Approved Meeting Minutes March 26, 2013

Transcription

1 The meeting was called to order at 7:06 PM. ARLINGTON COUNTY PARK AND RECREATION COMMISSION 2100 Clarendon Boulevard, Suite 414 Arlington, Virginia Approved Meeting Minutes March 26, 2013 Commission Members Present: Paul Holland, Chairman Conor Marshall Rick Epstein Ashley Stafford Elizabeth Gearin Caroline Haynes Brian Coyne Neal Sigmon Ken Bass Guests: Eric Myers William Ross Brian Hannigan Carole Robinson County Staff: Diane Probus Minutes: 1) Chairman s Introduction and Review/Approval of Meeting Minutes The commission approved the February 26, 2013 meeting minutes. 2) Public Comment Each of the visitors introduced themselves. No public comments were given. 3) Febrey-Lothrop Site [Brian Hannigan, Dominion Hills Civic Association] Mr. Hannigan requested the commission to write a letter to the Department of Parks and Recreation to encourage them to investigate the opportunity of acquiring the property for parkland. Background: Two largest parcels of Rouse property now up for sale The Dominion Hills Neighborhood Conservation Plan recommends purchase of the properties for parkland Some parts of property are flat and would make ideal sites for athletic fields but other part are very steep and not suitable for either development nor parkland Portions of the site are covered with invasive plants Suggest talking to the owner to find out what he wants to do with the property and see if he is interested in preserving it. Is this an all or nothing proposition? Consider if there are other alternatives than purchase of entire properties Building may have historic significance and could limit use of the site for recreational uses Suggest talking to APS to see if they are interested in the property

2 Commission Action: Rick will draft a letter to the County Board Rick will talk to his contact in NVCT about the property 4) Arlington Boathouse Foundation [Carole Robinson and Erik Meyers] Background (see link above for detailed information): An Arlington Coalition has working toward the creation of a rowing facility since 1991 The 2005 PSMP recommends increasing the access to the Potomac River from Arlington County The draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is expected to be completed by the National Park Service and released near the end of 2013 for public comments The foundation would prefer to acquire parcel above GWMP to distribute boathouse facilities between the two sites, but they have fully planned the facility for the lower site if the upper parcel is not acquired. Where will people park to use boathouse? Response: Public parking is available in Rosslyn but the site is accessible by a multiple modes of transportation How will security be managed? Response: They can install a locked gate at the entrance, have an onsite manager when facility is open, and require volunteer parents to supervise the rowers What financing are you looking for? Response: The foundation will raise funds for building the facility and plans to cover operating costs through fees and grants while saving money towards covering future capital costs Commission Action: Write a letter of support for the boathouse to the National Park Service 5) Bill Thomas Award Recommendations [Brian Coyne/Elizabeth Gearin] The results of the selection for award winners was presented to the commission and finalized: Winner for Individual Volunteer: Steve Young Winner for Group Volunteers: Friends of Gulf Branch Elizabeth would like each nominee to be acknowledged with a letter Paul will work with Susan Kalish to design a certificate of excellence which will highlight the contribution of the nominee Find out from Susan Kalish how many nominees can be reconsidered in future years? 6) Commission Priorities for 2013 [Paul Holland] Land acquisition - no progress Site plan Review Commission is invited to attend the June Planning Commission meeting to discuss the role the commission can play in site plan review Wilson School Paul would like an update in May on the process Economic Impact of Open Space - Elizabeth suggested that reports be consolidated and to make the information Arlington oriented PSMP Update - Paul mentioned that Prince George's County has an impressive open space plan and that it has all the components that we would like in our plan How will the commission work with Jane on its priorities?

