Parks and Recreation Advisory Board Agenda and Packet

Community Development Department 222 Lewis Street River Falls, WI 54022 715.425.0900 www.rfcity.org PARK AND RECREATION ADVISORY BOARD AGENDA September 16, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS CALL TO ORDER ROLL CALL APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Minutes of the August 19, 2026 meeting PUBLIC COMMENTS ACTION ITEMS 2. Girl Scout Service Project Proposal 3. Removal of Hoffman Park Skate Park DISCUSSION ITEMS STAFF REPORTS 4. Conservation, Parks, and Public Works Staff Report CALENDAR The next Park and Recreation Advisory Board meeting will be 10/21/2026 at 5:30 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers. ADJOURNMENT Council members may be in attendance for informational purposes only. No official Council action will be taken. NOTE: Any person who has a qualifying disability as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act that requires the meeting or materials to be in an accessible location or format may contact City Clerk Amy White at (715) 426-3408 or in person at 222 Lewis Street for accommodations. Requests for accommodations should be made at least three (3) business days in advance of the meeting. Every effort will be made to arrange accommodations. Post: City Hall and City website 09/11/2026 Community Development Department 222 Lewis Street River Falls, WI 54022 715.425.0900 www.rfcity.org PARK AND RECREATION ADVISORY BOARD MINUTES August 19, 2026 at 5:30 p.m. CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS CALL TO ORDER Meeting convened at 5:30 p.m. ROLL CALL Members Present: Matt Janquart (Chair), Sean Downing (Council Rep) , Phil Galli, Brenda Gaulk e, Eli Guthrie, Melissa Pedrini, and Natasha Schaefer. Members Absent: None. Staff Present: Brooks Ostendorf - Conservation and Parks Manager, Levi Myers - Natural Resources Coordinator , Kyle Mackey - Recreation Coordinator, and Brenda Rundle - Customer Service Representative. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. MSC Schaefer/Downing approve the minutes of the July 15 , 2026 Park and Recreation Advisory Board (PRAB) meeting. Unanimous. PUBLIC COMMENTS William Hansen of the Town of River Falls expressed concern about protecting the native beaver population and removing non-native invasive brown trout when the City removes the Junction Falls Dam which he says creates renewable energy, and that the removal will be partially paid for by utility customers. ACTION ITEMS 2. Natural Resources Coordinator Levi Myers discussed a proposed 2026 Forestry Management Plan which would establish the City’s first comprehensive update to its forestry management strategy in more than twenty -five years and provide a clear roadmap for protecting, managing and expanding River Falls’ urban forest . The plan will guide budgeting, annual work plans, grant applications, and long -term decision- making while ensuring the City’s urban forest continues to provide environmental, economic, and social benefits for present and future generation s. Downing asked about ordinances or incentives for developers regarding tree removal and/or preservation. Janquart asked about incentives for landowners. PRAB appreciates tree interns, planting events, giveaways, low-cost programs , and rebates, and they encourage public to assist with overall City canopy . The City appreciates it when homeowners help with occasional deep watering their new boulevard trees especially during hot, dry spells. MSC Gaulke/Galli to forward the proposed Forestry Management Plan and resolution to City Council for adoption. Unanimous. DISCUSSION ITEMS None. STAFF REPORTS 3. The Conservation, Parks, and Public Works Staff Report was shared by Brooks. Thank you to Eagle Scout Candidate Jackson Tody for adding a dog agility course at the dog park. CALENDAR The next Parks and Recreation Advisory Board meeting will be Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026 at 5:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers. ADJOURNMENT MSC Galli/Guthrie to adjourn the meeting at 6:13 p.m. Unanimous. Respectfully submitted, Brenda Rundle, Customer Service Representative MEMORANDUM TO: Park and Recreation Advisory Board FROM: Brooks Ostendorf, Conservation and Parks Manager DATE: September 16, 2026 TITLE: GIRL SCOUT SERVICE PROJECT PROPOSAL – NORA BRIDGES RECOMMENDED ACTION Approve Nora Bridges’ Girl Scout service project proposal. BACKGROUND Nora Bridges, member of the local Girl Scout troop 58138, reached out to the City to request permission to fulfill her bronze aware project by installing “Sunshine Boxes” in two City parks. A Sunshine Box is a wood box, approximately 10 -inches by 7-inches by 5-inches, that gets filled with little trinkets that people can take to brighten their day. The boxes will be mounted on a post (similar to a Little Free Library) and will include signage to explain what it is and encourage people to trade and add new items. The proposed locations are Sterling Ponds Park and Ostness Park, adjacent to the park entry signage. CONCLUSION The City has supported service projects like this in the past, including the dog agility course and kiosk at the Dog park, signage at Hoffman Park, and a Chimney Swift Tower at Highview Meadows Park. Projects like this reflect the City’s commitment to nurturing community partnerships: it is vital for the City to maintain mutually beneficial relationships through collaboration to support the recreation desires of the community. Staff recommends approval for Nora Bridges’ Girl Scout Service Project. 