5 - Memo of 02/25/02, Hickory Pocket ParkCity of Boulder
Parks and Recreation DepaMment
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MEMORANDUM
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TO: Members of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board
FROM: Jan Geden, CPRP, Director of Parks and Recreation
Kate Bernhardt, Acting Parks Planning and Construction Superinteadent
SUBJECT: Hickory Pocket Park: located on Hickory Street, north of Baseline and east
of Foothills Highway
DATE: February 25, 2002
Please see the attached letter and e-mail from citizens who are requesting consideration for
funding of the design and development of Hickory Pocket Park. The Board will consider
designation of 2002 Neighborhood and Pocket pazk development funding in the February 25
meeting. Staff has recommended that the 2002 Neighborhood and Pocket Park funding be
allocated for Smton Park development, based on the results of an evaluation matrix and the
design efforts invested to date. Staff recommended that the other undeveloped parks, including
~ the Hickory Pocket Park, be prioritized by the Board for fuhue development following the
completion of the Parks and Recreation Master Plan Update. It is anticipated that the Master Plan
Update will be completed in 2003 Additional information is provided below concerning the
Hickory Pocket Park site.
BACKGROUND:
Hickory Pocket Park:
• 1997: A 1 3-acres site, located on Hickory Street, was identrfied as a potential
neighborhood park acquisition site. The site was owned by the City for use as a
Transportation Department tree farm and maintenance materials storage site
• July 24, 2000: The Parks and Recreation Advisory Board received a petition requesting
a pocket park and community gazdens at the Hickory site. The Boazd recommended that
staff explore acquisition of this site from the Transportahon Department.
• Fall-Winter, 2000• Staff completed an agreement with the Transportation Department
to allow Parks and Recreation to use the northern half of the site, approximately 0.7-
acres, far a pocket pazk and community gardens. The southern half of the srte,
approximately 0.6-acres, was reserved for use by the Transportation Departrnent. The
agreement stated that the 0.6-acre Transportation portion of the site could be used for
pazk purposes in the future, if an alternative storage and tree fann site was provided to
the Transportation Deparirnent.
• Winter, 2000: Staff concluded a comprehensive search of City of Boulder Parks and
Recreation Department owned sites which might provide a suitable alternative location
~ for the Transportation Department uses of the Hickory site. This search did not locate a
Parks and Recreation...The Benefits Are Endless! T"'
site that met Transportation Department needs. In view of other site acquisition
priorities, staff terminated work on finding an alternative site for the Transportation uses
of the Hickory site. •
Spring, 2001: Adjacent neighbors of the new Hickory Pocket Pazk expressed concern
about community gardens use of the site. It was agreed that the community gazdens
would be developed on a temporary basis and that future development of the park would
include neighborhood uses. No commitment was made in terms of the timing for the
final site development.
Summer, 2001: Growing Gazdens, a non-profit organization that manages community
gazden development of city park properties, constructed community gazdens on 0.5-acre
of the 0.7-acre pazksite.
ANALYSIS AND RECOMMENDATION:
In order far development to proceed at the Hickory Pocket Pazk, several planning issues will
need to be resolved:
a) Ownership of the entire 13-acres parcel:
Ideally, the Pazks and Recreation Department should acquire the entire site before
proceeding with a comprehensive development plan for the pazk and commumty
gardens. Addrtional investment in the remaining 0.2-acre of the 0.7-acre northern
parcel at this time would not be well invested if, at a later date, the additiona10.6-
acre is acquired and a new pazk plan is created for the lazger parcel.
b) Community Gardens and Neighborhood Pazk Uses: •
The final pazk plan would need to identify the best location and size of the
community gazdens function along with neighborhood park amenities. The current
0 5-acre community gardens uses of the site are considered temporary. The
gardens were created with minimal staff or financial investment on the part of the
City in conjunchon with an investment by Growing Gazdens, with the
understanding that they may be relocated when the final park development
proceeds.
Staff recommends that consideration of development of the Hickory Pocket Park be addressed in
2003, along with prioritiza6on of other neighborhood and pocket park development, following
the update of the Pazks and Recreation Master Plan.
ATTACHMENTS:
A. Citizen communications: letter and e-mail
B. Hickory Site Memorandum of Understanding: Public Works and Parks and Recreation
Department
C. Development plan showing location of temporary community gazdens
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Attachment A
NEILJ. ROSE;N, PSY.D., P.C.
