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#01 Request to Expand Palmer Park Pet Exercise Area CITY MANAGER’S OFFICE MEMORANDUM October 1, 2009 TO: City Council FROM:Rebecca Smith, Management Assistant SUBJECT: Discussion and Action on a request to expand the Palmer Park Pet Exercise Area Request Recently several users of the Palmer Park Pet Exercise Area (PETA) requested the Council and Parks Division expand the PETA to the adjacent abandoned tennis court area. Council President Truman suggested this item be placed on a future agenda. This memo will provide background information about this request and pros and cons of making this change. Recommendation Staff does not recommend the PETA be expanded. Suggested Motion I move to deny the request to expand the Palmer Park Pet Exercise Area. City Manager Recommendation The City Manager concurs with the Leisure Services Advisory Committee recommendation. Background Information In 1989, an ordinance was adopted outlining the concept of pet exercise areas and gave the Leisure Services Director the ability to designate the PETA areas. The Palmer Park PETA is 37 acres in size (comprising about 23% of the 164 acre park). This area does not receive a high level of service and currently the only amenities are signage and walking trails. When this area was first designated, it was mostly open space with grassland. This area has been left in a natural state and over time trees, prairie and underbrush have developed. Palmer PETA users requested the abandoned tennis court area adjacent to the PETA be included in the off-leash PETA area to provide a mowed area for dogs to run. They feel the underbrush and trees make it difficult for dogs to run in the existing PETA area. This request was initially made to an employee that works in the park; with good intentions, but without the direction, the employee began mowing the abandoned tennis court area (an area previously left in a natural state as part of a previous mowing reduction plan) and installed signs indicating the tennis court area was for unleashed dogs. The actions by the employee were without direction and when park management learned of these actions, the signs were bagged; staff will continue to mow the tennis area until a resolution to this request is made. 1 When parks management reviewed this request, a meeting was held at the park for park users on August 20, 2009. Parks suggested that an area within the existing 37 acre PETA be cleared of brush during a volunteer-supported work day to make room for dogs to run. The location of the clearing within the existing area could be determined by the user group. Future volunteer work activities could also be scheduled to address other needs expressed by the users, such as widening some trail areas. Staff’s perception is that the users would prefer to use the tennis area, rather than clearing a section of the existing PETA. During the user meeting, the citizens suggested that if the City wishes to do something else with the tennis court area in the future, they would be willing to give up that area. Attached are the notes from the August user meeting. Comments from Leisure Services Advisory Committee Staff broached the subject of expanding the PETA with the Leisure Services Advisory Committee for their feedback. Comments from the group, as attached in the unapproved minutes, indicate the group was not in favor of expanding the PETA. They felt the PETA was already large enough and if the users wanted an area for dogs to run, they should hold a work day, similar to many other park user groups/Friends groups. Pros & Cons of Expanding the PETA Pros: 1. Would accommodate a user groups request for a dog run area 2. Using the tennis court area would eliminate the need to remove brush, volunteer trees or prairie from the existing PETA, which may be seen as undesirable task by the users Cons: 1. PETA is already large enough to accommodate a dog run area once some clearing is completed 2. Users may not be willing to give up the area for another use in the future 3. Mowing the tennis court area would continue the increased the level of service to the park 4. The current PETA boundaries are clearly defined with roads, fence lines and the Springbrook Creek; fencing or signage would be needed to define the boundaries of the proposed expansion area. CC: Eric Levitt, City Manager Jacob J. Winzenz, Assistant City Manager/Director of Administrative Services Attachments: Email and photos from Mr. Tom Edwards 8-20-09 park meeting notes 9-8-09 Leisure Services Advisory Committee minutes (unapproved) Map of Palmer Park 2 PUBLIC MEETING MINUTES PALMER PARK PET EXERCISE TRAINING AREA USERS TH THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2009, 6:30PM PALMER PARK Two parks employees as well as Councilmember George Brunner were in attendance along with 29 residents. This meeting was scheduled to hear input from the users of the 37 acre Pet Exercise Training Area (PETA) located in Palmer Park, 164 acres in size. The meeting was brought about by contacts from users after PETA posts and signs were inadvertently placed outside the PETA area. A parks employee with good intentions, but without direction, also started mowing the area near the tennis courts to assist PETA users. Users felt the signs and mowing sent conflicting messages as to what the boundaries were. Some dog ownershave been using the abandoned tennis courtarea as a dog run area. A portion of the tennis court fencing was removed to accommodate a Janesville Tennis Association request and the remainder was removed and recycled due to its age and unsightliness. Following brief introductions, Tom Edwards, spokesperson for the PETA users, addressed the group as to why the meeting was taking place and what could be done in the future. The 3 points were: the City ordinances dictate where the PETA is currently located; the group is interested in having an open place for their dogs to run; and in order to do this the ordinance would have to be re-written or an area cleared in the current PETA. Tom Edwards suggested the users form a friends group and look at the abandoned tennis court area on an annual basis, if the needs of the City change, then that area could be removedfrom the PETA. Tom Presny handed out a previously written ordinance memo. This area was formed in 1989, is non-fee based, so very little services are provided, except occasional trail mowing. Staff responds to needs on a complaint basis. The following is a list of comments and suggestions made by users with comments by staff in italics: 1.How does a friends group work? Typically has a cause and the group meets in order to achieve goals. 