PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION

 

MAY 16, 2006

 

The meeting was called to order by Vice Chairperson Groat at 7:00 p.m.

 

MEMBERS PRESENT:  Debbie Groat, Cathy Dwertman, John Howard, Rowland Seymour, Mary Katherine Rodenberger    Excused:  Russ Jones, John Marshall

 

OTHERS PRESENT:  Parks & Recreation Supt. Conley, Clerk Patterson, Cheryl Welty, Martha Kramer, Leon Kramer, Alan Seymour, Carmen Seymour, Pearl Blumenschein, Donald & Evelyn Graham, Charles Yoakum, Jerry Born

 

REPORT OF DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATION: – No report.

 

REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT OF PARKS & RECREATION:  Mr. Conley commented from the minutes of the last meeting and reported the following:

·        Schwartzkopf Park – The shelter is scheduled to be replaced this summer.

·        Lewis Park- There is a drainage issue that needs to be taken care of. 

·        Lewis Park -The mulch in the playground area will be replaced.

·        Lewis Park -There are plans to paint the glass/wood bulletin board. 

·        McCloud Park - The locust trees referred to in the minutes are ash trees.  ODNR currently has a few test plots in some of the City parks looking for the Emerald Ash Bore, but none have been found yet.

·        South Park - Mr. Conley stated as of this moment, he knew nothing of what is planned for South Park.  He stated Beazer Homes heard from their people that this land may qualify as a wetland.  The City is going to have someone look at the park to verify if it is in fact a wetland.  Beazer Homes is committed to doing something in South Park.  They will do what Administration feels what’s best for the area.  Mr. Conley will let the community, Parks and Rec Commission and City Council know as soon as they know what’s going on.                                        

·        Eljer Park - A comment was made at the last meeting that skateboarders were intimidating people who walk in the park during their lunch hour and that those individuals refuse to walk in the park anymore.  Mr. Conley stated there is very little activity at the skatepark during the day because the kids are in school.  As far as a report that a kid was smoking marijuana, if that is true, the police should have been called to report them.  If there is illegal activity going on over there, people need to call the police.  Mr. Conley stated the same thing that people say is happening at the park, is happening at the schools. 

·        Legion Park - Picnic tables at Legion Park do need to be replaced.  There is $3,000 in the budget.  Mr. Conley has asked Lane Stillings to order new tables this summer.

 

The pool opens at May 27^th. 

 

The newsletter will be mailed out by this Friday.

 

Mr. Seymour wants to know who is going to be looking at South Park to determine if the park is a wetland.  Mr. Conley referred Mr. Seymour to Mr. Roush because he is handling it.

 

COMMISSIONER’S REPORT ON INDIVIDUAL PARKS:

 

Mr. Seymour - Schwartzkopf Park is well groomed and beautiful.

                       Mill Creek Park needs more parking.  Mr. Conley agreed, but there is no

     room for additional parking.  Mr. Seymour asked if the

    area back to the cable could be graveled to provide more parking.

Mr. Howard – Legion Park – Some weeds need to be removed, but feels sure once summer help is hired, they will be taken care of as usual.  Everything else looks good.

Ms. Rodenberger -  Trinity and Butterfly look great.

Ms. Dwertman -  McCloud looks real nice.  Master Gardeners are planting flowers.

 

In Mr. Marshall’s absence, Ms. Dwertman reported on Mill Valley South.  Frisbee golf seems to be a real success.  Should have some signage to remind people to pick up their trash.

 

Ms. Groat – Aldersgate, Shalom and City Pool - Needs just the usual spring maintenance.

 

Ms. Groat asked other Parks & Rec members to look at McCarthy and Eljer Parks while Mr. Jones is recuperating.

 

CITIZENS’ COMMENTS NON-AGENDA ITEMS:  No comments

 

OLD BUSINESS

 

          South Park – Ms. Groat asked if the park can still be informally called South Park.  Mr. Conley stated it can be renamed any time Parks & Rec is ready to rename it. 

