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1.5 Lake Susan Park Ballfield Advertising Signage Requestg: \park \th \lake Susan \dugout club request.doc Chanhassen is a Community for Life -Providing for Today and Planning for Tomorrow I� CITY OF MEMORANDUM CHMIMSEN TO: Todd Gerhardt, City Manager 7700 Market Boulevard PO Box 147 FROM: Todd Hoffinan, Park and Recreation Director Chanhassen, MN 55317 DATE: May 2, 2011 ow Administration Administration Phone: 9 SUBJ: Recommendation from Park and Recreation Commission Fax: 952.227.1110 Concerning a Request from The Dugout Club for Permission to Display Advertising Signage at Lake Susan Park Ball Field Building Inspections Phone: 952.227.1180 Fax: 952.227.1190 On April 26, 2011, Mr. Todd Neils representing The Dugout Club, spoke to the Park and Recreation Commission during visitor presentations to introduce their Engineering Phone: 952.227.1160 newly formed organization and to request permission to display advertising Fax: 952.227.1170 signage (banners) on the outfield fence at the Lake Susan Park ball field. Upon completing their discussion, the commission made the following Finance recommendation: Phone: 952.227.1140 Fax: 952.227.1110 Commissioner Cole Kelly moved, Aldritt seconded that the Park and Park & Recreation Recreation Commission recommend that the City Council allow the Phone: 952.227.1120 Dugout Club to post signs on the outfield fence at Lake Susan Park Fax: 952.227.1110 from April through July for revenue - generating purposes. Proceeds will be put back into the fields and community efforts in Recreation Center Chanhassen. All voted in favor and the motion carried unanimously 2310 Coulter Boulevard with a vote of 5 to 0. Phone: 952.227.1400 Fax: 952.227.1404 The Dugout Club did not communicate with staff prior to the commission Planning & meeting, nor did they provide a written documentation detailing their proposal. Natural Resources For these reasons staff has no further information to present. Mr. Neils and Phone: 952.227.1130 Dugout Club President Jeff Olson plan to attend the May 9 City Council Fax: 952.227.1110 meeting requesting permission to display advertising signage at Lake Susan Park. Public Works 7901 Park Place Phone: 952.227.1300 ATTACHMENT Fax: 952.227.1310 1. Excerpt from Park & Recreation Commission Minutes dated April 26, Senior Center 2011. Phone: 952.227.1125 Fax: 952.227.1110 Web Site c Todd Neils, The Dugout Club www.ci.chanhassen.mn.us g: \park \th \lake Susan \dugout club request.doc Chanhassen is a Community for Life -Providing for Today and Planning for Tomorrow Park and Recreation Commission - April 26, 2011 VISITOR PRESENTATIONS: Daniel: I see Todd, you're joining us today. Todd Neils: I am. Daniel: Please stop up and state your name. Todd Neils: Hello, my name is Todd Neils. First I'd like to say hello to new commissioners Aldritt and Carron. You'll get to know me over the next several years I suspect and the mantra will be hide the CIP when I come around. I am here as the new City and District liaison for the newly formed Dugout Club in Chanhassen. The club was originally formed to support the maintenance at our favorite stadium complex at Chanhassen High School and to protect the community's investment. Since it's inception in early March the members made up of passionate diamond sports supports from the high school Red Birds, Post 580 Legion and Junior Legion and CAA Baseball and Softball, have expanded our vision to include community development projects within the boundaries of Chanhassen High School District 112. Our mission and objective as stated on our web site, dugout - club.org are as follows. Support, promote and enhance the quality of Chanhassen High School baseball and softball programs and their facilities as well as other community based diamond sports programs and facilities located and operating within the boundaries of Chanhassen High School District 112. Improve and enhance safety and playability of the fields and practice facilities where our community teams participate in diamond sports. And improve and enhance safety and playability of the fields and practice facilities, which I just said. We are all aware of the current economic climate within the state, city and school district facing us as citizens. Because of our interest in diamond sports community wide the Dugout Club is in the process of raising money to fund it's objectives. This effort cannot be only funded on the backs of community members through membership. We need to get businesses involved. It is important to offer reciprocation to any business no matter how grounded in the community. The Dugout Club would like to offer signage at Lake Susan Park during the months of April through July. In an effort to accomplish this task we are