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Agenda 10/14/1988 S N f i I i a 9 417111) Special Meeting 10/14/88 LET IT BE REMEMBERED, that the Parks & Recreation Advisory Board met on this date at 10: 30 A.M. in the Conference Room of the Administration Building at Golden Gate Community Park, Naples, Florida, with the following members present: Vice Chairman: Scott McQuillin Charles Stevens Fred Thomas, Jr. Absent: Chairman, Ron Burton Donna Baltakis ALSO PRESENT: Mr. Roger Otten, Director of Management Information Services for Planning Collier County School District; Mr. Samuel Lee, Immokalee Assistant School Superintendent; Kevin O'Donnell, Public Services Administrator; Cliff Crawford, Parks and Recreation Director; Barbara Johnson, Parks and Recreation Secretary. SPECIAL MEETING - IMMOKALEE MIDDLE SCHOOL LAND SWAP The meeting was opened by Mr. McQuillin, Vice Chairman in the absence of Chairman Ron Burton. Mr. Otten and Mr. Lee were introduced. Mr. Crawford welcomed and thanked everyone for attending this special meeting to discuss the Recommendation by the Staff to the Board of County Commissioners to exchange property in the Immokalee area with the School Board open areas for designated facilities at the existing Immokalee Middle School site. Within the Comprehensive Plan funding for development of Parks and Recreation facilities in the Immokalee area authorization was received 9 months ago to proceed with the football and soccer field at the Heath site. The School Board at the same time needed space to develop their facilities and the football/soccer field was put into abeyance. The School System proceeded to evaluate their needs, the Park System contacted consultants Wilson, Miller, Barton, Soll & Peek who employed specialists to evaluate the civil, architectural, electrical/mechanical and structural aspects of the facility to see if it could be adapted to our Comprehensive Plan in Immokalee. After much detailed analysis and investigation, it would be a very suitable site for development of some of our physical facilities in the Immokalee area and we would be recommending to proceed with negotiations with the School System for the exchange of the Heath property with the Immokalee Middle School . We have hurdles to address. The proposal would benefit the Immokalee community as well as the School and Parks Systems. Mr. Heath donated land with deed restrictions, and there still is, but has indicated willingness to authorize and approve the exchange. We are recommending that we proceed with this exchange of property and funding for the development be tied into the Immokalee MSTD for those improvements other than those identified as normal in our Growth Management Plan. The Park System is interested in the gymnasium, Industrial Arts Building, reception area and the locker room facilities, excluding the band room. . One of the additional advantages of working with the School System would be available PECO funds for the development of the pool which should be built in the Immokalee area in our Comprehensive Plan. In addition to our relationship and other benefits it would also provide us with one additional funding source to help in the development of this facility. The Executive Summary drafted for the Board of County Commissioners' review required this special meeting so the School Board could move forward on acquiring land adjacent to the Heath property for a new school site. We have some representatives from the School system here today to try and answer any questions you may have with the proposal being presented to you. Mr. McQuillin: Mr. Otten and Mr. Lee have both received copies of this report? Mr. Otten: Yes, I have and have discussed it with Mr. Lee. Two things - both of us, the County and the School System discussed, The Superintendent and County Manager have talked, and we have met a number of times. There are a number of things that have to happen. We are involved, as you are involved today, with a number of Boards that we have to go through with this. This is just one step in a series that both sides must take. We are in agreement with the Industrial Arts Building - you are not interested in the band room - Mr. Crawford: The issue of availability is what we are talking about. We recognize certain current needs for everyone. Improvements are to be done over a three year period for financial reasons and also to allow a transition period. The immediate need for the public would be more than a gymnasium facility. It would also provide a higher level of service to the people in the Immokalee area. We have had no plans to build a gymnasium in Immokalee. The Comprehensive Plan allows us to exceed those standards. We can do it cost effectively to provide services in Immokalee. There are lots of details of the contract, Boards and approvals that need to be worked out in the contract document. We do not have an immediate need for some of the sites that the school system does. Mr. Lee: I met with the principal of the Immokalee Middle School this morning and we are prepared from the School position to work very closely with you in this transfer of sites. We are interested enough in the project to make reasonable concessions. I think it is great that you have a three year plan. We should be out in two and would not have a need past that time. We can work and cooperate together so the work can be done and still have use of the facility. Mr. Crawford: The development and construction of the football/soccer field would be the first project. Mr. Lee: We would have the main impact on us. We have other facilities adjacent to the high school that we can use. Mr. Crawford: We will have to re-design the Master Plan for the Immokalee Middle School site. We have ideas and would modify so we could work together. We will be looking at changes. Mr. Lee: We would ask to have some notice of work planned so we can work around that but it looks as if that be no problem - it looks good. Mr. Otten: Let me emphasize while we have explored this and think it will work out OK there are some existing questions. Your Board