 

          Park Project Plan – Ms. Dwertman is the Project Document Director.  The Commission needs to do planning for 2011. 

 

Ms. Groat - Aldersgate – Restroom facilities

Shalom – Benches (already discussed)

 

Ms. Rodenberger – Trinity & Butterfly Parks –  She talked to people in the area and they seem to like the parks just as they are, so she had no suggestions for improvements.

 

Ms. Dwertman – Lewis Park.  Look into uses for the building or make restrooms.  Mr. Conley suggested if anything is done, it should probably be torn down and rebuilt from scratch.  Restrooms would have to be built to code.

 

Ms. Dwertmen -  McCloud Park -  Will call someone from Master Gardeners to see if they have ideas for projects in 2011.  Currently the City buys the material and Master Gardeners do the work. 

 

McCarthy Park – need suggestions

 

Mill Valley Park South – Mr. Conley stated this park is slated to get a restroom/shelter next year.

 

MacIvor Woods

 

Eljer Park – Mr. Conley stated the gravel drive back to the shelter is scheduled to be done with the City pavement project this summer. 

 

City Pool will be sandblasted and repainted at the end of the summer.

 

Ms. Groat asked Mr. Conley to get in touch with Mr. Jones to see if he has any suggested improvements for his parks, Eljer and McCarthy. 

 

Legion Park – Mr. Howard asked about the project scheduled for 2010 “Complete bleachers at Amphitheater.”  Mr. Conley stated there are currently eight rows and there is room for 6 or 7 additional rows, but at this point time, it’s hard to justify that because we don’t fill all the bleachers at every concert. 

 

As far as Jim Simmons Trail, Mr. Howard commented at the last meeting that once Rt. 42 starts to be developed, should look at extending the trails to the city limits.  Mr. Conley stated the Glacier Ridge development people originally had plans to run the trails into the City.  Mr. Conley stated from the central portion at Mill Wood Blvd, to the portion that Dominion is going to put in for the City, the City will have to join those two sections.  City may have to pave one mile of trail in order to join the trails.

 

NEW BUSINESS

 

COMMENTS OF CITIZENS – AGENDA ITEMS

 

Mr. Jerry Born addressed the Commission.   He understands the area considered to be South Park used to be farmland, and it was dedicated farmland.  The golf course put in some retention ponds, permitted or not permitted correctly, allowed drainage to come across underneath the road, and the tiles that were out through those fields were neglected and never repaired, so essentially what you have is a man-made wetland, not God-made by any means.  When Mr. Born moved to the area, there was a wetland, and noted there were advantages to it.  He some deer there, cattails, mosquitoes, etc.  Possums and groundhogs were trapped under his patio which did damage.  A wetland is not an advantageous area to have a home around.  Two or three years ago, he attended a meeting where a Park Master Plan was presented.  All residents agreed with this plan.    The residents do not want a wetland.  Mr. Born presented a petition signed by many residents of Greenwood Colony, which states:  “We the residents of Greenwood Colony, and surrounding properties, present this document opposing the establishment of a “WET LAND” in the area applied as South Park, which is now an open area with grass and trees.  It is our desire for this area to remain as a usable park with a walking, jogging and cycle track around the park with only green grass, trees and resting benches.  This area is tiled for drainage but the tile needs repair, which is the property owner’s responsibility and should be accomplished.  The area in question is dry and adaptable to use, except during heavy rains, which equates to approximately 10% of the total days of the year.  We the undersigned agree with the above request of this document:”

 

Mr. Born stated they are willing to work with the Park group, but they don’t want to take the easy way out and say “man, a wetland is the way to go.”  That would not be acceptable to the residents.

