Citizen Advisory Committee Meeting. November 15, 2011 MPRB Headquarters- 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Transcription

1 Citizen Advisory Committee Meeting November 15, 2011 MPRB Headquarters- 6:30-8:30 p.m.

2 Charge for Wirth Lake Area Citizen Advisory Committee: Prepare recommendations for the Board of Commissioners on the prioritization of improvements throughout Theodore Wirth Park. The CAC shall consider existing plans and other park needs such as winter recreation/active sports facilities, operations facility consolidation, Wirth Chalet revitalization (including consideration of a restaurant), picnic pavilion rehabilitation, and trail and parkway upgrades. The CAC recommendations shall attract visitors to the unique historical, environmental, and recreational qualities of the park, while reducing maintenance and operating costs. Aims of Meeting: For CAC to provide design direction to staff. For CAC to provide direction regarding future analysis to staff. 6:35 pm Welcome George Puzak, Chair 6:40 pm Overview of Concepts Andrea Weber, MPRB 7:00 pm Design Direction Bruce Chamberlain, MPRB & George Puzak, Chair 8:00 pm CAC Direction for Modeling Bruce Chamberlain, MPRB The design charrette provided a picture of the interrelationships of recreational, historic and environmental characteristics and activities in the park. Based on the CAC s program and design recommendations for the park master plan, Park Board staff will model several aspects of the park to assist the CAC it funding prioritization recommendations. These aspects include: Operational model (resources required for and approaches to operating the park) Maintenance model (resources required for and approaches to maintaining the park) Financial model (budget estimates and approaches to costs, revenues and return on investment) 8:10 pm Public Comment George Puzak, Chair 8:30 pm Adjourn

3 Overall Park- Park Zones-Intensity of Activity North Higher Intensity South, Lower Intensity Access and Connections Includes Learning Corridor Multi-use cycling event corridor and connections Existing and desired neighborhood connections Improve wayfinding South Wirth Trail Loops Concept (can extend throughout park)

4 South Wirth Park- South Wirth Trail Loops Concept Vegetation Management ; trail corridors outward Savannah from Woodland Reducing overall trails in South Reduce walking trails Add two way single track bike connection through SW Wirth Maintain existing ski trail Small modifications to Wirth Lake Area Concept (G) based on archaeological study and public comment

5 Hillside Concept Welcome Center integrated into the terrain of the existing hillside, buffered by existing topography and plantings. The building mass is minimized by using smaller connecting pieces. Parking would be along the parkway. Golf-relocation of Par-3 hole number 1 across parkway, and holes 17 and 18 on main course. Chalet can serve both courses. Tubing could be relocated to the 17 th fairway Maintenance continues in its current location. The tool house is refurbished and upgraded maintenance structures replace other garages to improve operations.

6 Stadium or Ha-Ha Concept The Welcome Center is built into the landscape to create a ha-ha condition; a late Victorian technique that eliminated fencing from view by establishing depressions in the land that livestock could not cross; in this case it would shield the building from view from the parkway. Golf holes 17 and 18, and hole number 1 on the par 3 course would be relocated. 3 par 3 holes are relocated into the prairie area using sustainable techniques that would integrate native prairie into the course. Parking will be added across the parkway. Maintenance would move uphill of its current location. The existing tool-house building is restored as Theo s retreat for park visitor use. This proposal allows for a continuous ski/bike stadium or for a separate tubing hill operation in the position of golf hole #17.

7 Outcrop Concept Like the Hillside exploration, this concept also integrates the building into the landscape. The Welcome Center is perpendicular to the parkway, its smallest edge facing it. The building faces the ski/bike stadium and would also serve par 3 users. The par-3 hole number 1 is relocated as well as golf holes 17 and 18. A potential driving range or golf practice facilities could occur in the former 17 th fairway. Parking would be located across the parkway near the 9 th hole. The existing tool-shed building is restored as Theo s retreat for potential use by tubing. A new tubing hill location is investigated over the terrain of golf hole 18 and terminating at Theo s retreat. Maintenance relocated uphill of the existing tool-house.

