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HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-25-2025 PR MinutesPARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING AUGUST 25, 2025 Call to Order -- Chairperson Drumheller called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. 11. Pledoe of Allegiance was recited by all. Ill. Roll Call: Present: Mr. Moore (a) Mr. Mauro Mr. Halleran Ms. White (Zoom) Ms. Drumheller _x rvt-s' Shelctv^ (ZOOM) Not Present: IV. Announcements and Aaenda Modifications Mr. Blankenship stated that under New Business he will discuss two FRDAP (Florida Recreation Development Assistance Program) grants. One will be for Hardee Park, and one will be for Garden Club Park. They are $50,000.00 nonmatching grants that the deadline for applications is September 30th. He stated that the staff was able to get it on this agenda for approval. The other item he wanted to add to the agenda is the change of date for our September meeting. He will be out of town on the 22nd, so it was moved to the 291h. We can discuss that further this evening. V. ADDroval of Minutes -- Meeting of July 22, 2025 meeting. All having indicated they had had a chance to read the Minutes, a motion approving the Minutes of July 22, 2025 as presented was made by Mr. Mauro, seconded by Mr. Halleran, and approved unanimously via voice vote. V1. Public Input -- None VII. Unfinished Business A. Current Project(s) Update 1. Riverview Park Planning PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE AGENDA PAGE 2 MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING AUGUST 25, 2025 Mr. Blankenship stated that nothing new has gone on with Riverview Park Planning. Staff is still waiting for more contracts. 2. Main Street Boat Ramp -- Awarded FBIP grant for construction Mr. Blankenship stated that Sebastian was awarded the FBIP (Florida Boat Improvement Program) grant to do the dredging for the boat ramp. There is an application in with FIND, and he opines that this will be funded as well. Ms. Drumheller asked if any of the permits had come back yet. Mr. Blankenship stated that the permits for Swing and Bench have come back, but not for the dredging. There have been several meetings with St. John's where they asked us to make some modifications because of seagrass, which has been done. Ms. White asked what the price tag is estimated for that work to be done. Mr. Blankenship said it really depends on how far out we are permitted to go. Conservatively, it will be between $400,000.00 and $500,000.00. However, if we are only allowed to go out as many feet that we are planning on right now, then that price would go down. Between the two grants, it is a $400,000.00+ match. So, regarding funding, the City should be in a good position. 3. Swing and Bench Park -- The permit for this project has been received. Ms. Drumheller asked what the next step is for this project. Mr. Blankenship stated the next step is going out to bid for the work. The upland work is fairly simple. It's a sidewalk with swings and benches. The shoreline stabilization is what we have the design for, and we will have to go out for bid for that once we know what award we have. Ms. Drumheller asked if we have funding for that. Mr. Blankenship said we have a little bit and then we have a FIND grant that he is pretty confident that this project will be funded through. Ms. White asked if that is why it has taken so long for this project to get done. It seems like this has been in the works for a while. She is assuming it is because of all the permitting for the shoreline, etc. Mr. Blankenship said that is correct. FIND will do their awards in September. By the time we get the contracts, probably late October or early November, we will have to go to Council to execute the contract, and then we will go out for bid. 4. Urban Forestry Grant Awards Mr. Blankenship said the City was awarded two Urban Forestry Grants: One to do a tree canopy survey, which will go out to bid probably in early October. That survey is something we can use for many years down the road, knowing where to plant, what condition the present canopy is in and things like that. That survey will PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE AGENDA PAGE 3 MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING AUGUST 25, 2025 be done on all park properties. The second $15,000.00 grant is to remove exotics from the same River Forestry program, and that will probably be done at Filbert Street Park. That is yet to be determined. Mr. Blankenship stated that the installation of the Law Enforcement Dryline across the street at Twin Piers has been completed. Ms. Drumheller called for public input, and there was none. B. Committee Member Park Updates Mr. Mauro said his parks are fine. The pickleball court — at the second set of courts the windscreen on the west side is down. Mr. Halleran said he has three parks. He started with the Stormwater Park. He did not see the alligator. Ms. Drumheller said there is more than one. What he did notice was a lot of wild boar damage. He asked if that is something the County looks into? Mr. Blankenship said the City has had a trapper there for almost a year now, just trying to keep up with it. They entered some private lawns and tore down fences, etc. when they are hungry. Mr. Halleran said he took part in the air potato roundup that the City had. He just wanted to let you know that those air potato beetles that they introduced are doing a wonderful job, so they are certainly working. He also stated that, considering the size of Stormwater Park, he saw minimal litter. That