 

Mr. Leon Kramer addressed the Commission.  He asked if the Commission was familiar with the Ohio Drainage Laws.  The drainage was set up in that area by petition through the farmers in this area, and it went through the courts and drainage tile was put in all the way down through the Call property clear down to the Town Run.  Once it was installed by petition through the County Commissioners, it was up to the landowners to maintain it.  Calls own this property in question and the big tile is in a terrible state of repair.  The reason the developer is wanting to put wetlands here is because it’s a major cost for him to provide an outlet for the park.  He offered to give names of individuals who farmed the land if anyone wants to know.

 

Mr. Rowland Seymour commented that the only benefactor or the only organization or persons who can benefit from this becoming a wetland is the Adena Pointe developer.  When the City spent over $100,000 putting in that 20” drain tile from Rt. 38 back to the Call woods, they didn’t bother to check to see if it was a wetland, so why bother to see if it’s a wetland now? 

 

Mr. Alan Seymour addressed the Commission.  He realizes this is a very sensitive subject.  We all have very good reason to believe that it will be a wetland.  There was enough rumor and/or comments at the Planning Commission meeting the other night.  Mr. Roush was asked if he could confirm that it will not be a wetland and he responded, “No, I cannot.”  There seems like there are efforts afoot to dispel South Park as a park.  Funds from the Links were provided and land was provided by the Links for the purpose of a park.  He feels with the activity that has occurred, the interest in naming the park was a big issue, how the park was to be laid out was a big issue, so dispelling the fact that it is park at this point doesn’t make sense to him unless there is an underlying reason.  He said he would like for the Commission to move forward and treat this as if in fact it is going to be a wetland.  He feels the Commission’s position needs to be known.  City Administration makes decisions every day about the best interest of this community, such as the water reclamation facility.  They see it’s necessary and they’re moving forward to make it happen.  They see a need for water treatment, water retention, the proposed reservoir, a lot of money, a lot of land; they are finding ways to do that.  The railroad crossing needed to be closed; they are able to close it.  With the right communications and connections, they’ll find ways to reopen it.  They were able to come up with $3M to repave all the streets, which was needed.  His point is that the City has the capability to make the choices that they want to make.  He fears that the City is making the choice to make South Park t wetland.  This is contrary to the long time efforts of various city administrations, this Commission, Greenwood Colony residents and the Planning Commission whose efforts have been to find opportunities to finally finish this park into a nice recreational area.  What was started about three or four years ago was a great cleanup that immediately improved the quality of life of the surrounding homeowners, as it was a swamp before.  What comes to mind with wetlands is stagnant water, swamp grasses, mosses, summer time stench, high population rodents, infestation of a variety of insects, which are all undesirables.  A swamp does not belong in a densely populated residential neighborhood for three reasons; quality of life, health concerns and property value.  It unfairly limits the range of potential buyers for homes.  Park uses as we know are used for water control and an area for play and leisure.  Home resale with a park, as proposed by Adena Pointe and approved by Mr. Roush until the recent events, would provide favorable home resale, as opposed to a wetland.  If in fact wetlands are required because of the allegation that this is wetlands, they can be removed; they can be moved to another location as the law provides. 

 

In closing, it would be good to know if the Commission prefers a wetland or if they want a park.  Would like for that decision to be made tonight.  With that, it’s important that this issue gets to City Council.  It was suggested that John Marshall, Council representative on Parks & Rec Commission, take the concern to City Council. 

 

Ms. Groat stated a “Position Statement on South Park” will be on the next Parks & Rec Commission agenda.

 

Mr. Conley stated this Commission is already on record that they wanted Adena Pointe to put in an aerated retention pond.

 

Mr. Alan Seymour suggested a formal motion with a vote that puts it on record of the majority of approval.  He asked the Clerk to get the names of all Parks & Recreation Commission members to City Council.

