board Boynton Beach, Florida January 24, 2005 Motion Vice Chair Orlove moved to approve the subject minutes. seconded and passed unanimously. The motion was duly TV. Announcments A. 2004 Ho#day Parade Grand Marshal~Award Presentat/on The presentation of this award was tabled until the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Recreation and Parks Board. V. Unfinished Business A. Old H/gh $choo/ Vice Chair Orlove previously asked Mr. Bressner whether the Old High School would be renovated or demolished. He was informed that Corey O'Gorman and Angela Budano, consultants working on the Old Town Square project, are conducting a liability study to analyze whether the Old High School could be included in that project. Mr. Bressner informed Mr. O'Gorman that the Recreation and Parks Board had discussed this topic at its November meeting and that the Board felt that as long as the High School did not replicate anything that the new Civic Center would offer, the Board would like to see the High School renovated. Additionally, the Board wanted to ensure that there are programs offered as part of the building's new purpose that would be considered recreational in use and not be utilized for municipal or governmental purposes. Discussions to date indicated that the analysis was leaning toward using the facility in that way. Because the old Civic Center would not be in existence much longer, a new Civic Center would be in place, and utilizing the Old High School as a complementary civic building would be beneficial for the City. B. January $1~ Workshop A workshop would be held on Monday, January 31~ at 6:30 p.m. in the City Library. In addition to discussing the potential use of the Old High School, the Comprehensive Master Plan map that was developed by Dave Barth, Glatting Jackson, will also be reviewed. The workshop would provide the community with an opportunity to look into the future and provide feedback regarding what the communities within Boynton Beach should look like with regard to recreational parks. It provides the community with an opportunity to have a significant impact on shaping Boynton Beach. Ultimately, these discussions would lead to formalizing a Comprehensive Master Plan that will be submitted to the State and be used to help guide the Recreation and Parks Department in the future. The Meeting Minutes Recreation and Parks Board Boynton Beach, Florida January24, 2005 City Commission would be in attendance and eve~one was encou~ged ~ attend. Chair Pierce questioned whether a discussion could take place at the workshop regarding potential to receive money from the County for water access type parks and which parks, specifically, would qualify. Mr. Majors stated that it would be an appropriate venue and a good question to ask. She mentioned the Girl Scout Park as being one park that might benefit from this type of funding because the property is so large and the City may not have the appropriate amount of funds to build it. Mr. Wildner clarified that the Girl Scouts originally donated this property to the County. In the early 1980s, there was quite a bit of negative activity at the park and the County's Park Ranger Patrol had been used to police the property. The County determined that it was too costly for them to continue to do so. The County then donated the park to the City and it became the City's responsibility to provide the maintenance and security. Mr. Majors commented that the Girl Scout Park could serve as a landmark for the greenway element outlined in the Comprehensive Master Plan because its waterways hook into several other parks. Another suggestion was made to install a bike path along the property's perimeter. Mr. Wildner mentioned that the County is also looking to purchase a piece of the Florida Inland Navigation District property that is located near the McDonald's on U.S. Highway 1. The property had been mentioned in the Waterway Access Bond project for possible development either for waterway access or a potential ramp, although ramping is difficult to install for a lot of its size. Chair Pierce mentioned that someone from the INCA organization would potentially be attending the workshop and she had also invited several County Commissioners. B, Sen/or Center Mr. Majors reported that a resolution to move forward with a contract engaging a construction company would be included at the next City Commission meeting. The company would complete the 3rd and final phase of the Senior Center expansion. Ms. Murphy commented that she noticed that the photo TD system was beginning. Mr. Majors stated, regretfully, that he was hoping to have an on-line system to produce the ID's but issues had been encountered with connecting to Meeting Minutes Recreation and Parks Board Boynton Beach, Florida January 24, 2005 the City's system from the Senior Center. He met with the ITS Department along with two different wireless companies regarding these issues. The Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) had