first has to take it to the Board of County Commissioners, the School Board has to acquire the piece of property adjacent to the Heath site. We do not want to buy land until the swap goes through. There are a number of things to consider but I do not think there is going to be any problem. We all understand that we think it is the way to work, but we have things to do, and it will take a period of time. Mr. O'Donnell: First the School Board approached us, we presented it to the Board of County Commissioners, they said yes pursue it, and it could result in building at a reasonable cost. The report came back at approximately $604, 000. We had not budgeted any money for a gymnasium. The report says that facilities built on the Heath site or Immokalee Middle School will cost the same. Facilities design for the Heath property will cost the same. Money funded was for the development of a football/soccer field. The pool, community center, and play area, those monies are still presently to be set aside. We would now not have to build that Community Center. We are not eliminating anything - pool will be moved, Community Center will still be on, etc. Mr. Thomas: The bottom line - the Heath property and $604, 000. Everything that was originally going on the Heath property, plus $604, 000. Mr. O'Donnell: Yes, that is the bottom line. Staff recommended a three year phasing of the 604 , 000 through the Immokalee MSTD. Mr. Stevens: The property cost will not be handled through Parks and Recreation. Mr. O'Donnell: Not in the General Fund. Original cost will be County wide. Additional rehabilitation and operation costs will be paid out of MSTU from Immokalee - it will not be paid by the whole County. Mr. Stevens: Do you have to construct a new school building? Mr. Otten: We are going to construct a new Immokalee Middle School on existing property and will now go over to the Heath property. We will utilize some structures for awhile and then tear them down. Mr. Thomas: We have the existing Old Immokalee Middle School across from the High School. Part of that facility is a spectator size gymnasium with a multi purpose floor and some other buildings that we are not particularly interested 0 in. The School District was going to build a new school in the area of open space adjacent to the old school, tear the school down and have that area for open space. This would result in an odd shaped building. The piece of property across from the school is the Heath property. That property, plus a piece of private property owned by Roberts, those combined pieces of property, will be enough to build a school and leave open space. Save the gymnasium, the School Board is not putting up a gymnasium and it needs to be saved. Adjacent to the gym is open space that would be ideal for the pool. Mr. Stevens: The School Board does not build a gymnasium spectator size? Answer: Not in Middle schools. The "Park" gymnasium would be used for summer lunch programs, summer camp programs, etc. . Mr. Thomas: We will have recreational facilities in the central part of Immokalee with fields, gymnasium and recreational facilities to be used as a whole. Mr. Crawford: One gymnasium is currently planned County-wide and it would be in East Naples. This will provide above level services and will be paid by Immokalee. Mr. Stevens: If the School Board takes over the Heath property and constructs new facilities, then Parks and Recreation takes over the old buildings not wanted to be used. Mr. Thomas: If we do not make a swap a new facility will still be built. The old school would be kept open, then the kids would be moved and the old building converted to open space. I recommended that we make a swap with the Heath property and add to it the Roberts property. Instead of tearing them down we save them. (Map shown. ) Mr. Lee: We would not have torn down the gymnasium, it is too valuable a facility that we would like to have. Our Middle School teaching gymnasium has no facilities for spectators and we will need this gymnasium for school programs. There is a great demand in the evening for basketball. There are 150 kids with no place to play. I see that gymnasium as a valuable asset to the Community; there will be times I am sure that we would like to use it for practice for the school. We have a spectator gymnasium at the high school . Originally the old Immokalee Middle school was everything, including the high school. The purpose of the other buildings has not yet been determined; could be used for administrative purposes, adult community center, pre-school etc. and we would like to think that we would have a good neighbor. We would like to have some agreement that we would be able to use the facilities when not in great demand. Mr. Stevens: Might you use the gym during the day for school activities, you would be across the street? Mr. Lee: Here I am speaking as an individual, would use as a pre-school program for four years at the present Immokalee Middle School facility, begin exchange of ideas, if we did that it would be possible to have children have access to park facilities. That may never be realized, a pre-school on that site, otherwise we would not have use for it. Once children are in school we do not let them out. Unless we house a pre-school on that site it would not be used during the school day. We will have a teaching gym in the new Immokalee Middle School. We may want to use it until the new building is done. Mr. McQuillin: I would like to see more of a sharing of facilities by both School Board and Parks and Recreation than in the past. Could the one in the Middle School not be used during the evening by other people and during the summer? Mr. Lee: Parks and Recreation used that gym every summer. Mr. Crawford: You are going to build a new site teaching gym. Is that going to be available to the Public? Mr. Lee: We open up the gyms now. Mr. McQuillin: Is there a chance they are not always being used in the evening? Mr. Lee: Yes. They are used by the public after school hours. Some of them have been Parks and Recreation sponsored, some Adult and Community