 

Mr. Pearl Blumenschein asked to give his five minutes to Rowland Seymour to finish his previous comment.  Mr. Seymour commented that establishing a wetland in South Park is only advantageous to the developer of Adena Pointe, not the residents.  When Adena Pointe development was presented to this Commission by the developer, he had a map showing where the retention pond would be to control the flow of water out of there, then somewhere along the line decided not to put it in.  He questioned why City Administration didn’t question the developer at that time.   He said when retention ponds were put in at Green Pastures, he feels sure they didn’t have to get permission from somebody to determine if it was a wetland or not.  He was told from a good source that the only time the EPA gets involved in a retention pond is if you are going to displace the soil to cause water to run onto someone else’s property.  He does not see the disadvantage of putting a retention pond in there other than it’s advantageous to the developer.

 

Mr. Chuck Yoakum stated South Park is his backyard.  He said there is always water standing in the retention pond at the Links.  Mr. Conley stated it is a detention pond.  He said they should have a retention pond.  The only advantage to making South Park a wetland is for the people who are building back in there.  We must get that ditch fixed.  Any kind of pond that you put in there is going to be a problem. 

 

Mr. Alan Seymour stated there has to be some type of retention basin in there because the dynamics of the flow.  Mr. Yoakum disagreed and said if a ditch is tiled right, there will be no standing water. 

 

Ms. Martha Kramer stated that if water goes that way, it can’t be blocked.  That’s the way the water flows.  Timberview was not supposed to bring the water that way but nobody stopped them, so it goes through our backyard.  She stated, “The City can ask John Rockenbaugh with the Soil Conservation to go over there with them, and he will say it’s wetlands.  I know that can be done, so just beware.”

 

COMMENTS OF INDIVIDUAL COMMISSIONERS:  Mr. Conley stated the day Mr. Rowland Seymour came over to the park; he (Mr. Conley) had asked Mr. Rockenbaugh to come over there to give him recommendations on trees and native grasses to Ohio.  He has since emailed Ms. House and himself a list of trees and native grasses that are native to Union County, Ohio.  Mr. Rockenbaugh is not the gentleman who would come in and declare it a wetland.  Mr. Rockenbaugh provided contact numbers for people who could come in and declare it a wetland. 

 

Mr. Conley confirmed that someone had mentioned to him that it might be a wetland and he then went to Ms. House.  Mr. Roush attended that meeting and said, “Gosh, if they say it’s a wetland or think it’s a wetland and we do this, this and this, and then it is a wetland, now we’ve gotten in trouble and broken the law.  An unidentified person said, “Don’t go to Mrs. House, go to ODNR.”  Mr. Conley stated there is $75,000 in the budget and he wants to put trails in there to get things started.  He wished the City had never taken this in 1996.  He wished the residents would buy it from the City and extend their back yards.  It has been nothing but a headache to this Commission since he’s been involved in 1999.  He does not want to spend $75,000 for trails and landscaping when part of the trail would be under water all the time. 

 

Mr. Conley feels he has an obligation.  He stated Beazer Homes has committed to doing something, what that is he doesn’t know.  He would like them to put in the pond with the fountain, and then we can put in the trails and do some landscaping and be done.  If the company says they can’t because they’re concerned with the wetland and to move the wetland would cost about $500,000, and that’s when the developer said to the City it would be cost prohibitive for them.  Ms. House reminded the developer that they told Parks & Rec Commission that they were going to do something, and asked what they are going to do if they can’t put in a retention pond.  The money that was going to be spent on the retention pond and fountain should be spent on something else in that park. 

 

Ms. Groat asked Mr. Conley if he could tell the Commission that within the next four weeks, what’s going to happen toward focusing on that problem.  Mr. Conley said it’s out of his hands and in the hands of Mr. Roush. 

 

Mr. Born asked if Rowland Seymour could be involved in selecting the individual who is going to evaluate the land, so we can get some citizen support.   Mr. Conley did not know, but would pass on the request. 

 

Mr. Conley stated fixing our drainage problem has nothing to do with Beazer Homes.  Residents disagreed because the developer has to provide them an outlet.  Mr. Conley asked if their water goes the other way.  Resident stated it goes right down the Town Run.  Mr. Conley stated, “Right, but it’s below us.”  Resident stated yes, but anybody below you has to give you an outlet when you’re above, per the Ohio Drainage Law.

