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Home My WebLink AboutMMPC.2015.0224.Minutes . ,kTAIN�f 497' —�tN TOWN OF FOUNTAIN HILLS Z MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE - MCDOWELL MOUNTAIN PRESERVATION COMMISSION FEBRUARY 24,2015 (hat is AO' AGENDA ITEM#1: CALL TO ORDER AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE A public meeting of the McDowell Mountain Preservation Commission was convened and called to order by Chair Bill Myers at 5:29 p.m., Tuesday, February 24, 2015 in the Council Chambers at Town Hall, located at 16705 East Avenue of the Fountains, Fountain Hills, Arizona. AGENDA ITEM#2: ROLL CALL Present at roll call were Chair Bill Myers, Vice-Chair Tom Barberic, Commissioners Tom Aiello, Bill Craig, Klaus Schadle, and Ken Thornton. Staff members present were Director Mark Mayer and Executive Assistant Nancy Walter. AGENDA ITEM#3: CALL TO THE PUBLIC Steve Fleming, Co-Chair of the FH Sonoran Conservancy, thanked the Commissioners and staff for their participation in the Great Fair. He suggested doing 11x17 Preserve maps in grayscale and include Scottsdale's preserve and the Regional Park on the map. Mr. Fleming has received three calls from lost hikers .. in the Preserve; he asked the Commission to get signs, even temporary ones, to put up. The Conservancy would gladly install them. The primary concern is safety. AGENDA ITEM #4: CONSIDERATION OF APPROVING THE JANUARY 27, 2015 MEETING MINUTES Item# 14: Commissioner Schadle noted that the word could should be changed to cost and Commissioner Craig said the hydro—seeding would cost approximately$2100. Commissioner Schadle made a motion to accept the minutes, as amended, of the January 27, 2015 meeting, Commissioner Thornton seconded and the motion passed by unanimous vote. AGENDA ITEM #5: REPORT ON THE FEBRUARY 23, 2015 COMMUNITY SERVICES ADVISORY COMMISSION MEETING Commissioner Schadle reported that the Community Services Advisory Commission discussed the dog park issue. A work group was formed and options were presented at the February 23rd meeting. The Commission is sending their recommendations to Council for their consideration. There is a group, compromised of dog park users and dog park neighborhood residents, that is trying to resurrect ADOG. The Town is waiting for the FAA to issue some guidelines; in the meantime,there is a moratorium on drones in Fountain Hills' parks and the Preserve. Dogs must be on leashes in the Preserve. McDowell Mountain Preservation Commission Page 1 of 4 AGENDA ITEM#6: UPDATE FROM THE SONORAN CONSERVANCY Commissioner Craig reported that the Conservancy meets quarterly and he will ask that the minutes be sent out shortly after the meeting so that the MMPC will be updated. Commissioner Craig said the Conservancy is halfway through the maintenance of the Sonoran Trail; all other trails have been done within the last two years. AGENDA ITEM#7: REVIEW OF THE COMMISSION WORK GROUPS Chair Myers read aloud the work groups and who is on each work group. • McDowell Mountain Month: Commissioners Aiello, Schadle and Vice—Chair Barberic • Preserve Marketing and Fairs: Commissioners Aiello, Thornton and Vice—Chair Barberic • Adero Canyon Trailhead: Commissioners Craig, Schadle, Thornton, and Chair Myers AGENDA ITEM #8: DISCUSSION OF THE 2015 OBJECTIVES AND ASSIGNMENT TO WORK GROUPS Chair Myers will review each objective and ask each work group to work on different objectives; some of the items would take 30 days to complete and some are two-year projects. Commission Schadle would like to add to the list of objectives: ensure the Preserve is never changed to Park status. Chair Myers said: • All the questions the Commissioners are asking is for their knowledge and they are not challenging staff or J2 • Without the Town Attorney's input on SB 1525, it would have been possible that the Town could have lost the $1.7 designated for the trailhead • Thanked staff for the work done on the Town's final agreement with MCO. AGENDA ITEM #9: DISCUSSION