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Parks and Recreation Minutes – November 20, 2012

Helena Township, Antrim County Michigan Posted on by

Minutes -Parks and Recreation Committee Meeting – Alden Community Center – 11/20/2012   – approved 12-11-12

In attendance – , Steve Dell, Jan Loveland, Carolyn Nowfel, Dave Peterson, & Ruth Smith
Absent – Harvey Bartel, Mike Crawford, and Casey McDowell

Community In put – none
Minutes from 10/16/2012 meeting approved as presented.
Information from monthly Helena Twp. Mtg.:
The Three Lakes Association asked to reschedule their presentation to the Helena Twn board for the Dec. meeting. They will discuss invasive species at the Helena Dock. Ruth Smith thanked the Board for their quick response to clearing trees from across the Coy Mt. Trail

OLD BUSINESS:
Harvey is to check with former P&R members to determine what ACD and HE mean in old plan. Harvey is also to list potential properties that might be obtained – (perhaps a wish list) to be included in the 5-year-plan.

             Steve will send a Thank you from the P & R Comm. to the board for cutting trees at Coy Mt. and filling in around the Tennis Court Park pavilion and basketball court.

NEW BUSINESS
Steve explained that the document deeding the Archie Valleau Landing to Helena Township stipulates that the verbiage “Archie Valleau Landing” is to be used in reference to this property. Failure to do so could result in the Township losing ownership of the land. We plan to be careful to use the proper verbiage.

“Dock Park” Is it park or road ending – Dave will try to find out if there was a document submitted with the Safe Harbor grant application showing ownership of the property.

Time frames for submitting the approved 5-year-plan to DNR
The fact that we need to have a Five Year plan in place at least one month before any grant application is submitted was discussed. If we had the plan approved by March 2013 we could apply for April 2013 grants which, if approved, will be granted in 2014. The Committee is committed to moving ahead in a timely fashion but feel it would be unrealistic to attempt a March 2013 date for completion of the Five Year Plan. The idea of having the plan in place in time to have a community input meeting during the summer of 2013 was discussed.

Revised Guidelines for Development of Community Park, Recreation, Open Space, and Greenway Plans. While looking for other information online the fact that there are new Guidelines for completion of a Five Year plan came to light. The major changes are a modification of information for the (newly named) recreational assets grid which is now called the inventory of Existing Parks, Natural Areas & Recreational Facilities and the need to complete follow-up paper work on the grants that Helena Township has previously received under the DNR Recreational program.

Other Agenda Items – none added.

FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS:
These items will continue to be carried forward until they are discussed by the Committee

  • Deed restrictions for Helena Twp. parks (discuss in February-bring copies of deeds-Steve).
  • Riparian rights review by township attorney (Dave)
  • Valley Street” road ending not listed on resolution accepting jurisdiction from Antrim Co. Road
    Commission by Helena Township. Memo to Board regarding this? (Steve)
  • Handicap parking in Helena Township (Discussion).
  • Research rules and laws governing road ending lake access sites (Steve & Ruth).

FIVE YEAR PLAN
The Committee discussed possible goals to be used in the Five year plan. It is possible that others goals will be identified as members work on individual Park plans.
Identified Goals:

  • Improved Access at all Helena Township Parks
    (objectives – improved signage, increased handicapped parking, better accessibility in Parks)
  • Improved Communication concerning Helena Township facilities & activities
    (objectives – active website, advertise facilities and events)
  • Develop Age appropriate recreational opportunities within Helena Township
    (objective – Develop Trail Systems within Helena Township)
  • Protection / preservation of natural areas & the environment.

Report on assignments/research/activities since last meeting (Carolyn, Dave, Harvey, Jan, Ruth, Steve). Any item underlined denotes action needed.

Carolyn:

  1. Continue typing new 5-year-plan as items come to her from P&R Committee members.
  2. Edit calendar of events in 5-year-plan to show at what site the event took place.
  3. Review the P&R public survey and results and work with Jan for ideas to be included in the goals and objectives section of the 5-year-plan – for The Depot and the Helena Township Community Center.

 

 

 

Dave:

  1. Compile the information needed for the Inventory of Existing Parks, Natural Areas and Recreational Facilities for the Dock & Boat Launch & Archie Valleau landing & Email to Ruth
  2. Determine the correct name for “Dock Park” for the 5-year-plan. See New Business.
  3. Ask that a map reflecting the P & R numbering / lettering system be done. It will identify the Parks and Road endings lake access sites. Dave did not believe he kept the map Ruth provided so Ruth will give Dave a copy of the prepared map on 11-21-12.
  4. Review the P & R public survey results and work with Harvey for ideas to be included in the goals and objectives section of the 5-year-plan – for The Ball Park, The Dock, and Archie Valleau Landing.
  5. Work with COLI Communications to try to get our meeting days updated. Ruth was not able to accomplish this task so Dave will work on it as Township Clerk – done.

Harvey:

  1. Determine what ACD and HE mean in old plan. Harvey to check with former P&R members.
  2. Also Harvey is to prepare a Resource Inventory for the P & R 5-year plan that will list possible land acquisition goals for the future.
  3. Review the P & R public survey results and work with Dave for ideas to be included in the goals and objectives section of the 5-year-plan – for The Ball Park, The Dock, and Archie Valleau Landing

Jan:

  1. Review the P&R public survey results and work with Carolyn for ideas to be included in the goals and objectives section of the 5-year-plan – for The Depot and the Helena Township Community Center .

Ruth:

  1. The lettered / numbered map information was given to Dave along with Carolyn’s suggestion for a second page which would be the insert information as a full size page – done.  
  2. The approved September minutes were sent to Bonnie Robbins to be published on the Helena Twn. website. The approved October minutes are to be sent to Joyce Looman
    (through Bonnie Robbins) for publication on the website – done & published onlilne.
    The November minutes need to be prepared for review by the Committee – done.
  3. Get the Helena Twn. Supervisor, Rick Teague, the information needed to complete the new requirement of formal reports on all previous Grant-assisted Parks (pg 8 of guidelines) – done.

 

Ruth – Continued

  1. Work with Steve to update the grid format of the Inventory of Existing Parks, Natural Areas and Recreational Facilities to reflect the new information in the updated (2012) 5-year-plan guidelines.
  2. Review the P&R public survey and results and work with Steve for ideas to be included in the goals and objectives section of the 5-year-plan – for Tennis Court Park and Coy Mt. Reserve.
  3. To check out what the Road Ending signs say.

Steve:

  1. Prepare info sheet separate from grid on road ending access sites for 5-year-plan. Done.
  2. Work with Ruth to update the grid format of the Inventory of Existing Parks, Natural Areas and Recreational Facilities to reflect the new information in the updated (2012) 5-year-plan guidelines.
  3. Review the P&R public survey and results and work with Ruth for ideas to be included in the goals and objectives section of the 5-year-plan – for Tennis Court Park and Coy Mt. Reserve .
  4. To check out what the Road Ending signs say.

 

The next meeting is scheduled for Wed., Dec. 11th, at 3 PM

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