2 MEMORANDUM TO: Park and Recreation Advisory Board FROM: Brooks Ostendorf, Conservation and Parks Manager DATE: September 16, 2026 TITLE: Hoffman Park Skatepark Removal RECOMMENDED ACTION Staff recommends that the Park and Recreation Advisory Board approve the removal of the remaining skatepark infrastructure at Hoffman Park. BACKGROUND The City of River Falls' skatepark originated from a community effort led by the City's Youth Advisory Committee. On June 8, 1999, members of the Youth Advisory Committee presented to the City Council regarding the need for a skatepark, including a propose d layout, potential locations, operating rules, and fundraising opportunities. On July 13, 1999, the City Council determined that Hoffman Park was the preferred location and approved Resolution No. 3448 regarding the concept plan and location of the skatepark. The City subsequently proceeded with design and construction, and on March 14, 2000, the City Council approved resolutions awarding bids for construction of the facility. The skatepark served the community for approximately two decades. However, concerns regarding its condition emerged as the facility aged. In October 2008, the Park and Recreation Advisory Board discussed maintenance issues associated with the skatepark. On April 20, 2011, the Board identified replacement of the skatepark as a high-priority need due to deterioration and unsafe conditions. During the Hoffman Park master planning process in November 2014, the project consultant, HKGI, also identified concerns with the facility, noting that the skatepark was at the end of its useful lifespan and required restoration. The City's approved Hoffman Park Master Plan, adopted in June 2015, identified removal of the skatepark from the park. Staff conducted the last known repairs to the facility in 2016. Since that time, the skatepark has continued to age, and the remaining infrastructure is no longer considered a viable long-term recreational facility. More recently, the City's Outdoor Recreation Plan, approved in March 2023, recognized the continued community demand for skateboarding facilities. The plan identified a need for two skateparks within the City by 2045. Community survey results also identifi ed a skatepark as the second-most desired recreational amenity in the community, behind a new swimming pool. 3 Memorandum September 16, 2026 Page 2 Figure 1: Entrance to skatepark with signage. Figure 2: Remaining skatepark equipment. Memorandum September 16, 2026 Page 3 Figure 3: Condition of existing equipment. DISCUSSION The remaining skatepark at Hoffman Park has reached the end of its useful life. Concerns regarding the condition and safety of the facility have been documented for more than 1 8 years, beginning with maintenance concerns discussed by the Park and Recreation Advisory Board in 2008. The Board subsequently identified replacement as a high -priority need in 2011, and the 2014 Hoffman Park master planning process concluded that the fac ility was at the end of its lifespan and required restoration. The City's 2015 Hoffman Park Master Plan provided a clear direction for the site by identifying removal of the skatepark. More than a decade has now passed since that plan was adopted, while the facility has received only limited repairs, with the last known repairs occurring in 2016. At this point, continued maintenance of the existing facility would represent an investment in infrastructure that has already been identified for removal and that does not provide a suitable long-term solution for the City's skateboarding needs. Removal of the remaining skatepark would also allow the City to address an obsolete facility while avoiding continued maintenance of infrastructure that is no longer consistent with the adopted master plan for Hoffman Park. The removal would not preclude t he City from developing a new skatepark elsewhere in the community. In fact, the City's 2023 Outdoor Recreation Plan provides a strong policy basis for continuing to pursue skateboarding opportunities, identifying a long-term need for two skateparks by 2045 and documenting substantial community interest in the amenity. A future skatepark should be evaluated as a new recreational facility rather than as a reconstruction of the existing Hoffman Park facility. This would allow the City to consider an appropriate location, facility size and design, accessibility, safety, surrounding land uses, parking, site circulation, neighborhood impacts, construction costs, and long -term maintenance Memorandum September 16, 2026 Page 4 requirements. A new facility could also be designed to meet contemporary skatepark standards and better respond to the community's demonstrated interest in the amenity. Staff therefore views removal of the existing Hoffman Park skatepark as the appropriate next step in addressing the deteriorated facility while preserving the City's long-term objective of providing quality skateboarding opportunities. The removal would bring the existing conditions at Hoffman Park into greater alignment with the adopted 2015 master plan and allow future skatepark planning to occur independently of the limitations of the existing facility. FISCAL IMPACT The fiscal impact of removing the remaining skatepark will depend on the final scope and method of removal. Staff anticipates that the work can be incorporated into the City's