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5 Naming Park Open Spaces CYPYOF PO I~ ~47 Chanhassen, MN 55317 Administration Phone: 952.227.119O Far 952.227.1110 Building Inspections Phoae: 952.227.1180 Fax:. 952.227.1190 Englneedng Phone,: 952.227.1160 Fax: 952.227.1170 Finance Phm~: 952.227.1140 Fax:. 952.227.1110 Park & Recreation Phone: 952.227.1120 Fax: 952_.227.1110 ~ Center 2310 Coula Boulevard Phoae: 9,52_227.1~ Fax: 952.227.1404 Planning & Natural Resources Phone: 952.227.1130 Fax: 952.227.1110 Public Works 1591 Park Road Phone: 952.227.1300 Fax: 952.227.1310 Senior Center Pix)ne: 952.227.1125 Fax: 952.227.1110 Wek Site www. ci.~.mn.us TO: Park and Recreation Commission FROM: DATE: Todd Hoffman, Park and Recread. on Director/~ ~, June 15, 1999 SUB J: Naming of Park Open Spaces The day after your May meeting, I contacted Ron Roeser to inquire about the gelm family. Through that conversation it became apparent that the Kelm's noted in the Chanhassen History Book did not live on the "O'Shaughnessy" land. It was Ron's feeling that an alternate name should be selected for this site. RECOMIVIENDATION It is recommended that the Park and Recreation Commission select an alternate name for this site. MANAGER'S CQMMI~.NT8 It is my opinion that the park's name should be either "City Center Park" or "Library Commons." I appreciate thc Park & Recreation Commission's objective regarding their decision, but the park should have one name. :rd (5-?-o3) The Clly of Chanhassen · A growing community wilh clean lakes, quality schools, a ctmonlng downtown, lhdvino businesses, winding trails, and I:ma~ful padre. A gmat place to live, work, and play. CffYOF 77(X) Mmka Boulevald POBax147 (3wdmsmm, ~ 55317 Admlnlll~llon fllCNle: 952227.1100 F~ 95Z227.1110 F. NhmedN I~ofle: ~.1160 Far 952.227.1170 FIImn~l FIH:)fle: 9g?.227.1140 Fax: 952227.1110 PtImlklg & Natmtl ResegnIIs Phone: 952.227.1130 Fsx: 952.227.1110 Siiler Clltlf 952_227.1125 Fax: 952227.1110 MEMORANOUM TO: . Park and Recreation Commission FROM: Todd Hoffinan, Park and Recrea~on Director DATE: April 17,'2003 SUBJECT: Naming of Park Loc~ in Front of City Hall and Adjacent to the Libr~ Come this September, Chanhassen will be home to a newly cons~ park in the center of our downtown. The investments made in this park include the original foresight to set this prominent location aside for future public use, the value of thc land estimat~ at $550,000, and construction contracts valued in excess of $800,000. The property was pureh~l Redevelopment Authority in 1998 using tax' The contracts to design and construct the park are City's park dedic~on fund. This park project in our City's Hotming and · proc, eeds. park space To date the Park design element was Now that the the park. Names Commol~, Naming a park complicated as In this obvious new Ris the City adjacent to the Park to City Center Ball City Center Park and Recreation Commission April 17, 2003 Page 2 C: Mayor and City Council Kate Aanenson, Community Development Director Bruce De/ong, Finance Director Teresa Bttrge~, Public Works ~City Eagine~r ' Dale Grego~, Park Superintendeht Jerry Ruegeme~., ~tion Superin/~mdent - lVI~lissa Brechon, Carver County Library-Board ATTACHMENTS 1. Monument sign location drawing 2. Depiction of masonvj monument sign r" C) .-,~. ,~..--.~ · ',..-,.. ~.,'4." ' .- ": '""" -. · . ,%,,.,-'~.. ~, ~' ;...; .. . '-.. ,~' ' 3,, ':.,,~:,:. · ,41 .............~_ ~.:'\~ ..-~, · ..., · · .,T ,~ '~. ,,.:..' :~ ','..,.'. ., ..:;-',,...,.-;,: .,,;..:...'-,; . o- .~.'~' .,- · ;'.,~ ,.,~...-...-.,~. - ,. · ,l',- · .~ . ~c,.. - 'o' --.I,% - .v ~. '.,.- - . ..:..-.:...-,- :..:'...=.':.';:-'.. , -., .,,,.:: ;.' .. .'..:'ii " '"4X':"' 't ...L ' .. - · . . CHANHASSEN PARK AND RECREATION COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING VERBATIM MINUTES APRIl. 22, 2003 Chairman Franks called the meeting to order at 7:38 p.m. MEMBERS PRE~ENT: Rod Franks, Tom Kelly, Amy O'Shea, lack Spizale, Paula Atkins, Susan Robinson and Glenn Stolar STAFF PRESENT: Todd Hoffman; Park and Rec Director; Jerry Ruegemer, Recreation Superintendent; and Dale Gregory, Park Superin~nt APPROyAL OF AGENDA: Atkins moved, Stolar seconded to approve the agenda as presented. AH voted in favor and the motion carded unanimously with a vote of 7 to 0. PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT~. None. VISITOR PRF~ENTATION$: None. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Atkins moved, Spizale seconded to approve the summary Minutes of the Park and Recreation Commi~_'on dated February 25, 2003 as p~ AH voted in favor and the motion carried unanimously with a vote of 7 to 0. NAMING OF NEW PARK LO(~ATED IN FRONT OF CITY HALL AND ADJACENT TO THE NEW LIBRARY. Public Present: Name Address Linda Landsman Melissa J. Brechon Kathy Perschmann Jill Shipley 7329 Prontier Trail 40ty ~ Pl~ Hoffman: Thank you Chair Franks, members of the commission. One of the most exciting thing obviously that is happening is the old bank has finally been demolished making room for the new parle The park project has always been referred to as the City Center Commnns, and the plans that are shown on the overhead indicate the general configuration of that area. It's fairly large and very nicely laid out. What you would call kind of a town plaza feel or town commnns, but it did not have an official name and with the placement of the sign, which is located right down at the intersection of Market Boulevard and West 78"'. This sign was an ~_~_a_ alternate item at just over $8,000 which was accepted by the City Council as a part of the project so we need to find a name for the park and go ahead and get that name off to the contractor so they can order letters for that. Before I go into a little background on the park location and the history itself I'll show you the schematic. We have it in your packet. This is a schematic of what the sign would look like. It has a concrete footing underneath it. A brick sign. It has the radius which follows the edge of the planter. Has a very prominent location on that intersection. It will have Chanhassen with the maple leaf and the park name underneath and it's a 3 ½ inch letters underneath the larger Park and Recreation