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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPRC Agenda 011321 AGENDA Orange County ** VIRTUAL MEETING** Parks and Recreation Council (Haywood Rhodes, Chair; John Greeson,vice-Chair; Mikki Fleming; Cecily Kritz; Andrew Landstrom; Gina Reyman; Bob Smith; Tim Tippin, Michael Zelek; Xilong Zhao) January 13, 2020 6:30 p.m. VIRTUAL SPECIAL MEETING - via GOTOMEETING Meeting Login instructions: see email Time Item Title 6:30 I. Call to Order 6:31 II. Review of Meeting Notes/Additions to Agenda a. November 4, 2020 (attachment 1) 6:35 III. Report of the Chair a. Current Vacancies/Applications 6:40 IV. New Business a. 2020 Annual Report and 2021 Work Plan (attachment 2) b. Approval of 2021 Meeting Calendar (attachment 3) 7:10 V. Old Business a. None 7:10 VI. Report of the Director a. Project updates b. 7:15 VII. Council and Committee Reports a. Intergovernmental Parks Work Group (no meeting) b. Items from the Council c. Friends of Orange County Parks and Recreation (FOPR) 7:30 VIII. Adjournment Next Meeting: February 3, 6:30 pm? Attachment 1 DRAFT Meeting Summary Date: November 4, 2020 Place: Virtual Meeting PRESENT: Bruce Chinery, Mikki Fleming; John Greeson; Andrew Landstrom, Haywood Rhodes, Robert Smith; Tim Tippin; Michael Zelek; Along Zhao ABSENT: Gina Reyman; Cecily Kritz STAFF: David Stancil, Chris Sousa, Beth Young Guests: Alice Armstrong (Orange County Liaison from CH Parks & Greenways Commission) I. Call to Order: Roll was called using by Chair Rhodes using the GoTo Meeting screen visuals. II. Additions or Changes to Agenda, Meeting Summary: No comments on the September 2, 2020 notes. Additions to the agenda: Alice Armstrong will report to the Council under Council and committee reports. III. Report of the Chair: Chairman Rhodes reported there is currently one vacancy from Little River Township. Rhodes stated there are five applications for the council, however none are from Little River Township. Stancil will forward applications to the commission to look over before the December meeting. IV. New Business a. Update and review from Recreation Division. Chris Sousa, Superintendent of the Recreation Division reported that this has been the most unusual year in his 22 year career in recreation. In March all athletic and recreation programs were effectively shut down. Sousa and his staff researched ways to continue programming and came up with a live/interactive virtual programming option. Since May 1st, 97 virtual programs have been offered with 792 unique participants. The satisfaction rate for the programs has been 95%. The average class ratio is roughly one instructor per ten participants. Classes were offered for the 3-5 year age, 6-12 year age and some adult programming. Virtual Summer Camps, all summer camp programming was implemented virtually. Recreation built two online television studios with cameras, lights, for a professional experience. Two staff teams are used to facilitate programming while meeting COVID restrictions. One staff member runs the computer system, camera, lights and chat room while the other staff member teaches the program. Recreation created a "recreation insta-cart" type format. When people registered for a class, staff put together packets of all supplies needed for the program. These supplies were then delivered by recreation staff to the participants' doorstep. For piano classes small tabletop pianos were delivered to participants. Classes run between 45 minutes to 75 minutes in length. During the month of October recreation began to offer small on-site classes. There are three onsite classes running in November. Sousa reported that recreation did operate Halloween "Spooktacular" outside and it was reported on several local news media outlets. This event is normally held inside of the Central Recreation Center with about 500 — 1,000 attendees in a two hour event. With COVID restrictions recreation moved the event outside and ran the event for nine hours. You were required to preregister for the event and all items that you needed for the carnival games (bingo cards, bingo pieces) were delivered to participants home. Participants were assigned a time slot for 1 hour fifteen minutes at forty participants per time slot. Masks were required at all times, temperature checks, proper social distancing practiced, sanitizing stations set up. Thirty minute break between each session to sanitize all equipment by a separate crew. Spooktacular had 240 participants, with participants registered as a household and we grouped with only their household. Sousa stated that he felt the event was run as safely as they possibly could while providing an event for the community. Contact tracing was put into place and there was no positive cases from the event. Smart start programs (soccer and basketball) are being held with a one instructor per five children ratio. Temperature checks on site, contact tracing by staff weekly. Most participants are asking for virtual programming to continue. Tim Tippen commended Sousa on staff's work and creativity in delivering programming virtually. Tippen also asked about registration fee and increased cost with offering virtual. Sousa stated virtual classes cost about 25% of what it cost to run an in person class. Virtual classes run between $10-15 for a one hour per week six week class. Andrew Lindstrom and Mike Zelek also commended Sousa on a job well done. Chair Rhodes asked about potential to grow virtual programming. Sousa stated programming starts at 9 am with a pre-school program and end about 8 pm each week night. The