City of
PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION
REGULAR MEETING
MINUTES
February 22, 2010
Present: Commissioners Eggers, Gardiner, Lewis, Noraas, Rosenthal; City Council Liaison
Absent: None
Gardiner called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. at Council Chambers,
Study Session – December 21, 2009
MOTION Eggers moved to approve the minutes as written. Rosenthal seconded the motion.
The vote was: 4 yes – 0 no [Noraas abstained]
Study Session – January 11, 2010
In the section entitled “Refine Commission Goals for FY 2010-2011,” under Environmental Evaluations and Audits, Eggers requested replacing the phrase “remain energy-consumption-neutral” with “not increase energy consumption.” In the following bullet, Eggers requested replacing the phrase “resolving oversights identified in the Green Team audit report” with “resolving issues that were identified in the Green Team audit report.”
MOTION Eggers moved to approve the minutes as amended. Lewis seconded the motion.
The vote was: 4 yes – 0 no [Rosenthal abstained]
Regular Meeting – January 25, 2010
Under “Election of Officers,” Rosenthal pointed out that the vice chair vote was 2-to-1 [for Rosenthal] and he did not vote in favor of himself for that position. In the section entitled “Proposed 2010-2016 Capital Improvement Plan,” under Items from Commissioners, Rosenthal requested changing the phrase “Replacement of the Oak Knoll Golf Course irrigation system might be misunderstood by the community due to high project cost” with “…might not be deemed as a popular investment.”
MOTION Rosenthal moved to approve the minutes as amended. Noraas seconded the motion.
The vote was: 3 yes – 0 no [Eggers and Lewis abstained]
Joint Special Meeting – February 8, 2010
MOTION Noraas moved to approve the minutes as written. Eggers seconded the motion.
The vote was: 5 yes – 0 no
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
Keith Massie,
Mark Haneberg,
Mark Yaconelli,
Commissioners said they received many such requests and discussed the possibility of creating a policy for fee waivers before waiving additional fees. They agreed to discuss the matter at the March 15 study session.
None
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
FY 2010-2011 GOALS
Robertson said the goals were revised based on commissioner feedback, with one completed goal removed from the list and another goal incorporated into standard commission practices. For the remaining eight goals, timelines for completion were assigned along with a main staff contact person. Goals included:
§ Financial and Business Plan
o Completed by spring 2011
o Staff Coordinator: Director
§ Non-Native Vegetation Control Plan
o Completed by summer 2010
o Staff Coordinator: Park Superintendent
§ Lower
o Completed by fall 2010
o Staff Coordinator: Director
§ Oak Knoll Golf Course
o Completed by summer 2010
o Staff Coordinator: Director
§
o Completed by summer 2010
o Staff Coordinator: Recreation Superintendent
§ Community Communication
o Completed by winter 2011
o Staff Coordinator: Recreation Superintendent
§ Environmental Evaluations and Audits
o Completed by winter 2012
o Staff Coordinator: Park Superintendent
§ Preliminary Steps Toward the Creation of a
o Completed by spring 2011
o Staff Coordinator: Park Superintendent
Discussion Among Commissioners
Commissioners provided feedback on several goals and requested clarifications. For the “Environmental Evaluations and Audits” goal, Noraas requested substituting “remaining energy consumption neutral” with “not increasing energy consumption, reducing energy use where possible, conserving and protecting resources, and acting in an environmentally ethical manner.” For the “Oak Knoll Golf Course” goal, Rosenthal requested exchanging the phrase “be treated as a business enterprise” with “is a business enterprise that operates with little or no taxpayer subsidy.”
MOTION Rosenthal moved to approve the FY 2010-2011 goals as amended. Eggers seconded the motion.
The vote was: 5 yes – 0 no
NEW BUSINESS
CALLE GUANAJUATO RESTAURANT SEATING AGREEMENTS AND CONTRACT
Dials said the commission managed contracts along the Calle Guanajuato for the Lithia Artisans Market vendors and the restaurateurs. She said the artisans’ five-year contract spanned 2009-2014 but the restaurant contracts were administered on a yearly basis. Current restaurant requests for square footage leases and chair rentals along the Calle included Munchies, Greenleaf, Louie’s Bar and Grill, Grilla Bites, Sesame, and Hana Sushi. She said two restaurants requested additional space in 2010: Hana Sushi and Sesame. Dials asked the commission to 1) determine the “season” of operation; 2) approve the restaurant seating agreements for the 2010 season and give staff the flexibility to determine the square footage allotments; 3) approve the proposed restaurant seating contracts; and 4) give staff direction related to the space behind Sesame Restaurant and Websters.