Commission - April 22, 2003 letters here, 8 inch letters which spell Chanhassen. So that's the design of the sign. City Center Commons again was the project name. It has never been officially adopted as the name for the park by the City Council. Little hac,~und. First of all on the project, this site was set aside in on the late 80's by the Housing and Redevelopment Authority. R was purchased at a price of $4.50 a square foot for the bank prope~y, and then the library property as well. And the thinking at the time was the city leaders, the city staff, the council at the time, the HRA me~, didn't like the idea of a McDonald's or a Burger King sitting out on that comer in front of City Hall They thought there was a better use, preferably a public use for that property, so it was purchased and set aside and then remained as the festival location or what did we call the hallfields out there? Do you remember? The Little League. Coulter Field. The Little League Coulter fields out there where kids actually played Little League or t-ball right on main street for a number of years as well. The li~ location or the referendum was approved. The ~ location was selected at the intersection or the corner of Kerber and West 78~ Street, and then the plan started to become a reality for what would tie these two public uses together, that being the commons area inbetween or the plaza. The plan itself was prepared through a design committee which the council thanked recently after the award was made for the project. Damon Farber and Associates is the architect on the design. There was some real elaborate desi~s going in and I think the committee really selected one that fits the downtown and is going to be very well received. With the bank standing there it was very hard to visualize what this space would actually look like. Now with the bank gone it's starting to become a littie easier to visualize exactly what that space will look like. History on naming parks in the past in Chanhas~ Many of the parks have been named, either by their general location, the development, the developer, or city staff or generally the Park and Recreation Commission. So historically them has not been a large public process going into naming parks in the city. The lm'ger parks, Lake .Ann Park, Lake Susan Park obviously have names which are associated with geographic features that are, they are near or that they are featured. Many neighborhood parks that were ,dined simply the night that the Park and Recreation Commission visited them as they were brought onto the system and the commission talked about it as a group, or if there was a neighborhood that was working with the commission at that time in the development of that parL they were then, ideas were solicited from those groups. There have been some suggestions from the community to date to name this location and those include, the City Center Commnns, which is a name that people still appreciate. Central Park, again due to it's predominant location in the center of the city. But Central Park many people feel has already been taken and has a...somewhem else in the country. Library Park has been suggested a number of times, and ! think members of the audience here are here to support that idem Town Square and City Center Park so those are just a few of the ideas, or the ideas that have really been tossed about the majority of the time we're talking about this topic. Other ideas are, you can always name it as a memorial or there's a variety of different ways to look at il: In this instance it's the staff position that there's a simple and obvious choice and that is City Center Park. It's very descriptive. We have a City Center Park already, which is behind City Hall, and City Center Park can be renamed City Center Ballfields or City Center Fields. There's also a requirement that you should be aware of. The two fields that are north of the school property, north of the tennis courts, have a requirement as a part of the purchase agreement to be named Hansen Fields, so right now they have a, it's a sub-category. It's City Center Park, Hansen Fields. The property was purchased from the Hansen's. As a part of that purchase agreement they wanted that, those naming rights as a part of that~ So those, whatever City Center Park is known as, those fields will always be known as Hansen Field as well. And we have a sign in our shop for those, to name that Hansen Field, city Center Park, m~sen Field. The existing again the existing City Center Park can be renamed. The signs that we have are made in the shop at a cost of probably $200-3~. Cn'egory: Yeah, a couple hundred dollars. Park and Recreation Commission - April 22, 2003 Hoffman: For the woocL And that's staff's reconunendation that the Park and Recreation Commission recommend the City Council officially name the new park sim City Cenmr Park, and that we rename the existing City Center Park to City Center Ballfields. Franks: Thank you Todd. What I'd like to do is of course, provide plenty of time for anyone in the audience to make their comments, but before we do that I'd like to, if Todd, if you're willing to take questions from any commission members, we'll do that first. And Susan, just to give you a break we'll start at the other end. Robinson: Thank you. Franks: You're welcome. Stolar: Just one quick question. Is them a requireaz~-nt that that has to have a disfina name? Because one of my questions was, isn't this all just City Center park. Hoffman: Yes. Stolar: This is the whole City Center park. Is that allowable or does it have to have a distinct name? Hoffman: It's allowed. You could do that. My only concern is that when there is a specific program or event taking place in this location and you say City Center Park, it may be confusing for folks. Space starts to get large, but I had the same thought Atkins: So the recommendation by staff is City Center Park? Hoffman: Correct. Atkins: How will this be decided? Will we be making that decision? Hoffman: You can make a reconvn~dation to the City Council. Atldns: Will the sign be lit? Hoffman: Lit? Yes. Atldns: That's all I have. Franks: Nothing? Kelly: No. Franks: Todd, when you say the monument sign will be lit, will the