OF THE BUDGET FOR THE PRESERVE; FY2014/15 AND FY2015/16 The Commissions' budget for FY 2015-16 is $1885.00. The available budget for FY 2014-15 is $1496.18. The Commission would like to use some of this money for the Preserve signs. Temporary signs will be used until the permanent signs are made. Chair Myers will send estimates for the Commission's budget to Director Mayer. AGENDA ITEM #10: UPDATE FROM THE PRESERVE MARKETING GROUP REGARDING PRESERVE TRAIL MAPS AND TRIFOLDS Vice-Chair Barberic would like to use grayscale for the 11x17 maps and include Scottsdale's preserve and the Regional Park on the map. He will bring a prototype of the Preserve map to the next meeting. He also would like to keep the Botanical Garden and Lake Overlook tri-folds as they are. Commissioner Schadle suggested charging people$1 for each map. McDowell Mountain Preservation Commission Page 2 of 4 AGENDA ITEM#11: UPDATE ON SIGNS FOR THE PRESERVE'S NEW TRAILS Signs needed are: • Three emergency markers on the Andrews-Kinsey Trail • Two helicopter landing zone signs • Three updated signs at the entrances to the Preserve • Seven additional directional signs (5x14) Three temporary directional signs will be put up until the permanent signs are ready for installation. MCO will put up signs when construction is going on and Adero Canyon is closed. It was suggested that QR codes be put on the new signs. AGENDA ITEM#12: UPDATE ON ADERO CANYON Director Mayer reported: • MCO is using the reconfigured design for the trailhead; the elevation in the road will not be changed • The Town's Engineer has approved the MCO plans for landscaping and vegetation, and the salvage and the grading plan; the permit will be issued when the bond is received • The archeological study is not back yet • Director Mayer is waiting for a return call from Francisco Lopez regarding the use of the emergency/utility road for pedestrian/bike use; Director Mayer will let the Commission know the response • The end of trailhead to the Promenade Trail is in extremely poor condition; MCO will be responsible for revamping it The Commissioners will send their additional questions, including asking MCO to flatten the promenade area for overflow parking, clarification on question#1 on the Adero Trailhead Site Visit, and temporary utilities to Director Mayer. The bid process would take approximately four months. AGENDA ITEM#13: UPDATE ON THE PRESERVATION OF THE PRESERVE This item is#8 on the objectives list. This pertains to the long-term economic stability of the Town. AGENDA ITEM #14: UPDATE OF USING SPRAY FOR THE EXPOSED PART OF THE PROMENADE TRAIL Commissioner Craig looked into two ways of covering the cut on the Promenade Trail; either spraying or hydro-seeding. Parks Supervisor Don Clark is researching sources for the material. Chair Myers will email questions regarding whose responsibility it is to take care of covering the cut to Director Mayer. AGENDA ITEM#15: UPDATE ON THE FEBRUARY GREAT FAIR Vice-Chair Barberic thanked volunteers for the team effort. He would like to get additional volunteers from the Sonoran Conservancy because the same volunteers are there every time. There was a good response from the booth visitors, including a lot of snowbirds. McDowell Mountain Preservation Commission Page 3 of 4 AGENDA ITEM #16: CONSIDERATION OF ADJOURNMENT Commissioner Schadle made a motion to adjourn at 6:59 p.m., Vice-Chair Barberic seconded and the motion passed by unanimous vote. 41 I,�*LL11 Mountain Preservation Commission ot By: �. ill Myers, Chair Reviewed by: Mark C. Mayer, Director of Communit Services Prepared by: anc t , Executive Assistant CERTIFICATION I hereby certify that the foregoing minutes are a true and correct copy of the minutes of the McDowell Mountain Preservation Commission Meeting held on February 24 015. I further certify that the meeting was duly called and that a quorum was present. By: a Wa er, Executive Assistant Dated this 5th day of March 2015 McDowell Mountain Preservation Commission Page 4 of 4