indicated their interest in providing wireless services in order to attract more traffic to the downtown area and he hoped that the issues would be resolved soon. Currently, the photo ID's are being produced with a digital camera and are being cut and pasted to the ]~D card. Ultimately, there would be a fully automated system that would allow a bar code to be inserted onto the card that would track the person's movement within the facility and store this information into a database system for future reporting and projections. Mr. Majors will present the amount of non-resident fees collected to date at the next Recreation and Parks Board meeting. These fees went into effect on January 1, 2005. (Mayor and Mrs. Tay/or arrived at ?:00 p.m.) C. Congress Avenue Community Park- Bound/ess P/ayground Vice Chair Orlove reported that he participated in a meeting to review the layout of what the park should look like. Scale drawings reflecting the location of the park in relation to the surrounding communities were distributed and points of reference were reviewed. Discussions took place at the last Boundless meeting regarding the physical location of amenities. It was mentioned again, as a point of reminder, that a Boundless Playground must meet stringent criteria when placing equipment and creating recreation areas. Areas must be physically stimulating for children with special abilities. For example, autistic children are required to have an area in which they can run around that contains different topographies both within the area and on the roadway. It was also discussed that the park is not just a playground but should have other facilities housed on the property. There should also be some sort of building that can be utilized by all children within the community. The park should also include bathrooms accessible for all, picnic pavilions, first aid stations, etc. Everything that would be a part of the park would also have to be made accessible for children with special needs. The building would not necessarily need to be a large building. 4 Meeting Minutes Recreation and Parks Board Boynton Beach, Florida January24, 2005 Staff had contacted the Boundless organization, as well as some of their vendors to get a feel for the costs associated with this project. The next meeting regarding the Boundless Playground will take place in February. Grant requests have begun but there needs to be a resolution or ordinance approved by the City Commission recommending the playground/park be built before the grant requests can be finalized. Once the recommendations have been approved, it would then move forward through the Boundless organizations' recommended process to gain funding. A line item would also have to be placed in Staff's budget to maintain the property. Staff would prefer that the communication materials utilized to recruit volunteers and to solicit funding display the Boundless logo prominently. Ultimately, that material would assist in obtaining support from the State. Mr. Majors distributed a collection of playground models from the Boundless organization. The material also provided authorized names and contact information for vendors who work directly with the Boundless group to construct the playgrounds. It was mentioned that a representative from AFORD, a group that works directly with the disabled, should be involved on the subcommittee that would determine the site plan for the playground and park. Also, physical educators should be on the subcommittee as well. Staff hoped to have something submitted to the City Commission by March 2005. A citizen mentioned that there was potential for one major donor to adopt the concept of the playground/park and provide the majority of the funds to build it in exchange for their name(s) prominently displayed within the property. Staff agreed that it would be something for the subcommittee to consider. D. Land at Winchester Project Chair Pierce asked about the status of the request from the Board to reserve a portion of land for recreational/park use. Staff updated the Board that the City Commission had determined that 4.9 usable acres would be a reasonable amount of land to be used for recreational/park use within the property, which contains approximately 200 acres. This amount was determined through the Land Development Regulations and Tmpact Fees - when the impact fee amount for the property was converted to land value. Meeting Minutes Recreation and Parks Board Boynton Beach, Florida January24,2005 This land would be an opportunity for a more active facility at Congress Middle School and would provide a good balance for what would be a very active hub of activity within that area. The 5-acres would be located in the southeast corner of the property and would butt against the E-4 Canal. Ultimately, the park would contain mainly complementary greenways that would be available to the public. Maintenance of the park would be the City's responsibility. Development ideas