3 Paul suggested that the commission send Jane the priority list to get Jane s comments on it. Ken is interested in finding out the Arlington Public School impacts on athletic fields 7) Staff Report [DPR Staff] Diane promised to send out the Park Development Division project matrix to the commission The Request for Interest for the Reeves Farmhouse received five idea submissions which are currently being considered by the County Manager and the County Board to determine next steps for finding a viable reuse of the farmhouse. A request for a bench with a memorial plaque in Fort Scott Park will be coming to the commission in April. Two other plaque requests will be submitted in the future. The Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority (NVRPA) Board responded to public concern about their master plan for Potomac Overlook Park by rescinding their vote of approval for the plan. NVRPA will set up an advisory committee to assist with a new plan for the park and the committee will be open to members of the community. It will be about a year before a new plan will be released for review. Paul will talk to Peter to learn more about advisory committee for Potomac Overlook plan 8) Commission Member Reports Information Item [Commissioners] Grants/Awards Committee [Mesches / Scott / Coyne] -- Bill Thomas Award Update (see Item #5) -- Park Enhancement Grants (PEG) Paul would like commissioners to send their comments to him or Diane about recommended changes to the PEG Program Guidelines. Natural Resources [Haynes/ Gearin/ Hage] DPR Planting policies: At the March 4 NRJAG meeting we heard from Lisa Grandle, Parks Planning Division Chief, and Caroline Temmermand, Parks and Natural Resources Division Chief. Specifically we examined how the two divisions coordinate and what the process is for ensuring that the new DPR planting guidelines are being implemented. NRJAG members are particularly interested in ensuring that appropriate plants are being used in all DPR projects. Currently the process is somewhat informal and it was suggested that a more formal process be adopted to ensure clear communications between the two divisions. Arlington National Cemetery Millennium expansion project: Representatives from Arlington National Cemetery and the Corps of Engineers conducted a tour and site visit on Saturday, March 16. It was well attended. The revised Environmental Assessment was released on March 12 with comments due on April 12. The proposal has been revised very little from the original EA, and there are still strong objections to the current design on environmental and historical grounds. The Urban Forestry Commission will be sending another comment letter on the revised EA. E2C2 and the Park and Rec. Commission may also choose to send another comment letter. Deer Survey: Alonso Abugattas, Natural Resource Manager, reported on the process of surveying deer populations and deer damage in Arlington. This will involve at least a yearlong study. Neighboring jurisdictions, including Fairfax County, have been examining options to manage the deer population and have begun to implement a deer management plan. Urban Agriculture [Conor Marshall] The task force will take their report to the County Board in May.

4 We are winding down the work of this body. Based on the tentative schedule, this was supposed to be the last meeting, but due to unfinished business, we are slated to have two more meetings in April. After working out remaining issues within the group, the Task Force Report will be reviewed by an independent viewer chosen some members and Kim Haun, our County-Staff liaison. This report needs to be submitted to the County Board in June, at the latest. Much of the current discussion and disagreement among the members is centered around the issue of hen-keeping. There will be recommendations included in the report to change the zoning ordinance to allow for more wide-spread eligibility for hen-keeping in the County. There is division amongst the group regarding certain aspects of the potential requirements/approval process to be able to keep hens in your yard. One of the issues that drew the most concern are whether prospective hen-keepers would be required to submit a plan for your coop prior to building/permitting, etc. The vote on this issue was 11-4 in favor, with two members not present. The second issue was neighbor approval. After a series of votes, the issue currently stands where prospective hen-keepers would need to garner support of a majority or neighbors whose property line is within 50 feet of the placement of the coop. The exact setback requirement for the coop from end of the owner s property and his/her neighbors still has yet to be nailed down. I will keep the Commission updated on this and other issues as the Task Force wraps up its work over the next month or so. Rosslyn Sector Plan Update [Paul Holland] The County hosted a series of public workshops in March. These workshops were intended to receive additional input from the community, identify key themes and scope out options for the future plan. CPHD received a draft of the preliminary themes from the consultant on Friday March 22. The next steps include finding a date for a Saturday public workshop in late April/early May. The purpose of this workshop will be for the team to come back with the next level of detail based on the conversations from last week. The process panel will look to have two process panel meetings before the end of April to discuss preliminary thoughts on how to approach the last April/early May workshop. Mosaic Park Planning Team [Paul Holland] Mosaic Park is currently being used as a staging site for the construction of the park at Glebe Rd and Randolph St. No update on the status of the Founder s Square development that will fund the redevelopment at Mosaic Park. The plan is at 75% design for the park. Public Facilities Review Committee [Elizabeth Gearin] Ashlawn Elementary School Expansion Arlington Public Schools (APS) with the Public Facilities Review Committee (PFRC) and Building Level Planning Committee (BLPC) is continuing with the process to approve the renovation and expansion on the Ashlawn Elementary School campus. This is in the prefiling stage for the use permit, and discussions continue regarding vehicular and pedestrian traffic circulation, reducing impermeable surface area where possible, and emphasizing multimodal transportation opportunities. Design will coordinate with current school buildings. PFRC made recommendations to include long-term landscaping maintenance as a use permit condition. New Elementary School on Williamsburg Campus APS, PFRC and Williamsburg BLPC have endorsed a concept design (which includes building placement, parking numbers, and site circulation) and begun to review schematic designs for a new elementary school planned for the southeast corner of the Williamsburg campus. The new design is more compact than traditional APS elementary schools and

