Agenda For March 21st Meeting, 2017

We will have Mrs. D'Anne Williams from PARD (7pm to 8pm) to discuss, at a strategy level, the following 

1. Development of Little walnut creek Park
2. Hike and Bike Trail through Morris Williams Golf Course
3. Redbluff Nature Preserve

We will talk about creating short term, medium term and long term goals which PARD can support realistically.

In the second part of the meeting we will also talk about increasing membership - we need more members to accomplish anything.

I have attached the goals of the Contact Team - if we have a larger group then we can demand for more funding for development in our part of the city. We need to have concrete plans to request for funding. 

In 2016 our basic CIP (Capital Improvement Project) was rejected because we submitted it few days late even though we have input from 120 people. In 2017, we probably can do better.

Results

1. Little walnut Creek District Park - 

• We do not about worry about the land because it all belong to PARD but has different zones.
• The zoning needs to be changed to move forward with Park Development from PARD. (we will work with Ming-Ru)
• The neighborhood has to develop a basic plan for development (how we envision it in the future) -PARD cannot help in this at this point of time
• PARD can help in making the current hike and bike trail usable by opening up the gate and putting barriers for cars
• PARD can help requesting the contractors to move the large pipes which have been stored in the site
• We will need some architectural help to create this vision for the park. (most important)
• Due to the contour it cannot be a district park. 

2. Morris Williams Golf Course

• There are many challenges
• Path has to be ADA compliant (which means some concrete)
• There is liability issues of golf balls hitting cyclists and joggers (anybody using the trail) - this may be overblown issue because we have never seen too many golf ball fatalities
• The side-walk along MLK is priority for PWD but again there is lack of funding
• There will be a all hands meeting on this - Randy Scott from PARD will arrange this. 
• Mueller Neighborhood association is a customer to this path so they will also be included
• This is an equity issue because providing an access to Mueller HEB and other resources to all people is not a luxury but necessity.
• Again, the funds have to be identified but may be bond money can help
• Austin Energy needs to be involved in this discussion because the current maintenance path belongs to them? (I thought it belongs to both them and PWD)

​3. Redbluff Nature Preserve

• PARD will be ready to accept the land if it can be transferred from PWD, Austin Energy etc. This is most important because PARD cannot do anything unless the land belongs to them.
• PARD has a very high interest in this project because it creates a connectivity with the Walnutcreek hike and bike trail​.
• There is a meeting on March 25th at ACC for RedBluff Nature Preserve and this land transfer should be discussed because it will need help from the city council
• Randy Scott will like to visit the site(Pete can you please help)
• This will also need an architectural vision and rendering (we need some help here)
• The entire Hogpen area has no park or green space so this development is extremely important and urgent - Mr. Rentaria's office has a large role to play here and we hope they will push this forward

We have 4 new members

1. Charlie Duncan - Hogpen NA

2. Nancy Scott - Givens Park NA

3. Ali Ronder- Hogpen NA

4. Pete Rivera- SANA NA

​Again thanks to D'Anne , Randy and Ming-Ru for being there​ - we know that it was after your office hours so we appreciate your efforts and the Christmas cake is in the mail

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Thank you,

Pinaki Ghosh

Comments from PARD (D'Anne Williams)

 Little walnut Creek District Park

• PARD can help requesting the contractors to move the large pipes which have been stored in the site Turns out the pipes are in the Rangoon right of way not on parkland. They may have an agreement with Transportation.

Morris Williams Golf Course

• Austin Energy needs to be involved in this discussion because the current maintenance path belongs to them? (I thought it belongs to both them and PWD)Austin Water Utility has a wastewater easement that follows or includes the maintenance road. They do not own it but it is restricted so the easement would have to be amended with the approval of Austin Water Utility to add any improvements within the easement.