mentioned by Board members included a fountain area with seating much like what is at CityPlace. Mr. Majors encouraged everyone to bring their ideas regarding the development of this site to the January 31st Workshop. Mr. Orlove asked whether the idea had been discussed to use the Canal as a recreation area. He was informed that it was possible but this was something that would have to be permitted through the Lake Worth Drainage District. It would be an opportunity for kayaking and other water related activities. A possible recommendation was mentioned that a vendor be secured to provide paddleboats and kayak rentals. V. New Business A. Land and Water Conservation Fund Grant for Jaycee Park The Land and Water Conservation Fund required that the City inform the Board that they are applying for a grant to help fund the development of Jaycee Park. It is a matching 50/50 grant and the City would receive $200,000. The project itself is worth a minimum of $400,000 and staff considered this to be a good return on their investment. Primarily it would help fund the fishing pier, day docks, and the other elements discussed at previous Board meetings. This topic had been previously brought before the public at the City Commission meeting and was well received. Once Jaycee Park is developed, the City will have 3 parks in its inventory along the Tntracoastal Waterway, not including Oceanfront Park. Jaycee Park will have a fishing pier, as well as a boat ramp and a mangrove that the public can walk through. B. Snack Bar - Oceanfront Park The 3-year lease with the current vendor to provide snack bar services at Oceanfront Park is due to expire in November 2005. Staff will be meeting with the vendor to discuss the City's intention to bid for services. Mr. Majors 6 Meeting Minutes Recreation and Parks Board Boynton Beach, Florida .lanuary 24, 2005 explained that this is a good opportunity to make improvements to the boardwalk and enhance the snack bar's services as well. 3ohn Caruso, Dune Deck Cafe, I~lanalapan, introduced himself and his brothers-in-law .lohn Calamaris and Costa Panice. Mr. Caruso informed the Board about their establishment, which is located at the Lantana Pier. They went through the process of bidding for Lantana's snack bar contract in 1991. At that time, the structure was dilapidated and that they took a big gamble in accepting the contract. Initially, they were awarded a 2-year lease and invested approximately $100,000 of their personal funds, knowing they would never earn it back within the 2-year term of the lease. But they decided to take a chance so the Town of Lantana could get a feel for who they were. After they were into the lease for one year, they went back to the Town and expressed to them that there wasn't enough traffic for the snack bar to be profitable. They needed to attract a larger customer base and, in order to do that, needed to expand the building upward in order so it could provide an ocean view. The Town agreed and they have been there for the last 15 years. He stated that he felt they had a good reputation. Mr. Caruso distributed photographs depicting their renovation project as well as current menus from the Cafe. He cautioned the Board to be aware of the menu pricing structure in order to be more attractive to beachgoers. Vice Chair Orlove inquired what Mr. Caruso's vision was for the snack bar at Oceanfront Park. Mr. Caruso said he envisioned something similar to what he has in Lantana, but a little smaller with a 2-story facility and a modest deck as an outside caf~ decorated in the old Florida style to match the surroundings. He also mentioned a roof with curtains that could be dropped during inclement weather and on windy days. The biggest problem would be building a kitchen since none exists now. He reminded everyone that in order to cook, gas lines would need to be run to the site. Staff commented that the kitchen is the most significant factor when considering a vendor. The Town of Ocean Ridge holds the permit rights to the facility because the property falls within their geographic boundaries. To date, the Town had been very assertive in minimizing commercial expansion within their Town. Mr. Majors thanked Mr. Caruso for sharing his establishment's information with the Board but advised him that they would have to engage in the bid process in order to be considered as a possible vendor. He advised the Board that the bid requirements have not been finalized and he would make a note to add Mr. Caruso to the contact list in order to ensure he is issued a bid packet. Meeting Minutes Recreation and Parks Board Boynton Beach, Florida .lanuary 24, 2005 Mr. Majors mentioned that the County has advised the City that there would be some beach re-nourishment provided in either February or March. Nothing had been confirmed in writing to date. Parking - Oceanfront Park The Board had discussed in the past analyzing the feasibility of installing some type of automated parking fee collection