• PSYCHOLOGY AND PSYCHOANALYSIS
101 HICKORY AVENUE
BoUtnEx, COLOxnno 80303
(303) 494-Li16
(303) 494-8795
Fehruan~ 19, 2002
To Pack~ and Recreauun Depuhnent
Fui i ~e~ an~i Jueiy Rc~zn
Re Future pocket park on Hickory Avenue
Dear Parks and Recreatron Department,
lt i~ our uniler,r~inding rh.tr a meetmg wdl take pllce rh~s conung Monday, Februan~ ~5, 3002
re~rd~ng puor~rizing pocket park compleuona m the c~n• Tn a conversauon w~th Ruti~ Dr~scoll we
leamcd rhe C'arl,~ lleparmient, undexstandablv, ~y~uld piefer a lerter staang neighbors' wuhes ratller
rhan mulr.ple len~*rh} peeaentaeons from area residents
V~'e anuld rhereti~re like to subaut to "I'he Depsimnent our desue to see the Elicknry :lvenue pocker
• park Eunded presenflt~ .1s you may recall, a large tumout and penhon was presented th~s past year
,rnnng nc~ ne«*hhorho~ ~d'~ srcong des~re to have a pocket puk m our area W e would be happ}• ro
turw:ud ~inonc~ r cnp~~ ~~f d~o,e +~gnaruces if needed
In 3U01 d~e Parks and Rec Department allowed a temporuy use of part of the future pocket pACk for
commumty gardens 'fhe Departrnent has estended this temporaxy use to 2002 and ~s nou-
advertinmg the garden site m its P& R gwde While we aze supportrve of the communin gerden aa a
pornon of the park, there rema~ns no gadienng place for people who acmally hve nearby S~nce rhe
Parks and Rec Department is already allowmg use of the space by residents rhroughout the cit~C for
wh,ir appears ro be a mnrinued use xs a~xden, rt seems reasonable that a permanent use for the
.,
enrtre area th,ir inclunes a place ior neighb~ss w~~:~.n w.:lking a.~r:ace',^ u•e ~ h„„~ j:_~. ~~~ ~n~i~~.
Havmg lived on Hickory Avenue for the past 11 years and with pets and young cluldren of our nwn,
we are awaze of the need foc a local pazk m the vtcmiry The street already gets healrhy uae by
resrdents fxom luds pla}nng sireet hockey and children ~utit leammg to nde d~eu b~kes to coundess
neighbocs walku~g thett dogs We aze accustomed to and en~oy seemg our neighbors walkmg down
rhe ~treet, so rhere is no quesuon a pedesman use of rhe pocket park will not only be dppreaated,
but .il+o will be used eYtensively
Pl~,t,r c.ontacr ua if w~can 6e of any ass~stance lhank }~uu for youi wnvderah~~n
Jinceeety,
~1\T' ~`-_'~__..
• Judv an tieil Ro,en
aa
attacnmen~ r~
Georgia Jackson - Hickory Community Garden and Pocket Park
From: shelley schlender <shelleyschlender@yahoo com> •
To: <osbornes@colorado edu>, <~acksong@ci boulder co us>, <desouzas@ci boulder co us>,
<edself@ecoma i I.org>
Date: 2/24/2002 9•10 PM
Subject: Hickory Community Garden and Pocket Park
Dear Parks and Recreation Advisory Board Members
The corn grew h~gh and the veggies were green at the
Hickory Community Garden and Pocket Park last summer,
where lots of people worked hard to improve their
brand new garden plots and build community
Thanks to all of you, to Parks and Rec staff, Ramona
Clark, the Transportation Department and many others
for making the Hickory Community Garden a reality
Now, we hope you'll keep going to bat for us, because
to honor the goals of our entire neighborhood, we need
both a community garden AND a neighborhood pocket
park.
We realize that further development of this parcel
offers many chailenges, but we believe you can
overcome them So, please don't give up on us or the
tull vision for this pocket park/community garden.
