Parks and Recreation Committee Minutes for 02/05/2020 Approved 3-4-2020 In attendance: Steve Dell, Jim Gurr, Bonnie Robbins, Ruth Smith, Barry Snyder & Laura Westerman Absent: Jan Loveland Other present at the meeting: Heidi Shaffer, Antrim Co. Soil Erosion and Steve Lagerquist, Land Steward at The Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy (GTRLC).
1.The meeting was called to order and then adjourned in order to open a public hearing Public Hearing concerning DNR Grant for acquisition of property adjacent to the Coy Mountain Preserve. Public Meeting minutes: General information concerning the proposed plan was presented. Three persons responded. Heidi Shaffer of Kearney, & Jim Gurr of Alden, support the acquisition of the land. Steve Lagerquist, of Traverse City, stated that Ken Masck had originally brought the Coy Mt. Reserve to the attention of the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy. GTRLC supports Coy Mt. and Steve feels the acquisition might help gain a better parking situation. The public hearing was closed and the regular monthly meeting of the P&R Committee reconvened.
There was no community input at the regular P&R Committee meeting.
- The meeting minutes from 01/01/2020 were approved as presented & will be published on the HT website.
- No new information was brought back to committee from the Jan. HT Board meeting. OLD BUSINESS
- Soil erosion at the Ball Park. Heidi Shaffer has prepared the shoreline stabilization permit for HT. She will submit it as soon as the township provides a letter authorizing her to file the permit request for HT. It is time to pursue estimates of cost for the shoreline stabilization project. Heidi talked about a plan to add a beach area near the lake at the Ball Park. The idea would be to level the old RR grade, fill in the ditch area and add sand for an ‘upper area’ beach. EGLE would need to be contacted concerning moving the rail road soil as the location is so close to Torch Lake. Possible costs of the project were discussed with a special concern of possible pollution. Heidi will contact someone from EGLE to discuss this possible project.
- Soil erosion at the Ball Park continued. There are also concerns of handling water & run off if changes are made at this site. Barry talked with our DNR representative at the Grant Training. She was very supportive of potential improvements to take care of the concerns he told her about at this park.
5.Coy Mt. Acquisition Project. The Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy (GTRLC) would like to try to raise monies through private donations for purchase of land from the property owners willing to sell at the appraised price. They feel that this fund raising would be most successful in the Spring / Summer of 2020. Because of this development the Committee agreed to recommend to the HT Board that they not have P&R pursue a DNR Trust Fund grant at this time.
6.Capital Improvement Plan. There is no new information concerning CIP. To be left on agenda for March.
- Parking Issues at Safe Harbor: Barry met with Burt Thompson, Antrim Co. Road Commission Engineer/Manager, concerning parking at Safe Harbor. Burt explained that parking east of the Spencer Creek bridge was managed by the county. Land west of the bridge is managed by the township. Burt is to confer with the sheriff’s department and then draw up a plan for parking at Safe Harbor. He will contact Barry with this information. Barry will follow up as needed. There was also discussion of an accessibility parking spot to be available on a loading / unloading basis only inside the dock area.
- Signage for Coy Mountain Preserve.
Steve Lagerquist of GTRLC presented information on the signage they usually provide at projects where GTRLC is involved. They will need more specific information on what we want for various sections of the kiosk and other signs. The property history – someone from the conservancy is working on this based on information we have given them. I gave them Jan’s write-up. We asked for a copy of the current write up to share it with Jan/Bonnie. Hunting? – We need to clarify whether the HT Board wants to have a ruling that there be no hunting at Coy Mt. Reserve.
Interpretive Signs – We need to decide how many interpretive signs we want, what they are to describe, and where they are to be located. These signs could include such things as: A. Flora and fauna such as described by Angie Lucas, Senior Land Steward, in her Coy Mountain report. B. A write up on Torch Lake at the lake overview area. C. Something about the trees found at Coy Mountain Reserve.
- Annual review of the P&R Website. The website has been reviewed and Bonnie is now in the process of final updates for the site. NEW BUSINESS:
- Tri-fold brochures and some “high-tech” chips telling about our parks and community events. This will remain as an agenda item for March.
- Policy to protect what we have in our parks. (Jan). This will remain as an agenda item for March.
The next monthly meeting is scheduled for: Wednesday, March 4th, 2020 at 7pm in the meeting room at the Community Bldg.
Respectfully submitted by Ruth Smith 02/11/2020