asking for support of the Park and Rec Commission and further ask to be allowed to present our case to City Council at it's next meeting. I did come before this commission July 26, 2005 with this request and was granted that opportunity and I hope this commission will grant the same and at this point I'd ask if there's any questions. Daniel: Please, any questions for Todd? Cole, Cole Kelly: When you did this in 2005, how did the signage work? Was that a good deal for you guys? Did it work out well or were there problems with it? Todd Neils: At that time the Park and Rec Commission did approve it. However during a better economic climate the City chose to fund the projects that we were looking to fund through signage on their own. Cole Kelly: Okay. So you didn't have to go out and. 3 Park and Recreation Commission - April 26, 2011 Todd Neils: We did not at that time. Cole Kelly: So this time you'll have to go out and do that on your own? Todd Neils: We look forward to it. Cole Kelly: Okay, thank you Todd. Todd Neils: You're welcome. Scharfenberg: So what, you would be doing it through April through. Todd Neils: July. Scharfenberg: July. And then I'm assuming everything's removed, taken down. Todd Neils: Absolutely. Scharfenberg: Okay. Todd Neils: And it would be late April when practice starts. Scharfenberg: Go ahead, I'm sorry. Todd Neils: So it would only be during a handful of months when games are played on those fields by both, by Minnetonka and Chanhassen and surrounding communities. Scharfenberg: And would you be proposing, well do you have a proposal at this point for recommendation to the councilor is it just we want to do this? I mean is there some, I mean other than we want to put up signage, is there anything more than that that we need to know about what you're going to go to the council with on the next session? Todd Neils: I think the basis of the request is merely for signage. Obviously it's important for different levels of sponsorship to receive increased reciprocation based on their dollar value and that is why we are asking to go to the council and ask that the current rule be changed. Scharfenberg: And would it be signing all of the fields that have. Todd Neils: Only Lake Susan. Scharfenberg: I know but at Lake Susan would you be putting them up at all of the Lake Susan fields or just. Todd Neils: There's only one field there that. El Park and Recreation Commission - April 26, 2011 Scharfenberg: Oh Lake Susan, okay. I'm sorry Todd, I'm just, I'm spacing out. Todd Neils: Okay. Scharfenberg: Okay. I was thinking Lake Ann, Todd Neils: You'll cover Susan later in the. Scharfenberg: Okay, so just the Lake Susan field. Okay. Todd Neils: Correct. Scharfenberg: Alright. Todd Neils: And it's not our intent necessarily to cover every square inch. We'd be judicious in that we would let's say cover every other panel of the outfield fence. It wouldn't be one of those where we'd run down every single square inch of fence line. Scharfenberg: Okay. Daniel: And Todd do you envision this as a stepping stone from Lake Susan out to Lake Ann or Bandimere? Todd Neils: Not currently. Daniel: Okay. I guess the question is, is this more of a test by forming this? Todd Neils: No. To be quite honest the reason that we've chosen Lake Susan as much because it's a little more off the beaten track in terms of park versus Lake Susan. One of the objections in 2005 was the covering of green space. At this point the signs would face Powers Boulevard and therefore be covering the view of the tennis court and woods beyond so it's not as if we're covering lake views or otherwise. Daniel: Okay. Well certainly some thoughts on that. Peter? Aldritt: I guess yeah, I think that would be you know definitely a possibility. Basically it's more for funding. You're looking forward to support your programs. Todd Neils: Correct. Aldritt: I guess the only downfall I would see is taking away from the green space and more the natural side of the park but you know in these economic times I think it definitely could be an option for a short term thing and then be re- evaluated when the time comes. Daniel: Thank you Peter. Brent. 