8 Charrette finding 1: Meeting the demands of existing and emerging recreational programming can be accomplished (within a spirit of compromise) in the space, terrain and vegetative patterns within the park. RESOLUTIONS APPROVED With the addition or expansion of other programs, retain 18-hole and par-3 golf courses. Not necessarily in same configuration. Design a north and south bound sustainable mountain bike trail connection through SW Wirth west of Theodore Wirth Parkway. Avoid environmentally sensitive plants and archaeological sites. Use International Mountain Bike Standards for design. Reduce total amount of trails in area. Reduce total hiking and walking trail amount in South and Southwest Wirth and provide designated walking and hiking trails in that area (no paved trails). Close renegade trails. No paved trail on southern end of SW Wirth along Highway 394. Designate a dog park near the Humane Society with possible expansion to Theodore Wirth Parkway. Conduct planning with Humane Society Rehabilitate Twin Lake area as natural shoreline vs. designated beach (include path restoration and better walking access). Add plantings in addition to removing buckthorn. Establish a multi-use event bike trail loop through North Wirth that can coexist with golf. No removal of mature trees. New trail limited to 4-6 ft wide. Using existing trails when possible. Design for a multi-use welcome and training center move to Finding 5

9 Charrette finding 2: Current maintenance facilities are not adequate to serve the park. RESOLUTIONS APPROVED Redesign the maintenance facility in the area of the current facility Design for a new maintenance facility in the area of the 18 th hole and a possible remote storage facility in NE SE quad of Hwy 55 & parkway. Preserve views from all directions. Remove earlier proposed maintenance facility on Glenwood from future consideration

10 Charrette finding 3: Layout of the 18-hole golf course can be successfully redesigned to enhance playability for the majority of golfers, allow for other recreational programs and reduce maintenance issues. Possible directives offered to the CAC for consideration: Further develop the preliminary concept produced in the charrette that retains historical character, minimizes tree loss, improves playability of hole 12 and relocates holes 17 and 18 this concept could also include reversing play in order to finish hole 18 at the foot of the chalet

11 Charrette finding 4: National designation of Theodore Wirth Park as a historic landscape is pending. This designation has a host of design implications, but does not have to limit use and enjoyment of the park. Possible directives offered to the CAC for consideration: Keep any new buildings in the park out of views to and from the chalet Restore alignment of the parkway in the area of the chalet to more closely match the original alignment Redesign parking at the chalet to minimize its impact on views of the chalet from the parkway Rehabilitate landscape and pedestrian/cart circulation in front of the chalet to provide universal access and respect historic landscape character Rehabilitate and adaptively reuse the tool shed Adjust the 18-hole golf course only in ways that respect inherent landscape character/views

12 Charrette finding 5: Splitting winter recreation between the chalet and par-3 clubhouse is problematic to operations and the visitor experience. Possible directives offered to the CAC for consideration: Design for a multi-use welcome and training center (moved from #1) Consolidate winter recreation programming to operate out of a new facility near the current Par-3 building Redesign 18-hole golf course in order to relocate 17 th and 18 th holes Charrette finding 6: Learning programs at the park should be celebrated and better integrated. Possible directives offered to the CAC for consideration: Design for a learning corridor with enhanced trail connections, signage and interpretation between the bog, Eloise Butler and JD Rivers gardens Develop alternatives that support summer programming near JD Rivers. Develop alternatives that support year-round programming near Par-3.

13 Charrette finding 7: Concepts highlight programmatic competition for the current 17 th fairway between an event biking starting area and driving range in the summer and Nordic ski stadium and snowboarding in the winter. Possible directives offered to the CAC for consideration: Winter convert use of the current 17 th fairway to a Nordic ski stadium; relocate the tubing hill to the vicinity of the current 18 th hole; and eliminate snowboarding as a programmed use in the park Winter keep snowboarding over portions of the 17 th fairway; relocate the tubing hill to the vicinity of the current 18 th hole; and close the snowboarding hill for ski race event to allow a temporary stadium Summer construct a 12-stall (roughly) driving range on the current 17 th fairway Summer use the 17 th fairway as an event bike starting area

14 The design charrette provided a picture of the interrelationships of recreational, historic and environmental characteristics and activities in the park. Based on the CAC s program and design recommendations for the park master plan, Park Board staff will model several aspects of the park to assist the CAC it funding prioritization recommendations. These aspects include: Operational model (resources required for and approaches to operating the park) Maintenance model (resources required for and approaches to maintaining the park) Financial model (budget estimates and approaches to costs, revenues and return on investment)

15 Public Comment * Upcoming Meetings Nov. 19 (Sat.): 1:00-2:00 p.m. Informal-Walk Wirth Lake Trail CAC Meeting- T.B.D. Park Board Public Hearing: T.B.D.