Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources Advisory Board

MEETING MINUTES

 

Monday, January 8, 2007 @ 5:15 p.m.
Cary Town Hall

316 N. Academy Street – Cary, NC 27513

www.townofcary.org



Attendance: 
Members:  Jeff Boucher; Susan Davenport; Jamie France; Marilyn Goldman; Dennis Hoadley; Leta Huntsinger; Tom Hemrick; Steve Smutko

Absent:  Tullie Johnson; Snayha Nath, Youth Member; Nels Roseland, Liaison

Guest:  Mike Curran

Staff:  Mary Henderson  Doug McRainey; Dwayne Jones; William Davis; Lyman Collins; Helen Stanfield; Leda Isenhour; Bruce Crocker; Gail Taylor

 

I.     Call to Order/Roll Call – Steve Smutko, Chair


II.    Adoption of Agenda – Steve Smutko, Chair
►Agenda Item – Committee Chairmanships
ACTION:  Jamie France made a motion to add Upcoming Chairmanships under New Business.  The motion was seconded by Dennis Hoadley.  The motion carried by a unanimous vote.

III.   Adoption of Minutes of December 4, 2006 – Steve Smutko, Chair
ACTION:  Tom Hemrick made a motion to approve the minutes of the December 4, 2006 meeting.  The motion was seconded by Susan Davenport.  The motion carried by a unanimous vote.

IV.   Public Speaks Out - None

 

V.    Special Presentation - None

VI.   Land Dedications – Doug McRainey
►Park at Langston #06-REZ-23

The property is located between Bells Lake Road and Henderson Road and is just east of the existing Park at Langston subdivision.  This will essentially be the second phase of the Park at Langston with the two phases being divided by a stream with riparian buffers.  The request is to annex the property and rezone it from Residential-30 (R-30) to R-12 Conditional Use with the condition that maximum units will be 2.15/acre.  The R-12 zoning will match that of the existing phase of Langston at the Park. 

·         # of Units – maximum of 42

·         Required Dedication – 1.2 acres

·         PRCR Master Plan Recommendations -

o        A proposed greenway is currently located along the north/south stream corridor.

.

·         Staff Recommendation -

o        Approval of a payment-in-lieu of parkland dedication for the value of 1.2 acres.

o        Approval for developer to dedicate a 30’ wide greenway easement along the eastern edge of the stream buffer.

o        Approval for the developer to construct private trail connection(s) to the greenway easement. 

 

ACTION:  Leta Huntsinger made a motion to accept staff’s recommendation.  The motion was seconded by Tom Hemrick.  The motion carried by a unanimous vote.

 

VI.   Reports
A.    Committee Reports

      Athletic Committee – Jeff Boucher, Chair

► Girls Slow Pitch Softball Program
Jeff reported that the Athletics Committee met last week to discuss staff’s recommendation to combine the Girls Slow Pitch Softball program into the Fast Pitch program.  The committee discussed the information presented by staff as well as youth softball coaches.  William Davis noted that schools and most other park departments, along with national organizations, have gone solely to fast pitch.   The committee made the following recommendation:  1) drop ‘fast’ from the name of the program and call it ‘softball’ using fast pitch rules; 2) target eligible slow pitch players with a personal letter encouraging them to play; 3) consider increasing instructional opportunities for all softball players; 4) increase training opportunities for coaches.  It is the Department’s expectation that girls in the program will stay engaged in softball and will be encouraged to continue with the program. 
ACTION:  Jeff Boucher made a motion to support the committee’s recommendation.  The motion was seconded by Leta Huntsinger.  The motion carried by a unanimous vote.

      Cultural Arts Committee – Dennis Hoadley, Chair
Dennis reported the committee did not meet in December and they will hold their regularly scheduled meeting in January.

      Greenway Committee – Leta Huntsinger, Chair
Leta reported the committee discussed priority setting at the December meeting and continued to talk about potential conflicts between the sidewalk plan and the greenway plan.    
 
      Teen Advisory Committee – Steve Smutko, Chair
Steve reported the committee met in December and work continues on the 2007 Teen Forum and setting 2007 Goals.  The focus is how to integrate teen input into the town’s decisions.

Steve noted the committee may look at a new structure when the new chairs come onboard.


B.    Public Meetings
►Urban Park Public Input Meeting – 12\05\2006
Doug McRainey reported for Tullie Johnson, the board’s representative on this project.  The Town has received $100,000 from the Community Block Foundation to redo the play area, and add a rubberized surface.   A few residents attended the meeting and gave good input.  Staff will bring the plan to this board in February.  The project is targeted for completion in June.