Instead, help us figure out a reasonable timeline for
developing our pocket park, along with some interim
things we can do very soon, to allow families with
young children to come en~oy the gardens, with a place
to sit down and perhaps some shade
Last but not least, please let us know what we can do
to keep moving the process along. Again, we're
grateful for all the assistance you've provided us so
far Your responsrveness makes us feel good about our
community
•-Sheiley Schlender, 751 Crescent Drrve, 303•494•2545
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Attachment B
1VIEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
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To• Ronald A. Secrist, City Manager
Chnshne Andersen, Deputy City Manager for Environmental Sernces
Joe Perone, Director of Public Works for Transportahon
Maureen Rait, Director of Public works for Development & Support Servtces
Ned Wilhams, Directors of Pubhc Works for Urilihes
From: Chris Dropmski, Director of Parks and Recreahon Deparhnent
Sub~ect Development of a Pocket Park at the Transportation Department Tree Nursery
and Matenals Storage Site (see Attachment A)
Date• January 29, 2001
This memorandum is mtended to formahze the agreement beriveen the Public Works
Department and the Parks and Recreation Department regarding a pazk to be developed on the
following descnbed real property located approximately between Foothills Parkway, Baselme
Road, and Hickory Avenue, to wrt
(SEE "ATTACHNIENT A")
• Condirions of the agreement aze as follows:
The City of Boulder owns the above described site for use by the Public Works Department,
Transportahon Division, as a tree nursery, for matenals and equipment stora;e, and as a
staging stte between the Mumcipal Service Center and Foothills Parkway The Pubhc
Works Deparlment grants permission to the Pazks and Recreahon Department to use the site
to develop, mamtam, and make available for pubhc use an urban park on said site. Use of
the north portion of the srte (shown on Attachment A as number 1) will be transfeaed to the
Parks Deparhnent on approximately Apnl 15, 2001.
2. The south portion of the site (shown as number 2 on Attachment A) will contmue to be used
by Transportarion Vtamtenance for matenals and equipment storage and as a staging site.
Use of this southem pomon may be transferred to the Parks and Recreanon Department for
further development of the park at a future date. In order for this to occur the Parks
Department will provide an alternative stte that is acceptable to the Pubhc Works
Department.
3. Permission to use the srte for an urban park is for an unlimited rime Should needs change
or unforeseen problems anse the two departments will seek mutually acceptable solurions
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4. The Parks and Recreation Department will accept responsibility for mamtaining said park
site.
5. The Parks and Recreation Department agrees to provide a site, acceptable to the Pubhc .
Works Department, approximately one acre in size, for use as a tree nursery and for matenal
and equipment storage:
The current proposed and approved site is located at the Flahrons Golf Course on the
east stde of 55`h Street. The Plamm~g Department has approved use of the southwest
corner of the site for a tree nursery; the Pazk's mamtenance facility at the golf course is
currently inadequate for Transportation Maintenance material and equipment storage.
At such trme as Transportation Mamtenance decides to use the tree nursery at the golf
course, the Pazks and Recreation Department agrees to provide a needed, new curb cut
and access from 55"' Street if and when it is requested by the Public Works Department.
6. Permission to use the Flahrons Golf Course nursery site, as well as the future site for
planting materials, will be for an unhmited rime. Should needs change or unforeseen
problems anse the two deparhnents will seek mutually acceptable solurions.
The Parks and Recrearion Department will provide alternahve sites for considerarion by
Pubhc Works/Transportation Mamtenance tf the golf course site ts no longer adequate or
avazlable when Public Works needs to use it
Public Works/Transportahon Vlamtenance will be responsible for mamtammg tts uses and
activihes at the Foothills/Basehne/Hickory site as well as at the Flahrons Golf Course, or •
any other alternanve locahon where its operahons aze housed.
9 The Parks and Recreahon Department will mstall a fence with a road ~ate at the east-west
dividuig Ime of the northem and southern portion of the Foothills/Baseline/Hickory site to
separate the Transportarion Ylaintenance azea from the park area.
10. Imgahon to the park area will be separated from the Transportahon Mamtenance azea.
Transportation Mamtenance will be responsible for detemunmg how to best sepazate and/or
maintam the imgation system for the entire property
11. It ts the mtent of the Parks and Recrearion Department and the Public Works
DeparhnendTransportation Vlamtenance to allow for a pocket park to be developed at this
site. Therefore, both departments will make a good-faith effort to work cooperatively to
equitably resolve any unforeseen or yet undetermined problems or difficulties that may
anse.
•
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•
Date:
~~~ ~J
aureen Rait, D~rector of Pubhc
Works for Development & Support
Services
Cr~.:, ,~-Un~~f~. a2/~rlo,
Chris Dropmsla
D~rector of Parks and Recreahon
~e c[ ~.1~ t,Q,~ z~~K r ~~ ~ 7-c~
Ned Williams, Director of Public Works e Perone, Director of Pubhc Works for
for Utiliries ransportarion
H `,treefazm dae
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