letters be backlit or will it be flood lit from down below? Hoffman: Base lit from down below. Franks: Staff didn't come up with any other real ~ve ideas? Stolar: Not that they will tell us. Park and Recreation Commission - April 22, 2003 Franks: Well had we considered offering the naming rights to the park for sale to crapomte entity? Hoffman: Hadn't, well we talked about it. Yeah we talked about Franks: Okay. Alright. I guess that's really all I have at this point. O'Shea: Does staff see it a plus or a neutral to try to tie this whole area in like City Center, the hockey rinks, City Center ballfields, or does that? Hoffman: I ~ink what would occur then is this would always be known as City Center Park and you'd start getting knick names for the other. People would just say the halltields. O'Shea: By City Center Park. Hoffman: Yeah. You're going to go to the ballfielcls. Because there are, then again by default ff you're reading a softball or baseball schedule and it says City Center Park, you're pretty much going to know where those ballfields are. So depen~ on the activity which is scheduled, ff you say the 4"' of July is at City Center Park, there's going to be activities going on in both locations so people would know where it's at. O'Shea: Okay. In the new park by the library, is them going to be activities held there or? Hoffman: Oh sure. O'Shea: Okay. Hoffman: Both by the library and by the city and by other people, the Chamber of Commerce. It will be a very public space and many public events will be held them. O'Shea: That's all I had. Franks: Commissioner Robinson: Robinson: Thank you. My only question was what types of public events would be held there? Like different 4"' of July types of things. Hoffman: Music, art, farmers market, reading progrsms. I'm sure your list is very long. Them will be a variety of activities and the space, we have ideas already but the space is going to generate additional concept. There's a farmers market that people axe talking about in town~ We're not sure if this space is large enough with parking needs but. We want to bring back our music program in the parks. Just some of those types of activities. Franks: Thanks. Spizale: Just one question. Is this like sandblasted into masonry type of thing or is it free standing letters? Hoffman: Yeah, they're free standing letters. ~ inch aluminum lettering painted black. Off-set 1 inch from the brick. The maple leaves are ~A inch water jet cut aluminum painted black And the Park and Recreation Commission - April 22, 2003 brick facing matches the existing library and then the letters with the name are bi aluminum letters painted black. Spizale: Okay. That's the only question I had. Franks: Am there any other questions? Alright, thank you. Thanks Todd. What I'd like to do now is open it up for comment from me~ of the audience. If you want to, if you have a comment, please step to the podium and state your name and address and if you would, if you're representing a group or organization, your affiliation as well so we have some understanding. Linda Landsman: Hi. My name is TJincla Landsman and I'm at 7329 Frontier Trail. Actnally I come with many hats. First and foremost I'm a resident. I am the Carver County Library Trustee for Chanhassen. I was on the original task force for the library. I was on the outside design committee for the library. I was on the inside design committee for the library. I'm on the art committee for the library, who was meeting tonight to talk about artwork in and around the library. My position on the Carver Board also puts me on the Friends of the Chanhassen Library Board itself so as I say I wear many hats when I appear before you this evening. Last but not least I was also part of this park design, and it was a very invigorating and fun process. The City at the time had asked the landscape specialist to tie the park design to the library, and they did a very good job in doing that. The same lines can be seen in the park design, the room concepts are somewhat similar. The City had asked the landscaper to match the landscaping in the park and the landscaping in the library area together. He did that very well. I guess in this time of cost constraints I'm questioning why you would want to name an existing, a brand new park like this with such exciting ideas, an existing name of an existing park that normally people don't remember now. When they talk about the ballfields they talk about the ballfields behind City Hall. They don't remember City Center Park or City Center Commons or whatever it's called now. If we do make that change, yes you can do the signage in your shop for a few hundred dollars, but there's still added cost of changing maps. Of changing property plat names. Updating web sites if you've got web sites showing where you parks are in Chanhassen. There's a cost associated with that, and with this deficit balance that we have, I would like to think that you would avoid any extraneous costs that you have at this time. There am some other issues through. When you have two parks that close together with a common name I think that invites confusion within the public. And that again is going to od_d_ a cost to the calls to City Hall as to well yeah it's at City Center something. Is it up above or is it down by the library, and we're seeing and hearing a lot of people referring to it as the park by the library. You know let's keep it simple. Library Park, that's what people are going to call it. I do believe that you can use a name in this park also to bring some statement or excitement to our downtown. It can be used to indicate to whoever drives into town for a meeting or drives through town to get to somewhere else on 5, or even a resident that comes into downtown for any reason, that we are a town that truly embraces life long learning and literacy. We embrace the exci~t and promote the adventure of expanding the minds of our children through stories, pictures, programs, whatever. And that we also believe so strongly in those things that we stuck a library in the middle of our town. That in and of it"serf is awesome. You've got an opportunity to make a statement. It could point to the fact that we are well