programs. Yes, both gyms get heavy usage and I would see that continuing. Mr. McQuillin: $200, 000 a year for three years would be a heavy tax. If the tax payer wants to use the gyms there would be ways to use the gyms? Mr. Lee: During basketball season the gym is shut down for Community use, but in other parts of the year when we are not there it is still used. During the week all kinds of programs continue and this would give an opportunity to expand - it would not be needed during days for school programs. Mr. Stevens: What was proposed on the Heath property for the Park? Mr. Crawford: Football/soccer field, pool, open play area. Mr. Stevens: The football/soccer field will be located over there and included with what the Park System gets? Mr. O'Donnell: It will be owned and operated by the County. The football/soccer field does not yet exist. Mr. Stevens The cost of construction will be up to Parks and Recreation. Mr. O'Donnell: The football/soccer field would have gone on the Heath property but it was put on hold until this matter was resolved. Mr. Stevens: There is 14 acres involved. We are saying that we will swap the Heath property for this and the buildings will be condemned by the State. Mr. Otten: The State designates a school site and allows the school system to tear down and replace. We could not build a new school unless the State came in and looked at the facility. With enough population, we could build a new middle school which we have decided to do. Some parts of that building will be torn down; none of the part you are looking at. We may keep some of the other buildings, it is not decided yet by the School Board, but it has nothing to do with what we are taking about here. We may use some of them in the future. Mr. Crawford: Again, this is just a first draft and there is no decision even by Staff for layout, etc. Mr. Stevens: How will this fit in the five year Master Plan? Mr. O'Donnell: The pool, football/soccer field, children's play area are already programmed in. Two pools, a 25 meter and an Olympic pool - yes, it is included in that plan so it qualifies. Mr. Crawford: Yes, the Growth Management Plan submitted to the State does not take into consideration a gym in the Immokalee community. We are updating our plan and we will be providing an additional level of service. We are meeting and exceeding it. It will put us above what the plan now calls for. Rehabilitation and operating will be built into our budget each year. Mr. Stevens: What hours will it remain open? Mr. O'Donnell: It is not yet determined. Mr. Stevens: Can the public use it? Mr. Crawford: The School needs must be met first and it would not be open to the public at the same time. After three years it will be like any other community park. Mr. O'Donnell: We would own and maintain it. We would see use of the gym, also for lunch programs, etc. Mr. McQuillin: Would the people in Immokalee pay for this, how much would it add to their taxes. Not known at this time. Mr. O'Donnell: It is a viable option at this point. Now we would like to ask the Commissioners' approval to sit down and really hammer out the swap of land. The School Board will take it back to their Board. Our Board would agree and move on from there. Mr. McQuillin: Open space is eliminated; we are talking about trading facilities, age of 30 years which are older facilities. We also have the Gulfview Middle School, will this also be condemned? Mr. Otten: Condemned in this sense means that it is no longer adequate for middle school programs. Gulfview was renovated recently. We are going to continue to use it. Mr. McQuillin: Is it possible that this might not set a precedent, and that we might find ourselves doing this again? Mr. Otten: When we now build a school the first people we approach is the Parks and Recreation Department about sharing playground area. We place that facility on the site so that the open space would be accessible to Parks and Recreation and to the public, so we do work together. There is cooperation between the School District and Parks and Recreation - we have a number of agreements between Parks and Recreation and the School District. They are renewed every year and I could not imagine that anyone would change that. This is not unusual to work together; we have not had a school site involved before. Mr. Thomas: We are making this more difficult, we are getting 14 acres developed and we are giving up 14 acres not developed. Mr. O'Donnell: We are getting facilities above what we had contemplated. It is advantageous to us. Mr. Stevens: With no cost to Parks and Recreation. Mr. Crawford: We are involved in upgrading our agreements and plans for the future. Two new sites will be developed as school sites and park sites, the Vineyard and Orange Tree. We recognize the needs of the Administrative system as well as the Parks System. We have had a good relationship the last few years and we are paving the way for the rest of the State on what we are accomplishing here. Mr. O'Donnell: The conception of our relationship by other people is wrong. Mr. Crawford: We want to build community parks and put them next to schools. The school System can put more money into classrooms and everyone wins. Mr. Otten: If it all falls apart we will still build a new building. Mr. Lee: We anticipate before the school is completely built there will be 1, 000 children ages 12 to 14 ; Gulfview has 600. All alternatives are being considered. Mr. Thomas: The School Board is going to replace the school. If some property became available they might build over here. They are going to build it any way. If we make the swap they can now build in a more suitable site. Mr. O'Donnell: We are going to build a football/soccer field, 25 meter pool and childrens' play area no matter where we built it. Mr. McQuillin: Any other questions? Mr. Thomas: I MOVE WE RECOMMEND TO PROCEED WITH SWAP OF HEATH PROPERTY FOR IMMOKALEE MIDDLE SCHOOL - ALL FACILITIES EXCEPT THE BAND ROOM. SECONDED: Mr. Stevens. Approval 3-0. Mr. Thomas: MOVE THAT WE ADJOURN. SECONDED: Mr. Stevens. Meeting adjourned at 11: 40.