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2009-10-13 Regular Meeting I S Dat G si , PARKS & RECREATION COMMITTEE OCTOBER 13, 2009 REGULAR MEETING NOV 1 9 2009 MINUTES CALL TO ORDER - -- CHAIR SIROFCHUCK called to order the October 13, 2009 Parks & Recreation Regular meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. ROLL CALL Committee members present were Mike Sirofchuck, Pam Foreman, Hans Tschersich, Kevin Foster, Jeff Huntley, Andy Schroeder, and Sandra West. Excused members were Patrick Saltonstall and Rick Lindholm. Ex Officio members present were Kevin Murphy, Dave Kaplan, and Dave King (attended as P&Z rep). A quorum was established. COMMITTEE MEMBER SCHROEDER MOVED to excuse Patrick Saltonstall and Rick Lindholm. VOICE VOTE ON MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY APPROVAL OF AGENDA COMMITTEE MEMBER WEST stated she would like to add discussion on the trails inventory and Alta as New Business item D. COMMITTEE MEMBER WEST MOVED to approve the agenda as amended. VOICE VOTE ON MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETINGS COMMITTEE MEMBER SCHROEDER said in Old Business item B, 3 line down on page 2 should say Monashka Bay to Neva Cove instead of inaudible. VICE CHAIR FOREMAN MOVED to approve the September 15, 2009 minutes. VOICE VOTE ON MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY AUDIENCE COMMENTS AND APPEARANCE REQUESTS John Miller, Chiniak resident submitted written comments (included in packet) and spoke opposing shooting between the roadway and the water. Most people are responsible but it's the young people that are causing the problems. He expressed he is not attempting to infringe on rights to own or bear arms; it is how you use arms is the question. People fire guns when he's out in the woods or on the beach in Chiniak, and he has no insurance that they are responsible. He cited examples of ordinances the borough could possibly pass: no discharge of weapons from road to water from Chiniak to Monashka, with the exception of duck hunting by persons with a hunting license during hunting season; discharge of firearms is allowed on private property with permission and under the supervision of the property owner. You can't shoot on Leisnoi land and the borough could make it illegal to shoot on borough land, and the state owns some land OLD BUSINESS There was no old business. 1 NEW BUSINESS A) Shooting issues Members of the public present were Bill Hoyt, KISA board member and avid shooter; Jill Lipka, hiker; Joseph Litka, hiker and mountain biker; Don Dumm, shooting enthusiast; Chief Sean Haughey, Military Police Security Chief, USCG; Jesse Glamann, President of KISA; Nick Zito, Alaska State Trooper supervisor; Rio Berggren, KISA Vice President and avid shooter and hiker; Karl Moore, Coast Guard Commander of Base Support Unit; Mike Gustaveson, KISA board member; Erik Berggren, KISA Treasurer; Wayne Murphy, State Parks. CHAIR SIROFCHUCK stated there is concern about safety regarding shooting on the road system, specifically White Sands Beach, the Monashka Bay view point to the right where there has been a lot of shooting, littering, and damage, and Anton Larsen. VICE CHAIR FOREMAN'S slide show presentation was shown. SIROFCHUCK stated this area is towards White Sands past the wooden Natural Use sign and then it's the first turnout on the right. Sirofchuck does the Christmas bird count every year in this area and it's getting progressively more trashed; trees are literally shot down and there's illegal woodcutting going on. FOREMAN said these pictures were taken 3 weeks ago and it's pretty clear how the accidental shooting across to Monashka Bay happens; you can see Termination Point in the pictures. During discussion everyone was in agreement that this is a public safety and a social behavior issue with our young adults shooting irresponsibly including reckless endangerment, misconduct of weapons, vandalism, and littering. Trooper Zito stated it is going to take public assistance if we want this problem to stop and requested people to start writing down license plates and descriptions. Zito also expressed in most areas it's legal to shoot off the side of the road as long as you aren't shooting from or across the road unless posted. The one shooting area across from the John Wayne rock and right passed. Cocaine Hill are the two areas that the troopers get the most complaints about, and unless the troopers can determine reckless endangerment or weapons misconduct, under the influence of alcohol while shooting, or shooting across the roadway or from a vehicle there aren't ramifications to deal with those issues unless posted otherwise then it would be criminal