Meeting Notes
Open Space Steering Committee
October 14, 2004, 7:00 AM
Lee Center
The meeting began with a discussion of the status of the 10 sites on the Committee’s priority list.
Mike Nardolilli reported on open space easements. On the Lloyds Lane project, the easement is going to their board in October. The easement was found to have conservation value, in large part because the specific site appears on the Open Space Element Map, giving strong evidence of a “clearly delineated governmental purpose” per IRS regulations.
Eric Wagner reported on the Seminary Forest/Ivor Lane project. The Planning Commission supported City acquisition of the open space parcels. Adjoining owners had requested part to provide for widening their access road, which would have allowed further subdivision of their parcels.
Judy Noritake reported that Eric had made a presentation to the Taylor Run Civic Association, and that the Open Space Steering Committee members need remember to report presentations made at these kinds of events (to Aimee Vosper in Recreation and Parks) so that the Committee’s full range of activities can be reported back to the Council. She urged members to resume their efforts to get on the agenda of civic associations to make the PowerPoint presentation.
Eric reported that the reception there was good, that there was full support for the open space plan from those who attended.
Judy reminded Planning staff that they had planned to sit down with developers and attorneys who represent developers to talk about open space easements, and that this meeting should be set up.
The site plan for the Second Presbyterian project has been approved, with two open space parcels to be given to the City. Aimee Vosper reported that the concept for improvements on these parcels was part of the approval, and that final details will be worked out with final site plan review. The City Council did approve an increase of $50,000 in the maintenance budget to take on the maintenance of such open space parcels.
Judy Noritake introduced new member Ann Davin representing the Archaeological Commission.
Aimee Vosper reported that the City Council had received the Open Space Action Plan developed by staff at their meeting of September 28th, that a public hearing was scheduled for October 16. The Council changed the language on Monticello Park to protective measures rather than acquisition. The City Manager’s office retained the long-term designation for Clermont Cove.
term designation for Clermont Cove.
Judy Noritake noted that though full development of this site was not a threat because of the stream situation there, the potential problem with Clermont Cove was nibbling at the edges from development. There is substantial protection of the main parcels by the Resource Protection Area.
David Speck indicated the importance of public outreach and education for easements, so that we find out about properties before they reach the real estate market, into a market-driven political process when costs are so much higher. He will testify about that at the City Council hearing referenced above.
Bill Hendrickson indicated this might be an issue for the Open Space Coordinator, once a person is hired.
Aimee Vosper indicated that a letter had been sent to the property owners on the priority list indicating the most recent actions.
Jean Federico indicated that Historic Alexandria had been contacted by the Old Dominion Boat Club (ODBC) to prepare a history of their building.
Judy Noritake stated that the acquisition parcels in the action plan in front of City Council included the ODBC parking lot, but not the boat club's building. She noted that the waterfront parcels are the only places on the priority list where condemnation is contemplated by the Action Plan.
Bill Hendrickson asked if condemnation would proceed before the planning process.
Eric Wagner indicated that it was in the City’s interest to get control of the property regardless of the outcome of the planning process. Judy Noritake noted that the owners have been unable to put deals together, in part because of the difficulty of providing parking for small parcels in waterfront areas.
Aimee Vosper reported that the community meeting on open space had been scheduled for October 28 at the Mount Vernon recreation center. Bill Skraback suggested an open house for the public at 6:30 before the formal presentation.
Eric Wagner indicated that the approach to pocket parks will be a topic for discussion at that meeting. He indicated that the public hasn’t had an overall presentation of the Open Space Plan since its adoption.
The desirability of including the presentation on Community Greens as part of the meeting was discussed. The conclusion of the group was that there would be enough to discuss at the meeting, and that this topic should be one of the subjects of one of an anticipated small number of themed meetings on open space over the year.
The possibility of having separate nomination forms for pocket parks and other open space in this year’s nomination process was discussed. It was decided that the pocket park issue will be pursued on its on time frame and through a separate process, but that if some nominations are submitted in the larger pool that qualify better as pocket parks, the Committee will identify those and place them into consideration in the separate process. A fixed deadline for this year’s process will be used, but nominations can be submitted at any time.
For now, the Open Space Steering Committee is the keeper of the list of nominated properties. The committee is to recommend a permanent process as part of its recommendations at the end of the interim two year period. All nominations will be retained until the site is acquired, otherwise protected, or developed. Each year the list will be recalibrated and the priorities identified.
Eric Wagner raised the question of pocket park location criteria with a 0.1-mile radius, and private open space and recreation facilities in large residential projects in the West End. Aimee Vosper indicated that RPCA was in the process of identifying private open space and would include that information in assessing which areas are underserved.
Mike Nardolilli indicated that in Arlington, neighborhoods can nominate sites for pocket parks, and that money is available for acquisition. Barbara Ross noted that in Arlington, neighborhoods have official boundaries; in Alexandria there are a number of overlapping areas with civic associations or interest groups and several with no organized associations at all.
Judy indicated that at the November meeting, the Committee should work out the definition and process for pocket parks, and forward it to the City Council by the end of the year.
Kenyon Larsen asked if the same subcommittee that worked under Ellen Pickering’s leadership should work this coming nomination cycle to prepare a draft of the open space sites evaluation for the larger committee to review. The offer was accepted by the chairs.
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