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Posted: Sun Oct 22, 2006 7:25 am

Park and Recreation Advisory Committee to hear two sides of disc
golf in Apple Valley

BY ERICA CHRISTOFFER - SUN NEWSPAPERS
(Created: Thursday, September 14, 2006 9:28 AM CDT)

A little over a year ago, disc golf came to Alimagnet Park in Apple
Valley - to the delight of enthusiasts, yet, also to the dismay of
some neighbors.

Now, the Apple Valley Park and Recreation Advisory Board plans to
examine the pros and cons of the park's new use and whether changes
should be made to the disc golf course, or keep it as it is.

The public is invited to attend a meeting at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday,
Sept. 19, at the Apple Valley Community Center, 14603 Hayes Road.

"We're going to let the public process take its course," said Randy
Johnson, Apple Valley's Parks and Recreation director.

Disc golf, also known as Frisbee golf, uses flying discs, which are
thrown toward a basket known as a hole. The rules are similar to
that of golf.

In June 2005, 12 holes were developed and installed with disc
catchers at Alimagnet Park.

"We'd been looking for a number of years for some activity to bring
into Alimagnet Park to make it more of a recreational park," Johnson
said.

Alimagnet Park, at Ridgeview Drive and Walnut Lane, is a heavily
wooded 85-acre park with lake frontage, canoe launch access, and
nature trails. It also has playground equipment, outdoor volleyball
courts, picnic shelters and a park building.

Johnson said that before disc golf came to Alimagnet, the seclusion
of the park served as a haven for teens who were looking for
trouble. The activity of the disc golf course, he said, has brought
in more adults, children and families. That, coupled with increased
patrol from the Apple Valley Police Department has deterred much of
the misbehavior.

"I've seen a real variety of age groups," he said. "I think it's a
good thing for the community and a good thing for the park."

The addition of disc golf also spurred the opening of the security
gate at the park's main parking lot. The gate had been closed about
seven years ago with the goal of ending teen loitering, but it also
made regular park users go elsewhere, Johnson said.

"We don't have any gates on any of our other parks," he said.

But not everyone agrees that disc golf is the best use for Alimagnet
Park, including Corinne Johnson whose yard abuts the park.

"I'm not against disc golf," she said. "You can tell they are
enjoying themselves."

Corinne Johnson said the trees are being damaged by the flying
discs, and players walking through the park and off paths are
damaging undergrowth and creating erosion.

"We want them to use the park - but we don't want them to destroy
the natural resources," she said.

She also takes issue with the increase in traffic the disc golf
course has brought to the park and people trespassing into
neighboring yards to retrieve runaway discs.

Her suggestion is to turn Alimagnet Park into a nature center, which
would be used by the school district, and move the disc golf course
to the new park Apple Valley is developing at 160th Street and Pilot
Knob Road.

Randy Johnson said he is apprehensive to the idea of a nature center
due to the cost and the park's close vicinity to the Minnesota Zoo
and Lebanon Hills Regional Park.

"It's owned by the public and should be used by the public," he said.

One such group getting much use out of the new disc golf course at
Alimagnet is Bill Ashton's amateur disc golf league. Throughout the
summer he headed up a group that played every Monday.

"I think Randy Johnson has done an excellent job at recapturing this
park," Ashton said. "It's a real gem."

Ashton worked with Randy Johnson and the Park Advisory Board in
designing and constructing the disc golf course.

"I try to do about one a year," he said. "It's getting more popular
and eventually every city will have one - I hope."

Other communities south of the river with disc golf courses include
Eagan, Burnsville, South St. Paul, Inver Grove Heights, Shakopee and
Hastings. Farmington and Lakeville are currently working on plans.

Cameron Anderson of Burnsville said he plays at the Apple Valley
course every week. "We take care of everything; we pick up after
ourselves," he said.

Elliott Grier and MacGregor Grier, brothers who live across the
street from hole seven, said they have seen an increase in foot
traffic through the park since the disc golf course was installed,
but see that as a good thing.

