Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutPRB 2023-12-04 Minutes MINUTES OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD OF THE CITY OF NORTH RICHLAND HILLS, TEXAS HELD IN THE CITY HALL 4301 CITY POINT DRIVE DECEMBER 4, 2023 REGULAR MEETING A. CALL TO ORDER Chair Copeland called the meeting to order December 4, 2023 at 6:02 p.m. Present: Vanessa Copeland, Chair, Place 4 Tracye Lewis, Vice-Chair, Place 1 - present at 6:05 p.m. Kate Beck, Board Member, Place 2 Russ Mitchell, Board Member, Place 3 Jack McCarty, Board Member, Place 5 Brad Evans, Board Member, Place 6 Ricky Rodriguez, Board Member, Place 7 Sammy Robison, Alternate- present at 6:09 p.m. Staff Members: Adrien Pekurney, Director Tanner Arwine, Assistant Director Antonio Evangelista, Assistant Director Michael Wilson, Park Planning Manager Frank Perez, NRH2O General Manager Cindy Dobbs, Office Coordinator A.1 PUBLIC COMMENTS Mr. Steve Harding was in attendance and spoke in favor of one of the Park Amenity Requests regarding the conversion of tennis courts to pickleball courts at Northfield Park. Chair Copeland asked if anyone else in attendance wanted to speak. Kerry Bolan expressed her appreciation to the Parks and Recreation Board for what they have done at the parks, especially Richfield Park. Jenny Paul expressed her appreciation for the friends she has made through playing Pickleball. December 04,2023 Parks and Recreation Board Meeting Minutes Page 1 of 8 B. ACTION ITEMS B.1 APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF THE OCTOBER 2, 2023 PARK AND RECREATION BOARD MEETING. APPROVED A MOTION WAS MADE BY BOARD MEMBER MITCHELL, SECONDED BY BOARD MEMBER RODRIGUEZ TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE OCTOBER 2, 2023v- PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD MEETING. MOTION TO APPROVE CARRIED 7-0. B.2 REVIEW THE PARK AMENITY REQUEST POLICY AND CONSIDER RECOMMENDATIONS MADE BY STAFF REGARDING THE PARK AMENITY REQUESTS FOR THE FY2024/25 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM BUDGET. APPROVED Mr. Tanner Arwine provided a summary of the Park Amenity Request Policy and presented the five park amenity requests that were received by the Parks and Recreation Department in 2023. The Parks and Recreation Board was asked to review these requests and give direction to staff on considering these projects as part of the 2024-2025 CIP Budget. Mr. Arwine offered a visual presentation with explanations of each item to the Board. 1-JoAnn Johnson Trail Lighting: Staff recommends not funding lighting the JoAnn Johnson Trail at Rufe Snow. --Board Member Robison asked if there was anything more cost efficient, such as repainting the area. Mr. Arwine stated that there are options they plan to explore such as restriping the area. Ms. Pekurney added that there are several crossings in the city and they are all looked at as a whole. Other solutions are being explored as well. 2-Fossil Creek Park Portable Restroom: Staff recommends continued funding of a portable restroom at Fossil Creek Park. --Board Member Mitchell inquired about the hours at Fossil Creek Park. Mr. Arwine stated that since this is a community park, it is open until 11:00 p.m. --Board Member Beck wanted to confirm that this was a request to replace the portable restroom. Mr. Arwine confirmed that is the case. There were previously portable restrooms there but they were vandalized and burned a couple of years ago. 3-Northfield Park Dedicated Pickleball Courts: Staff recommends not converting the two December 04, 2023 Parks and Recreation Board Meeting Minutes Page 2 of 8 tennis courts to eight pickleball courts at Northfield Park, but does recommend the conversion of one tennis court at Richfield Park to add four additional pickleball courts, if funding allows, within upcoming proposed infrastructure maintenance needs. --Board Member Rodriguez asked about the time frame that Mr. Arwine's data came from on pickelball court usage. Mr. Arwine stated that it is from October 2023. --Board Member Beck asked for clarification of the data. --Board Member McCarty wanted to clarify that staff is recommending converting courts at Richfield Park, not at Northfield Park. Mr. Arwine confirmed that is the recommendation. --Board Member Robison confirmed amount of courts that would be converted. He asked how play would be affected and the amount of people it could accommodate. Mr. Arwine said that it has been discussed to add an additional gate to assist with the ingress and egress of the area. --Vice-Chair Lewis clarified the park amenity request versus what staff is recommending. Ms. Pekurney expounded on the reasons behind staffs recommendation, including the parking challenges that it would cause at Northfield Park if the request were to be fulfilled. Ms. Lewis is in support of creating more pickleball courts for the community. --Chair Copeland asked what the hours are for pickleball play. Mr. Arwine stated that lit courts are 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. and the unlit courts are sunrise to sunset. Ms. Copeland also asked how many pickleball courts are in the city; there are seven currently. --Board Member Robison asked about the possibility of converting one side to pickleball and not all of them. Mr. Arwine explained that parking would still be an issue. --Board Member Beck stated that as a tennis player and a parent