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7B - Use of Tantra or other Parks for Disc Frisbee GolfDO NOT REMOVE - PRAB F~le Material '~~,, CITY OF BOULDER ~,., PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY BOARD AGENDA ITEM ~ MEETING DATE: October 29. 2002 (Agenda Item Preparation Date: October 9, 2002) AGENDA TITLE: Use of Tantra or other Parks for Disc (Frisbee) Golf REQUESTING DEPARTMENT: Jan Geden, CPRP, Director, Parks and Recreation Doug Iiawthome, CPRP, Parks Superintendent Bob Peck, City Parks Manager FISCAL Il~IPACT: Unknown at this time ~" `..- PURPOSE: ~^^ e.. The purpose of this memorandum is to discuss with the Boazd issues surrounding the use of park areas for disc Frisbee golf. There is currently a specific issue with this activity at Tantra Park. Staff is asking that the Boazd discuss this issue and offer guidance and future duection to staff m addressmg the issues, either through additional education, regulat~on or City Ordinance. BACKGROUND: Tantra Pazk is a lu-eaz neighborhood pazk located in South Boulder. The developed portion of the pazk is 15.5 acres. The pazk runs generally north to south per the map in attachment A. The majority of the park consists of open urigated turf with unscheduled activihes. A concrete bike path/sidewalk traverses the entue length of the pazk. A playground and shelter area, along with an extremely popular tullside used for sleddmg m the winter is located in the central area of the pazk. The hillside is also used in the summer months during many evemngs for "ice blocku-g" acdvities. Addiuonal amenit~es m the pazk include a small pond in the park popular for frog and uunnow catching and a ditch that runs through the middle of the park (Viele Ditch from Harlow Platts Park). A wncrete patio with a picnic table and viewmg area on top of a small lull are located at the southeast section of the pazk. Dunng the past five years, staff has seen evidence that the park is bemg used for disc golf, wtuch ~ is occumng sunultaneously with other pazk acdvi6es such as walking, playground use, etc. The `'~ golf "discs" aze smaller and denser than regulaz Fnsbees, much the size and shape of an old 45 `"'" record but made of hard plastic and are much thicker. The golfers cazry many different discs ~ AGENDA ITEM # VII-B. Paee 1 ~ during a game, with each disc designed to funcuon umquely for different shots (as in regular ~"'P golf a wood vs. an uon). Staff will bnng a sample "disc" to the Boazd meeting. Attachments B A°' aze vanous photos of these actrvides. `" Tluough investrgatrons, staff has learned that park users have developed a disc golf course at Tantra named the Secret Rainbow Disc Course Attachment C is a layout of the disc golf course at Tantra Pazk. Ttus 18-hole course runs almost the entue linear length of the pazk. The disc golfing activiry uses eusting light poles and other posts in the pazk for their holes or baskets. In contrast, at Harlowe Platts Pazk, a portion of the pazk is designated as a planned disc golf course that thus has specially designed disc baskets for the holes. In Tantra, there are no disc baskets to designate the holes so players mark the "holes" with different colored tape. The taped holes aze placed on various structures such as light poles, trees, etc. The course runs parallel to and crosses the concrete walking/bike path. The course also runs next to the playground and adjacent to residential property. Staff has begun to receive more frequent complamts from the general public about the use of Tantra Pazk for disc gol£ Staff received a complaznt from a mother with small ctuldren who felt her children are bemg endangered by the discs wYule playing m the playground. A resident who hves adjacent to the pazk has also complamed about the number of Frisbee discs entenng her yazd as well as the golfers entering private property to retrieve theu discs. Tlus resident also has small cluldren and is not comfortable with leaving her cluldren m her backyazd without ~ supervision because she