Health Department has conducted 6 online programs using the Recreation studio. Sousa stated with that schedule there is not much room to add programming. Rhodes asked about internet access for programming and if they had had concerns about that in rural parts of the county. Sousa stated they had one participant who had limited bandwidth but wanted their child to participate, so she was offered a recorded version of the program (all classes/programs are recorded) that could be played back at any time. The cost was the same as doing the live program but allowed the parent to playback content when bandwidth was not an issue for their household. Rhodes asked about the potential to reuse the recorded programming, freeing up time to create new programming. Sousa stated that staff has discussed how they would proceed in regards to virtual classes although no decision has been made. Staff has gotten lots of positive feedback asking that virtual programming remain as a choice in the future. Stancil stated that he sees virtual programming as a part of recreation programming going forward. Xilong Zhao asked if Recreation does any collaboration with the Arts Commission. Sousa stated that as of now they have only worked with the Library, Department on Aging and the Health Department. Zhao would like to see local artist's collaboration creating some working opportunities. Zhao also asked about weekend programming. Sousa stated that we do not offer Sunday programs but Saturday programming runs from around 9 am -4 pm. Stancil stated that Recreation staff has done a remarkable job embracing this idea of finding new ways to do things and that he is very proud of what has been accomplished. b. 2020 Annual Report/2021 Work Plan. Chair Rhodes gave background of report that goes to the Board of County Commissioners for new members. Rhodes asked members to look over the report and make any additions or corrections to the document. Also looking forward to future priorities or unmet needs for BOCC to discuss. This is usually finalized in December. Stancil commented that a lot of things on the list have been delayed due to COVID so they will need to be moved to 2021 or even 2022. Soccer.com and Millhouse Rd Park will be delayed, for example. Stancil suggested added advising and reviewing opportunities for online programming. Zhao also would like explore the possibility of adding some trees to parks as a low cost improvement, small scale. Zhao referenced the small Booker Creek improvement project done by Chapel Hill. Alice Armstrong mentioned the Booker Creek improvement project was done mostly by high school students putting in service hours. The entire project was completed by volunteers. Chair Rhodes came back to the suggestion of the feasibility of continuing virtual programming and capitalizing on that investment. Stancil will note and will give commission an updated report for action next month. V. Old Business a. Capital Investment Plan — Stancil mentioned that the BOCC has not adopted the FY 2020-24 plan yet, but it is coming later this month. Blackwood Farm Park house remediation funds were moved, but other funding was identified (see below). Soccer.com was pushed out. Little River Phase 2 will have $100,000 available for repairs and repaving of the driveway in parking area. Twin Creeks Park, Millhouse Rd Park and the Nature Center at Blackwood Farm Park are all being pushed out into years 5 through 10 in the CIP. $350,000 has been secured from the Millhouse project to keep the Blackwood Farmhouse from deteriorating further. b. Current Facility Status - Stancil reported Central Recreation Center remains closed. Staff is in/out as they conduct virtual classes. Environment and Agricultural Center— the building is closed to the public however the lobby is open from 8 am —4 pm for soil samples to be dropped off for the Cooperative Extension office. DEAPR staff located in that building (Administrative Services, Natural and Cultural Resources and Soil and Water) are working a combination of telework/in office/ in the field. Parks operation base staff continues to work from Millhouse Rd. All parks and nature preserves are open with the exception of Soccer.com Center. Extensive signage has been posted at all parks regarding social distancing, masks, hand washing and gathering limits. Picnic Shelters and fields are available for rental under limited conditions (following all COVID guidelines). Soccer.com Center is closed for the fall 2020 season, COVID regulations prevented any tournament play, and after asking organizations that used the facilities if there was interest in using the Center for practices and limited use, none was received so the decision was made to keep it closed. Hopeful that a spring season can begin in March 2021. Community Centers are opened on a limited basis. These are run by individual non-profit organizations who are following all COVID regulations. Trails at the parks are being heavily used. Staff reports two to three times the normal amount of visitors. John Greeson asked about Chapel Hill opening parks for competition. Stancil stated that was a very recent change and as of November 7t" Chapel Hill is allowing soccer games to occur - but no tournaments. E Soccer.com, the County Health Director recommended against allowing games and it was the end of October, which is normally the end of our season at Soccer.com Center. So the decision was made to go ahead and shut it down for 2020. VI. Report of the Director— a. Project Updates: Blackwood Farm Park construction — amphitheater, large picnic shelter, and restrooms at about 90% of