trespass. If it's posted a lot of people that have common sense would realize they shouldn't be shooting there, and we have to prove in order to charge someone with criminal trespass that they entered and remained unlawfully on the land with the intent to commit a crime. The troopers don't have enforcement powers for borough ordinances but No Shooting signs would hinder people. If someone is waffling on a trail g g g P P g and started a sta ted takin rounds the troopers t oo ers could charge them with reckless endangerment w a erment if we can taking p g g determine if they were acting in a reckless manner. Jill Lipka spoke regarding a bullet flying by her head at White Sands, and Bill Hoyt spoke about a friend who was coming out of the Termination Point area where fellow had a target set up in the middle of the trail shooting down the trail, and another instance there were 2 people in the bay with bullets flying around the boat. Blythe Brown stated a prize winning, breeding horse was shot in Pasagshak that died of massive infection. KISA board members expressed that they are making a tremendous push for safety, Salonie Creek is open to the public, and having a membership just gets you a key to the gate. The 3 topics being addressed are already laws and it boils down to enforcement. Don Dumm suggested no shooting within V4 mile from the road. Chief Sean Haughey, Coast Guard has had about 4 incidents in the last year: finding people shooting down the driving range at the golf course, 2 incidents where there were pop up ranges, one north of the ski chalet and another about y4 mile south of the ski chalet. There is no shooting on Coast Guard property except at the Coast Guard range, and when we catch Coast Guard members we seize their guns and they have to go through a process to get their guns back. If we catch civilians it is an educational thing, we 2 { l _ don't take their guns but we do have them clean up things and leave. Kevin Murphy stated you are allowed to have a weapon in a State park but you're not allowed to hunt in the road system parks. Dave King said the NRA (National Rifle Association) has a program and Ed Eagle could come anytime to teach gun safety to the kids in school, and King has DVD's and pamphlets that go with the program that he will provide Cassidy to review. It was the consensus that most people are conscientious and we need to educate those that don't have common sense. Specific actions or solutions: education; inform the public of how to file a report and encourage them to report those who are shooting irresponsibly; provide where and when not to shoot handouts to those buying bullets; law enforcement more proactive; no shooting signs at trailheads; education that starts with the parents and then go to the school; signage; PSA's; educate whoever is buys ammunition for the kids; the borough and KISA work to develop a brochure that talks about when the ranges are open, what the ranges are, and what's available; the borough and KISA should look at covering the costs of producing those brochures together; g g p g g the brochures should be distributed to any stores selling ammunition or guns; propose we work on a school education program with ADF&G and NRA being careful that it doesn't become a divisive program and let the school figure out how they want it put into their curriculum; recommend that we take the locations that we know are problems right now and actually post signs - Shooting Not Recommended Here; and the KISA brochures should cover that information; brochures be made available to the Coast Guard personnel and are a part of the education that the incoming personnel go through on ATV use; as we develop the trails plan we can think about making recommendations for trailhead signs, newspaper ads and encourage the general public to become more active and report irresponsible shooting; clean up these sites and keep them clean; and possibly the troopers doing PSA's on the radio and newspaper of how to file a citizens report if you see reckless shooting or criminal behavior. VICE CHAIR FOREMAN MOVED to recommend the current shooting sites that we are aware of along Monashka Bay Road be cleaned up and that signs be posted at those shooting sites and at White Sands Beach that say "Shooting Not Recommended Here," and that we work with KISA to develop an informational brochure or use their existing brochure that talks about recommended shooting areas, and talks about when KISA facilities are open and to whom. COMMITTEE MEMBER WEST MOVED TO AMEND the motion to add a blurb on there how to file a citizen's report if you see someone shooting irresponsibly. During discussion it was determined that Cassidy will work