fears the c}uldren may get tut with a disc. Pazk staff perfornung mutine ..,., maintenance tasks are also concerned about their own safety as they have often seen discs ,,,,,~ "buzzing" by their heads when worlung. .,,~ ANALYSIS: Staff has reviewed the results of the November 2001 Pazks and Recreahon Resident Survey pertaining to frequency of pazhcipat~on in vanous actrvihes. Based on the results for disc golf activities for adults and cluldren m the survey, 13% of the adult survey respondents, and 1% of the children survey respondents indicated they have ever pazucipated in these acUVihes. However, this participadon rate is lugher than was idendfied for racquetball, squash and platform tennis The populanty of this act~vity is creating a conflict of uses at Tantra Park or others where the activity may occur in an undesignated area. Staff is reluctant to hy to close down the course, because of the speed that a new course could be deve.oped. Addit~onally, if the actrvity were oudawed at Tantra Pazk, staff beheves that users might take the activiry to another park area. Ootions to Consider: 1. Do not regulate the activity. Continue to momtor the situadon and provide educadon for the public by posting sigiage requesting that peopie do not use specific pazks disc golf actrvit~es '", unless posted otherwise. "" ~ 2. Consider developing another disc golf course at another pazk or develop a smaller "official" °" AGENDA ITEM # VII-B. Pace 2 ~ ~ disc golf course at Tantra Park in an area safer far the general pubha Staff dces not believe ~' that a safe, 18-hole disc course could be safely developed at Tantra. EsUmated costs for ~"'' official baskets and signage could exceed $5,000 Develop a City Manager issued regulaUon protubiung this activity. The City Manager can issue regulahons for issues based on a pubhc notice and comment period. 4. Work with the City Attorney's office to develop a City Ordinance prohibiting this achvity except where pernutted. There are currenUy City Ordinances exisking that protubit acdviues deemed dangerous to the public. As an example, in BRC 8-3-11, sledcLng or toboggazung is prolubited except on roadways, designated trails, or other areas designated and posted for that use by the city manager. An ordinance oudawing disc golf would require approval by CouncII and the Planning Board. PUBLIC CONIMENT AND PROCESS: Tlus item is bemg heard at ttus public meeting, as adverhsed in the Daily Camera. STAFF RECObIMENDATION: ~ Staff is not offenng any specific recommendations to tlus issue. The City's Risk Manager ~ believes the Department has several alternauves that can be considered. The Department can adopt a City Manager regulation to protubit the use of disc golf acuviues m any Pazk. Then, rt becomes an enforcement matter. The City has no exposure unhl such hme as the Department sanctions the use and we fail to enforce violations of the regulatron. Or the Department can appmve (officially or unofficially) the use and then staff, users and neighbors can develop a course that limits the potent~al of the "discs" straying into the yards of the homes next to the park. The placement of a"hole" other than the telephone pole on the hillside is a possibihty, as there is a windsock at Foothills Park for paragliders to use that is erected on the grounds of the Pazk. ATTACfIMENTS: A- Map of Tantra Pazk B- Photographs of the Disc Golf Activities at Tantra Pazk C- Photo layout of the Disc Golf Course at Tantra Pazk ~ ~ ,~ ~ AGENDA ITEM # VII-B. Pa¢e 3 I .~ ' - ATTACHMENT~ TANTRA PARK I ~J LJ I Feet 0 550 1,100 2,200 N PARK AGENDA ITEM #~~, PAGE~ Disc Golf Course at Tantra Park October 16, 2002 ~ ~ . .. . ~ :: ~ . ~:~~~ . i ~ _ ~ ~ t w~~~~'~+ ~ r ~• ~, ~ ~" ~ . ~~s... "'~!`~'J .._ ,_ ~ s~ a' '~~a.d~~'. ~ i • ' `"~e", ~ Y ~r , ~ • '~~ +~',~1^L~'~' ~ ~_r ~ ~.." T. ~ T . ^~~~4~ ~'./ ~~~2•~ Attachment B i~GENDA ITEM #v ~ ~ 'g , PAGE,~,~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 0 .. ~ ~ ` ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 0 ~ LSI ~ d