construction drawings by the contractor. Anticipate that project to go out to bid in the spring. Concerned that the amphitheater and picnic shelter will come in over budget so will need to look at creative ways to do some of the other things that we want to do at BWF like disc golf. Little River Regional Park— inter-local agreement renewal (Durham) will be done by June 2021. There is a skills course for mountain bike activity that is partially built and not completed. There has been a lot of discussion about whether or not that has been built to sufficient standards. It is undergoing a risk management review that should be completed sometime in 2021. This would be a place that you can go in and not just ride the trails but have some structures that you can practice bike skills on. Fairview Park— continuing to work on finalizing the inter-local agreement (Town of Hillsborough). The town will continue to pay for the water and sewer, open and close the gates, and empty the trash. Hopeful to begin the process of converting the existing full sized baseball field into three T-Ball fields. Chairman Rhodes asked if those fields would replace what is being lost over at Collins. Stancil confirmed this is the intention, but said the current field is named after James "Junebug" Stewart and so the county wants to notify the family about the change from "field" to "fields." b. December Meeting topics: Work plan and 2021 calendar. Report on the final Capital Investment Plan. VI I. Council and Committee Reports a. Intergovernmental Parks Work Group October meeting was cancelled. Group is hoping to meet in March/April 2021. b. Items from the Council -none c. Orange County representative to the Chapel Hill Parks and Greenways Committee — Alice Armstrong shared what was discussed at their meeting. Chapel Hill has a new bike share program. A report on the town's cemeteries. Chapel Hill is attempting to identify all of the graves in their cemeteries. A racial issue at one of the parks, considering signage at parks (playgrounds) as there is not a lot of staff at parks. Collaboration with Orange County on an inclusive playground. Multimodal trail that would link downtown Chapel Hill and Hillsborough areas but also extend into Durham County. Vill. The meeting adjourned at 7:49 PM. The next meeting will be held virtually (pending County Manager's approval) December 2nd, 6:30pm. Attachment 2 NAME OF BOARD/COMMISSION Parks and Recreation Council Report Period 2020 ORANGE COUNTY ADVISORY BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS ANNUAL REPORT/ WORK PLAN FOR THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS The Board of Commissioners appreciates the dedication of all the volunteers on their boards and commissions and welcomes input from various advisory boards and commissions throughout the year. Please complete the following information, limited to the front and back of this form. Other background materials may be provided as a supplement to, but not as a substitute for, this form. Board/Commission Name: Parks and Recreation Council Person to address the BOCC at work session- if applicable- and contact information: Haywood Rhodes, Chair (thrhodes(aJ)_hotmail.com) Primary County Staff Contact: David Stancil, DEAPR Director How many times per month does this board/commission meet, including any special meetings and sub-committee meetings? Once per month (first Wednesdays); plus Intergovernmental Parks Work Group meetings (semiannual) and biennial joint county/town parks and recreation advisory board meetings. Brief Statement of Board/Commission's Assigned Charge and Responsibilities. The Council serves as the advisory board for provision of parks facilities and recreation programs. It shall suggest policies, within its powers and responsibilities as stated in Article 26 of the Code of Ordinances. The Council shall consult with and advise the Board of Commissioners and staff in matters affecting recreation policies and programs, advise on the acquisition of parkland and lands for recreation programs, and advise on long-range planning for recreation and parks, including the development of plans, studies and reports. What are your Board/Commission's most important accomplishments? The Council annually reviews progress toward the adopted Parks and Recreation Master Plan 2030, and was began receiving regular reports and providing feedback on Mountains to Sea Trail progress in 2019. The PRC has also advised the Board and staff on a variety of topics, including: • Recommendations on FY 2020-21 Outside Agency Funding Requests • Construction/opening plans for Blackwood Farm Park and other new facilities • Provide feedback on Lands Legacy Action Plan 2021-24 • Hearing from local residents about community recreation or park facility needs, developing recommendations where needed • Capital funding for parks/open space (FY 2019-24 Capital Investment Plan) • Sponsor of The Nature of Orange Photography Contest • Report and feedback on LocalFest • Periodic site visits to County parks, including one meeting per year • New Parks Operations Base and Environment and Agricultural Center plans • River Park upgrades and new amenities List of Specific Tasks, Events, or Functions Performed or Sponsored Annually. • Serve as Mountains to Sea Trail (MST) Advisory/Steering Committee (quarterly review/reports) • Co-sponsor, "Nature of Orange" Photography Contest • Review of Outside Agency funding recommendations (recreation) • (Biennial) Joint Advisory Board meeting • Support for department functions and special events • Review of annual Capital Investment Plan proposal