with the Troopers and Coast Guard on the language. The committee directed staff to talk to the superintendent to find out how to go about educating the kids at school Dave King clarified that the NRA training program none of the materials or training mentions, says ,or has anything to do with NRA -it is completely independent. VOICE VOTE ON AMENDMENT TO THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. VOICE VOTE ON AMENDED MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. B) Re- negotiations with State Parks regarding White Sands Beach Cassidy said there is nothing new and he should get together with Kevin Murphy. What might address some of the issues at White Sands is (inaudible) show the badge and driving by with a mean look on his face. C) Chiniak tree thinning Pete Cassidy stated there's going to be a contract betwee n the Sta toan d et Olsen's company who will be thinning trees in about 4 acres in Chiniak. The State will be setting the sizes of trees that can and cannot be cut, and there is a process where they can negotiate with an individual to 3 { f ' provide this service and Olsen will pay the State that will be based on board feet or cords of wood or some kind of agreeable solution. During discussion COMMITTEE MEMBER HUNTLEY and VICE CHAIR FOREMAN expressed concern because it's the only piece of State land out there and it's old growth trees. In the DNR Plan it's in the Identified Use section for some of that State land and as far as public notice the borough hasn't been notified yet. This is one of the few areas that Chiniak residents still have access to for hunting and etc because the rest of the land is owned by Leisnoi. Cassidy expressed that the borough has no management authority on State lands. Staff was directed to put this agenda item on the October 27 agenda. Cassidy will call DNR tomorrow to ask some questions and he will email the committee. D) Alta Trails Inventory COMMITTEE MEMBER WEST stated she's the volunteer coordinator to get all the GPS'd trails information but no one has sent her anything and some people don't want to give their information. The consultants asked that this be wrapped up by the end of September so she wants to let Alta know, and if we want to give this another year for people to go out hiking. During discussion COMMITTEE MEMBER HUNTLEY stated the reason why she hasn't received any input from the 4 wheeler enthusiasts is because they have read what the consultants had written in the Trails Plan Website that basically says if there is a mark on the trail it's irreparable. West found that the people that use these trails to Saltery and Miam are avid ATVer's and they've been repairing them. They looked at the Alta PowerPoint and read that as all they were looking for was negative: landslides, mud holes, etc. and thought the ATV's would be shut down if all they got was negative comments. She informed them that we want to know every improvement that they have made, take a picture and note it, and send it in, and then she called Alta and they made a change. WEST feels it would make a difference if they had more time. Cassidy reminded the committee that if folks don't want to participate then let's move on. VICE CHAIR FOREMAN proposed Cassidy talk to the consultants to tell them what's going on and see what the recommended solution is reminding them that that is part of what we talked about. CHAIR SIROFCHUCK directed Smith to put the Trails Plan as item A under Old Business on all agendas. COMMUNICATIONS A) Email re: shooting in Chiniak This was addressed in Audience Comments. REPORTS Meeting schedule: • October 27, 2009 P&R meeting at 7:00 p.m. in the KIB School District Conference Room • November 10, 2009 P&R meeting at 7:00 p.m. in the KIB School District Conference Room AUDIENCE COMMENTS COMMITTEE MEMBER'S COMMENTS Kevin Foster told Sandra West to not take it personal and to not give up. Hans Tschersich asked if we are replicating everything or just looking for additional new trails that haven't been GPS'd. 4 Sandra West said yes, they would like any information -new or old. She also asked if we are going to advertise for people to GPS trails. Kevin Foster said a lot of these trails have changed since 2004 because of conditions. Dave King asked if the borough can download off a Rhino GPS, if so he will bring all 3 in to download. ADJOURNMENT COMMITTEE MEMBER HUNTLEY MOVED TO ADJOURN. VOICE VOTE ON MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. The meeting was adjourned at 9:15 p.m. KODIAK IS ND 1OROUGH PA S S & ' ECRE LION •, MITTEE By:. L:_�.•L Mik- irofchuck, Chair ATTEST By: L k ei Qrt Sheila Smith, Secretary Community Development APPROVED: October 27, 2009 I 5