Parks and Conservation Packet - 11/7/2017
CITY OF MUSKEGO
PARKS AND CONSERVATION
COMMITTEE AGENDA
November 7, 2017
5:00 PM
Muskego City Hall, W182 S8200 Racine Avenue
CALL TO ORDER
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
ROLL CALL
STATEMENT OF PUBLIC NOTICE
APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF THE AUGUST 15, 2017 MEETING.
NEW BUSINESS
1. City of Muskego - Beer Gardens 2018
2. Park Rentals Time Changes
3. Park Maintenance Timeline
4. Request for refund of park dedications fees for Edgewater Heights Subdivision Phase 1 -
Neumann Companies
5. Naming of the 49-acre conservation site bounded by Durham Drive/Holz Drive/Big
Muskego Lake
DIRECTOR’S REPORT
1. Conservation Coordinator's Report
2. Recreation Manager's Report
COMMUNICATIONS AND MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS AS AUTHORIZED BY LAW
Announcements only. No discussion or action will be taken.
ADJOURNMENT
NOTICE
IT IS POSSIBLE THAT MEMBERS OF AND POSSIBLY A QUORUM OF MEMBERS OF OTHER GOVERNMENTAL BODIES OF
THE MUNICIPALITY MAY BE IN ATTENDANCE AT THE ABOVE-STATED MEETING TO GATHER INFORMATION; NO ACTION
WILL BE TAKEN BY ANY GOVERNMENTAL BODY AT THE ABOVE-STATED MEETING OTHER THAN THE GOVERNMENTAL
BODY SPECIFICALLY REFERRED TO ABOVE IN THIS NOTICE.
ALSO, UPON REASONABLE NOTICE, EFFORTS WILL BE MADE TO ACCOMMODATE THE NEEDS OF DISABLED
INDIVIDUALS THROUGH APPROPRIATE AIDS AND SERVICES. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR TO REQUEST THIS
SERVICE, MUSKEGO CITY HALL, (262) 679-4136.
Unapproved
CITY OF MUSKEGO
PARKS AND CONSERVATION
COMMITTEE MINUTES
August 15, 2017
5:30 PM
Muskego City Hall, W182 S8200 Racine Avenue
CALL TO ORDER
Chairman Toby Whipple called the meeting to order at 5:30 PM.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Those present recited the Pledge of Allegiance.
ROLL CALL
Present: Toby Whipple, Ald. Eileen Madden, Brett Hyde, Barbara Erdmann, Barb Schroeder,
Bill Miller, Tammy Dunn and Scott Kroeger. Excused Paul Peardon.
STATEMENT OF PUBLIC NOTICE
The meeting was noticed in accordance with the open meeting laws.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF THE JUNE 6, 2017 MEETING.
Bill Miller made a motion to approve the minutes of the June 6, 2017 meeting. Ald.
Eileen Madden seconded.
Motion Passed 6 in favor.
NEW BUSINESS
Rent Bluhm Park Shelter with live music
Bill Miller made a motion to approve the rental of Bluhm Park Shelter with live music.
Barb Schroeder seconded.
Motion Passed 6 in favor.
Beer Garden at Veteran's Memorial Park
Brett Hyde made a motion to approve the Beer Garden at Veteran's Memorial Park.
Ald. Eileen Madden seconded.
Motion Passed 6 in favor.
Director Kroeger gave background on the beer garden. Veteran's Memorial Park is the ideal
location for this trial run due to the shelter, lighting, bathrooms, and play structure. The days
would be Friday and Saturday September 29th -30th. Friday 4:00 PM - 9:00 PM and Saturday
3:00 PM - 9:00 PM. The vendor provides staff, cups and yard games. This vendor will be
at the Muskego County park on September 8th and 9th. This event and other beer gardens
are family friendly orientated. Other positive aspects are getting people in the parks they
wouldn't normally go to, finding different amenities of parks and what they have to offer, and
bringing the community together.
DIRECTOR’S REPORT
Director Kroeger gave updates on the following:
Sandhill Park
Idle Isle parking station arriving soon
Dennon Park Disc Golf work starting this week
Lions Park pickle ball improvements
2018 Capital Budget
Facility need for recreation programs
COMMUNICATIONS AND MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS AS AUTHORIZED BY LAW
Announcements only. No discussion or action will be taken.
ADJOURNMENT
Bill Miller made a motion to adjourn at 6:23 PM. Barbara Erdmann seconded.
Motion Passed 6 in favor.
