Recreation & Parks Advisory Board

Regular Meeting of the Advisory Board of Recreation and Parks Held at the Falls Church Community Center, Kenneth R. Burnett Building 223 Little Falls Street, Falls Church, Virginia 22046 Minutes July 14, 2016 1. Call to Order Steve Selby called the meeting to order at 7:35 p.m. Members present were Charley O’Hara, Leslie Rye, Steve Selby, Lori Lafave, and Lawrence Webb. City Council Liaison Marybeth Connelly and Senior Planner Carly Aubrey were present. Staff members present were Amy Maltese and Keke Sidik. 2. Receipt of Public Petitions and Board Member Petitions – No Petitions 3. Minutes Charley O’Hara motioned to approve the June 1 Meeting Minutes. Lori Lafave seconded the motion. The motion was approved. 4. Recreation Director’s Report Amy Maltese presented the Director’s Report: - 4th of July fireworks went off smoothly; was a new company this year - Summer camps are underway and everything has gone well so far - Fall Brochure will be out next week 5. New Business Board discussed 604 S. Oak - Carly Aubrey presented on the resolution and proposed revisions; main item of resolution to amend future land use as parks and open space - Leslie Rye and Lori Lafave questioned and discussed open space and parks vs school designation - Leslie asked whether schools or City Council already made any preliminary progress or investigation re using this property as a school. - Marybeth Connelly answered: purchasing as open space/schools provides flexibility to do either. To say it’s just going to be a school is too restrictive. It’s going to have school symbol on it to indicate that it could indeed be a school, but it doesn’t have to be. And we don’t own it yet… - Lawrence answered: We’re thinking about it. We’re not 100% sure space-wise what we can do there at this point, so I think that’s why there’s the flexibility of usage. I don’t think we’ve gotten to that point yet, other than I think everyone in general knows that it’s a piece of land of government interest.  - Board discussed the designation of parks and open space and its potential limitations and flexibility - Charley O’Hara concerned with this purchase soaking up open space funds if listed as open space - Money in CIP for open space for schools is from water funds and there is hesitancy to use the water funds - Doesn’t impact zoning – property owners still have ability to sell - Has not been on the open space committee in years so is concerned that the use is not really for parks - Charley would prefer, that if it’s open space, that it be designated solely as such; but is okay with it if it can be guaranteed that funds do not come from open space funds for acquisition of property - Leslie also has problem with dual use - Need to find out if/when CIP funds expire, if not used - Board discussed wording of motion - Charley: move to support the adoption of TR1631, the amendment to the comp plan, with the caveat that either the school designation be removed or it expressly be understood that current and/or future open space funds not be used for the acquisition if the ultimate use is not intended to be a park - Lori seconded the motion; all in favor and motion was approved Board expressed the need to discuss 2016 Application for Recreational Trails Program Grant. - Recreation and Parks Board needs to be involved and in the loop more - Board should be consulted and informed on this 8. Adjournment Leslie Rye motioned to adjourn the meeting; Lori Lafave seconded the motion. Under unanimous vote, meeting adjourned at 8:15PM. The City of Falls Church is committed to the letter and spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act. This document will be made available in alternate format upon request. Call 703-248-5027 (TTY 711).