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Home My WebLink About6/1/2017 Item 1, Rowley June1,2017 SUBJECT:Preliminary20172019FinancialPlan DearMayorHarmonandMembersoftheCouncil, ResidentsforQualityNeighborhoodssupportstheresidentsoftheNorthBroadStreetareain theirpursuitofapark.Theseresidentshavetriedformanyyearstogetapark.Onethingafter anotherhasprecludedthisfromhappening.ThenonJune14,2016,thestarsalignedandthe CityCouncilallocated$900,000ofunassigned,endoffiscalyearfundsspecificallyforaparkin theNorthBroadStreetarea.WithƭƷğŅŅ͸ƭassurancethatthiswastheproperlocation,Council placedthesefundsintheParklandDevelopmentFund.Finally,withfundsavailablefora purchase,oratleastadownpayment,thislongawaitedgoalcouldberealized. OnNovember1,2016,Counciladoptedthe2020ParksandRecreation5ĻƦğƩƷƒĻƓƷ͸ƭStrategic Plan,asamended,recommendedbytheParksandRecreationCommission(PRC).Paragraph4, ExpandParksandFacilities,hadbeenamendedtoaddsubparagraphs4.3.1and4.3.2. 4.3.1states,ͻLƓƭĻƩƷParksandRecreationmoreactivelyintotheplanningprocess fornewneighborhoodƦğƩƉƭ͵ͼ 4.3.2states,ͻtǒƩƭǒĻanewparklocatedintheNorthBroadStreetbĻźŭŷĬƚƩŷƚƚķ͵ͼ Ifthecouncilhadnotwantedstafftomoveforwardinpursuitofaparkinthisarea,theywould haverequiredchangestoparagraph4.3.2oftheStrategicPlanbeforeapprovingit.Onthe contrary,theyapproveditunanimously(40,CouncilMemberChristiansonabsent).Thus,the factthatstaffhasnotasyetworkedonthisprojectmaybearesultofcompletingoldprojects; itdoesnotappearthatitisbecauseoftheabsenceofCouncildirection. However,arearesidentshadlearnedthroughyearsofexperiencethatunanticipatedproblems mightarisetoprecludetheultimaterealizationoftheirgoalofapark.Therefore,they continuedtomonitortheprogressoftheparkbyattendingsubsequentPRCmeetings. a.AttheFebruary1,2017meetingtheyheardthePRCchairdiscussrequestingfundsfrom CounciltoupdatetheParksandRecreationElementsuggestingParklandFundsasthesource. b.OnMarch1,2017aftercommentingabouttheƦğƩƉ͸ƭimportancetothemandlisteningto othersdisagree,arearesidentswereconcernedforthesafetyoftheƦğƩƉ͸ƭfundinguntilone commissionermadeimpassionedcommentsabouttheimportance,tangiblenatureand longevityofaparkcomparedtothatofaParks&RecreationElementupdate.Hiscomments swayedthevote,causingallreferencetotakingmoneyfromtheParklandFundtoberemoved. DuringPublicCommentpriortotheMay16,2017CityCouncilmeeting,KitGouldpresented thecouncilwithapetitionsignedby200peoplesupportingtheNorthBroadStreetareapark 1 andaskedwhatcouldbedonetospeedupacquisitionefforts.Itwasafterherpresentation thatsheandherotherneighborsweretoldbystaffthatthecityplannedtotakemostofthe fundssetasideforaNorthBroadStreetareaparkandusethemforotherprojectsinsteadof leavingthemthereforthelongdesiredpark. Residentshaveaskedaboutobtaininggrantfundsforthispark.Theyweretoldbystaffthat therewerenograntsforthepurchaseofpropertyforapark.Sodepletingthesefundsis tantamounttoremovingallpossibilityofaparkinthisneighborhoodsincetherewillbeno reservetodrawuponwhenlanddoesbecomeavailable,andreplenishingthesefundsinthe futureseemsunlikely.If,however,landisacquiredthenresidentscanapplyforNeighborhood MatchGrantsandholdfundraisersforplantings,picnicbenches,etc.Rightnowthelandisthe problemandlandinthatareaisexpensiveanditisrapidlydisappearing. Theroadtoaparkinthisareahasnotbeeneasy.WehopeyouǞƚƓ͸Ʒmakeitmoredifficult, potentiallyimpossible,byremovinganyofthe$900,000intheParklandFundthatwas intendedforaNorthBroadStreetareapark.Withoutadedicatedreservefundlikethatused forOpenSpace,itisunlikelythatland,evenifreadilyavailable,caneverbepurchased. Thankyouforyourtimeandyourconsiderationofthismatter. Sincerely, SandraRowley Chairperson,RQN Attachments: 1References 2Amendment,P&R2020StrategicPlan 2 REFERENCES TheParksandRecreationElementprovidesactiverecreationareasandfacilitiesthatare essentialtoneighborhoods.TheLandUseElementworkstoincorporateparksandrecreation intothelargerlandusealternativesitesandenhanceintegrationoftheseresourcesinto neighborhoods.\[ 9Ʀ͵ЊЊЍ. 2.14. Neighborhood Wellness Action Plans(Program) Tohelpresidentspreserveandenhancetheirneighborhoods,theCityshall: A.Workwithresidentsthatrequestassistancetoprepareneighborhoodplansthatempower themtoshapetheirneighborhoods; B.Helpdevisestrategiestohelpstabilizetherental/ownerratio,tomaintainneighborhood character,safety,andstability; problems,andundertakeawiderangeoffocuseddevelopment C.Helpidentifyneighborhood review,capitalimprovement,andcodeenforcementefforts; D.Encouragetheformationofvoluntaryneighborhoodgroups,soresidentscanbecome involvedearlyinthedevelopmentreviewprocess; E.Involveresidentsearlyinreviewingproposedpublicandprivateprojectsthatcouldhave neighborhoodimpacts,bynotifyingresidentsandpropertyownersandholdingmeetingsat convenienttimesandplaceswithintheneighborhoods. F.Provideappropriatestaffsupport,andtrainallstafftobesensitivetoissuesofneighborhood protectionandenhancement.\[ 9ƦЊЎЉͲЊЎЊ. 9.6. Natural Areas and Green Space (Policy) TheCityshallcontinuetomaintainandexpandnaturalareasinandaroundthecitytofoster carbonsequestrationwhileprovidingmoreopenspaceforresidents.\[ 9ƦЊВЏ. 3