system for non-residents. This would have no impact on the current resident decal system. The seasonal pass for non-residents would be eliminated. Currently, a non-resident may purchase a seasonal pass valid from April through October for $60.00. The remainder of the year, a non-resident is eligible to visit the beach but they must pay the $10.00 entry fee to park. Staff felt it was worth moving forward with a discussion about installing something that would collect fees from non-residents and, therefore, allow the parking attendants to be more flexible in terms of how they operate in the park. Currently, they are anchored to the collection booth. If the City installs an automated system, the attendants could then be converted to a more mobile task, potentially providing Oceanfront and other parks in the City's inventory with an additional level of security. Approximately one year ago Staff researched the costs of such a program. The initial investment would be approximately $200,000 - $250,000 to purchase the equipment and have it installed. This would include the beach and Boca Park. These costs are for a single piece of equipment that would accept either a smart- card (residents) or cash (non-resident hourly fee). This would alleviate the necessity for a person to collect fees and it would create a safer environment for the parking attendants by eliminating the exchange of monies from hand to hand. The auditing process would also be more streamlined. Mr. Majors commented that it would be safe to assume that attendance volume would increase at the snack bar with the enhancements to the menu, etc., being proposed as part of the bid process. With the installation of a new parking system, a non-resident would then only have to pay for the time they are actually in the park, as opposed to paying a high fee to park all day. This would free up parking spaces at a quicker pace, allowing for more traffic through the park. A possible consideration may be to allow access to the upper lot for residents only. D. Bathrooms at Oceanfront Park and Boat Club Park 8 Meeting Minutes Recreation and Parks Board Boynton Beach, Florida .lanuary 2't, 2005 Vice Chair Orlove received a complaint regarding the Women's restroom at Oceanfront Park. Mr. Majors stated that he would have staff address it. Chair Pierce mentioned at the last meeting that water was continuously running at Boat Club Park due to broken spigots. She was informed that there had been dignitaries visiting the park recently and Mr. Majors was certain that the situation had been corrected. E. Monthly Report None. E. Great Amer/can Coasta/ C/eanup The cleanup will be held April ~.6. Chair Pierce asked for volunteers from the Board to assist with the coordination of the event. Ms. Winters is spearheading the volunteer effort and everyone was encouraged to contact her if they would be able to attend. C. Items for the C/ty tYanager's Attention Oceanfront Park Snack Bar Enhancement Vice Chair Orlove thought that Mr. Bressner should have a preliminary conversation with the new Town Manager at the Town of Ocean Ridge regarding the possibility of upgrading the building at Oceanfront Park. Mr. Majors stated he would take on that task to inform them the City is entering into the bid process to identify a new vendor for the snack bar. He would find out what information he could assess as to whether expansion of the snack bar would be allowable. In any event, the request to bid would include menu enhancements. Bus Pumhase Mr. Williams asked whether the City was going to stop children from riding in City owned vans. Mr. Majors advised that he was informed that the City no longer transports children in its vans, especially on the highway, unless there is no other option. They still transport them around the City but the advisory that was received recently was primarily one that indicated that tire pressure is a point of concern with these vehicles, as well as the overloading of them. Mr. Williams asked to have the City Manager procure another bus because of the importance of this issue. Mr. Majors stated that staff is in the process of putting together a plan for his review that would allow them to move forward with that recommendation. 9 Meeting Minutes Recreation and Parks Board Boynton Beach, Florida .lanuary 24, 2005 Winchester Park Staffinq Mr. McVey commented that Mr. Bressner should be aware that with the development of the Winchester Property, there is a need for additional staff to maintain the park. Staff to maintain the current inventory is Iow and an additional park would add a tremendous strain. Chair Pierce suggested utilizing the County's Park Rangers to assist with evening security, etc. for the City's parks. VI. Next Meeting February 28, 2005 at 6:30 p.m. in the Senior Center. VII. Adjournment There being no further business before the Board, the meeting was duly adjourned at 8:15 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Deanna Ewing Recording Secretary (020105) 10