is true for each one of his parks, and the City is doing a good job of keeping up with that, or the people in Sebastian are not as prone to littering as other areas. In Bryant Park, there was that one cable that limits access of vehicles into the park. The caution sign that is on the wire on this cable is showing its age. He suggested putting some PVC pipes there so that people on bicycles or people walking would not ride or walk into the wire, just to make it more visible. He stated that there are still piles of palm fronds in the parks. He volunteered to help with the palm fronds. Regarding George Street, the same is true there as with Bryant Park. The abutters are to the point where they are eroding the soil that is alongside the road, and the asphalt is starting to break. Mr. Blankenship said the City is going to put up some signage. He stated staff is putting up some additional signage at Barber Street, and there will be some put up at George Street and Bryant Park as well. Ms. White suggested putting up some sort of railing to keep vehicles out. Mr. Blankenship said that there is certain protocol that we have to follow. We cannot put it right up on the road. Mr. Hallerman suggested that signage would be a good first step. Mr. Moore said that his last visit to Riverview Park was right after the big storm, and there were no palm fronds. Apparently, that was taken care of right away. He said he gave Mr. Blankenship a couple photos of things that he noticed. None of them were a safety issue. Other than weeds and grass growing out of the gutters, the park looked awesome. PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE AGENDA PAGE 4 MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING AUGUST 25,2025 Ms. Drumheller said her parks are doing well. At Filbert there is lots of turtle activity. At the Garden Club Park, there is talk about having a weeding party because everything is growing wonderfully. Ms. White said that the only thing she wanted to mention is that we did get more baby ducks this summer at Easy Street. C. Upcoming Events at Riverview Park Mr. Blankenship said that all of these are in conjunction with the Veterans Advisory Board, the VFW, the American Legion, and those groups. 1. Patriots Day -- September 11, 2025, Veterans Memorial at 8:30 a.m. 2. POW/MIA Remembrance Ceremony -- September 19,2025 at 11:30 a.m. 3. Gold Star Families Service -- September 28, 2025 at 11 a.m. Vill. New Business A. Hurricane Harbor 1. Present conditions 2. Grant requirements 3. Present funding 4. Possible design elements for further development Mr. Blankenship reviewed that he had sent the Committee members a list of comments from their tour, from the general public, and from staff. There was quite a bit of redundancy. He suggested that, between this meeting and the next meeting, we whittle down to a "50,000-foot look" of what we would like Hurricane Harbor to look like in general. Once there is a concept, that is just the beginning. There is a lot of engineering, etc. So, the way the concept starts out may not be the way it finishes up based on certain criteria we have to meet as far as setbacks, etc. There was a lengthy discussion among the Committee members and Mr. Blankenship regarding this subject. Each member voiced his/her suggestions, and there was discussion regarding grant money, which Mr. Blankenship explained. He stated that he would have more information on grant money at the next meeting. PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE AGENDA PAGE 5 MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING AUGUST 25, 2025 Mr. Blankenship stated that these are the Florida Recreation Development Assistant Program, grants of $50,000.00, nonmatching. Staff is going to propose one for Hardee Park. We have money in next year's budget to redo that playground. The second one is another grant for Garden Club Park. We have the Recreation Trails grant application out there. That is federal, and he has no idea of what is going on with federal grants at this time. If awarded, it will be at the end of 2026 and will be for Hardee Park and Garden Club Park. B. Recreation Program Calendar 1. Touch and Tour -- September 13, 2025, 10 a.m., City Hall Campus Mr. Blankenship described this event and stated that it has been opened up to local businesses this year, so we will have a lot more equipment that kids can experience. He said the Museum will be open as well as the Art Club which will be doing face painting and other art -associated activities, and the Senior Center will have an open house. There will be a food truck, ice cream, and COPE will have their trailer here. 2. Kids Fest --October 4, 2025, 10 a.m., Riverview Park Mr. Blankenship stated that this will be the City's Kids Fest. He said there are a lot of organizations lined up to come and do presentations, exhibits, etc. There will be a fishing clinic that will go on that morning. We are doing a sidewalk chalk art competition in the Park, the Indian River Lagoon folks will be there and many others. This event is at Riverview Park. There will be a DJ, etc. IX. Items for the Next Aaenda and Date: September 22, 2025 Mr. Blankenship suggested moving the meeting from the 22nd to the 29th due to his being out of town. Ms. Drumheller called for a motion. A motion changing the September meeting date from the 22nd to the 29th was made by Mr. Halleran, seconded by Ms. White, and approved unanimously via voice vote. X. Adiourn There being no further business, Ms. Drumheller adjourned the meeting at 6:48 p.m. By: Chairperson Drumheller Ar P yZ) V e 0( 0- S 6L M eVIA e- d, -