read and literate. Or you could make a statement of loyalty to our country. You don't want to detract from the design or from the hard efforts of all the people that have worked on this with confusiom There are many other names that would stand out and have the dignity and decornm of this park. Authors Park. Poets Park. Freedom Square. There are so many opportunities here. Don't miss it. Thank you. Franks: Linda, do you want to take a question? Would you mind? Do you want to come back? You just had a list. What's at the top of your list? Park and Recreation Commission - April 22, 2003 Linda Landsman: Oh that's hard. I ampartial to tying this park to literacy. To learning. To that excitement of new lands and new wonders that you can find in that library in many different medi~, so I lean towards something like a Library Square or Library Commons. I also feel strongly towards Freedom Square because it elicits a lot of pride in our country and our community, but it also talks to the fact that we are probably one of the few countries that you can list that have such a mass of ~edom of right to read, and that is highly i ,mportant in our culture. So I guess if I had to choose, my favorite would be Free__dom Square. Franks: Okay, thanks. Linda Landsman: Any other questions? Franks: Well now you opened it up. If you want to stand up there for a second I'll check and make sure so you don't have to keep coming back... LindaLandsman: Okay. That's fine. Franks: Are there any questions from any commission members for Ms. Landsman before she sits back down, and we'll just keep them to questions and not comments. Linda Landsman: And I am standing. O'Shea: I do. Franks: Sure, go ahead. O'Shea: You spoke of additional cost inctured by calling it City of Chanhassen, City Commons. Linda Landsman: City Commons Park. Well ff you're going to be making changes in the name of the park where the fields are, that's where I'm talking about additional costs. If you don't change the name of that park up there, you don't incur costs of making new signs for the old park Of changing that name in maps or changing that name in web sites, which yes we have employees that do that but we pay them taxpayer dollars for their salary. So yeah there are costs associated O'Shea: Thank you. Robinson: I have a question also. Franks: Sure, go ahead. Robinson: I was wondering if you talked this over with, you talked, namext kind of all the committees you were on. Have you discussed this with other people? And if so, were they in agreement with you for the Library Commons? Linda Landsman: Library Park, Library Commons was probably the one I've ~ the most. From neighbors. From library staff. From a lot of the people in the committees that I've been on. The Friends of the Library. They want the concept of reading and literacy evident. Purmi~ thing. Park and Recreation Commission - April 22, 2003 Franks: ff I can just expand on that a little bit, when you say that. I'm wondering, we plunked the library right in the middle of town, like you said and I am hard pressed to think of a grea~ statement that this town supports learning and literacy. And so I'm wondering about how the park, whatever that name is going to be I think can u_d_d_ to that statement already. Linch Landsman: I think it can, and if you wanted to take it, or extrapolate a little further. If you wanted something like Authors Park or Poets Park. When we start getting into actually doing some of the fun things in that park that we've talked about with maybe some of our park benches or maybe engravement in some of the pavers that we're going to have. You know put a poets name engraved in there or an artist's name and it might promote curiosity in children or adults saying huh, well I've never read that one. I've never read that author. It could be they come into the library and check it out, so there are things we can do within th~ libral'y intrinsic to starting some of that excitement. I think the fact that it sits in the cealter of town is slso very evident. And I just, I'm hoping that we take this opportunity to take a step up from that so. Franks: Thank you. Linch Landsman: You're welcome. Any other questions? O'Shea: Actually I do have. TJnch, do you have need to really distinguish the parks behind City Hall and the one by the library? Do you want to see them, like do you want to have that identity as two separate parks or does that not bother you that if they flow together? Linch Landsman: I agree with Todd. I think in some minor ways that will cause confusion. Sometimes the celebration or the activity that's going to be taking place will be serf evident to where it's going to be, regardless of what you call anything. You can't hold a football game on 78a' Street. It's just not going to happen. But I do believe that it is, the park that we are building is intrinsically such a different feel. Such a different purpose that I do believe that we should keep them somewhat separate. Granted some of our celebrations may nm into both locations, and I think that's greaL I ~ink they should, but they are so different in their feel that I think we have to differentiate. O'Shea: Okay, Linch Landsman: Anything else? Thank you. Franks: Is there anyone else wishing to od_dress the commission? Sure, come on up. Melissa Berchon: My name is Melissa Berchon and I'm the Director of the library system within Carver County, but I'm not a resident of Chanhassen. I just wanted to give a few of my views on this park. I have had experience with a park that's adjacent to a library and that haptxmed in Austin, Minnesota. They have a lovely library, about the same size of the library is here, and there's a park there. There's a walk around a pond and a park where we have programs. Where they have programs with the library, and no matter what that park was called, it was always the library park because it was adjacent to it, and because there were so many activities. So that was one of the things. The other thing is, I've been in on this process since we started with the referendum and all the way through and this has been such a public participation, this library. We had focus group meetings. We had lots of discussion about how this library