 

C.    Staff Reports – Mary referred and explained staff reports going onto council below.

►Cary Aquatic Center Plan Development Process (PR07-14)
Dennis Hoadley asked for an explanation of this advisory board’s role in the development of the aquatics facility.  Mary Henderson responded that the advisory board and the community were very involved in the initial study.  The staff report outlines the advisory board’s role in the next steps.  The aquatics facility update will be an agenda item at the February meeting.  Board members were to forward any questions to Mary or Steve Smutko prior to the February meeting.

►Ritter Park BAR (PR07-15)
►Cary Tennis Park BAR (PR07-17)


D.    Administration – Mary Henderson, PRCR Director
►FY08 Budget Priorities – Mary Henderson
In Powerpoint presentation, Mary reviewed the FY 08 Budget Priorities in Operations and Maintenance and Capital Improvements.


ACTION:  Tom Hemrick made a motion to approve the PRCR FY08 Goals/Work Plan as presented.  The motion was seconded by Marilyn Goldman.  The motion carried by a unanimous vote.

 

ACTION:  Leta Huntsinger made a motion to approve the FY08 CIB Priority Guidelines as presented.  Tom Hemrick seconded the motion.  The motion carried by a unanimous vote.

 

E.    Recreation Programs – Dwayne Jones, Recreation Program Manager

►Fit Community Designation – Dwayne Jones reported that the Town is moving forward with the Fit Community Designation.  Staff researched the project and it is part of a statewide initiative to reward North Carolina cities that are addressing the issues of physical inactivity,   healthy eating, and preventing tobacco use in schools. 
Dwayne referred members to the program update for additional programming information.
►Teen Council – Snayha Nath –

Steve Smutko reported for Snayha noting that teen members logged 104 volunteer hours in November and 405 volunteer hours in December.  Teen Council will begin their Adopt A Highway project on January 20th.  Additionally, members sent cards and packages to a troop serving in Irag.

F.    Cultural Arts Programs – Lyman Collins, Cultural Arts Manager

Lyman referred members to the Program Update.  Lyman reported that Tinsel Town was a tremendous success with over 12,000 skaters and good volunteer participation in this program.  Lyman also invited board members to visit the Dog Park to see the newly installed public art fire hydrants.

►Festivals Committee – Marilyn Goldman

Marilyn reported that $25,000 has been recommended for the 2006 Lazy Daze Grants and the grants reception will be held January 25th at the Page-Walker Arts and History Center.
Herb Young, a standing member of the Festival Committee, continues to be involved and available for consultation; however, he has stepped back from attending meetings. 
The Sister Cities Commission has made a proposal to establish a beer garden at Lazy Daze.
 

G.   Athletic Programs – William Davis, Athletics Manager
William referred to the Program Update.

VIII. OLD BUSINESS
►2007 Goals
Board members discussed several projects to undertake for their 2007 Goals. 

 

ACTION:  Tom Hemrick made a motion that the advisory board adopt Safety Town and the PRCR’s Scholarship Fund as its major goals for 2007.  Leta Huntsinger seconded the motion.  The motion carried by a unanimous vote.

IX.   NEW BUSINESS

►Selection Panel for 2006 Volunteer Award Nominations – Helen Stanfield, Recreation Projects Coordinator
Helen announced the names of those serving on the 2006 Volunteer Award Panel:  Larry Miller, Athletics; Dennis Hoadley, Cultural Arts; Laurie Ringaert, Greenways; Bunsree Patel; Teen Council; Tom Hemrick, PRCR Advisory Board representative.  January 19th is the deadline for receiving the nominations.

►Board Member Appreciation:  Chair Steve Smutko recognized Board members attending the January meeting, the last meeting of their term.  Those members are Tom Hemrick; Leta Huntsinger and Jamie France.

Steve advised board members that chairs are needed for both the Teen Advisory Committee and the Greenway Committee in addition to a vice chair for the PRCR Advisory Board.  Members were asked to contact Steve if they were interested in those chairmanships.  

 ►Board Member Information Share
Land for Tomorrow - Mary Henderson provided handouts from Land for Tomorrow.  Mary advised board members that The Land & Water Conservation Commission is accepting public comments by mail, fax or email to leverage money at the local level and educate people about the significant needs for land acquisition.  The goal is to make certain we have land acquisition at the top of the list


X.    ADJOURN – Leta Huntsinger made a motion to adjourn the meeting.  Tom Hemrick seconded the motion.  The motion carried by a unanimous vote.

Please contact the Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources with any questions about this agenda.  The e-mail address is gail.taylor@townofcary.org, and the phone number is (919) 462-3961.