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2009-11-10 Regular Meeting PARKS & RECREATION COMMITTEE` i r) 1 i _�! NOVEMBER 10, 2009 REGULAR MEETIitG1.. DEC 1 6 2009 MINUTES CALL TO ORDER POP.0 C�FF;C CHAIR SIROFCHUCK called to order the November 10, 2009 Parks & Recreation meeting at 7:00 p.m. ROLL CALL Committee members present were Mike Sirofchuck, Pam Foreman, Jeff Huntley, Kevin Foster, Patrick Saltonstall, Andy Schroeder, Rick Lindholm, and Sandra West. Excused was Hans Tschersich. Ex- Officio member present was Casey Janz. A quorum was established. COMMITTEE MEMBER LINDHOLM MOVED to excuse COMMITTEE MEMBER TSCHERSICH. VOICE VOTE ON MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. APPROVAL OF AGENDA COMMITTEE MEMBER HUNTLEY MOVED to approve the agenda. VOICE VOTE ON MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETINGS COMMITTEE MEMBER SALTONSTALL MOVED to approve the October 27, 2009 Parks & Recreation minutes. VOICE VOTE ON MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. AUDIENCE COMMENTS AND APPEARANCE REQUESTS There were no audience comments and appearance requests. OLD BUSINESS A) Trails Plan Cassidy stated Alta will negotiate a contract to have the trails GPS'd and there are 2 groups in Kodiak that can provide that work. We're working directly with Alta and they do the hiring. One of the entities is Island Trails and the other is Dave Nesheim. Casey Janz arrived at 7:15 p.m. Discussion regarding why the consultants will be hiring someone to GPS the trails and the extra cost. COMMITTEE MEMBER FOSTER expressed concern that Kodiak's seasons are not always conducive to things working on our time schedule and that we stressed to each individual consultant that we have some leeway to make it work for Kodiak and now we are fast tracking. He understands we are doing the best that we can and yet we did ask for that leeway. In response to CHAIR SIROFCHUCK'S inquiry, Cassidy stated he will talk to the consultants to find out if it's going to be an hourly fee, per mile, and how it will be done. If we're not going to get volunteer information then the only way is to hire someone to get it for us. If it exceeds the amount we have then he'll go to the Assembly. There has been extra money budgeted for things like change orders and such. Page 1 of 4 The committee is comfortable with the consultants hiring someone to GPS the trails. The committee directed Cassidy to communicate to the consultants that they are in agreement that they hire someone to GPS and make them aware of the committee's concerns. Sandra West announced that Specialized Bicycles has some grant money to give for access for trails and bike paths. The grant application has to go through the local bike shop and they send it to Specialized Bicycles. Is this something that Alta or the Borough would do for us? Cassidy stated he will give it to our grant writer to look at. NEW BUSINESS A) Agency Review of the Airport EIS CHAIR SIROFCHUCK said he knows there is a draft EIS for the airport runway extension project that is in Kodiak in some agencies hands. He expressed concern because they are being somewhat secretive about it, and the State Parks Advisory Board was denied permission to look at it. He also said the cover letter couldn't even be shared. Cassidy said no one at the borough has seen a copy. He will follow up on why the local government has not received a copy. Kevin Murphy said the State Parks Advisory Board has been very active following this project closely, making comments and awaiting the release of the preliminary draft EIS. It finally comes out and Leslie Gray has a cover letter requesting that written permission be granted by her with who you share it with. Murphy was denied permission to share it with the advisory board. Agencies have until December 18th to comment, they will roll those comments, and then re- release it, and it will probably take them 30 days and then they'll come do their public presentation. Murphy expressed concern over them being so protective of a public project with public funds. Sirofchuck stated the State Parks Advisory Board is working on a letter now to the FAA about the situation, and Audubon is also contacting them because they have been more involved possibly than the advisory board on this. During discussion, in reference to West's inquiry if Parks & Rec would have any say on this, Sirofchuck stated there is a possibility of affecting recreational use in that area. Cassidy said the Assembly would be concerned that a public document, unless it really is an agency review that the public isn't able to weigh in on this. The borough should be an agency review. VICE CHAIR FOREMAN formally requested that Cassidy request this committee see the EIS as part of the agency review. CHAIR SIROFCHUCK said he's seen drafts change with agency reviews but once they go public comment after agency reviews he hasn't seen any significant change in preferred alternatives and recommended actions. He said if you google Kodiak Airport Extension EIS it will take you there and there are presentations and other information on there. COMMUNICATIONS A) Audubon Society Letter regarding Chiniak Tree Thinning Cassidy said we are asking for more information on this. B) French Ideal of Bicycle- Sharing Meets Reality C) Mill