 

Mr. Alan Seymour stated there are three fingers that feed the Town Run.   One finger comes from Milford Avenue through Timberview through South Park through Adena Pointe on to Bishop’s ditch, which goes along Weaver Road into the Town Run, so it’s a continuous link from Milford Avenue all the way under RT38 on around to the Town Run. 

 

Mr. Rowland Seymour stated the original drain tile which was installed in 1915 goes right through Adena Pointe.

 

Mr. Conley understood that through discussions with the developer that they would tie on their stormwater lines along that catch basin that’s at the very end of our South Park area at our request.  

 

Ms. Groat asked if it would be appropriate to ask Mr. Roush to come and speak at the next Parks & Recreation meeting. 

 

Mr. Seymour feels it would be best to follow through with pulling the Parks & Rec Commission together and make a recommendation.

 

Ms. Groat stated, “In all honesty, Mr. Seymour, we make recommendations and they will or will not be listened to at the behest of the people above us.  Eljer Park being the prime, most recent example of putting $21,000 into a project that we unanimously did not want.” 

 

Mr. Conley will talk to Mr. Roush to get his feelings on this issue.

 

Mr. Howard stated that he thought Mr. Roush said a year ago, that if Parks and Recreation wanted a wetland, they can do it, if not, they don’t have to.  He wanted to know what changed.   Mr. Conley stated he was in the meeting (with Beazer Homes) when a gentleman said his people looked at the soil type, hydrology and vegetation and they are afraid it’s a wetland.  He said Mr. Roush was in that meeting.  Mr. Howard does not know how that can change in a year’s time.  At that time, Parks & Rec made it known that they did not want a wetland, but did agree to a pond with a fountain. 

 

The Parks & Recreation Commission needs to come up with a position statement for the next meeting for John Marshall to take to City Council.

 

Mr. Blumenschein stated when the Commission members reported on the park projects, no one made any report on South Park.  Ms. Groat stated the Commission already has a major amount of money ($75,000) already set aside pending resolution of the drainage problems.

 

Unidentified person said that someone who lives in Marysville that has worked with drainage all their life would probably be more than happy to give his opinion on this area and it wouldn’t cost the City a dime for his opinion, and he could probably help out on the drainage.  That person is Pearl Drumm.  It was noted that Pearl Drumm has been there.  Also, possibly Jim Page could help.

 

Mr. Howard stated last month he made the statement that South Park should be renamed.  It was decided to wait until it really becomes a park.  That is why no one is reporting on that park, because it has not been turned over to a Commission member. It will be assigned to someone once it becomes a park.

 

Ms. Dwertman stated the Commission has been discussing South Park and its water issues ever since she joined the Commission, about a year ago.  Just by some happenstance, Beazer Homes came to a meeting and said that they would do this much for us.  It was almost too good to be true.  There is $75,000 set aside for the park.  The proposal made was for a retention pond with a fountain and would also have safety benches.  She was not aware until last month that this may not happen.  She feels the Parks & Recreation is interested in doing something for that area.  With all the new homes coming to Marysville, someone really needs to take responsibility, and when they plan these communities, think of the people that are below that community.  Feels that all the people who have lived in their homes for years and years are going to get the shaft.   She does not want to see that happen.

 

Ms. Groat stated the Commission will address a position statement at the next meeting, June 20, 2006, 7:00 p.m.  Mr. Roush will be contacted to see if he could be present at the next meeting.  She said if anyone wanted to ask Mr. Drumm to attend, to please do so.

 

Mr. Conley asked if the June meeting could be changed to another date because he will be out of town on June 20^th.  Meeting was changed to June 13, 2006 at 7:00 p.m.

 

ADJOURNMENT:  There being no further discussion to come before the Parks & Recreation Commission, the meeting adjourned at 8:30 p.m.