"When we grew up, the park was always open, then they closed it down
for a long time," Elliotte Grier said. "It's good to see it open
again."

Apple Valley Police Chief Scott Johnson, Public Works Director Neal
Heuer and Natural Resources Coordinator Jeff Kehrer will all be on
hand at the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee meeting Sept.
19, to give their take on the disc golf course.

If the advisory committee makes a recommendation for changes to the
course, it will be brought before the City Council.

Posted: Sun Oct 22, 2006 7:31 am

Apple Valley Parks Advisory Committee Approves Disc Golf Course

Thursday, September 28, 2006

Apple Valley Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee approves disc
golf course compromise

BY ERICA CHRISTOFFER - SUN NEWSPAPERS

(Created: Wednesday, September 27, 2006 8:42 PM CDT)

The distinct concepts of parks vs. recreation, which are often
thought of as complementary, can sometimes be seen at odds.

As in the situation at Apple Valley's Alimagnet Park, west of
Gardenview Drive, north of Walnut Lane.

Residents gathered at the Sept. 19 Apple Valley Parks and Recreation
Advisory Committee meeting to voice both concerns and support for
the 12-hole disc golf course.

"The problem we've run into is we have a big success here," said
Charlie Maus, committee member.

The issue at hand - whether disc golf is appropriate at Alimagnet
Park - unfolded during the three-and-a-half hour meeting, which
ended with a compromise.

Corinne Johnson, a resident who lives near the park, made a 20-
minute presentation sighting her opposition to the disc golf course.

"We believe this is the wrong environment," she said.

Johnson said that when disc golf was originally proposed for the
park more than a year ago, residents were promised a low-impact
sport. However, today she estimates between 700 and 1,000 players
walking the course every week.

Disc golf, also known as Frisbee golf, uses flying discs, which are
thrown towards a basket known as a hole. The rules are similar to
that of golf.

Johnson contacted Dakota County Soil and Water District Urban
Conservationist Mikael Isensee to review the area of the park where
disc golf is played. The district's findings included worn grass and
vegetation, compacted soil areas and damage to trees.

Isensee recommended that disc golf be removed from the forested
areas of Alimagnet Park.

Yet other residents drew attention to the positive impacts disc golf
has brought to the park and the community.

Angela Prehn, a mother of two, said that before disc golf was set up
in Alimagnet, groups of people congregated in the park who she
didn't feel comfortable having her children around.

"Since the disc golf course has come into the park, I'm not scared
of the people using the park anymore," Prehn said. "I don't want it
to go back to the way it was."

According Apple Valley Parks and Recreation Director Randy Johnson
and Police Chief Scott Johnson, Alimagnet Park had trouble with
teens loitering, drinking and causing other problems in the past.

The disc golf course has brought in more adults, children and
families into the park. That, coupled with increased patrols from
the Apple Valley Police Department has deterred much of the deviant
behavior.

Chief Scott Johnson said that the increased police calls to the park
are a direct result of more people using the park, noticing
suspicious behavior and calling the police.

"Anytime you have more use of a public facility, calls will
increase," he said.

Park neighbor Richard Johnson said that he's had disc golf players
stomp through his gardens.

"I could call the police at least every day," he said, referring to
drinking, trespassing, swearing and traffic issues.

However, other residents testified that they've never seen such
behavior from disc golfers.

James Wagner, a senior at Eastview High School, said that he has
seen good students playing, and they value the park and the trees.

Louise Anderson, a parent of three sons, including one who is
developmentally disabled, said that it is difficult finding a low-
cost activity for a variety of ages and a variety of abilities.

"It's really a nice activity that you can do with all those
abilities," she said.

Other communities south of the river with disc golf courses include
Eagan, Burnsville, South St. Paul, Inver Grove Heights, Shakopee and
Hastings. Farmington and Lakeville are currently working on plans.

