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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES Parks Advisory Board 2022-03-17 Town of Estes Park, Larimer County, Colorado, March 17, 2022 Minutes of a Regular meeting of the PARKS ADVISORY BOARD of the Town of Estes Park, Larimer County, Colorado. Meeting held in the Municipal Building in said Town of Estes Park on the 17th day of March, 2022. Board: Chair Elliot; Vice-Chair Poggenpohl; Members Berry, Nelson- Hazelton, Papineau, and Wilcocks Attending: Vice-Chair Poggenpohl; Members Berry, Nelson-Hazelton, Papineau, and Wilcocks; Trustee Cenac; Supervisor Berg; and Recording Secretary McDonald Absent: Chair Elliot Vice-Chair Poggenpohl called the meeting to order at 8:34 a.m. PUBLIC COMMENT None. TRUSTEE LIAISON UPDATES Trustee Cenac reported that the Town Board supports the concept of an Arts Master Plan (AMP) but requires a development cost analysis before considering its inclusion in the 2023 Strategic Plan. Vice-Chair Poggenpohl and Member Wilcocks would present their AMP work later in this meeting. Trustee Cenac also noted the Town Board’s considerations of workforce housing and encouraged voter participation on April 5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES DATED FEBRUARY 17, 2022 It was moved and seconded (Papineau/Nelson-Hazelton) to approve the February 17, 2022, meeting minutes, and the motion passed. Member Berry abstained due to absence from the February meeting. ARBOR DAY DISCUSSION Supervisor Berg presented the Town of Estes Park’s anniversary certificate as a 25-year member of Tree City USA. The 300 trees to be given away on April 30 will be blue spruces purchased from Nebraska City’s Arbor Day Farm. It was agreed that the care specifications for this particular tree be provided to the giveaway customers as a QR code, printed instructions, education on the Parks website page, or a combination of the three resources. Member Nelson-Hazelton offered to create a QR code. Supervisor Berg will draft the care specifications and consult the Town PIO regarding QR code planning and website feature criteria. CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS FOR TOWN BOARD MARCH 8, 2022 Supervisor Berg reported that the Town Board approved the PAB’s Art in Public Places (AIPP) policy updates, which reflected engineering input from Director Muhonen, as well as the applications for 2022 yarn bombing and the Women’s Monument Project sculpture of Eleanor Hondius. Member Wilcocks advised that the Estes Valley Library (EVL) will display the Hondius sculpture inside. To be eligible for outside display, the sculpture’s placement must be approved by the PAB and the Town Board since the Parks department would be responsible for planning and managing its maintenance. 2022 INITIATIVES PLANNING Vice-Chair Poggenpohl and Supervisor Berg, on behalf of Chair Elliot, requested that members review the priorities identified through the PAB 2022 Initiatives planning exercise. Chair Elliot is working on the Tree City USA designation, Arbor Day celebration, and AMP outreach. Member Papineau suggested that the initiative document be revised as follows: Under the Community Environmental/Wetlands Education, edit the bullet item beneath ELSA Invasive Plant Management to “Support ELSA’s development and distribution of the Identification and Management Guide.” ARTS MASTER PLAN UPDATES Parks Advisory Board – March 17, 2022 – Page 2 Vice-Chair Poggenpohl and Member Wilcocks explained their continued research into the financial and other components of developing an AMP. They emphasized that an AMP is focused on overall goals but does not presume to set detailed plans for reaching those goals, and that grant applications require a documented AMP exist regardless of whether the document will be reviewed during the process. Grants for AMPs are given to municipalities and typically award $5-15k. The cost range for hiring an outside consultant is $20-60k. Support and enthusiasm for an AMP from all local arts organizations and artists—as well as from the EVL, Visit Estes Park, and Estes Chamber of Commerce—is presently strong enough that the AMP development and future arts activity management could be primarily volunteer-driven. Sample and template AMPs, and the planning approaches of other communities, have been reviewed. Discussion points included the inevitable responsibilities required of Town staff for grant applications and other administrative tasks, even with extensive volunteer involvement; the potentially inefficient use of volunteer time and energy without ongoing guidance from the Town Board about what is and isn’t possible; the benefit of having artists involved in the process without the formation of a formal committee; the history of relations between the Town Board and the arts community; and how an arts program could be marketed and managed. It was agreed that Vice-Chair Poggenpohl and Member Wilcocks would continue their research areas and prepare an initial AMP draft or outline for the PAB to review and discuss at the May 19 meeting, for ultimate submission to the Town Board. PARKS UPDATE Supervisor Berg advised that excavation has begun for the climbing boulder and picnic shelters at the Big Thompson Recreation and Picnic Area. Planning is underway for the placement of plants, signs, and kiosks. The grant for the Thumb Open Space is closed out. June opening is planned for both areas. Several seasonal Parks workers are returning, and high school students are encouraged to apply; Member Nelson-Hazelton will suggest to the soccer team. Mrs. Walsh’s Garden Committee will resume construction projects in 2023 and is planning outreach for programs and garden events. OTHER BUSINESS Vice-Chair Poggenpohl reported that he will prioritize the AMP project before retiring from the PAB in December. He also observed that local wildfire mitigation groups are separately discussing their mitigation efforts. Member Wilcocks reported that he fields many questions about the Town’s use of sales tax funds. There being no further business, Vice-Chair Poggenpohl adjourned the meeting at 9:35 a.m. /s/Lani McDonald, Recording Secretary