was going to look and how it was going to reflect the community. We had a focus group a couple months ago with the artists in the community about how we wanted to have public art and that public art is not going to be just in the library. It's going to spill out. I guess I had always thought, and quite Park and Recreation Commission - April 22, 2003 frankly I hadn't thought much about the name but that it would be more of a public participation. That there be a contest where you would be the judges of names. Maybe it would be something where the community, maybe children, maybe families came together and offered a variety of names. I don't know, but I do know that the history of this project has been one of major public participation. Now what that means to you I don't know but I guess it always meant to me that there might be more discussion about it and quite frankly, have I thought about names? I haven't. I just know from my experience that no ms_tmr what you name it, it's going to be library park. Unless it's something that connects internally in your head with a library somehow. Maybe the poet or the authors or something like that, but just for whatev~ it's worth. I just wanted to tell you that. If you have any questions for me. I just know from the example that that's how it falls out, and how I see all of this happening. When the park is going together in stages and again being presented, the programs that will be presented will be through the Friends of the Library and through some of the children's servi~ we do in the park. We want to make sure that we have portable microphones that we can take our story time out there. We want to make sure that we can have ice cream on the park, and that kind of thing so we see a lot of times. I've seen envisioned perhaps some stone monuments or something out there with authors words on it. I've seen that, or sentences or poems or something even kids do. So I've seen a lot of activities going on in that park that involve the whole community. That's all. Franks: Great, thank you. Well seeing that there's no one left, we'll bring this back to commission members. Before we do that though, are there any follow-up questions for staff? Seeing that there aren't any, I have just a couple Todd. One is about how the funding breakdown has occurred for...the library construction and how much is coming from either city general fund expenditures or park development funds to complete the project. Hoffman: A minor allocation is coming out of the, it was sublxact~ from the library as a part of landscaping, and that can~ over to this project. The vast majority is park dedication dollars, which are dedicated to the construction of the project. Franks: So they're coming out of that 410 park dedication fired? Hoffman: Correct. Franks: Do you know about what the amount is projected far that to be? Hoffman: The contract is $670,000. And somewhere less than 70 of that is coming out of the library budget. Franks: Okay. Kelly: In this budget you had, I don't know if it's this packet but it says 1.5 and 575. Hoffman: Which budget? Kelly: In the packet we had the capital imra'ovement program. Hoffman: Yeah, that number may have been driven down by change orders on the library side. Kelly: The 700 has but our amount has gone up. Park and Recreation Commission - April 22, 2003 Hoffman: Correct. Your amount has gone up, the library amount has gone down due to increased expenditures on the library budget. So there's more money going into the library out of that fund. Kelly: We'll talk about that later tonight? Hoffman: Nothing to talk about. Kelly: Well I'll make a statement anyway them Franks: And what was the portion of the land that the city acquired that's going to the park? I can't remember the size. How much to the lot percentage to the library and how much to the park? Hoffman: R's about 50150. Franks: About 50150. Robinson: I have a question Todd. Has there ever been a time in the past, you talked about the park naming process, the history of iL Has there ever been a time in the past that it hasn't been hatred according to tike location or a description like that? Like where it's gone out to have a, has that ever happened, and how does that process go? Like it went out to a contest or something like Linda said, or anything different from the, or has the commission always made a recommendation to the City Council to do that? Hoffman: All the instances, I'm not opposed if you want to go through a public naming process at ail. Robinson: No, I'm just asking. Franks: We always make the recommendation. The most recea~ example I can think of that points to getting away from location or history is the naming of Sugarbush Park. I don't know if you've been by Sugarbush Park but that was where the neighborhood and some really involved people got together and they reseamhed this and they helped install the playground equipment and they had some investment in the park and came to the commission and proposed that idea so. Robinson: Then the other question I have is, how soon do we need to let the company know who's making the signs? Is that a pretty quick process we need to form? Hoffman: Couple of months. Robinson: Okay. Franks: You know I'm just going to break with our format for a minute and I see that Ms. Shipley has just arrived in the council chambem mad knowing how involved for a long time you've been with the library, we'll back off if you'd like to address the commission. If there's no objection from commi.qsion members. Alright. Jill Shipley: Thank you Rod. Franks: You' re very welcome. Park and Recreation Commission - April 22, 2003 Jill Shipley: I would just like to reinforce what I think Linda Landsman hag. Franks: Would you state your name and address for the record please. Jill Shipley: I'm Jill Shipley, 261 Eastwood Court, Chanhassen, and I'd like to reinforce what I know Linda Landsman said was, that I think that this park should be named after something that reflects education, life long lem'ning, the libnu'y. Our voters sanctioned this park. They voted to spend the money. I mean not the park, but the library. They value education and they value this commitment, our city's commitment to education and