Resident Andrea Rivers pointed out that disc golf has changed the
personality of Alimagnet Park.

"It gives up natural preserve aspects for more people using the
park," she said. "There is a trade off."

The Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee tried to make another
trade off, satisfying both residents adjacent to the park and disc
golf players.

The committee recommended changes such as creating a catch barrier
to help keep flyaway discs out of neighbors' yards at hole two, and
posting more signage to deter trespassing. The target at hole three
would be moved farther away from residents' yards. The path at hole
seven would be made permanent. Holes eight and nine would receive
fresh chipping of pathways. The approach to hole 10 would be
relocated down the hillside and to the west. The basket target at
hole 11 would be moved away from the wetlands by clearing an area of
dead trees. And the approach to hole 12 would be shortened up to
narrow the throwing range and distance.

Advisory Committee Chair Russell Defauw said that as the panel looks
to build up the city's new park at 160th Street and Pilot Knob Road,
the committee will consider adding disc golf. However, the success
at Alimagnet cannot be denied and the committee has no plans to
remove the course for another year.

Defauw told the residents, "Living near a park is not easy
sometimes." But he also told the disc golf players, "Police your
own."

The committee voted 6-1, approving the changes to the Alimagnet Park
disc golf course. The Apple Valley City Council is expected to
consider the committee's recommendations at an upcoming meeting.

Posted: Sun Oct 22, 2006 7:36 am

Apple Valley City Council approves proposed modifications on disc
golf course

BY ERICA CHRISTOFFER

SUN NEWSPAPERS

(Created: Wednesday, October 18, 2006 10:14 PM CDT)

Disc golf is going to stay in Apple Valley's Alimagnet Park.

The Apple Valley City Council approved the modifications recommended
by the city's Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee Oct. 12. The
decision was a compromise between the success disc golf has become
and the annoyance it is brought to some park neighbors.

"I personally feel you have come up with a compromise that should
work," said Councilmember Bob Erickson.

The redesign measures, presented by Parks and Recreation Advisory
Committee Chair Russ Defauw, were created to lessen environmental
impacts and minimize nuisance issues for neighbors.

"Most of all, we're going to engage face-to-face with the disc
golfers," Defauw said, to promote enforcement of course etiquette.

Disc golf, also known as Frisbee golf, uses flying discs, which are
thrown toward a basket known as a hole. The rules are similar to
that of golf.

West of Gardenview Drive, north of Walnut Lane, the issue of whether
disc golf is appropriate at Alimagnet Park was brought forth by
residents last year.

"The neighbors have some very valid concerns about their property
and traffic," Defauw said.

At the Sept. 19 Parks and Recreation Advisory Board meeting, three-
and-a-half hours of testimony unfolded from both disc golf advocates
and opponents.

Neighbors cited issues of environmental damage, trespassing, litter,
and traffic concerns.

The committee voted to modify the course to alleviate some of those
issues, while continuing to work with Apple Valley Police on regular
enforcement.

Tom Adamini, park maintenance superintendent, called the Apple
Valley course, as it is today, "ugly." However, he said he and his
maintenance crew can make the park more aesthetically pleasing and
environmentally sound.

"I do not believe disc golf is the biggest threat to that woodland,"
said Adamini, who visited several other wooded parks with disc golf
in the area.

Of Alimagnet's 85 acres, the disc golf course occupies 0.39 acres.
Jeff Kehrer, Apple Valley's natural resources coordinator, said the
erosion and foot traffic impacts are typical for park use. He called
out the 10th fairway under-story damage being more extensive.

He noted 1 to 2 inch dings on some white oaks, but didn't see the
trees being a high risk for oak wilt. Kehrer suggested placing
protective plastic netting around the frequently hit areas.

Having visited several other disc golf parks, Kehrer said the damage
is similar at Alimagnet. And, he did not know of any trees being
lost due to disc golf - even at a course in Bloomington, which has
been in existence more than 20 years.

Neighbors voiced concerns that youth were trespassing in their yards
and that the course was being used over an adequate capacity.

