Recreation & Parks Advisory Board

Advisory Board of Recreation and Parks Meeting Agenda Wednesday, January 6, 2021  7:00 P.M. DRAFT MINUTES Virtual Meeting: https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup- join/19%3ameeting_MWQzN2JlM2ItZjJiNC00ZGYwLTljYjAtOTE2NDRiZGNmMzM1%40thread .v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%2273ba5b04-4ace-4ae3-a6b2- 65cbc403418b%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%2296a4bfd6-5c8a-4d69-8aa5-b5916d151828%22%7d NOTICE: This virtual meeting of the Advisory Board of Recreation and Parks was held pursuant to and in compliance with the Virginia Freedom of Information Act, Section 2.2-3708.2 and state and local legislation adopted to allow for continued government operation during the COVID-19 declared emergency. All participating members of the Advisory Board of Recreation and Parks were present at this meeting through electronic means. All members of the public may view this video of this meeting on the City’s website at https://fallschurch-va.granicus.com/player/clip/1400?view_id=2&redirect=true 1. Call to Order Charley O’Hara called the meeting to order at 7:10 p.m. Members present were Charley O’Hara, Chair, Leslie Rye, Vice Chair, School Board member Laura Downs, Kim Hicks, City Council Liaison Letty Hardi, Jenna Schroeder, and Liz Weatherly. Student Representatives Thomas Downs, Nate Kusic and Emma Roncoroni were also present. Staff members present were Danny Schlitt, Director Recreation & Parks, and Amy Youngs, Deputy Director Recreation & Parks. 2. Reading of Virtual Meeting Notice 3. New Business Urban Agriculture discussion led by Kimberly Hahn, Urban Agriculture Coordinator, Arlington County. Information provided on community gardens programs in place in Arlington, integrating gardens into existing designs such as boarder gardens, foodscaping, and edible forests. Kimberly Hahn also discussed logistics on how gardens are maintained, with infrastructure/plumbing often maintained by the County and volunteers managing day-to-day management. Danny Schlitt – specific to the Fellows Property – additional trees being evaluated as specimen trees. The old well is still on the property. Carly Aubrey, Principle Planner – Strategies in Chapter 5 of the City’s Comprehensive Plan – Environmental Sustainability Resilience and Natural Resources support Comprehensive Plan support Urban Agriculture. The City of Falls Church is committed to the letter and spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act. To request a reasonable accommodation for any type of disability, call 703-248-5027 (TTY711).  Strategies: Continue to expand space for tree plantings and stormwater control in public areas through increased street tree planning areas, greenways, park space, urban agriculture, publicly recognized historic landscapes and other green infrastructure. Proposed Program/Project: Establish an Urban Agriculture program with goals of promoting urban agriculture through ongoing programming and partnerships; providing education and incentives for urban agriculture; adopting urban agriculture friendly zoning regulations; and establishing sites for community gardens and urban farms on public and private property. Charley O’Hara requested that staff survey park space for possible border gardens. Stacey Evers – Fairfax County Health Department has a Fairfax Food Council with an Urban Ag workgroup, chaired by Stacey. Amy Crumpton is on the Habitat Restoration task group and offered to provide a virtual tour at a future meeting of the Fellows property, noting the plants, specimen trees, way the terrain falls, etc. 4. Receipt of Public Petitions and Board Member Petitions - None 5. Minutes for Approval: November 4, 2020 Motion to approve minutes as amended by Kim Hicks, Seconded by Leslie Rye Approved 6-0 6. Recreation Directors Report  Parks and amenities are open with signage. Program permits City businesses to rent park space.  Community Center remains closed to the public. Access is only for individuals enrolled in programs. Open gym program is for households with registration required.  Fall classes were held. Registration has opened for Winter/Spring classes.  Walking Club has started  Most special Events for 2020 were canceled. Sunset cinemas, scavenger hunts and pop up programs were held. Prerecorded Memorial Day and Veterans Day ceremonies were made available. Holiday Craft Show vendors participated in the Farmers Market.  RecConnect E-Learning program continues but does have staffing challenges.  Modified versions of fall soccer and flag football were held. Our youth basketball league was canceled but clinics are being offered.  RecTrac upgrade is scheduled for January 25.  Farmers Market continues. Winter market has started and begins at 9am. Howard Herman the Farmers Market manager is stepping down and recruitment has begun for a new Farmers Market manager.  Additional Senior Programming is needed when possible, as the senior community has been isolated throughout the pandemic. 7. Old Business  Big Chimneys project- close to opening. Waiting to install playground surfacing. In lieu of a traditional grand opening, we pay put together a video with before images and after videos with prerecorded speeches.   Broad and Washington project – Possible change in planned voluntary concessions would move funding from Recreation and Parks to additional affordable housing units. Charley O’Hara provided information on the department’s history of voluntary concessions. Letty Hardi presented information about affordable dwelling units. A draft Capital Improvement Project schedule was shared. There was no motion to provide additional comments on the voluntary concessions for the Broad and Washington project. Additional discussions will continue.  School representatives – FCCPS students will do some community service projects in the park. School representatives will get involved and begin reporting out updates. 8. Adjournment Laura Downs motioned to adjourn. Kim Hicks seconded the motion. Motion passed 6-0. The City of Falls Church is committed to the letter and spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act. To request a reasonable accommodation for any type of disability call 703-248-5027 (TTY711). Instructions for joining a Microsoft Teams meeting: Click here to watch a video with instructions for joining a Teams meeting Join a Teams meeting on a phone or tablet 1. Click the meeting link provided. 2. Download the Teams app for your device when prompted:  Type in your name.  Choose the audio and video settings you want. 3. Select Join now. 4. Depending on meeting settings, you'll get in right away, or go to a lobby where someone in the meeting can admit you. 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