Bay Photos of Tree Cutting and Litter COMMITTEE MEMBER SALTONSTALL provided the pictures of the parkette at Mill Bay Beach and since he took the pictures the partying has cut down. Page 2 of 4 During discussion CHAIR SIROFCHUCK said the Rotary Telethon's proceeds are to benefit Mill Bay Beach improvements. Cassidy said Duane Dvorak is a Rotarian and he will find out more and email the committee. CHAIR SIROFCHUCK hopes the committee can participate in this. D) Irresponsible shooting on the Road System CHAIR SIROFCHUCK stated this is in response to the shooting on the road system. During discussion staff was directed to put the KISA brochure on the November 24th agenda under communications. Cassidy said he will put the shooting item on the December P&Z agenda. Sirofchuck encouraged the committee to encourage people to share their shooting stories with the Troopers; the more incidents logged the more it becomes a priority. COMMITTEE MEMBER HUNTLEY expressed concern about some stories being told about shooting that have no foundation and it is clearly a lack of education. COMMITTEE MEMBER FOSTER expressed concern about the passage where it says "this would not apply to responsible hunters who educate themselves about where the trails and picnic areas are and avoid those areas during deer and ptarmigan hunting seasons" and his point is this letter stresses how hiking, birding, exercise, etc. is so important, which it is, but we are dealing with the road system which Leisnoi owns a lot of that land. There's also a hunting season on this road system and if a responsible hunter avoids the trails where the deer, ptarmigan, ducks, and bear are then where are you going to hunt on the road system? If you are responsible you are going to hunt where the animals are. He also stated a responsible person who avoids these trails is going to be a responsible and confused hunter. COMMITTEE MEMBER SALTONSTALL stated it's not the hunters that are the problem. He expressed concern about someone eventually being shot and then we won't be allowed to hunt at White Sands. Once someone is shot there will be an over-reaction and as a hunter that is what he's concerned about. Committee discussion. REPORTS Meeting Schedule: • November 24, 2009 Parks & Recreation Committee meeting at 7:00 p.m. in the KIB School District Conference Room • December 8, 2009 Parks & Recreation Committee meeting at 7:00 p.m. in the KIB School District Conference Room COMMITTEE MEMBER WEST said she will not be in town on November 24th. AUDIENCE COMMENTS COMMITTEE MEMBER'S COMMENTS Jeff Huntley asked if we're going to review the Winter Rules of the Lake because we said we would review it after 1 year. Smith stated that she remembers that they were going to wait until January to review them when there is snow on the ground and the lakes are frozen to see what kind of problems are happening this year and if the rules need to be modified. Staff was directed to advertise it. Andy Schroeder stated that Island Trails is putting together a list of trails that are broken, damaged, or washed out to repair. We want to make a pitch for some of that relief funding because it's going to fall on us to fix them. He also said Sheratin was paved without sidewalks or pedestrian Page 3 of 4 infrastructure and encourages people to drive faster and is becoming more dangerous than before the paving. He encourages the committee to be in support of "complete the street" kind of mentality and encourage pedestrian and recreational infrastructure to go in with these paving projects. Kevin Foster announced he is tendering his resignation as of tonight. Pam Foreman stated she hates to see Kevin resign because she knows this trails project is important to him and hopes that whatever his family is going in that he still has time to stay involved when we have public meetings and give comment. Sandra West asked if the KISA brochure was done yet. She said she has been asked to follow up with the Coast Guard and she doesn't know specifically what she is supposed to do other than when the brochure is complete get each command to push it and say something other than just handing it out. She also wants to know how we can get some sidewalks or bike paths on every single pave job. Mike Sirofchuck stated he hiked to Termination Point and at the 2nd beach when you hike along the coast someone had been digging into the midden and there was an elaborate structure. He helped bring it down but the new development there is shotgunning trees. He'll provide staff the pictures for the next meeting. There is a lot of use there because there was a lot of trash and the trees laying on the ground were completely splintered with shot gun shells laying all around. He said he emailed the photos to Carol Pagano and she will have someone patrol. Sirofchuck told Kevin Foster he is really sorry to see him go and he also hopes Foster will continue to participate in the processes. ADJOURNMENT COMMITTEE MEMBER SCHROEDER MOVED to adjourn. VOICE VOTE ON MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. The meeting was adjourned at 8:15 p.m. KODIAK ISLAND OpUGH PARKS & RECREATION 1M ITTEE By: Mike Sirofch ck, Chair ATTEST BY: :ACe—.1Q0--211iaL-- Sheila Smith, Secretary Community Development Dept. APPROVED: November 24, 2009 Page 4 of 4