Defauw said the city didn't have numbers on how many disc golfers
were using the course on a daily basis.

"I'm quite surprised that we don't have a count by this time," said
Councilmember Tom Goodwin.

With approval of the course modifications, the council also called
for a head-count next summer on daily disc golf use, as well as
traffic counts during the peak season of June through August.

Apple Valley had taken traffic counts April 13, April 17 and Sept.
28 of this year, which showed little to no increase in levels from a
previous count taken Aug. 31, 2000.

The course modifications will be installed for next season and the
disc golf issues will be re-evaluated in September 2007.

Defauw said that if disc golf popularity continues, a second course
will be considered at Apple Valley's future park on Pilot Knob Road
and 160th Street.

Disc golf changes:

Hole two - Provide screening with arborvitae trees to prevent discs
from entering woods and private property to the east. Provide
additional signs to encourage respectful behavior of the park users.

Hole three - Relocate target basket about 20 feet to the west to
help prevent discs from entering woods on the east boundary. Provide
additional plantings on east boundary as needed.

Hole seven - Extend asphalt bike path up to Park Lane. Consider
tiering of area in front of the basket to help stabilize slope and
improve aesthetics.

Hole eight and nine - Improve existing trail with crushed gravel or
woodchips as needed. Set of steps leading to hole nine.

Hole 10 - Remove existing tee box and fairway from hillside. Seed
hillside to re-establish turf. Re-route hole to tee off from west on
existing path.

Hole 11 - Move target basket approximately 25 feet to the south.

Hole 12 - Shorten approach shot by moving tee box approximately 100
feet south, up the hill.

Posted: Sun Oct 22, 2006 7:45 am

After reading this article, I would tend to think we definitely need
to address our LETTERS-TO-THE-EDITOR to APPLE VALLEY THISWEEK
NEWSPAPER. This article tends to shed more light on the negative
opposition. I'm wondering if members of the disc community can
become involved with their local "Friends of Alimagnet". I'd
personally be interested in helping to remove "BUCKTHORN TREES", but
not the disc golf course! LOL...

Anyway, it appears we need to begin to educate the public more on
the positive end of things. Disc Golf is definitely getting a bad
rap here in ValleyHood. Plus, this type of negative attack hinders
the growth of new courses. I think TIM GILL mentioned it quite well
in the players meeting yesterday at the MINNEAPOLIS OPEN at KENWOOD PARK, by telling players other park users have the right of way. As players if we can learn to provide that type of etiquette more, I think neighborhood issues and other conflicts would be minimal. It's all
about RESPECT!

Bill Ashton

Lake Alimagnet community members insist the new recreational
activity is destroying their park

Posted: 10/20/06

by Jeff Achen

Thisweek Newspapers

A young man came trouncing through Corinne Johnson's yard one
afternoon while she was reading a book on her back porch.

"What are you doing?" she recalls asking.

"Where is it?" he said.

He was looking for a sturdy, yellow frisbee used in disc golf.
Corinne helped him find the disc, but a few minutes later another
young man came through their yard looking for his disc. She and her
husband Richard told him he was trespassing, but he said he had a
right to retrieve his disk and promptly showed the couple his middle
finger.

It's a similar story along the row of houses near Alimagnet park in
Apple Valley. Residents who'd had enough of the disrespect brought
their complaints about the disc golf course before the Parks and
Recreation Advisory Committee Sept. 19.

The disc golf course was established only 16 months ago, yet it is
quickly drawing the attention of community members who are tired of
the rude, and sometimes criminal, behavior or are concerned about
the environmental damage they say the disc golf course has played a
major role in.

When the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee approved the course
in 2005, they estimated a daily usage of about two to five people
per day. Residents put that number at over 1,000 people per week.
Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee member Russ Defauw said the
actual number is more likely around 350 to 500 people per week.
Either way, it is clearly a popular recreation activity in the city.