of tennis players, it is difficult to find open tennis courts at Northfield Park on the weekends. She does not support reducing the number of tennis courts for more pickleball courts. --Board Member McCarty stated that it will be difficult to keep up with the demand of the popularity of pickleball. --Mr. Steve Harding requested to speak again. He addressed several points that have been brought up in the discussion, including that blended courts are not good for pickleball players; more people can play pickleball as they rotate in and out. --Chair Copeland asked about the blended lines. Ms. Pekurney explained that there are some pickleball players that prefer playing on a dedicated court versus blended line courts. --Board Member Rodriguez said that he is hesitant to take away tennis courts and agrees with the$30K option versus the $88K option. 4-Faram Park Sidewalk Connection: Staff recommends funding the Faram Park Sidewalk Connection. --Board Member Robison asked if the trail going into Faram Park is wider than the sidewalk-yes. --Board Member McCarty confirmed that the dimensions are 100' x 4' -this is correct. December 04, 2023 Parks and Recreation Board Meeting Minutes Page 3 of 8 5-North Electric Trail Bridge Deck Replacement: Staff recommends funding the North Electric Trail Bridge Deck Replacement. --Chair Copeland asked if the amount of$135K would be replacing or upgrading the material. Mr. Arwine stated that they would be replacing with the original lumber that was installed, a pressure treated Douglas Fir which would also be wider. Ms. Copeland asked if this material lasts longer and Mr.Arwine stated that it would; it should last about 20 years. --Board Member Rodriguez confirmed that it would be new material that staff would use. He stated that he is aware of how rough this bridge it. Mr. Arwine said that there are other options such as fiberglass but it does not hold up as well. Mr. Rodriguez asked how old this bridge is. Mr.Arwine was not sure of an install date but it is as old as the trail. --Board Member Robison asked if the cost included fasteners as well and Mr. Arwine said that it does. The Parks and Recreation Board was in agreement with staff on all of the above recommendations with the exception of the Northfield Park Dedicated Pickleball Courts: Vice Chair Lewis disagreed with the recommendation to not convert the two tennis courts to eight pickleball courts at Northfield Park. She feels that pickleball allows more people to enjoy a sport than tennis. Chair Copeland feels that staff recommendation provides a solution to provide additional courts and this is something that can be considered again in the future. Board Member Mitchell agrees with staff recommendation. He feels that this is a temporary situation and a temporary solution. Board Member Beck feels that staff recommendation is a fair solution. THESE REQUESTS WERE REVIEWED INDIVIDUALLY. B.3 CONSIDER RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL TO READOPT THE NRH YOUTH PROGRAMS STANDARD OF CARE ORDINANCE. APPROVED Mr. Ron Newman presented the NRH Youth Programs Standards of Care Ordinance. Adopted standards are a Texas Department of Family and Protective Services requirement for an exempt status for day care licensing. The Parks and Recreation Board recommended to forward the Youth Programs Standards of Care Ordinance to City Council for their consideration for adoption. A UNANIMOUS DECISION WAS MADE TO FORWARD THE YOUTH PROGRAMS STANDARDS OF CARE ORDINANCE TO CITY COUNCIL FOR THEIR CONSIDERATION FOR ADOPTION. December 04,2023 Parks and Recreation Board Meeting Minutes Page 4 of 8 C. DEPARTMENT UPDATES C.1 NRH2O FAMILY WATER PARK UPDATE Mr. Frank Perez, NRH2O General Manager, provided an update on activities at NRH2O Family Water Park. -Off-season activities include necessary repairs around the park. A re-hire gathering is planned in the coming weeks to encourage staff to come back to the park again next season. -Polar Plunge is scheduled for Saturday, February 3, 2024. This event benefits the Special Olympics of Texas - Greater Fort Worth area. This year marks more than 15 years of NRH2O partnering with Special Olympics for this amazing event. -One of the capital projects in the works during the off season is the Accelerator Resurface Project. Once completed, this project will extend the lifespan of the ride 5-10 years. It will also make it look new again. -Beachside Bay Cabana area will expand with seven additional cabanas. This will lend to a popular trend to offer more private seating options at NRH2O. -Staff is committed to both the water park industry and the City of NRH. They continue to be asked to represent the industry at many state, national and international conferences and training sessions. --Chair Copeland asked if these improvements would be ready for the 2024 season - yes. --Board Member Robison asked if the cabanas are rented by the hour. Mr. Perez stated that they are all day rentals. C.2 PARKS CAPITAL PROJECTS UPDATE Mr. Michael Wilson, Park Planning Manager, presented an update on capital projects. -Dr. Pillow Playground Replacement with Shade is substantially complete. There are a few items still to be done but the playground is open. -Green Valley Park Safety Fence and Drainage Improvement Project is also complete. -Green Valley Raceway Historical District is awaiting artwork which was significantly