PRESENT:

Lyra Done, Chair Bob DeLaney, Vice-Chair Karen Chatterton, Member Susannah Myerson, Member Greg Roberts, Member John Scheuring, Member

Also Present:    Ainsley Legner, Parks and Recreation Director
                           Paula Abbott, Town Council Member
                           Catherine Atalla, Aquatics Manager
                           Stacey Lemos, Finance Director

MOTION: A motion was made by Vice-Chair DeLaney and seconded by Member Scheuring to approve the June 9, 2009 study session and regular session minutes as written.

MOTION carried, 5-0.

Opened and closed with no speakers.

 ~ The October and November Parks and Recreation Advisory Board meetings will be rescheduled.
 ~ The Town Council meeting on August 5th will be utilized as a study session at a later date.  It will include discussion regarding pool fees.

 ~ The budget process is complete.  
 ~ At the Council meeting tomorrow evening, the Council will discuss consideration of a 4th of July event to be run by Town of Oro Valley staff.  If the Town carries forward with the event, the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board should be involved. 
 ~ The Town Council plans to discuss the duties of the Board in the future.  
 ~ Chair Done pointed out that the Board has been advised not to be involved in the development of any parks not owned by the Town. 

Rosa Dailey is heading up a Committee with the Flying Fish Arizona Swim Team (FAST).  She sent a proposal to the Town regarding keeping the pool open two (2) additional months per year.  She described FAST:
 ~ Seasoned USA swim officials started the organization.
 ~ It is a federally recognized non profit 501(c)(3).
 ~ It consists of over 80 Oro Valley families.
 ~ There are different ability levels, recreational swimming, and a masters group.
 ~ It is a Board run team and was established in 2008.  
 ~ Bylaws are available for members.  Members are elected annually.
 ~ They have many active sponsors such as Trader Joes.
 ~ They offer competitive swimming year round.

Jon Borendame is an Oro Valley resident and a nationally certified USA Swim Referee.  He discussed the following:
 ~ FAST teaches beginner proper stroke technique. 
 ~ FAST is a charted USA Swimming Club member. 
 ~ FAST offers multiple levels of competitive swimming.  
 ~ Regional qualifiers cover Southern Arizona, Sierra Vista, and Mexico.  
 ~ Ranked 2nd in Tucson for performance and ranked 9th in Arizona.
 ~ He presented their business model:
     - They provided 75 swimmers last year in a 10 month basis. 
     - They lost 15% of their swimmers/revenue during the 2 month pool closure.
     - They provided the Town with $16,500 annual with 10 month lease. 
     - They propose to pay $25,500 annually with the pool open 12 months.
     - FAST has revenue growth through membership growth.
     - Operating expenses during 2 month closure include gas, electric, and payroll.
     - The goal is to increase visibility of FAST and become a stakeholder at the pool. 
     - They can support Town events through participation and voluntarism.  

Finance Director Stacey Lemos stated that Finance has been analyzing the budgetary impacts of opening the pool for the extra two months.  Their analysis found that this is an opportunity to save money.  They analyzed additional incremental costs for lifeguard coverage as well as incremental revenues the Town would receive from FAST.  Along with a slight increase of lane rental costs, it is feasible to achieve 100% cost recovery for the pool for those two months.  It fits in with the fee recover policy with an expansion of service and it is fully covered with revenues.  These findings were presented to the Town Manager and he agrees that it is beneficial. 

Ms. Legner stated that they will look at other swim teams and organized groups for contracting during those months.  If unused lanes are available, they should be rented to the public.  There will be two pool closures of two weeks at a time for maintenance.

Further discussion followed regarding:
 ~ There should be space for another team to be in the pool at the same time.  
 ~ Additional revenue sources could include a cost per child and partnerships.   
 ~ Four weeks per year should be sufficient closure time for maintenance but it is possible additional closure time may be required.
 ~ This proposal would be a one year contract.  
 ~ Lanes should be kept available as much as possible for the public. 

MOTION: A motion was made by Vice-Chair DeLaney and seconded by Member Myerson to move forward with the contract with FAST and schedule the extended pool availability with Aquatics. 

MOTION carried, 6-0.

CALL TO AUDIENCE:  Chair Done opened the Call to the Audience

Oro Valley resident Bill Peacock shared with the board questions he had relating to cost recovery during the pool’s closure time.  He commented that the residents may not agree with FASTs increased amount of pool usage.

CALL TO AUDIENCE:  Chair Done closed the Call to Audience.

Item 11 was moved in the agenda to follow Item 4.

Chair Done presented a gift to Dennis Ottley and thanked him for his service on the board. 

Staff looked at using the $250,000 donation by Wal-Mart or approximately $50,000 given by other donors.  The Town Council voted to approach Wal-Mart and to use those funds towards Steam Pump Ranch instead of Naranja Town Site.  The results of that conversation are not known and once we know, we will know the funding options.  If we move forward, it should be done in the fall.  

The formal written request was approved by the Town Council and if Wal-Mart permits the change, it will go back to the Town Council for final approval.

