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HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-28-2023 PR MinutesIV. V. PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING AUGUST 28, 2023 Call to Order -- Chairperson Drumheller called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. Pledge of Allegiance was recited by all. Present Ms. Drumheller Mr. Danise Mr. Allen (a) Not Present Ms. Webster -- Excused Also Present Mr. Renzi Mr. Mauro Ms. White (Zoom) Mr. Antoine Vanmeir, Leisure Services Director Mr. Nicholas Ladyman, Help Desk Technician Ms. Janet Graham, Technical Writer Announcements and Agenda Modifications -- None Approval of Minutes -- Meeting Minutes from July 24, 2023 Everyone indicating they had reviewed the Minutes, Ms. Drumheller called for a motion. A motion approving the Minutes of July 24, 2023 as presented was made by Mr. Danise, seconded by Mr. Renzi, and approved unanimously via voice vote. VI. Public Input David Havens -- He has been a resident of Sebastian for about 40 years. He spoke on the need for additional pickleball courts. He stated the pickleball courts are a great facility that has been provided by the City. He looks forward to more courts because there are times, and they are pretty specific times, where it gets very busy. Other times it is not busy at all when the heat index is 105. His main concern is the financial end of it. He saw where it would cost close to $1 million if the new courts were basically the same as what is there now. He would like to see the lower amount, which he thinks was around $350,000 just for the new courts. It seems like the bathroom facilities are adequate for the most part. It could probably use more parking, but there is a field that is adjacent to the parking area that people use. Pickleball is quickly becoming a great sport. It is a sport that can be used by all age groups. There are pickleball clubs being established PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE PAGE 2 MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING OF AUGUST 28, 2023 now at the high school level. It started out for older people, as it provides exercise that is less strenuous than tennis. Ms. Drumheller thanked Mr. Havens. She stated that at the last meeting Mr. Benton said he would bring back some information, probably next month. It would then be an agenda item to have more discussion regarding pickleball as compared to what was discussed at the last meeting. Mr. Vanmeir stated he is aware of the information as to what the allocation of the funds would be. It looked like it would be more like $750,00 to $950,000. Ms. Drumheller stated that the Committee last month pushed it forward to do more investigation on the parking, etc. She emphasized that this is not going to happen tomorrow, but it is something that this Committee recommended that Parks and Recreation look deeper into it. It would then have to come back to this Committee and then go to City Council, as that is a major allocation of funds. Mr. Mauro asked regarding pickleball courts, are we talking about the same location, or could there be another location. Ms. Drumheller said that she thinks that Mr. Benton was looking at a couple of locations but had ruled out where the Schumann tennis courts are. She recalls that Mr. Benton stated he is going to bring back information to this Committee as to where would be the best place to put the courts utilizing resources that we have. Mr. Vanmeir said Mr. Benton definitely looked at the property adjacent to the existing pickleball courts at the Airport, to the south of it. That was one of the viable locations. Ms. White asked regarding the property near where the County pool is. She asked if the County has been contacted regarding installing pickleball courts out there. Mr. Vanmeir said he has not reached out to the County about pickleball courts. Ms. White suggested that there are enough residents between Sebastian and Vero Beach who are wanting pickleball courts. That may be something Mr. Vanmeir might want to look into. Mr. Vanmeir stated he would speak with Mr. Benton about that. Ms. Drumheller suggested that on the next agenda we keep pickleball as an item under Unfinished Business, just to make sure that we keep addressing it because it is something that there is a lot of interest in, and we would like to ensure that we do not drop the ball on this and just let it go. She is aware that it is a lot of money, but we have a five-year plan and, if we are going to do this, we need to get that in line for the five-year plan. Mr. Danise addressed the subject of the trees/shrubs lining the sidewalk along CR 512. He spoke to several women who are concerned about walking behind those trees. He asked if those trees belong to the County/State, and do we need permission to trim them at a six-foot height. Mr. Vanmeir stated that that is the County's responsibility. The understanding is that the City cannot work on the County's property, and the County PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE PAGE 3 MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING OF AUGUST 28, 2023 cannot work on the City's property. The City would have to make a public request that the County come out and trim those trees at a height we are requesting and do any type of work inside the County right-of-way. Ms. Drumheller stated that she both walks and bikes there, and it is one of the few places that you can go when the sun is out. She added that it is remote, and there is a ditch that is aligned with that, but it is one of the few shaded sidewalks. Ms. White said she was going to make the same comment because she rides her bike there. Also, at times those trees are a wind blocker. She thinks it is okay the way it is right now. Mr. Allen stated that he thinks that we would be losing a lot of protection from the road. There might be some compromise there. Ms. Drumheller suggested that it also is somewhat of a sound barrier for the houses that are along there. VII. Unfinished Business A. Current Project(s) Updates Mr. Vanmeir reported as follows: Filbert Street Park -- The shipping looks like it is about three weeks away, and the schedule for beginning that work is approximately six weeks away. The delay is due to the shipping of the materials, and there is not a lot the City can do about that. Easy Street Park -- Work is scheduled to start this Thursday, August 31. There will be a short meeting at 9:00 a.m. with the installer, and then we will move forward on that project that day. B. Committee Member Park Updates Mr. Mauro -- The Main Street Boat Ramp, the Yacht Club, and Pickleball courts were