5 Park and Recreation Commission - April 26, 2011 Carron: Are these signs that hang on the wall or are they, are you actually erecting new signs? Todd Neils: There are no signs currently at Lake Susan. Scharfenberg: So it'd be putting up a banner type on the outfield. Carron: Yeah, on the fence line. Okay. So you're not erecting, well you're not like building stands or putting up signs that are going to be over the fence. They're going to be hanging on the fence type... Todd Neils: They will be hanging on the fence and to allay possible fears of fence damage, if they are, depending on what the make -up is. If in fact it's a vinyl banner we will put appropriate holes so that it can't act as a sail. Or we'll put plywood up to support the banners so that it won't again act as a sail and damage the fence line. Carron: Do you currently have a number of how many sponsors are willing or looking to do this? Todd Neils: It's a bit of a chicken and egg question. We don't feel comfortable asking for large donations before we have the blessing of the community to offer them reciprocation necessary for that dollar value. Carron: That's fine. Cole Kelly: I've got a question either for Todd Hoffinan or Jerry. What does the City see as the pluses and minuses of having signage up out there? Hoffinan: Pluses it's a revenue source for one organization. The organization which you just introduced tonight to but, so it can facilitate, we don't know what the money's being used for directly but if it's like Mr. Neils is stating, to improve facilities over time. It's a revenue source to do things in the community. We don't know exactly what those would be. But responsibility of the commission is to review this for the possible you know, so the signs go up and another group comes to you in a month and says well, this organization put signs up. We want signs at our facility and so you have to make sure that you're, as a policy decision you're making a policy decision based on well are we going to allow other groups to do this or is this the only group that's going to do this? And tonight we certainly, as the commission you can make a recommendation to the council. You don't have all the information before you. My recommendation would be to get that information before you before you formulate a recommendation to the City Council but again that's your choice as a commission. Cole Kelly: Thank you Todd. Todd Neils, would you like to expand on what Todd Hoffinan was saying? He says we don't know exactly how the money's going to be spent but what's your vision? Obviously you have a vision of what needs to be done and where that money's going to go and how it's going to benefit the community and I think we'd like to hear that stuff please. Col Park and Recreation Commission - April 26, 2011 Todd Neils: Absolutely and thank you for the opportunity. To Mr. Hoffinan's point, we do have specific goals in mind and originally and for this year the intent is to take care of the stadium complex at Chanhassen High School. We're in the process of working with the district maintenance staff to donate a tractor, grooming materials, purchase of a new lawn mower, edgers, additional fill, improved drainage, all to make the field a much better playing surface. Both aesthetically and playably. Based on the amount of money we raised this year will generate discussion within the Dugout Club as to how it will go out in the community. Obviously I've seen here a number of times talking about lighting for Lake Susan or dugouts most recently at Lake Susan. However, our intent is long term to not only do some of those improvements at Lake Susan but buy scoreboards possibly at Lake Ann Park. Additional batting cages at some of the parks in the community and to be quite honest this is not a Chanhassen only conversation at this point. Our intent is also to approach the City of Victoria as a city under the Chanhassen High School District 112 umbrella and make a similar request. Cole Kelly: So it's my understanding that the field has been taken care of all by volunteers and mostly a lot of stuff by hand without the kind of machinery you need? Todd Neils: The long term playability of the field needs more specific maintenance than it's currently receiving. Ruegemer: From the school district. Todd Neils: From the school district. Cole Kelly: Well when you say that, my understanding is the school district only does a certain amount of maintenance and they won't go beyond that point, is that? Todd Neils: You're correct. Although I have documentation on the amount of money that the school district will be spending on general maintenance, fertilization and feeding throughout the year. Through one of the carriers that does that. However our intent is to, as I said, you know a new lawnmower so that the grass can be clipped at a more appropriate length. An edger to make the lines much more crisp and clean. Better drainage that for all of us that were at Red Birds games after a larger rain storm knows needs to be done and so on and so forth. But again, it's not merely about the stadium complex. There is a broader vision to come into the community and put some of those dollars to work and if we raise enough money this year we'll put that money to work this year. It won't be, we're going to sink everything we have into the stadium. It's we're going to come in the community and be ready to help anyway we can. Cole