MacGregor Grier, a disc golfer at the course, told City Council
members he sees a lot of families using Alimagnet.

"It got me off the couch," he said. "I'm really grateful the course
was installed."

He also told the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee that the
sport has made the park more safe because there's more positive
activity there. He would like to see it remain in the park.

But he and other disc golfers are largely opposed by residents.

"They need a frisbee golf park, they really do," Richard Johnson
said. "They just need a better place for it."
Changes

Defauw said the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee voted to
make a number of redesign changes in response to residents'
concerns. They had two goals in mind; to lessen environmental damage
and to reduce the impact on the neighbors.

"Realistically, human beings leave a footprint," he said. "We're
trying to minimize that footprint."

But it is not the footprint many residents are worried about. It is
the beer cans and foul language.

Nevertheless, the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee voted 6 to
1 to keep disc golf at Alimagnet. Defauw said staff are going to
work aggressively with the neighbors, disc golfers and police this
fall and next spring to attempt to minimize the impact on neighbors.

City Council approved changes to the course at their Oct. 12
meeting. Changes include screening for trees being cut and damaged
by discs and fencing to keep discs out of private property. They
will extend the asphalt paths and tier areas of ground to stabilize
the slopes and improve aesthetics. Parks staff will also relocate
some of the tee boxes away from private property and seed areas to
reestablish turf. Lastly, they have planned to review the course in
September 2007.

Defauw said a second disc golf course would definitely be a
reasonable consideration given its popularity.
Environmental concerns

Corinne Johnson said she would like to see the course moved to an
entirely new location. A master gardener for Dakota County and
member of the Apple Valley Garden Club, she is more concerned about
damage to trees and the degradation of the park as a natural wooded
area.

She contacted Dr. Karen Shragg, manager of the Wood Lake Nature
Center in Richfield, this summer and invited her to visit Alimagnet
Park. She wanted Shragg's assessment of the park for use as a nature
center.

Shragg was impressed with the area's potential and urged the city to
consider the creation of a nature center in Alimagnet.

"Every community needs a nature center's services, but not every
community is fortunate enough to have a park like Alimagnet in its
midst," Shragg wrote in September.

Dr. Katharine Widen with Plant Health Associates, Inc. conducted a
tree evaluation report in September 2006. She reported tree wounds,
damage to native vegetation caused by people searching for discs,
invasion of non-native plants such as burdock and buckthorn in areas
where native plant coverage was destroyed and soil erosion around
baskets, slopes and trails. All of this, she reports, will
compromise the longevity of trees and shrubs in the park.

Dakota County Soil and Water Conservation also conducted an on-site
review in July 2006, but only in areas around disc golf tees eight
through 11. Its report states that Alimagnet Park is one of only two
remnant natural communities remaining in Apple Valley and a "rare
feature" in Dakota County.

Its technical opinion is that the impacts of disc golf are
significant to the quality of the native oak forest and continued
use for this activity would lead to "total loss of ground cover
vegetation in impacted areas and greater degradation of this rare
community."

Parks Maintenance Superintendent Tom Adamini said the disc golf
issue puts him in a difficult position. He wants to provide a
recreation activity that is in demand, but also meet the needs of
the City and its residents. That said, he thinks he and his staff
can improve the park.

"If you ask me `do I like the way it looks going through there as it
is right now,' I'd say `no,'" Adamini said. "But I believe we've got
the people on our staff to make Alimagnet more environmentally
pleasing and more environmentally sound than anything out there."

Apple Valley Natural Resources Coordinator Jeff Kehrer said he
thinks the erosion and soil compaction is similar to that of other
parks with regular foot traffic. And though trees near tees are
dented, Kehrer said he doesn't think it is a high risk for oak wilt
infection.

Kehrer said staff will protect about 50 trees with snow fencing and
believes the problems he saw could definitely be minimized.

In the meantime, Johnson said she and some neighbors have started a
group called "Friends of Alimagnet." They aim to promote the
creation of a nature center, help reconstruct the area by removing
buckthorn and fundraising.

