Minutes 10/27/1993 R Parks 8z Recreation
Advisory Board
( PARAB )
Minutes
October 27, i993
MINUTES
PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY BOARD
EAST NAPLES COMMUNITY PARK
Naples, Florida
October 27, 1993
PRESENT: Ms. Geneva Till, Vice Chairman
Mr. Joseph Zaks
Ms. Darlene Koontz
Mr. Vin DePasquale
ABSENT: Mr. Timothy Blackford, Chairman
ALSO PRESENT: Ms. Anita Chapman, Long Range Planning Department
Mr. Steve Brinkman, Parks & Recreation Director
Mr. Murdo Smith, Parks and Recreation Operations Manager
Mr. Gary Franco, Parks Superintendent
Mr. James Thomas, Athletic Supervisor
Ms. Barbara Johnson, Secretary
I. Call to Order - 2:10 pm
II. Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag
III. Minutes of September 22, 1993 meeting approved. Motion by Ms. Koontz
and seconded by Mr Zaks.
IV. Requests for Discussion - Specific Update Items:
Decision made to go directly to presentations.
V. NEW BUSINESS/PRESENTATIONS
Greenways - Bike Paths: Ms. Anita Chapman, Bicycle/Pedestrian
Coordinator for Collier County, made a presentation regarding bike paths
for the Golden Gate area. A visual aid board was used depicting
pictures drawn by 4th graders at Seagate Elementary School showing what
they saw on their way to school. Children walking and riding bikes were
much more aware of landmarks and detail along their route than children
using vehicular transportation.
The plan presented would utilize almost 11 miles of existing alleyways
in Golden Gate City and connect them into a continuous greenways
bikepath servicing the library, school and park. This would provide an
unpaved path for bikes and walkers, getting them off heavily traveled
streets.
This would be a community project - helping with clearing these alleys
and also maintaining them afterwards. There are several grants that may
be available also.
-1-
Three handouts were distributed - (1) Greenway Fact Sheet, (2)
Opportunity to link greenways to schools, and (3) an example of a
developed greenway.
Within the next few weeks there will be a petition coming before BCC to
vacate all of these alleyways. If approved, then the project will be
lost altogether.
Motion by Mr. Zaks: Show support for the concept of Greenway project.
Seconded by Mr. DePasquale. Approved 4-0.
When this item goes before BCC it would help to have a member of PARAB
at the meeting.
A. Fee Policy Amendment: The Fee Policy is modified every year with this
year's changes including some areas that needed clarifying. Some items
were not in the proper section of the document and these were moved, and
some additional language was added. The changes were minor. Motion by
Mr. Zaks: Approve the revised fee schedule as amended. Seconded by Ms.
Koontz. Approved 4 to 0.
B. Vineyards Water Agreement: This agreement is necessary for the
provision of treated effluent for irrigation of the soccer fields at the
Vineyards Community Park. South Florida Water Management will not allow
taking water from the canal or digging a well for this purpose. The
School Board also has an agreement with the Vineyards Utilities for use
of treated effluent at the school site. Motion by Mr. DePasquale:
Accept the utility agreement. Seconded by Mr. Zaks. Approved 4 to 0.
VI. REPORTS/UPDATES
A. Growth Management - Trying to reschedule so will have a representative
at the next meeting. During the coming months the standards will be
revised and sent to Growth Management Department in the spring.
B. Immokalee Recreation Center/Pool - Anticipating going out for bid the
first of the year, with a completion date of December 1994. Plans are
for the slide to be installed in the larger pool, pending State
approval.
C. RFP Golden Gate Estates Park - Negotiating with the firm on design, and
should be completed sometime this month. The bid would go out in
February or March with completion date in January or February 1995.
D. PARAB Ordinance - This ordinance was approved yesterday by the BCC.
PARAB will now consist of 7 members instead of 5 - one being from
Immokalee and one from Marco.