existing park operations maintenance: at a minimum, it will require removal of existing equipment, asphalt, subgrade, and restoration to turf grass. Removing the facility will eliminate the need for repairs and remove safety concerns associated with the deteriorated state of equipment. It will also avoid the investment of additional funds into a facility that has previously been identified for replacement and/or removal. Any future development of a new skatepark would be considered separately through the City's capital planning, budgeting, and grant pursuit processes. Removal of the existing facility should therefore not be considered a replacement project or a commitment to a future skatepark construction project. CONCLUSION The Hoffman Park skatepark was established in response to a community-led initiative more than 25 years ago and provided an important recreational opportunity for local skateboarders. However, the facility has experienced documented deterioration and maintenance concerns for more than 18 years. The Park and Recreation Advisory Board identified replacement as a high - priority need in 2011, the 2014 Hoffman Park master planning process determined that the facility was at the end of its useful life, and the City's 2015 approved master plan identified its removal. Given the age and condition of the remaining infrastructure, staff recommends that the Park and Recreation Advisory Board approve removal of the existing skatepark from Hoffman Park. This action would address an obsolete and deteriorated facility while rem aining consistent with the adopted Hoffman Park Master Plan. At the same time, removal should not be interpreted as a decision to eliminate skateboarding as a recreational opportunity in River Falls. The 2023 Outdoor Recreation Plan establishes a long -term need for two skateparks in the City and documents strong community support for the amenity. Staff recommends that future consideration of skateboarding facilities occur as part of a new, appropriately planned facility rather than through continued investment in the existing Hoffman Park infrastructure. MEMORANDUM TO: Parks and Recreation Advisory Board FROM: Brooks Ostendorf, Conservation and Parks Manager Erica Ellefson, Public Works Manager Kyle Mackey, Recreation Coordinator Levi Myers, Natural Resources Coordinator DATE: September 16, 2026 TITLE: Conservation, Parks, and Public Works Staff Report This staff report is specific to the Conservation, Parks, and Public Works Divisions. I) Recreation Report a. The majority of summer recreation programs have now wrapped up for 2026. Youth baseball/T-ball had the largest participation, with 485 youth participants, while the City also accommodated four additional Parent/Child T-ball teams this year. The City offered 29 youth mini-camps with 239 participants, although participation declined from 351 in 2025. Youth soccer had 182 participants across spring and summer sessions and received very positive parent feedback, supporting plans to continue a similar schedule next year. Other youth programs, including golf, dance, flag football, softball, tennis, theatre, track and field, and wrestling, served another 242 participants. b. Adult recreation included summer softball, with 9 co-rec teams on Wednesday nights and 7 men’s teams on Thursday nights, along with returning offerings such as drop-in basketball, pickleball, fly fishing, and golf clinics, which totaled 66 participants. c. At the Glen Park Pool, swimming lessons served 287 participants, with schedule adjustments providing more flexibility for weather-related rescheduling and potentially creating additional opportunities for private pool parties in 2027. The pool recorded 10,520 visitors during the 2026 season with 14 individual, and 108 family season passes sold across the two family categories. Only four minor incidents were reported. No major incidents were reported. II) Forestry Update a. Annual tree planting will begin this week and continue through October. Staff will plant 260 trees throughout the City to continue replacing trees lost to EAB. Trees include a mix of Ball and Burlap, Container, and Bareroot trees. b. Staff are continuing to plant trees in developments where tree escrow funds remain. Valley View Tree Nursery recently planted trees in Sterling Ponds and Highview Meadows to close out remaining tree escrow accounts. III) Goats at Art on the Kinni 4 a. Staff worked with River Falls Community Arts Base and ScapeGoats to set up a grazing area at Art on the Kinni. ScapeGoats set up adjacent to the pedestrian bridge at Heritage Park and helped clear .77 acres of invasive/nuisance vegetation. IV) Installation of Donated Bench a. The bench was donated by Jill White Downey in July 2026 along the White Pathway, in honor of Helen Kyle White. The plaque says: “Set ye down and rest awhile. Bless the worthy name of Kyle.” V) Installation of Picnic Slabs at Glen Park and Brandon’s Park a. In early August Public Works, with help from the Electric team and their digger truck, pulled five picnic tables and six benches from below the Glen Park swinging bridge. To mitigate this issue, Public Works installed new concrete slabs so that the picnic tables can be secured to the concrete. They were installed on the northwest side of Glen Park. One of the slabs is connected to the adjacent sidewalk for ADA accessability near the parking lot cul de sac and public art. b. Brandon’s Park received a few nice upgrades. Public Works