for parks • Receive annual report on Recreation and Athletics programs • Receive annual report on Parks and Trails facilities • Prepare Annual Report and Work Plan for BOCC • Receive requests from county residents and organizations for local recreation facility needs, and develop recommendations for the BOCC Describe this board/commission's activities/accomplishments in carrying out BOCC goal(s)/priorities, if applicable. The PRC reviews site plans for major subdivision applications in the county's jurisdiction. Recommendations are made on potential land dedication for parks and open space. (Goal 5) The PRC was the lead advisory board for the Parks and Recreation Master Plan 2030 and regularly reviews progress toward the Comprehensive Plan goals and has served as a "steering committee." The PRC also was the lead advisory board in the creation of the Parks and Recreation Master Plan 2030. (Goal 5) The Council reviews plans and advises on new park construction and openings (such as Blackwood Farm Park, Hollow Rock Nature Park), and participates in park master planning efforts. (Goal 6) Describe the collaboration relationship(s) this particular board has with other advisory boards and commissions? The Council has collaborated with the Commission for the Environment and the Intergovernmental Parks Work Group, and also shared information with the Board of Health on healthy lifestyles and parks. The PRC regularly meets with its sister advisory boards in the three towns, the most recent of which was in April 2019. The Council has also advised and reviewed information from Orange County Sportsplex, the Town of Hillsborough, Fairview Community Watch, the Occoneechee Tribal Council and the Alliance for Historic Hillsborough (River Park). If your board/commission played the role of an Element Lead Advisory Board involved in the 2030 Comprehensive Plan preparation process, please indicate your board's activities/accomplishments as they may relate to the Comprehensive Plan's goals or objectives. (The Element Lead Advisory Boards include: Planning Board, EDC, OUTBoard, Commission for the Environment, Historic Preservation Commission, Agriculture Preservation Board, Affordable Housing Board, Recreation and Parks Advisory Council) The PRC assisted in the implementation of park master plans, such as the Blackwood Farm Park and River Park (Objective PR 3.2). Assist in and advise on the planning for the Mountains to Sea Trail (Objective PR 5.4). The PRC reviewed and made recommendations on community center operations and mission. (Objective E 2) The PRC addressed status of recommendations and issues from P&R Master Plan 2030 (Objective PR 5.6). Identify any activities this board/commission expects to carry out in 2021 as they relate to established BOCC goals and priorities. If applicable, is there a fiscal impact (i.e., funding, staff time, other resources) associated with these proposed activities (please list). • Continue to advise and review on Mountains to Sea Trail activities on a quarterly basis • Review and advise on Blackwood Farm Park Phase II construction plans as the project moves into construction in summer 2021. • Review and advise on continuing new virtual programming instituted during 2020 as part of the COVID-19 response. • Participate in the master plan update of the Soccer.com Center, and review and advise on plans. • Explore potential for collaboration with other potential partners for additional indoor recreational facilities. Work to investigate and quantify how many people are unserved in current conditions. • Review and provide comment on updates to the Little River Regional Park and Natural Area interlocal agreement and new master plan. • The Council now receives quarterly updates on recreation activities and programs, and park facility improvements. Provide feedback on opportunities. What are the concerns or emerging issues your board has identified for the upcoming year that it plans to address, or wishes to bring to the Commissioners' attention? • Explore and develop ideas on increasing online and virtual programming as a regular part of the County's recreation offerings. • Continue to monitor and participate in conversations about the concept of the multi-modal trail connecting parks and open spaces between Chapel Hill/Carrboro and Hillsborough. • Look at planned recreation programs and park facilities with greater emphasis on an "equity lens" of evaluating needs and facilities. • Indoor recreation space continues to be under high demand, surpassing the ability of available local facilities to meet needs. Propose to undertake a renewed effort with the Orange County Schools for use of school facilities for recreation. • Look at adding landscaping and plantings to existing parks as a low- cost improvement. Continue emphasis on protecting and enhancing pollinator-friendly habitats in County parks and open spaces. Attachment 3 Parks and Recreation Council (PRC) — 2021 Meeting Calendar (All Meetings at 6:30 pm, unless otherwise noted) Date Location January Special Meeting — January 13 February 3 Hillsborough March 3 Hillsborough April 7 Chapel Hill (Animal Services Ctr Conf Room) May 5 Park Site Visit/Meeting — TBA (cookout) June 2 Hillsborough July NO MEETING August 4 Hillsborough September 1 Hillsborough October 6 Hillsborough / Park Site (TBA) November 3 Chapel Hill (Animal Services Ctr Conf Room) December 1 Hillsborough Hillsborough Meetings (unless otherwise indicated) held at Environment & Agricultural Center Food Lab, 306 Revere Road, Hillsborough. Animal Services Center is located at 1601 Eubanks Road, Chapel Hill.