2.If a group works to clear an area, would City staff dispose of it? Parks would work with the volunteers if they wanted to do this. 3.Dogs need room to run, what would be advantage of not using tennis area? This area is currently not part of the designated PETA area and would need council consideration to change it. 4.There is a lot of wildlife in the wooded area and users would hate to see trees and brush cleared. It would also cost money to do the work. If the needs of the City change in the future, then the tennis court area could be removed from the PETA and used for this new need. 5.Use the tennis court area until needs change. 6.Could there be more access points? The ordinance would have to be changed to accommodate this request. 7.Why was it necessary to put up signs? Employees did it with good intentions but without direction and caused some confusion to users. 8.What kind of start-up costs would there be to make the area by the tennis courts into PETA?Costs for signage and anything else designated by Council. 9.Problem with parking lot getting plowed in the winter, it does get used a lot in the winter. It is among the last areas to get plowed, due to the priorities of removing snow from the streets. 10.Would like to see trail area stay, would also like to see everything east of the creek be designated for dogs. 11.A citizen commented he loves his own dog, but doesn’t necessarily love everyone else’s dogs, so having a combined multiuse picnic and dog use area may not work. 12.Has there ever been complaint of dogs in the current area? Yes, sometimes people complain who have rented the picnic grove that others let their dogs run in the area. 13.Could there be an off leash area east of the creek in the winter? Not without City Council approval. 14.The volleyball courts get used frequently on weeknights, so the parking lot gets full. 15.Is the area south of Palmer Dr. part of the PETA? No, not under the current ordinance. 16.The current area has been there for 20 years without much being done to it, usage has increased, so not much needs to be done. 17.Will the area by the tennis courts still be mowed this year? If not can volunteers do it? It will continue to be mowed until Council gives a directive. Tom Presny summarized the meeting by saying there currently is no funding for the PETA area and that any changes would have to come by way of an ordinance change by the City Council. Councilmember Brunner advised that the users should create a group to come forward at a council meeting and have one voice. Plans could be discussed for the area such as workdays. He also reiterated that everything takes time. Meeting adjourned at 7:30pm. LEISURE SERVICES ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES TH SEPTEMBER 8, 7:00 PM TRAXLER PARK – LION’S PAVILION Members Present: Sandy Hendricks, Council President William Truman, Lorie Markus, Betty Schwarz, Jeff Clark, Douglas Derby, Steve Ellis, and Kevin Reilly Staff Present: Rebecca Smith and Tom Presny The meeting was called to order at 7PM at the Lions Pavilion in Traxler Park by Chairperson Lorie Markus. TH APPROVAL OF JULY 14, 2009 MEETING MINUTES th The minutes of the July 14 meeting were approved unanimously on a motion made by Betty Schwarz and seconded by Jeff Clark. PET EXERCISE AREA Tom Presny shared details of Pet Exercise Training Area (PETA) at Palmer Park and the recent neighborhood meeting that took place. Tom distributed a copy of the meeting minutes and discussed alternatives to their initial ideas including possibly converting a section of the existing PETA to an area for dogs to run. Comments from the members included: Question was asked about whether Paw Print Park was too busy to accommodate dogs. Lorie Markus felt that was not a problem. Steve Ellis suggested that the PETA users carve out an area inside their existing section for a dog run. Lorie Markus stated they won’t want to give the tennis court area back as was suggested in the meeting notes. Lorie Markus commented that the PETA area at Palmer Park may be too close to the road. It was also noted that their idea is the easiest (taking on additional space) but not in the City’s best interest. Also there is already a lot of space in the PETA area at Palmer. Bill Truman shared that mowing is expensive and there has been instances when mowing has been reduced. The City Council will need to review. Tom Presny stated that this was not a staff decision but one that the Council would need to change. MATTERS NOT ON THE AGENDA Tom Presny shared that Parks was contacted by the company that operates the Centerway and Indianford Dams, North American Hydro. They have made a request to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to temporarily draw down the Rick River in the pool north of the Centerway Dam to complete necessary, flood-related repairs to their dam. They expect the draw down to last for a week and it would likely take place in late September; however, all of the details were not yet clear at that time. They have not yet heard from FERC on whether their request will be granted; however, they have already received permission from the WI DNR for this work. The river hasn’t been intentionally drawn down in approximately 15-20 years. If they are successful in their request, this could be a good thing for riverfront residents or businesses who may wish to use this opportunity to clean up or repair their shorelines in ways that aren’t possible when the river is at its normal level. If the draw down occurs, North American Hydro will send press releases and the City will also perform public information efforts and alert Friends groups of this opportunity. Steve Ellis shared his conversations regarding a request to provide a pickle ball program with the City of Janesville. Steve suggested Riverside Park and they didn’t like the idea of the west side location. Rebecca Smith said that she would contact Bonnie Davis to follow up with the Recreation staff. Bill Truman will be meeting with the City Manager to discuss opening the Traxler Park Warming House earlier each year to increase revenue. He also desires to increase the size of the skating land rink at Traxler Park to accommodate larger crowds due to the lack of open skate times at the Ice Center now that NAHL Hockey is playing there. Sandy Hendricks commented that work is progressing at the north bathroom at Riverside Park. The work should be completed soon. Lorie Markus reminded everyone th of the upcoming Pooch Fest on Saturday, September 19. Steve Ellis questioned why the wading pools closed early this year. Bill Truman stated that last year the Council decided to close the wading pools earlier this summer due to budget constraints. Steve suggested that both Palmer and Riverside wading pools have the same closing dates for consistency purposes. There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 7:40PM on a unanimous motion by Bill Truman and seconded by Betty Schwarz. The next meeting is scheduled th for Tuesday, November 10, 2009. 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