E. Vineyards Community Park - Design Studios West has submitted 95%
completion plans and revisions are being made. The landscape architect
will go out for bid in November, hopefully, and work will start the
first of next year.
-2-
Discussion was held concerning the name of the park. Mr. Zaks - MOTION:
That as a Board, let BCC know we are not happy with the name Vineyards
Community Park and Pelican Bay Community Park, but did agree with the
names as long as the word "public" could be inserted in the name instead
of "community" . Motion Withdrawn.
Motion by Mr. Zaks: Community parks, from this time forward, be
designated as public parks when they come on line. Seconded by Mr.
DePasquale. Approved 4 to 0.
F. Pelican Bay Community Park - Construction to start very quickly.
Should be finished by early summer.
G. Gulfcoast Little League Site - This item had gone before BCC and the
agreement is still being worked on.
Immokalee Little League field was given to us. The Culfcoast Little
League needs money. They have a loan to finish paying, as well as
annual expenses. This facility needs some improvements; the sewer
system would have to be connected, restrooms upgraded, etc. There is a
reverter clause in the deed restricting the use of this site to
ballfields. When the design for a new community park in this area takes
place, youth fields would not be needed if the County purchases this
site. The money could be used for something else. Ms. Koontz wished to
go on record saying she was opposed to the County purchasing this site.
The County has been maintaining these fields since 84/85 by direction of
the BCC. There are 450-500 kids using these fields during Little League
season from the middle of February through June, 6 nights a week. There
is also a fall program currently going on.
H. Snowfest - Will be held December 4th, 3:00 to 8:00 pm. PARAB members
will probably be asked to judge the ice carving contest.
I. Annual Report - The users of parks, programs and revenues have increased
greatly this year. New facilities coming on line and a full year
operation of the aquatic facility should increase these figures again
this coming year. The Preserve was not counted in previous years, and
the car counters are getting higher counts than the parking attendants
did for beach users. Personal contacts are made by the park rangers -
greeting people, answering questions, etc. This year we are going to
take it one step further and do some survey information.
J. Golden Gate Boat Ramp - A public meeting attended by 30 to 40 people was
held at Big Cypress Elementary School. The local residents were not in
favor of having a boat ramp located at the 7th Street S.W. site. We are
now looking at other alternatives. One of these is the "T" , 20 miles
out, and we are working through Real Property to see if there is any
land available at the south end of DeSoto Boulevard. APAC is going to
be contacted to see if a lease agreement can be worked out to use some
of their land, which is the rock mining pit on 5th Street SW. On 39th
St S.W. , the other side of 951, the School Board owns 20 acres of land.
There is not enough room on the easement alone for a ramp, and the
School Board does not wish to sell only a portion of the 20 acres. The
-3-
main drawback of this location is that a major power line goes through
the middle of the site. There is a possibility that we could have one
ramp at the "T" and one at the APAC site.
K. Golden Gate Center Expansion - It has been determined that we can now
use impact fees for this project if the facility is run separate from
the old facility. This would be rather difficult to do.
L. Clam Pass Canoe Access - Should be open soon. The Department will start
the opening and closing process.
M. Mark Thornton, City of Naples - Interested in having a joint meeting
of Advisory Boards after the first of the year, and then annually.
It was decided to wait until after our two new members are appointed,
probably sometime in the spring.
N. Bulletin Boards at Community Centers - List Advisory Board members and
telephone numbers.
0. Next meeting - Notify Friends of Park Committee. Meeting will be held
the third week of November and December due to the holidays. November
meeting will be held at Golden Gate Community Park.
P. School Board Bus Agreement - An annual agreement, renewed each year,
for the past 8 years. This will go before BCC as soon as the signed
Agreement is received from the School Board.
Q. Bayview - Design for the parking lot has been received. This will add
24 to 26 car and trailer spaces to the lot.
Meeting adjourned at 4:25. Motioned by Mr. DePasquale, seconded by Mr. Zaks.
10142