Public Input
Hal Cloer, 815 Creek Stone Way, owner of the building in which Websters operates, spoke in support of the request by Websters owner Dona Zimmerman to keep restaurant seating away from the area in front of her establishment at 10 Guanajuato Way. He said Sesame’s chairs and tables obscured visibility to Websters for passersby and devalued the venue as a retail space.
Thomas and Lisa Beam,
Tom DuBois and Melissa Jensen,
Marcus Scott and Maria DiMagio,
Discussion Among Commissioners
Commissioner and staff comments included concern about the tight corner by Munchie’s and a request to not place tables on the side of the building; agreement that a consistent season for both artisans and restaurateurs was a good course of action; and debate about whether to extend the season or to retain the same season as 2009.
MOTION Rosenthal moved to approve the 2010 season for restaurant seating and artisan market operations from April 1 through November 15. Noraas seconded the motion.
The vote was: Lewis, Noraas, Rosenthal – yes
Eggers, Gardiner – no
For item #2 regarding approving the Calle seating agreements for the 2010 season and giving staff the flexibility to determine the square footage allotments, Robertson said most of the restaurants asked for the same square footage as 2009. He said Hana Sushi requested approximately 200 feet more than the average of 400 feet and their space request could violate the eight-foot-wide clearance required of all the restaurants by the Fire Marshall. Dials recommended not allowing them to use the u-shaped space they requested but rather go corner to corner.
Commissioners discussed the Sesame space request in terms of Websters’ desire to leave that area clear of tables and chairs. Some commissioners said the back entrance was not being promoted as a business entrance and others said it was being rented out as a retail space and allowing tables and chairs to be situated in that area was not appropriate. Commissioners discussed voting on the space allocation requests for all restaurants except Sesame, then separately discussing and voting on Sesame.
MOTION Rosenthal moved to approve the 2010 restaurant seating allotment and contracts for Munchie’s, Greenleaf, Louie’s Bar and Grill, Grilla Bites, and Hana Sushi at the 2009 locations. Lewis seconded the motion.
The vote was: 5 yes – 0 no
MOTION Eggers moved to approve the elimination of restaurant seating spaces in front of the Websters business entrance at
The vote was: Eggers, Lewis – yes
Gardiner, Noraas, Rosenthal – no
MOTION Noraas moved to approve retaining Sesame Restaurant’s square foot allocation at the 2009 level. Gardiner seconded the motion.
MOTION TO AMEND Eggers moved to amend the motion so that, if the retail space at
The vote was: Eggers, Lewis, Noraas – yes
Gardiner, Rosenthal – no
Commissioners questioned how to enforce such an arrangement. Robertson advised the commission that the motion and addendum in their current form might not be legally defensible and the commission would need to consult with the City Attorney. He suggested inviting the City Attorney to the March regular commission meeting.
AMENDED MOTION – Approve the Sesame Restaurant space at the 2009 level but immediately discontinue restaurant seating if the entity at
The vote was: Eggers, Lewis – yes
Gardiner, Noraas, Rosenthal – no
Motion Rosenthal moved to approve the Sesame Restaurant square footage contract for 2010 at the same level as 2009. Noraas seconded the motion.
The vote was: Gardiner, Noraas, Rosenthal – yes
Eggers, Lewis – no
Commissioners agreed not to pursue the request for additional seating across the creek.
MOU WITH THE CONFEDERATED TRIBES OF THE GRAND RONDE
Robertson reported that
Kari Gies said the two interpretive signs would represent 27 tribal groups and
Eggers asked Gies to present the draft signage to the Signs and Plaques Subcommittee before placing the signs at the
MOTION Lewis moved to authorize the director to enter into the MOU on behalf of the commission. Noraas seconded the motion.
The vote was: 5 yes – 0 no
SUB-COMMITTEE and STAFF REPORTS
Robertson said a Pesticides Subcommittee meeting would be held the following day.
Gies asked whether the Signs and Plaques Subcommittee members had feedback on the revised “needs list” for the parks system that was sent out by e-mail the previous week.
Noraas provided a brief update on the work of the Forest Lands Commission.
Robertson reported that the Parks Department’s Forestry Division received a $40,000 grant from the Oregon Department of Forestry for fuels reduction in the
Gardiner reported on recent communications with the Oak Knoll Homeowners Association president regarding a desire to participate in Golf Course Subcommittee meetings about walking trails and a possible disc golf course.
Dials said the Ashland Rotary Centennial Ice Rink might close earlier than February 28 due to expected rain.
ITEMS FROM COMMISSIONERS
None
UPCOMING MEETING DATES
ADJOURNMENT– By consensus, Gardiner adjourned the meeting at 9:33 p.m.
Respectfully submitted, Susan Dyssegard,