Kelly: Okay, thank you Todd. Todd Neils: You're welcome. Daniel: Steve, anything else you want to add? Scharfenberg: No. 7 Park and Recreation Commission - April 26, 2011 Daniel: Say Todd, you're preaching to the choir from my standpoint. I mean I am a huge proponent of outside revenues that certainly will assist in or help build our internal park systems. Or at least within our athletic facilities and you know our sons, or my sons play on South Tonka and you know that's both South Tonka and East Tonka are littered with advertisement to help generate those funding to upgrade those parks and without that funding, we certainly wouldn't have the facilities that we have currently so it's certainly from my standpoint, I like the idea. I've always, I guess it hasn't bothered me at facilities like that. Todd you certainly bring up a good point. What about lacrosse and what do they want to do? What about soccer and CC United, Tonka United. How do they want to generate additional revenues? My point being is if those type of programs are moved forward I want to see those funded and obviously all the funding from any of those type of advertisements go back into upgrading those facilities. Whether it be at Bandimere. Whether it be Chanhassen High School's baseball field or softball field. Lake Ann. I mean again I think this will be a good test to see what type of response you get. I think Lake Susan's benign enough based on the fact that it's you know primarily surrounded by I guess industrial. It's in an industrial area. And certainly I don't think we have the immediate concern so I don't know, I think you're right. I don't know if I'm ready to formulate something that must, certainly other commission members think we should make a proposal to council. Cole Kelly: I'm game to make a proposal to council unless somebody here can give me a good reason why we shouldn't. Aldritt: Yeah I think it'd be a good idea. Daniel: Because I certainly, Steve? Scharfenberg: No I've got another question for Todd. Assuming that this won't, or is not your only funding potential funding source to fund your potential expenditures that you're looking at. Todd Neils: No, we're looking at a number of different things. Membership within the club. Be a member and get a swell hat. T -shirt and stadium chair based on levels of membership. We're preparing ourselves to roll that out in the community and it won't be merely the high school community. It will be broadly based amongst all the CAA community which has approximately 700 to 800 members. So the intent is to build through not only membership but sponsorship with businesses and partnering with the City. And again I do appreciate your group point Chair Daniels. Every dime that we raise is to support community development projects as there will be no funding going back to any association or otherwise. As a matter of fact the associations that are members, Red Birds, Legion, CAA, high school will all be making donations to the club. To that degree. Daniel: Excellent. Well Cole. Cole Kelly: Todd what are you, are you guys called the Dugout Club or? Todd Neils: We are currently called the Dugout Club, yes. The Diamond Club was taken from our northern friends. Park and Recreation Commission - April 26, 2011 Cole Kelly: Okay, Dugout Club. Todd Neils: And the web site is dugout - club.org. Cole Kelly: Dugout - club.org. I'd like to make a motion that we recommend to the City Council that they allow the Dugout Club to post signs at Lake Susan for revenue for purposes of putting it back into the fields and community efforts in Chanhassen. Daniel: Second the motion? Aldritt: Second the motion. Daniel: Okay. Commissioner Cole Kelly moved, Aldritt seconded that the Park and Recreation Commission recommend that the City Council allow the Dugout Club to post signs at Lake Susan from April through July for revenue for purposes of putting it back into the fields and community efforts in Chanhassen. All voted in favor and the motion carried unanimously with a vote of 5 to 0. Daniel: Thank you Todd. Todd Neils: Thank you very much. Hoffinan: Point of clarification. What would the commission like me to forward to the Council in that regard? Daniel: What he said. Hoffinan: Okay. Put it in writing and send it up with Mr. Neils. You're going to come to a visitors presentation. Carron: Do you want to add April to July? Daniel: Yes, you know what Todd? Can we just clarify that it is April through July only. Todd Neils: Yes. Daniel: For the, just within our recommendation to the council. Thank you Brent. Thank you Todd. Okay, we got that taken care of and let's move onto the approval of the minutes. X PLEASE SIGN IN Park and Rec Commission Date: ,4 1- . Zv" f— z NAME ADDRESS ITEM ATTENDING D N -1 L,5 T �� cv DuGc��%" cl -4