staff poured concrete around the park identification sign. This will help clean up the area and make it easier to maintain the space. Additionally, there was a new picnic table slab poured on the East side of the playground, near large trees for shade. Community Development Department: August 2026 Page 1 of 2 Introduction This report is provided monthly to update the Plan Commission, Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, and other interested parties on Community Development efforts of the past month as it relates to the City’s Strategic Initiatives and the Department work plan. 2026 Community Development Major Projects *Denotes a Council Strategic Initiative CONNECTED COMMUNITY Kinnickinnic River Corridor Plan Phase I * o Senator Baldwin included the Kinni Corridor Project design funding in her list for 2027 congressionally directed spending initiatives. We’ll know more later this year if it advances. Safe Streets Action Plan* o The Safe Streets for All Safety Action Plan was adopted by Council on May 12th. Glen Park Phase II* o Council approved allocation of available Park Impact Fee fund balance in the amount of $850,000 to fund Glen Park Phase 02 park improvements. Improvements include the completion of the play area, provision of a multi -use sport court and a picnic shelter, a nd the improvement of the W Cascade trail connection to the park. Locust Street design o Preliminary roadway design is complete. Engineering design is expected to be completed in Fall 2026. The project will provide a looped watermain connection to the Oak Hill subdivision and provide a roadway and multi -use trail connection from Apollo Road to West Locust Street (adjacent to the School District Bus Garage). The project is anticipated to go before Council upon design completion to request authorization to proceed with the project. Mapping o Map of available sites for development o Map of current development in River Falls ECONOMIC VITALITY Downtown Project* o The Safe Streets for All Implementation Grant application has been submitted for a downtown reconstruction project and we expect to be notified in Fall 2026 if that grant application is successful. Continued Infill in Corporate Parks/Innovation Center Expansion* o Work with the Economic Development Administration (EDA) continues on the grant to expand the Innovation Center. o In January 2026, Sterling Ponds II, LLC purchased a 4.8-acre lot in the Sterling Ponds Corporate Park. o In February 2026, the City Council approved the sale of an approximately 5.8 -acre lot in the Sterling Ponds Corporate Park and a Development Agreement with Stellerie Bop, LLC. On April 17th Stellerie Bop LLC purchased the property. o On April 28th the City Council approved the sale of a portion of Lot B in the Whitetail Ridge Corporate Park. Ensure sustained (re)development of the City from the prospect stage through construction o Brookgreen – Occupancy granted for Buildings 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and Clubhouse. Buildings 7-10 are under construction. o Oak Hill – 1 permit issued, 4 COs issued. o The Preserve – 0 permits issued, 2 COs issued o Thompson Heights – 0 permits issued, 2 COs issued o Wildflower Meadows – 6 permits issued Community Development Department: August 2026 Page 2 of 2 o Plan Commission discussed implementation of the 2023 Comprehensive Plan at their meeting on August 4, 2026 FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY Examine Impact Fees* o Finance Dept is working with a consultant to examine impact fees for development Economic Development o The Economic Development Manager is a member of RFEDC, WEDA, River Falls Chamber, and St. Croix Valley Innovation Center Management Committee. QUALITY MUNICIPAL SERVICES Library Remodel* o The majority of the library remodel is complete. Remaining work is a renovation of the Solarium and some additional work in the lower level meeting rooms. Fire Station Remodel* o The new apparatus bay is expected to be available to store equipment within the next two months. After equipment can be moved, work will commence on the existing fire station. Division Street crosswalks o The Safe Streets for All Action Plan includes a concept plan for an improved pedestrian crossing at East Division and Wasson Lane. WIDNR Urban Non-Point Source Pollution grant o MSA Professional Services is completing a City-wide phosphorus model to document compliance with our stormwater MS4 Permit. Stewardship of Public Infrastructure o The 2026 Mill and Overlay project was awarded to Lepke Trucking and Excavating. Work will occur starting in July and will occur on Paulson Road. City staff prepared a grant application and the City was awarded a Wisconsin Local Roads Improvement Grant for $50,000 to support this project. Conservation and Parks Division o Park and Recreation Advisory Board recommended to City Council adoption of the 2026 Urban Forestry Management Plan. The Community Development Department oversees the Plan Commission, Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, Business Improvement District Board , Historic Preservation Commission , City Board of Appeals , Downtown Design Review Committee , Extraterritorial Zoning Committee (ETZ), Extra Territorial Board of Appeals, and River Falls Economic Development Corporation. BUILDING PERMITS ISSUED Permit Type AUGUST YTD Permit Value AUGUST Permit Value YTD Building Permits 25 191 $6,434,800 $45,776,200 New Home Permits 7 54 $1,685,000 $14,071,000