Respectfully submitted,
Kellie McMullen,
Transcribing Secretary
Page 1 of 1
CITY OF MUSKEGO
Staff Report to Parks and Recreation Board
To: Parks and Conservation Committee
From: Scott Kroeger, PE, PLS, Public Works and Development Director
Subject: Beer Garden at Veterans Memorial Park 2018
Date: November 7, 2017
Due to the success of beer garden held on Friday September 29, 2017 and Saturday September 30,
2017 at Veterans Memorial Park in the City of Muskego, the City of Muskego is planning on hosting a
beer garden four times in 2018. All four beer gardens would be held at Veterans Memorial Park. One
would be held in each of the following months: June, July, August, and September.
The plan would be to work with the same outside vendor used previously. They would be providing
and running the beer garden at Veterans Memorial Park. The City of Muskego would collect a percent
of all sales. There is no upfront cost to the City of Muskego.
Recommendation for Action by the Committee:
Approve the recommendation to host a pop-up beer garden at Veterans Memorial Park 4 times in
2018.
Page 1 of 1
CITY OF MUSKEGO
Staff Report to Parks and Recreation Board
To: Parks and Conservation Committee
From: Tammy Dunn, Recreation Manager
Subject: Park Rental Time Changes
Date: September 20, 2017
Several of our parks have become high demand rental locations and we cannot meet the requests of
residents looking for park rental spaces for their events. Currently, we allow people to rent a park
shelter for an unlimited length of time on any day for a flat rate based on the number of people
attending. At times, those rentals are very short and could have another rental after it.
We are proposing that park shelter rentals be offered now in a time block of 6 hours, 8:30AM -2:30PM
and 3PM-9PM. That way we will be able to accommodate more rentals. Our park ranger would check
the facility at the end of the 1st rental and make sure the facility is ready for the 2nd rental of the day.
Should someone require a longer event time, they would have to rent both time blocks.
We will also be purchasing some sort of signage marker to be placed at each rental location so we can
display a sign saying the facility is closed for a private event and the hours of the event. So the general
public at a park will know that they cannot be under the shelter during the r ental.
CITY OF MUSKEGO
Staff Report to Parks and Recreation Board
To: Parks and Conservation Committee
From: Frank Heinrich, DPW Superintendent
Subject: Baseball Fields/Athletic Field Maintenance
Date: November 7th, 2017
In the past years the City of Muskego has outsourced the responsibility of handling game day prep for all
baseball games on city owned fields. This includes a certain skill set and specialized equipment to carry
out that task. Due to the responsibility of preparing the fields on a day to day basis, seven (7) days a
week and unforeseen weather conditions the D.P.W. would not be able to fulfill the demand with
personal and equipment. Example; Games are scheduled from April 1st – August 1st, Seven days a week.
This would require a crew of 3 guys, 8-12 Hours a day depending on weather conditions. The D.P.W.
work hours are from 7am-3:30pm Monday-Friday.
Also due to the constant use of all the fields and a minimal maintenance program in the past, the fields
will require some extensive renovations. These renovations would make the city owned fields more
playable and safer. This also is carried out by a special skill set and equipment. The D.P.W. does not
have the equipment or addition man power to fulfill that task.
Currently leagues pay for game day prep and a portion of field maintenance which will continue. The
plan is for the City of Muskego to put out to bid this work. If the cost for this work comes in higher than
in the past, this cost increase will be shared by the leagues.
Page 1 of 2
CITY OF MUSKEGO
Staff Report to Parks and Conservation Committee
To: Parks and Conservation Committee
From: Adam Trzebiatowski AICP, Lead Planner
Subject: Edgewater Heights Dedication Fees
Date: November 7, 2017
Neumann Development, Inc., the developer of Edgewater Heights Subdivision, has
recently requested that some of the fee in lieu of dedications be waived/refunded.
First off, here is the breakdown of the fees the developer paid to the City at the time of
recording the 1st phase Final Plat:
Fee in lieu of park dedication –
o $1,881/lot x 19 lots = $35,739.00
Fee in lieu of conservation land dedication –
o $580/acre x 42.22 acres = $24,487.60
Fee in lieu of conservation trail dedication –
o $60/lot x 19 lots = $1,140.00
Total Paid - $63,366.60
Neumann Development, Inc. is now seeking reimbursement for some of the fees paid as
follows:
Fee in lieu of conservation trail dedication - $1,140.00
o Neumann Development, Inc. has stated that since trails will be provided
with access available to the general public, they feel this fee should be
waived.
o This bring up a few questions that need to be answered:
Does the City want these trails as part of our public trail system?
Since these trails are located in the lands owned by the
subdivision/homeowners association, how will they be assured
publicly accessible at all times? Would an easement need to be
established over the homeowners association/subdivision owned
outlot for public access?
