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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes Parks And Recreation Advisory Committee - 07/14/1999 - Joint 41110 V PARK AND RECREATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE Special-Called Monthly Joint Meeting Wednesday, July 14, 1999- 5:30 p.m. Watergarden Room—Corpus Christi Museum of Science& History— 1900 N. Chaparral Members Absent Staff John Dunn Robert Gross Joe Ochoa Tony Cisneros Robert Tamez Robert lbarra JoAnne McNeill Addle Ives Mae Milligan Gerardo Alvarez Vic Menard Marvin Spears Billy Olivarez This meeting was a joint meeting with the Park and Recreation Advisory Committee. Arts and Cultural Commission.Transportation Advisory Committee and the Planning Commission. Mr.Bert Quintanilla served as the convenor for the purpose of opening the meeting and introducing the presenters. CALL TO ORDER: Mr. Bert Quintanilla called the joint meeting of the Park and Recreation Advisory Committee, the Arts and Cultural Commission,the Transportation Advisory Committee and the Planning Commission to order at 5:38 p.m. ROLL CALL: Robert Ibarra, Vice-chair for the Park and Recreation Advisory Committee called roll and announced a quorum was present. CLOSURE REQUEST — JOHN SARTAIN STREET THROUGH SHORELINE DRIVE MEDIAN AND THE ART CENTER EXPANSION PROPOSAL PRESENTATION: Mr. Quintanilla introduced Mr. Tom Utter, Assistant City Manager,who gave a brief history of the Art Center and a brief description of the future renovations to the building. Mr. Utter also reviewed the process of closing John Sartain, the street closest to the Art Center. Mr. Utter informed the group of the estimated cost of the project to be S2 million. Mr. Utter also added that the Durrill Foundation would be sponsoring the project. Mr. Utter introduced Mr. Terry Orf, architect for the project, who then made the project presentation to the group. Mr. Quintanilla then opened the floor for questions and discussion by the committees. Questions were raised regarding the maintenance of the landscaping to be placed in the area of the project. Mr. Utter introduced Mr. Durrill, who gave a brief response stating the materials to be used on the project would be low maintenance. Mr. Utter interjected the landscaping was not in the fmal design stages, and the Park and Recreation Department would be included in the planning for this stage in order to be more cost effective. The question was raised on the traffic for special events and the danger to pedestrians. Mr. David Seiler, City Traffic Engineer, responded that these issues raised by this group would be taken into consideration in the design outlay of the traffic flow. A question was raised regarding the future development of the northern median. Mr. Utter responded that in the future this area could be developed. A question was raised regarding future parking problems. Mr. Utter stated Whataburger was in agreement with the closure of John Sartain Street, and he felt that in closing the street, some of the parking problems would be addressed. Park& Recreation Advisory Committee Joint Meeting—July 14, 1999 Page 2 Gerardo Alvarez,Park and Recreation Advisory Committee member,questioned whether OPUS had been contacted. Mr. Utter stated he had not heard from the organization and would be contacting them in order to find out their opinion on this issue. A question was raised on the operating expenses and where the funding would be coming from. Mr. Utter stated that this project would be expanding the kitchen and seating area. Mr. Utter felt that rental of the facility would help in the generating of funds for operation. Mr. Utter stated that the Art Center, at present, is raising funds for operating the facility. Mr. Quintanilla opened the floor for hearing from the public. No public was heard, and Mr. Quintanilla closed the floor for hearing from the public. Mr. Quintanilla asked that each committee vote on their recommendation regarding this topic. After discussion, a motion was made from the Transportation Advisory Committee membership to recommend the proposed renovation of the Art Center along with the closure of John Sartain Street. The motion was seconded and carried. Mr. Quintanilla turned the floor over to Mr. Chuck Anastos, Chair for the Arts and Cultural Commission for a recommendation. (Mae Milligan left the joint meeting at 6:45 p.m.) Mr. Anastos stated that since a quorum of the Arts and Cultural Commission was not present a vote could not be taken. Discussion was heard from the Committee regarding the overall look of shoreline area and whether that style of architecture would be accepted for the "look" of Corpus Christi. Mr. Utter stated that a"look" for Corpus Christi was not intentional. Mr. Utter also stated that at one time the Arts and Cultural Commission, formerly the Municipal Arts Commission,had approved a similar architectural scheme for the City of Corpus Christi. Lynda Jones,ACC member, also questioned the color of the roof of the new structure. Mr. Utter stated that the color was related to a cost issues. Ms. Jones mentioned since the Arts and Cultural Commission was not notified of the look of the miradoras, she felt that the look of the Art Center should go before the Arts and Cultural Commission who is in charge of the look of Corpus Christi. Mr. Anastos stated that since a quorum was not present for the Arts and Cultural Commission to vote on this issue, it would be taken up at a later meeting. Mr. Quintanilla turned the floor over to Mr. Robert Ibarra, Vice-chair for the Park and Recreation Advisory Committee. Mr. Marra stated that since a quorum was not present, the Committee would be unable to vote on a recommendation to City Council regarding this topic. Mr. Quintanilla, Chair of the Planning Commission called for a motion on their recommendation of the Art Center Project and the closure of John Sartain Street. A motion was heard and passed on recommending to City Council the Art Center Project and the closure of John Sartain Street. *CO Park & Recreation Advisory Committee Joint Meeting—July 14, 1999 Page 3 Mr. Quintanilla recapped the action taken at this meeting. He stated the Planning Commission and Transportation Advisory Committee both endorsed the Art Center Project and the closure of John Sartain Street. Mr. Quintanilla also stated that both the Arts and Cultural Commission and the Park and Recreation Advisory Committee would be discussing this topic at their next regularly scheduled meetings. ADJOURNMENT OF JOINT MEETING AND CALL TO ORDER FOR MEMBERS OF THE PARK AND RECREATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING: As there was no further business to hear of at the joint meeting of those commissions present,Mr. Quintanilla turned the meeting over to Mr. Marra, Vice-chair for the Park and Recreation Advisory Committee. ADJOURNMENT: As there was no quorum present, Mr. Cisneros, Director for Park and Recreation,called for adjournment without a vote. The regular meeting of the Park and Recreation Advisory Committee meeting adjourned at 7:00 p.m. C -c 4.1 Marco A. Cisneros,Director Park and Recreation Department