life long learning, and I would like to see it reflected in this park area so I respectfully request that you try to consider a name that reflects that and is indicative of it. I would love to see the motto for Chanhassen changed to a wonderfixl place to live, work, learn and play also. I think that we need that reflected in our motto. So those are just my comments for the evening. Thank you. Franks: Alright. Are there any additional follow-up questions for staff? Stolar: I just have one. Franks: Yeah, go ahead. Stolar: Todd is there any remson these other names, st~ff didn't put forward th~ reconmaendafion like is there anything against them or you just picked one nam~ and said this is the one we think. Hoffman: Any of the names that I listed or that the audience listed? Stolar: Either. Hoffman: No. Stolan You have no particular, just wanted to get something out there on the table? Hoffman: Well, my whole overriding philosophy about naming this park is that we cam mak~ it as complicated, we could name it a hundred different thin~, but City Center Park is very simple and straight to the point and so I don't, I feel. I understand and I can certainly appreciate all the conversation about the tie in to the park and I really don't have any objection to that, so herein lies the opinions of the 7 of you. How do you want to handle the process? You know where I stand. You know where at least a few people in the audience, their opinion so you either make a recommendation to the City Council and send it on up or create a process of your own to name this site, but I support City Center Pare When it was first named, the project name, we differentiated from City Center Park because we had a park project going on at City Center Park so we named it City Center Commons. And there was ii conversation at that time about what would we name the space in front of City Hall and people just said the commons so it was given a project name but. Stolar: But you see no negatives with any of the names that have been discussed? No inherent situations you think would be a problem. Hoffman: Some of them are better than others but. You want me to start giving my rank I'll do that. Stolar: What I'm thinking more structurally. Everybody has opinions. Park and Recreation Commission - April 22, 2003 Hoffman: Structurally? Stolar: Yeah, there should be. Hoffman: Put anything you want in those liRle letters underneath Chanhassen. I mean it is what it is. Franks: Well Glenn we'll bring it right back to you and if you have some comments, we'd like to hear them. We'll just continue right on down. Stolar: I first of all think I agree with Todd that we should, well I think we should make a recommendation today. Just send it up to City Conncil. We can come up with a million processes. Let's give our opinion. City Councils cam do what they want with it. They may decide to make the process, but at least let them know our thoughts. I do like the idea of tying this to the literacy concept. I 100 percent object to the fact that park dedication fees are being used for this park. 100 percem object to it. But I think it's there. Literacy is impommt and I actually like the idea of, I don't know if I like Freedom Square because I look at it and it doesn't look square. Linda Landsman: Well square is also a term for a public location so. Stolan. Yeah, I was just saying, but Freedom Square or Freedom Park, I actually do like that idea. We live in a time where that means something and it reflects the times. Atki_ns: My first inclination is to leave it because I feel that it's the city's park. Not the library's park, although it is adjacent to the library but it's Chanhassen's park. But the more I just am doodling names underneath there and I also thought that possibly any confusion we could have upper commons and the lower commons or something like that, because ultimately everybody knows where City Center Comrnnns is and they're going to know that that's part of it. But I still am a little bit undecided. I do like ChaBh~sen Library Commons. I think a public naming process, that sounds pretty complicatecL l.ike a huge ordeal. Franks: Paula for clarification are you suggesting that it be City Center Park and City Center Commons? Okay. And not like City Center Commons North and City Center Commnns South. Atkins: No. Franks: Okay. Kelly: I do like City Center Park. I mean it's where it is. It's in the city center. The area has always been referred to City Center something. I do like that name City Center Park and the fields adjacent, they can be known as the fields at City Center or something. They can still play off the City Center name but I do like the area called City Center Park for as Paula says, it is the city's park and you know, park dedication funds, however we may not like the fact that so much is going into the park, that' s where they're going. I think we're going in the right, but my opinion is I do like City Center Park. That's it. Franks: Alright, thank you. Commissioner O'Shea. Park and Recreation Commission - April 22, 2003 O'Shea: Okay, I agree also that we need to make a recommendation tonight. And coming into tonight I liked City Center Park. Trying to fie in the fields, the hockey finks, the skate park. All of that, but then I look at, after listening a little bit more and thinking as a user of a park and answering questions, you know where the activity is at City Center Park. Well you know next to the library, and I agree that you'll always have to clarify which area. And I'm thinking now is what would make it the easiest way for the person, or persons using the park to find the location. So if you say Library Park, to me it's very clear. Now I liked Freedom Square and other things but again I think you'd get into, it cloe~'t depict location at all. You say well that's next to the library. So I think: and also living next to Sugarbush ParL nobody knows, I shouldn't say no one. It's, a lot of people don't know where Sugarbush Park is because it doesn't depict location so, and that's why I don't want to open it up to a contest because I think people cam get really creative and come up with some great names but again we'll be going, well that's the park next to the