If this is accepted as part of the public trail system, how will
maintenance be handled? Will the homeowners association
maintain the trail or will the City have to?
o All of these items noted above should have a bearing on if the City will
refund the fee in lieu of conservation trail dedication.
Fee in lieu of conservation land dedication - $17,441.00
o Neumann Development, Inc. has stated that since they preserved land
within their development, within Outlot 2, via a preservation easement
noted on the plat they should be refunded the fees paid for the acreage of
Outlot 2.
o These fees are based on the amount (acreage) of total developable land
within a plat boundary.
o Relating to the “fee in lieu of conservation land dedication” code sections,
Chapter 18, Section 18.21(4)(f) states the following:
Page 2 of 2
“For the purpose of this ordinance, the definition of non-
developable land for the per acre dedication fee shall constitute
wetlands and/or preservation/conservation easement areas and
shall not be charged the per acre dedication fee.”
o This section states that not only wetlands are considered non-
developable, but also any “preservation/conservation easement areas”
are considered non-developable.
o When the City ran our fee calculations, we only subtracted out the
wetlands and not the “preservation/conservation easement areas”. As
such we acknowledge that the “preservation/conservation easement
areas” should be excluded from the fees. Since all of Outlot 2 contains a
preservation restriction on it, it should then be excluded from the fees.
One important thing to note is that while we acknowledge all of Outlot 2 is
covered with a preservation restriction, we have already excluded the
wetlands from full development calculations, include within said outlot,
and as such we can only look to refund the non-wetland areas of Outlot
2.
Outlot 2 is 30.07 acres in total area
The wetlands within the outlot total 12.82 acres which leaves
17.25 as non-wetland area
17.25 acres x $580/acre = $10,005.00
o This shows that rather than the $17,441.00 refund requested by the
developer, only $10,005.00 could be refunded per the code regulations.
It is important to note that typically when someone is looking to have some/all of the “fee
in lieu of…” payments waived, this has been a conversation that happens early in the
process so that all parties know what is being expected so the features/spaces can be
looked at accordingly. It has not been the practice of the City to my knowledge to refund
fees after they have been paid.
Recommendation:
Recommend that the Park and Conservation Committee provide recommendations on
these items to the Finance Committee and/or Common Council for formal action.
As it relates to the trail dedication fee, the questions noted above need to be answered
to determine if a refund will be granted. If the City does not want to accept the trails,
then no fees would most likely be refunded for the trails. If the City does want to accept
the trails and can establish the required easements and maintenance responsibilities,
then the fee may be able to be refunded.
As it relates to the conservation land dedication, the code advises how these per acre
fees are calculated. Since the code states that “preservation/conservation easement
areas” count as non-developable areas, the non-wetland portions of Outlot 2 can be
refunded since all of Outlot 2 contains a preservation restriction. Remember, as is noted
above, that all wetlands within this entire development were already subtracted from the
developable area of this subdivision. This then leaves a possible refund of $10,005.00,
rather than the $17,441.00 requested by the developer.
Memo
To: Parks and Conservation Committee
From: Tom Zagar,
CC: Tammy Dunn, Adam Trzebiatowski
Date: October 31, 2017
Re: Naming the Conservation Site on Durham Drive
In 2015, Towne Realty dedicated a 49-acre outlot of Big Muskego Estates subdivision to the City. Located
across Durham Drive from the subdivision and adjacent to Big Muskego Lake, this parcel had been preserved
with a conservation easement when the subdivision was platted in the early 2000’s. This property is the third
largest city conservation site but has never been officially named. We first referred to it as Durham Drive
conservation site and more recently as “Holz Preserve” because at one time it was farmland belonging to the
Holz family. Last summer I met with some members of the Holz family and they were indifferent to the idea of
naming the site after their family.
Because this site is within an area well-documented to have been inhabited by aboriginal Americans I believe it
would be appropriate to name it in recognition of that part of the land’s history. Upon researching local American
Indian history I found that the local band of Potawatomi was called the “Muskiqua.” So one suggestion I have is
calling it Muskiqua Preserve. However, Potawatomi are actually still relative newcomers in the area’s history –
they lived in Wisconsin between the 1600’s and 1800’s. Mississippian (1000 – 1500 AD), Woodland (3000 –
1670 AD), Archaic (700 BC – 8000 BC), (and likely) Paleo Indians (8000-18000 BC) also inhabited this area.
Most of these earlier cultures predate historic records so naming the site to commemorate them is more difficult.
I have some colleagues looking into other naming ideas that may be suitable.