delayed. It should be shipped this week. Remaining tasks include, landscaping, irrigation and parking lot striping. -Cross Timbers Disc Golf Course is a new project for FY24. It will be a nine hole course with concrete pads and signage for each hole. -Pond Bathymetry Study is another new project. A consultant will be hired to perform the study. -Tipps Canine Hollow Dog Park Improvements include repairs of fencing, installing artificial turf and strategic shade. Ms. Pekurney mentioned that this park is 18 years old. December 04, 2023 Parks and Recreation Board Meeting Minutes Page 5 of 8 -Tommy and Sue Brown Park Playground Replacement with Shade -An RFP will be issued in late December requesting playground proposals. -Park Infrastructure Maintenance includes pickleball and tennis hitting walls at Green Valley, Northfield and Richfield Parks. Other projects include gaga ball pit installation at Tommy & Sue Brown Park and basketball court resurfacing at Richfield Park. Continuing projects consist of fall safe materials, sports field renovations and park furniture replacement. -Trail Infrastructure Maintenance consists of concrete panel replacement and trail and crosswalk restriping. Chair Copeland complimented the new fencing at Green Valley and Board Members Beck and Robison were in agreement. C.3 PARKS MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS UPDATE Mr. Tanner Arwine, Assistant Director, provided an update on parks maintenance and operations activities. -Park Operations staff, Public Works staff and contractors installed holiday lighting, yard art and the 46' Christmas tree. There were lighting issues the night of the Holiday Tree Lighting event due to wet weather. Board Member Robison gave a shout out to staff for trying to keep the lights on for the popular event. Board Member Rodriguez complimented staff who responded to Facebook comments in a timely manner. -A collapsed drain line at Green Valley Park was repaired by irrigation staff. The issue was noticed as a sink hole and the pond being over five feet above the drain that maintains the water level. Doing this project in-house save approximately $20K. -Stormy Plaza received some landscape improvements recently. An aged landscape, along with the extreme heat this summer identified the need to refresh this landscaping within a heavily trafficked area. -Concrete replacement was performed on a section of the Cottonbelt Trail between Eden and Precinct Line Road that took three days to complete. A French drain will be added to improve the area. -A total of 280 concrete wheel stops are being installed by staff at Green Valley Park. This is to help prevent vehicles from doing donuts and also keep drivers from driving across the parking lots diagonally, which typically occurs at a higher speed. -Infrastructure and field maintenance continues even though athletic season has ended. Staff will take care of fence repairs, facility maintenance and bleacher repair. Chair Copeland asked if staff knows who took the bleachers at Green Valley. Mr. Arwine said December 04, 2023 Parks and Recreation Board Meeting Minutes Page 6 of 8 that he has not heard back from the police department on that matter. CA NRH CENTRE, GRAND HALL, ATHLETICS, SENIOR CENTER, RICHLAND TENNIS CENTER, PROGRAMS AND SERVICES UPDATE Mr. Antonio Evangelista, Assistant Director, presented an update on activities at the NRH Centre, Grand Hall, Athletic, Senior Center, Cultural Arts and the Richland Tennis Center. -The NRH Centre has developed turn-of-the-year membership specials that were sent out recently. -Winter volleyball season is about to start. The second Pickles n' Paddles league started and sold out to 32 teams. -The NRH Center Gives Back 4th Quarter Campaign began October 2, 2023, collecting new and unwrapped toys for children high school age and below. October membership at the Senior Center continues to grow with a total of 893 active members. This consists of 674 resident and 219 non-resident members. The Senior Craft Fair was held the end of October and consisted of 46 senior crafters selling handmade items at 76 booths. The event drew 687 shoppers throughout the two day event. Mr. Evangelista emphasized how the Senior Center relies heavily on Community Partners in order to offer many of their programs. -Richland Tennis Center will be hosting the 19th annual Toys for Tennis tournament on December 16 which benefits the local NRH Community Enrichment Center. -Run Run Rudolph Family 5K will be held on Saturday, December 9 at the NRH Centre. The Texas Guitar Society will be presenting "Sounds of the Season" on December 14 at the Grand Hall. Three artists are being featured online at nrharts.com as our"NRH Holiday Artists". The Holiday Drive-In Drone Show&Toy Drive will be held on Sunday, December 17 at the BISD FAAC north parking lot. This is no charge to the city. Last year, nearly 900 toys were collected for the CEC. D. INFORMATIONAL ITEMS D.1 COMMUNITY SERVICE MONTHLY REPORTS (SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER) PARK AND RECREATION BOARD UPDATE (OCTOBER) There are no other informational items. E. ADJOURNMENT Chair Copeland adjourned the meeting at 7:59 p.m. December 04,2023 Parks and Recreation Board Meeting Minutes Page 7 of 8 Vanessa Co eland, Chair ATTEST: r Cindy Do , Office Coordinator December 04, 2023 Parks and Recreation Board Meeting Minutes Page 8 of 8