library. So af~ hearing all this, the way I make a decision is what will cause the least confusion for people to find locations for activities, and that's why I'm leaning towards Library Park because it's so clear and still keep the one, City Center Park behind. So that's where I'm leaning right. Franks: Anything else? O'Shea: That's all. Franks: Alright, great. Commissioner Robinson: Robinson: And I would also agree with my fellow commissioners thus far that I think a simple choice or d~ision needs to be made tonight as far as making recommendation to the council to avoid any long and drawn out ~s type of thing. I like City Center Park, but after heating the library folks talk and that sort of thing and hearing the history from Todd about the naming of the location. A lot of tiines it's named by location, and me being a very landmark person, I would be one of those people calling, saying is that the one by the library them I would be one of those people because that's how I work and I know a lot of people do have that same sort of thought process. So I guess I'm leaning towards either Library Park or Library Commons, as well just because it's more descriptive. You wouldn't get as many questions and the confusion level would be less. Spizale: I agree with you. I just think that no matter what we name the park it's going to, everybody's going to call it Library Park. I mean the bullding's there. The space is them. It's connected to the library. I just feel that Library Park kind of says it all and tells us where it's at. That's it. Franks: Okay. I'm not going to stand up as high on a soapbox Glenn as you did, but I also have some feelings about the majority of that park being funded from park dedication fees, but that's the way it's going to be. It's a beautiful park. We're going to love it. We're all going to love being out there. You can just picture th~ kids sitting on the stone benches hearing stories and the farmers market in the parking lot them. It's going to be wonderful, except for the wind blowing in from the north... A little cool breeze in the summer. It will be nice. But then again this is a park and the city is the one that's maintaimu' g the identity of the park and maintaining the park and is paying for the park and it's going to fit into the rest of the city's park system so I think the city's identity, the park needs to be maintained in some farm. However, we all know that people are going to be saying the park next to the library, which after a number of years is going to mm into Library Park. I think people are pretty well set with City Center Park right now, understanding that that's the fields behind City Hall. I haven't heard, oh that's the fields behind Park and Recreation Commission- April 22, 2003 City Hail. I haven't heard that in a number of years so I think that's prelly well estab~ so names do become established with it's location. I sat on the commission when Sugarbush Park was named. It was a weak moment in my career as a commissioner. I will admit that now. That was, we were presented with a name for Sugarbush Park that has his~ mfeaxmce to the City of Chanhassen. It related to Chanhassen's symbol of the maple leaf. There was a large contingent of residents who had invested themselves in the park who proposed the name, and it was hard to say no. And yet thinking back on it, and considering how the nam~ played out and nobody knows where Sugarbush Park is, we probably should have taken a little bit closer look at that. And so I'm very much interested personally in not making that mi~qake again. And so, in my wordy way I've come up with just an idea and that is to really take both and put them together in the sense that we' ye talked about City Center Park being, but really both of these areas are the fields and the commons area by the library. You can laugh. He's reading my notes... And the idea is to really take one and call it like the City Centgr Recxeation Fields or City Center Fields and then the other one is the City Center Library Park or City Center Library Commc~l/S. To really combine the idea that this is the city's identity. It's the center of our city. It's in the city center where we've placed this wonderful park and the library, but that was the city's choice to do that right in the center of the city. And but also to give it a distinct location nsme as well Todd, I appreciate the City Cenmr Park It makes sense, but you know you've heard me say it before that people are going to delineate that area with the library. And my feeling is, if we just ~ it City Center Park, people aren't going to call it City Cent~ Park They're going to call it something else. Park by the Library or whatever. I think that's just going to happen, but ff we can combine our identity in the city with that, I think that we'll maintsin the city's identity as well as the library's identity too. I know staff probably is not going to agree with that Hoffman: How come nobody said City Hall Park? ~'s another big building on this park. Franks: You really don't see City Hall much anymore. Hoffman: You do now again. Linda Iatndsman: Not for long. Franks: Not for long. Yeah, well. Jill Shipley: You know won't the city's name be very prominent on that Chanhassen is going to he the largest thing on the sign as you look at that in that comer. Franks: Yeah. One of the things that I'm concerned about too is that people be very much aware is that this was not, this is, the people that voted for the library referendum and used the library are just not the only people who have funded this park. Is that this is part of the city's complete park system and if you've never stepped foot in the library at all, or beefed about the referendum and it's showing up on your pmtxa~ tax bill for the library, but this is your park as well. They paid for it. They've earned it and they can use it. And so that's the piece about identity that I really am sensitive to maintaining. Not everybody's going to use the library. They are certainly able to, but everybody is also needs to be welcomed into this park as they're welcomed into all parks as well. Stolar: A question going to the concept of fields. We have these I-Iansen Fields as part of City Center