HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-09-19 Parks and Trails Minutes
Corcoran Parks and Trails Meeting Minutes
September 19, 2024 - 7:00 pm
The Corcoran Parks and Trails Commission met on September 19, 2024, at City Hall in Corcoran, MN.
Present were Commissioners Anderson, Christenson, Erzberger, Friedrich, Nybo, Schmidt, and
Strehler.
Present at City Hall were Recreation Supervisor Christensen Buck and HKGi Landscape Architect
Grinde.
Councilor Nichols was in attendance virtually.
1. Call to Order / Roll Call
Chairperson Christenson called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm.
2. Pledge of Allegiance
Chairperson Christenson invited all in attendance to rise and join in the Pledge of Allegiance.
3. Agenda Approval
Recreation Supervisor Christensen Buck noted the liaison calendar was shown on the agenda and
was no longer active.
Motion: Made by Christenson, seconded by Anderson, to approve the agenda as amended without
the liaison calendar.
Voting Aye: Anderson, Christenson, Erzberger, Friedrich, Nybo, Schmidt, and Strehler.
(Motion carried 7:0)
4. Minutes
a. Minutes –August 15, 2024, Meeting
Motion: Made by Anderson, seconded by Erzberger, to approve the minutes as presented.
Voting Aye: Anderson, Christenson, Erzberger, Friedrich, and Schmidt. Abstain: Nybo and Strehler
(Motion carried 5:0:2)
5. Open Forum
Recreation Supervisor Christensen Buck noted no attendance in the audience and no option for
online comment.
6. Presentations – None
7. Unfinished Business
a. City Park Remaster Update
HKGi Landscape Architect Grinde provided an overview of the updates to the City Park plans,
reflecting the comments from the August 15, 2024, Parks and Trails Commission meeting. HKGi
Landscape Architect Grinde noted the added second set of pickleball courts, addressed and avoided
wetland boundaries, playground layout modification, building layout modification, interior park trail
modifications, parking lot adjustment, and added park equipment storage building. Commissioners
discussed flipping the northern half of the parking lot with the overflow parking area to allow the
northern half to remain green, open space. Commissioners considered if the open space would be
more beneficial at the entryway of the park to allow for more green space as visitors arrive.
Commissioners noted a preference for a 3 x 2 pickleball court set up, compared to 6 in a line, with
the suggestion to add a tennis court to the west as an alternate item. Commissioners discussed
concerns regarding the number of loops trails in the playground area, with response that the trails
are appreciated by parents to provide an opportunity to walk while their children play. HKGi
Landscape Architect Grinde noted she would see if she could pull the sidewalks closer to the
playground to reduce the overall cost and amount of pavement. Commissioners discussed the
desire to remove the steps in the center path between the 2-5- and 5–12-year-old play areas. HKGi
Landscape Architect Grinde noted that this change could require additional retaining walls.
Commissioners discussed an interest in unique swing options such as tire swings and group swings,
with less preference towards the zipline feature shown. Commissioners expressed an interest in
keeping the zipline container but exploring alternative play options beyond a zipline. Commissioners
discussed seating around the park building, with suggestions of an additional patio and seating
options around the sides of the building. Commissioners expressed a desire to make one of the
outdoor restrooms accessible from the inside of the building to allow for additional restrooms in the
winter months. Councilor Vehrenkamp noted his appreciation for the work the Commission had
done, noted that phasing the project will likely be beneficial, the potential to vinyl wrap the splashpad
mechanical building, and to consider a trail to Domino’s either now or for the future. Commissioners’
preference to building aesthetics were mixed, with some feeling the flat roof looked dated, but
alternatives being that high roofs increase heating for the interior of the space. Concerns were
raised about acoustics in a large room, emphasizing the need for noise reduction features.
Additional design suggestions included a separate patio and picnic shelter, a cupola on the roof,
removal of the white siding, natural wood for façade, and large windows on the east side of the
building. Commissioners discussed the possibility of adding outdoor showers near the splashpad.
Commissioners discussed public engagement for the project to include pickleball and tennis court
preferences, playground equipment preferences, and ideas for the 3rd playground container where
the zipline was shown. Commissioners discussed possible costs saving areas such as tightening up
the parking lot and trails, bituminous trails vs. concrete sidewalks, 1” trees vs. 3” trees, reducing
planting beds around the parking lot, and tightening playground spacing to make smaller containers.
Commissioners expressed interest in the building, playground, splashpad, and a shade structure
near the playground as part of phase 1. Commissioners noted that items they considered alternates
were pickleball, 1 tennis court adjacent to pickleball courts on the west side, regional trail loop,
irrigation, storage buildings, 3rd playground container (zipline container), soccer fields, and paved
trail through the pinwheel fields. The amphitheater and tennis court shown at its current location
were considered later phase items.
8. New Business
9. Reports/Information
a. Planning Project Update
No discussion occurred.
b. Parks, Recreation, and Trails Update
Recreation Supervisor Christensen Buck informed the Commission of an email she received with
regards to golf carts, four-wheelers, and electric bikes on trails. Commissioners discussed and
determined that allowing electric bikes, but not golf carts or four-wheelers on trails was appropriate.
Recreation Supervisor Christensen Buck informed the Commission of items she had been working
on since the last meeting including park planning, learning about City Park’s history, coordinating
Bark in the Park, policy updates, and the Country Daze Bean Bag Tournament. Councilor Nichols
noted things that went to City Council since the last Parks and Trails Commission meeting including
a cropland rental to natural space conversion, discussions on the budget and levy, phase one of the
Hope development, and updates to the streetlight and dust control policies.
10. Subcommittee & Miscellaneous Reports
a. Garden Club Report
Recreation Supervisor Christensen Buck noted that the Garden Club has been coordinated recently
by Susan Nelson and that an article is anticipated to be in the newsletter soon in an attempt to
increase members.
b. Park Dedication Fund
Recreation Supervisor Christensen Buck noted that the finance department has been short staffed
for a while, but work was being done to update the park dedication fund.
11. Other Business/Announcements
No discussion occurred.
13. Adjournment
Motion: Made by Strehler, seconded by Schmidt, to adjourn the meeting at 9:38 pm.
Voting Aye: Anderson, Christenson, Erzberger, Friedrich, Nybo, Schmidt, and Strehler.
(Motion carried 7:0)
Submitted by Jessica Christensen Buck, Recreation Supervisor