 ~ The budget passed. 
 ~ The Parks and Recreation budget has a 14% decrease overall.  
 ~ Richard Jimenez in Parks accepted the severance package and is no longer with the Town.

This event was recommended by the Metropolitan Tucson Convention & Visitors Bureau.  Ms. Legner has met with staff from other Departments and the MTCVB to discuss coordinating the event.  Ironkids is considering hiring Trisports to run the event.  Ms. Legner stated that she will inform the Board when volunteer opportunities arise.

Member Scheuring presented the issues:
     - Policy driven landscape results in planting too many trees in a space.
     - Landscape disconnects between landscape plan and implementations.  
Member Scheuring presented the solutions:
     - Establish a process for tree mitigation during pre-submittal.
     - Encourage developer landscapers to work with HOAs to plant in public areas.
     - Establish a tree nursery at Canada Del Oro Riverfront Park for excess trees to be used as tree replacements by Parks and Recreation and Public Works.
     - Require landscape architect to submit an as-built before issuance of the certificate of occupancy.  

MOTION: A motion was made by Member Scheuring and seconded by Vice-Chair DeLaney that the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board endorse the conclusions and recommendations of the tree mitigation project as presented on July 14, 2009.

MOTION carried, 6-0.

They are seeking supplemental funding for children’s play figures for James D. Kriegh Park.  Target parks and audiences in the project are for West Lambert Lane are adults and walkers.  James D. Kriegh target audience is very young children.  The proposal is for two desert figures which are a desert tortoise for $8,000 and a desert spiny lizard for $13,000.  The signs cost $900 for the large signs and $20 for small signs.  There is art in lieu funding for Oro Valley which may be used in the amount of $16,700.  Ms. Legner will first get approval from the Town Council to use that funding and will check on park in lieu funding.  They plan to ask for up to $25,000 and bid for the two figures. 

MOTION: A motion was made by Vice-Chair DeLaney and seconded by Member Myerson to recommend that the Parks and Recreation Department move forward with the interpretive signage proposal not to exceed $35,000. 

MOTION carried, 6-0.

a.	CHAIR DONE - FINANCE AND BOND COMMITTEE

Chair Done attended most of the budget sessions.

b.	VICE-CHAIR DELANEY - TOWN COUNCIL

Vice-Chair DeLaney attended most of the budget sessions.

c.	SUSANNAH MYERSON - PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION

No report.

d.	GREG ROBERTS - HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION

There was some storm damage at Steam Pump Ranch.

e.	KAREN CHATTERTON - DEVELOPMENT REVIEW BOARD

 ~ Ventana Medical Systems plans to increase the current 350,000 feet to over 1,000,000 square feet and increase from 850 employees to 1,600 employees.
 ~ They approved the color "toasty" to be included in Wal-Mart’s master architectural plan.  There was debate due to the time put into approving colors.
 ~ El Charro’s request for a sign was denied because it was considered art.   
 ~ Oro Valley is getting a new In-N-Out Burger and a new McDonald’s.
 ~ D.R. Horton is building three model homes at the entrance of Naranja Town Site.  Elevations are being approved.

Item 14 was discussed prior to Item 13.

At the Development Review Committee meetings, developers meet with staff to organize items before they go to Town Council or the Development Review Board.  Multimodal Planner Nancy Ellis provided information from this meeting for
Ms. Legner to present to the board.  On July 9th, a pre-application was reviewed for Pepper Viner homes at the southeast corner of Naranja Drive and First Avenue.  Ms. Legner reviewed the following:
 ~ Applicants are requesting approval of a preliminary plat for a 44 lot subdivision.  
 ~ It was previously platted as a 69 lot subdivision in 2006.
 ~ It will be gated at all entrances.  
 ~ The new preliminary plan was a rough sketch.
 ~ With a reduction in the number of lots, they will also request a reduction in the number, size and scope of the required recreation areas.
 ~ A road that connected the two halves of the subdivision was eliminated.
 ~ Pepper Viner may establish a connection by building a trail or common area.
 ~ The subdivision also contains a trail which will be requested as non-motorized.
 ~ This application will not be reviewed by staff until further notice, as the developer has unmet obligations with the Town. 

Member Chatterton expressed concern regarding the recent Fourth of July event at Canada Del Oro Riverfront Park due to the traffic, parking and litter issues in her neighborhood.

No report.

No report.

 ~ Fourth of July event.
 ~ Interpretive signage project update. 
 ~ Tenuous Refuge at Canada Del Oro Riverfront Park.
 ~ Non-profit funding for dog parks.
 ~ Transfer of $250,000 Wal-Mart donated funds to Steam Pump Ranch from Naranja Town Site.

The next Parks and Recreation Advisory Board meeting is scheduled for August 11, 2009 at 6:30 p.m. in Hopi conference room.

Being that there was no further business before the board, Chair Done adjourned the meeting at 8:22 p.m.

Prepared by:



Danielle Tanner
Senior Office Specialist