described as fine, and there is nothing to report. Mr. Danise -- He stated he did have a comment about the tennis courts from someone. They are concerned that pickleball will be played on the tennis courts. He assured them that this is not the case. Mr. Allen -- Bryant and Historic Parks are both in excellent shape. The Kildare Park/Schumann Lake Park -- there has been no decision made on that. Hopefully, there will be a decision made before next month's meeting. PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE PAGE 4 MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING OF AUGUST 28, 2023 Mr. Renzi -- The Stormwater Park is In good shape. There are no problems at Friendship Park. Regarding Riverview Park, he suggested that on the south side of the Park the parking area Is getting rough. Mr. Vanmelr said there is nothing planned presently. He will bring the Roads crew out and have them grade that area off to make it a little bit better. Mr. Renzi said that otherwise the Park Is In great shape. M& White -- There is nothing on Easy Street. She mentioned that at the last meeting Mr. Benton said he would check to see why the Historical Park Is called a park. He said he would see if staff can find some history on that park because it Is pretty much a green area. Mr. Vanmelr stated that it is his understanding that it was named a park when the City thought it owned more land than it did. In the 70s there were plans to pave part of the area, and that is when they realized that k was not the City's property. They are currently working on straightening out part of that property and doing some upgrade to that apark." Ms. Drumheller — Regarding the Garden Park, she stated it Is getting overrun with lily pads etc. In the lake there. It is looking like it has not had much work done in a while. Mr. Vanmelr explained that the City hires a company called Applied Aquatics to come in and manage that lake. He suggested they are scheduled to come out after October. They do not go after the Illy pads as much as the more invasive species that are growing in and around the lake. There are also some wild birds that nest in the shallows around that lake. We don't want to endanger them by spraying pesticides in those areas. C. Upcoming Events at Riverview Park Mr. Vanmeir reviewed the upcoming events as follows: 1. Patriot Day event by the splash pad. That will be an approximately 15-minute ceremony. 2. On September 231d there will be an event called . Hunt for Hope Florida, which Holly Hamilton runs that. It Is a fundraiser for cancer. That geneisily runs from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. 3. The homecoming event takes place on October 10. It will run from 6:00 p.m. to 8.00 p.m. There will be a parade down Indian River Drive beginning at the Main Street Boat Ramp and ending at Riverview Park. Road closure will start at approximately 3:00 p.m., and the road will open up right behind the parade. 4. Saturday, October 14t' there will be a Craft Club event which will run from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. S. October 19, from 5:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. is Community Night Out for the Sebastian Police Department. They will provide activities. Road closure will PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE PAGE 5 MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF AUGUST 28, 2023 begin at 3:00 p.m., and they will be done by 8:00 p.m. when the roads will be back open. The road closure will be from Harrison Street to Coolidge. 6. October 21 is the Boo Bash at Riverview Park. It is put on by Barb Snow. Ms. White asked what the Boo Bash is. Mr. Vanmeir said this is a for -profit event. The City does not sponsor the event. There will be different crafts on display. 7. Friday, October 27th, is the City's Halloween event, Movie Night. That is where the City sponsors the event. The road will be closed at approximately 5:00 p.m. This year there are going to be some Jeeps doing Trunk or Treat. They will come in and set up with candy for the kids. They are from Fort Pierce, and they want to expand to Sebastian. There will also be a costume contest which will be done about 6:45 p.m. At 7:00 p.m. they plan to start the movie. The Jeeps will be able to enter and exit without interfering with Movie Night. They sponsor themselves by fund raising, and the City has no investment in this event. Ms. White asked if the City will provide bags for candy for the kids. Ms. Drumheller asked if the Committee members will participate in judging the costumes. Mr. Vanmeir said that would be great. If the members who want to participate would email him, the will get the information out to the Committee members. Ms. White said she thinks Mr. Benton has all the materials and information relative to scoring the costumes 8. October 28th is the Junior Blue Water Open. The City provides the chairs and tables for them. Also, on October 28th Captain Hiram's does the cleanup where they bring back trash from the island and put it in dumpsters, and the dumpsters are hauled away. VIII. New Business A. Discussion on Moving Next Meeting from September 25th to October 2"d. Mr. Vanmeir stated that he is suggesting moving next month's meeting from September 25th to October 2"d. That way, we can come back to this Committee and have real numbers on our Parks and Recreation allocation of money, and we can tell you what we can spend for the parks. We will not know until October when the budget is done. Mr. Allen asked if that means we would be skipping the September meeting and from then on, it's the first week of the month, or are we having two meetings in October. Mr. Vanmeir said this is just a temporary change. Ms. Drumheller said it would be two meetings in October. Ms. Drumheller called for a motion. A motion moving the meeting scheduled for September 25th to October 2"d was made by Ms. White, seconded by Mr. Allen, and approved unanimously via voice vote. PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE PAGE 6 MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING OF AUGUST 28. 2023 IX. Items for the Next Aoenda and Date: October 2"d, 2023 Mr. Vanmeir stated that we will have discussion of pickleball. Ms. Drumheller suggested that, since there will be two meetings in October, the City Attorney would be able to attend one meeting to give the Committee a Sunshine Laws update. Mr. Vanmeir said he will request that. X. Adjourn There being no further business, a motion to adjourn was made by Mr. Mauro, seconded by Mr. Allen, and approved unanimously via voice vote. By: �Gti z &N-�, Date: &)—�2^ 26 Vicki Drumheller, Chairperson 19