Park. Rod, are you suggesting that we call this City Center Park and then tmdemeath that Library Commons, so that it's tying it altogether. City Center Park. You have the fields, you have the library commons. Park and Recreation Commission - April 22, 2003 Franks: Yes, that's the idea. City Center Park, Library Commons. City Center Park, you know recreation fields. Or north fields. That's what I, I'm sony maybe that wasn't clear but that was exactly what I was suggesting. Kelly: How about Library Park at City Commons? I'm just trying to throw a preposition in there. Franks: My idea is to get away from it. You know this sounds nice now. It's a line trendy. The idea is that we've got this City Center Park. We've got the library commons and we've got the recreation fields. Now up by those north Hansen Fields, that's going to be a long. Hoffman: City Center Park Hansen Fields. Franks: City Center Park Hansen Fields, right. City Center Park north fields or City Center Park fields or recreation fields. Hoffman: Ballfields. Franks: You know I bristled at ballfields. Athletic fields, yes, because we have the hockey rinks~ are up there. We have the skate park is up there. There's you know the play equipment adjacent to the school and there's the tennis courts. Hoffman: How about City Center Park? Stolar: Yeah, I mean we wouldn't have to change any of the signs over there if we just call it, call of this area City Center Park and just sub-label that Library Commons, we shouldn't have to change anything up them. Franks: Well those are my ideas so. I also am in agreement that if we are able to come to a majority on a recomn~ndation of a name, that we should do that tonight if we're able to send that up to the City Council Yes, Commissioner Stolar. Stohm I'd like to just make a motion so we can get going. Franks: I'd just love to entertain, the Chair would love to entertain a motiom Stolar: I make a motion that we name the park next to the library, City Center Park Library Commons. Atldns: I second that motion. Franks: As a point of clarification Commissioner Stolar, are you considering about the athletic fields? Smlar: No changes to any names that side. Franks: Okay, so those would still stay City Center. Stolar: Right. I mean it goes to my first comment. This is all City Center Park. We have a bunch of stuff there and we have the library commons over there. Park and Recreation Commission - April 22, 2003 Franks: Okay. Commi.~sioners Atkin,, were you a second to that motion7 Atldns: I seconded that. Franks: Okay there's a motion before us. It's been seconded. Is them any discussion? Kelly: On the sign, what would acumlly be written on the sign? It would say Chanhassen City Center Park Library Commons, $o it'd be 3 lines on the sign? Stolar: That's part of my motion because I would like people to see this as part of the entire City Center Park- It's part of your park system. There's a bunch of stuff associated with it and then the Library Commons to give someone the feel, because I still support the literary concept and the feel that we want to have in that park. They cam see that as part of, we have multiautes of different fields. We have ballfields. We have skating parks. We have a thinking, education, learning area. It' s part of the City Center Park. That's who we are. Kelly: So you're hoping to see 3, all 3. Stolar: Lines. Yeah I mean, rm not sure how much extra cost that is. rm imexesteA in understanding that. Hoffman: On a million 5 project. The cost associated with naming or renaming anything are not a factor. Stolar: Well we have to reprint the maps anyway to put it on the map. Hoffman: When the maps are reprinted, the name will be changed at no additional cost. Franks: Is there any further discussion on the motion? O'Shea: I wasn't sure if this was where, ifI disagree or do I wait for the nay? Franks: Well, if you had a question for the author of the motion or if you're looking for some clarification this would. O'Shea: I'm just thinking it's serving, I totally agree. When I came in I agreed to try to tie all the parks together. But then practicality wise, are we the only group of people that are going to call it City Center Park Library Commtnlls? Stolar: No actually I'll be calling it Library Commtms is what I'll call it. The idea is you can still call it that. You know how people refer to it, the idea of the location, they're going to shorten the name. But it just ties for people visiting or people entering, it ties it together. So I'm assuming everyone's going to call it Library Commcr~ just in the commnn speak- But let's have the sign say what it really is and how it ties it together. O'Shea: Okay, and I guess my point is, what it really is, is going to be a library park. It's only going to serve a purpose to this group I think. Franks: Well save that but do you have any other discussion regarding the motiom O'Shea: No. Park and Recreation Commi.~sion - April 22, 2003 Spizale: I just think it's a good solution because I also liked both names. I thought they're great names. I think it ties in both nam~ perfectly. Good idea~ Franks: Any further discussion regarding the motion that's before the commission? Just for my clarification Commissioner Stolar if you'd restate the motion. One more time. Stolar: Motion is that we name the park adjacent to the new library City Center Park Library Commons, and on the sign it would list 3 lines. Chanhassen, City Center Park, Library Commons. Is that agreement on the second Paula? Atldns: Yes. Franks: Seeing that there's no fuxther discussion regarding the motion we'll call thc question. Stolar moved, Atldnn seconded that the Park and Recreation Commlm4on recommend to name the tmrk adjacent to the new library City Center Park Llbrm-y Commons, and on the sign It would list 3 lines. Chanhsssen, City Center Park, Ltbrary Commons. Ail voted tn favor, except O'Shea who opposed, and the motion carried with a vote of 6 to 1. Franks: If you would care to state your objection we'd entertain that. O'Shea: I just think it's going to be called Library Park and we should just name it that is the reason I objected. Franks: The motion carries. Thank you. Thanks for showing up toniglm We really appreciate