5 includes creative storm water management strategies. Discussions continue to consider ways to screen the new buildings from the neighbors on Harrison and 36th Streets. Per the consultants and APS supervising architect John Chadwick, construction on the site will likely be phased as follows install the geothermal components under the proposed parking lot along 36th street, followed by regrading and field preparation (shifting the ball field and two full-sized soccer fields north), then using the parking lot area as a primary staging area. This means the fields could be available as soon as weather permits, in early to midspring. Four Mile Run [Sigmon /Stafford] I[Neal] met with Director Jane Rudolph to introduce to her the Four Mile Run stream restoration project. We did a quick tour of the areas of emphasis in the tidal area of the stream downstream of Mt. Vernon Ave,/Arlington Ridge Road. She saw the Potomac Yard area for a new park in a few years on one of the massive railroad bridges that will remain. That bridge will connect Arlington and Alexandria in what is envisioned as a joint park and open space on each bank of the stream at Potomac Yard. Design continues on the pedestrian bridge that will link Arlington's Eads Street with Commonwealth Avenue in Alexandria. Liz Birnbaum, a former Joint Task Force member and former chair of E2C2, has agreed to take a leadership role on the project if appointed by the County Manager. Long Bridge Park Aquatics Health and Fitness Facility [Alonzie Scott] No report. The Long bridge group is not scheduled to meet until 10 or 17 April. Urban Forestry Commission [Caroline Haynes] The UFC heard from Jane Rudolph on the County Manager's FY14 budget proposal. There was a lively exchange focusing on the significant cuts in funding to natural resource programs such as: severe cuts to tree planting and maintenance (eliminate one tree maintenance worker, provide no funding for part-time watering and maintenance in the summer, eliminate tree distribution program, reduce funding for tree planting below anticipated replacement levels for trees lost to disease, damage or development), no funding for contract invasive removal (undermining the ability to leverage volunteer resources and the progress made to date) and, severe cuts to the nature centers (29% cuts, resulting in the loss of one FTE natural resource specialist/nature center director, elimination of all part-time employees (.46 FTE), 50% cut in the operating budget, and reduction of weekend operating hours). Future Business and Up Coming meetings (9:20 9:25) Scheduled for April 23 rd Meeting Bill Thomas Award Ceremony with the County Board and then reception afterwards DES Storm Water Update Scheduled [Jason Papacosma] Arlington Cemetery Proposed Expansion Update [Brian Stout, Arlington County Legislative Liaison] Memorial Recognition Plaque Policy (tentative)