Naming the site for its natural history would also be appropriate. This site’s position adjacent to the community’s
largest natural resource feature, Big Muskego Lake suggests a name that pertains to that. Since ecologically
Big Muskego Lake is actually a more of a deep water marsh/wetland complex than a lake, a name that includes
marsh would be fitting: perhaps “Great Marsh Preserve.” Other suggestions are welcome.
Community Development Department
Page 2
MUSKIQUA PRESERVE
The Muskiqua were the “sunfish” band of the Potawatomi people who inhabited this land between the
mid 1600’s and mid 1800’s. Potawatomi had hunting and fishing encampments near the shores of
Musk ee guack meaning “sunfish” or “the fishing place.” Arrowheads, spear points, and other evidence
of earlier indigenous Native American cultures dating back early Archaic period (about 10,000 years
ago) have also been found in Muskego.
Memo
To: Parks and Conservation Committee
From: Tom Zagar,
CC: Tammy Dunn, Adam Trzebiatowski
Date: October 31, 2017
Re: Conservation Coordinator Report
Below is an update of projects related to Lakes, Forestry, and Conservation:
Contracted tree planting in parks continued in fall. To date, 78 of the planned 100 trees were planted -
because of availability issues planting of the remaining 22 trees will be carried over into 2018. Survival
appears to be good as they received plenty of rain in the first part of the summer and were watered
periodically by staff in August and September.
The wetland restoration work at the conservation site on Durham Drive was completed this summer. A
grading contractor disabled drain tiles and excavated four shallow “pothole” ponds to restore the
wetland hydrology. Disturbed areas will be seeded with prairie/wetland vegetation this fall/winter.
Muskego resident, Greg Burmeister discovered this projectile point in the excavated area. While it
needs to be examined by a professional archaeologist, it is likely over 8,000 years old!
Wetland restoration work on the “Rieger” parcel of Big Muskego Lake State Wildlife Area is starting this
week. This project is funded by an MMSD “Green infrastructure” grant.
Invasive plant species control was conducted at several sites – notably wild parsnip removal at
Badertscher Preserve and Denoon Park.
Dead ash and elm trees were identified adjacent to residential lots in the Marlan Meadows city
conservation site. Staff will mitigate these potential hazards this upcoming winter.
Community Development Department
CITY OF MUSKEGO
Staff Report to Parks & Conservation Committee
November 7, 2017
To: Parks & Conservation Committee
From: Tammy Dunn, Recreation Manager
Subject: Recreation Program Miscellaneous Updates
Date: November 3, 2017
Please find the following items in relation to various recreation programs/activities in the city. Such items don’t
require committee action but can certainly be discussed during the Miscellaneous Business portion of the
meeting.
1. Winter/Spring Guide went to the printer on November 3. Registration is scheduled to start on
November 17.
2. Jensen update- when the facility study was done about 3 years ago throughout all city owned buildings,
it was noted that Jensen was not a suitable site for us to run programs and should be listed as one of the
buildings to discontinue use. The building did not fail any structural tests, it was just outdated, had
limited parking, small restrooms, and was not easy accessible. The Jensen building is scheduled to be
demolished the beginning of December.
3. With the continued construction of the new city hall we have moved the preschool programs, Jump
Start to Kindergarten and Little Learners over to the upper level of Old Town Hall. With that facility now
being set-up for daily school activities, we have taken it offline for rentals. With the tearing down of
Jensen, that leaves the Recreation Department with only the Old Town Hall and the Library for free use
for our programs. We still pay the school district $10/date/facility we use for any programs in school
facilities. Our need for our own facility continues to be our number one issue when it comes to current
programs as well as planning new courses for the future.
4. With the initial investment to install the Lions Park pickleball courts and with the several private
donations, the City Recreation pickleball program is now attended by more than 150 participants
annually and is one of the largest in our area. To protect the City’s initial investment with the courts, we
moved forward to implement a two phase project to eliminate the deterioration of the playing surface
and create a well-rounded facility to maintain this thriving program. The first phase included the
removal and installation of new net posts with internal cranking systems, addressed all cracking on
surface, asphalt paving of 3”-5” thickness over entire court surface to eliminate puddling and pitted
areas, and apply temporary lines to keep courts playable. The second phase will be the painting of the
courts to be done in spring of 2018. The 4 court Plexipave System entails two coats of black tex tured
acrylic resurfacer, two coats of colored blue and green Plexipave. Each coat to be cross-applied from
previous. Lastly is to layout and apply white masked lines.
5. Equipment rental- beginning in the spring of next year, we will have available for rental a few kayaks,
stand-up paddle boards and canoes as well as paddles and life jackets. The revenue from these
programs will go back into our general park budget to be used to make improvements to parks. We will
now being the process of writing up rental applications and insurance requirements for users.