"Right now," she said, "no one's going to go down and walk here and
enjoy the beautiful nature and that's really what this offers."

Jeff Achen can be reached at av.thisweek@ecm-inc.com.

Posted: Sun Oct 22, 2006 8:05 am

To the editor:

Our rights as homeowners and as taxpayers just got thrown out like the trash. Worst of all, it's over a game. Our once quiet neighborhood and park is being wrecked because of a game. It's not a disc golf problem, it's a location problem.

We need a change. What's wrong with a quiet neighborhood and a nature preserve? Let's try that for a year and see what the neighbors say. Who is paying who anyway? Maybe these golfers don't realize that there was a large group of people before them and there will be more after them. Zooming up the street and then zooming back down when they are done. They play then they leave.

Where do I get to go? This is my house, my neighborhood, I shouldn't have to feel like I need to leave. We need a change. The Parks and Recreation Committee members should be ashamed of themselves. They had a chance to do the right thing and get disc golf out of Alimagnet Park and in to a better park for that kind of activity.

Come election time we need to vote for change. If you want to see your taxes raised, lack of high paying jobs in the area, homeowner rights forgotten about than keep things the same. If you want to see local government be held accountable for issues that impact you then vote for Lance Huston for mayor. For more information on Lance, see his Web page at www.lancehuston.com.

Dave Truesdell
Apple Valley

Disc golf has been a success

To the editor:

Since the installation of the disc golf course at Alimagnet Park, there has been a tremendous turnaround to the park atmosphere. The park is now bustling with activity. With what years ago was rampant with trouble, it’s now vibrant and active with more of a positive type user base. I’ve seen all different types of age groups enjoying disc golf in the park.

Not only has the park department made improvements within the park, but they have made some great additional upgrades to the disc golf course as well (new bulletin board, cement tees, landscape pavers and wood chips surround the targets and a concrete block staircase was built to help minimize erosion on hole 4). The course in two seasons of play, has grown to be an “executive level” status course and a popular south metro favorite. The course has proven to provide a great sense of community and it has a great league and tournament program series.

As a person outside the Apple Valley community, I feel I have helped to make a positive contribution to the park system and community by helping to implement disc golf at Alimagnet Park. There are not many people in today’s world promoting positive activities toward their local park departments. The disc golf course has helped to reduce vandalism as well. I’m glad to hear that the Apple Valley City Council approved the recommendations suggested by the Park Advisory Board. The state of Minnesota has a total of 107 courses of which at least 70 percent play through wooded sections of park in some fashion.

I would like to personally thank the Apple Valley Park Board and the Apple Valley City Council and all their members for deciding in favor of disc golf in Apple Valley.

Bill Ashton
Burnsville
Apple Valley Disc Golf League director

Save Alimagnet

To the editor:

I attended the September meeting of the Park and Recreation Commission where disc golf in Alimagnet was discussed. I read the advice given by Katharine Wadin, who holds a Ph.D. in plant health, and Mikal Isenseeis, an urban conservationist with the Dakota County soil and water department. In his letter, he recommends removal of the baskets in and around the oak trees immediately. They both agree that the disc golf course does not belong in Alimagnet.

I have also listened to residents on both sides. Those who have homes around the park and have witnessed increased and reckless driving down their quiet neighborhood street where their children play.

I have also heard from the golfers. There is no doubt that a disc golf course is a big success. It is an opportunity for families and friends to enjoy the outdoors and physical activity.

Let’s not sacrifice Alimagnet’s natural resources just because it might be a hassle to change the location of a disc golf course. In the long run, building a better course somewhere else will appease to both golfers and residents who live around Alimagnet.

There are only two naturally functioning and unaltered oak forest communities left standing in our city. Alimagnet has the distinction of having one of these forests and it is in this oak forest community where the disc golf is causing so much damage.

KATHLEEN McINNIS
Apple Valley