City of
PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION
STUDY SESSION
MINUTES
May 16, 2011
Present: Commissioners Landt, Lewis, Rosenthal, Seffinger; Director Robertson; Superintendent Dials; Interim Superintendent Hammers; Central Division Manager McFarland
Absent: Commissioner Eggers; City Council Liaison Slattery
Rosenthal called the meeting to order at 7:03 p.m. at the end of Glendower Street in Ashland.
WALKING TOUR OF ASHLAND POND / ASHLAND CREEK AREAS
Robertson welcomed everyone in attendance and introduced Parks commissioners and staff. Others present included Dan Van Dyke from Oregon Dept of Fish and Wildlife, David Primozich from Freshwater Trust, Marko Bey and Nicole Del Pizzo from Lomakatsi Restoration Project, Public Works Director Mike Faught, and Public Works Engineering Technician II Scott Fleury.
Faught said the City was required to renew its DEQ permit but a new mandate required a reduction in the temperature of effluent from the wastewater treatment plant before its entrance into Ashland Creek. He outlined various options for cooling the effluent and said most options were ruled out with the exception of a conceptual design that was the cheapest and most environmentally friendly option: creating meandering baffles in the open space wetland area near Ashland Pond that would allow effluent water to meander and cool before entering the pond. The representatives from Freshwater Trust and ODF&W said restoration efforts in the area were ongoing and the proposed project would not harm those efforts.
Landt asked if the meandering effluent would be disruptive to existing vegetation. Citizen Mia Driscoll asked how wide the baffles would be and Public Works staff said they had not reached that level of detail in the project planning.
All in attendance walked the proposed project area and viewed the points under discussion.
Faught said he would review potential impacts on birds and other wildlife with ODF&W and present the information to the commission at their next regular meeting. He said Public Works staff would need to provide a proposal to the DEQ by September. He said Public Works hoped to obtain approval from the commission for the conceptual design but the project would not commence for several years. Landt said this was the key time for the commission to either approve or not approve the conceptual design.
Staff was directed to place the item on the May 23 regular meeting agenda.
ADJOURNMENT– By consensus, Rosenthal adjourned the meeting at 8:20 p.m.
Respectfully submitted, Susan Dyssegard, Ashland Parks and Recreation