Agenda - 12-09-2014 - 7b - Laserfiche WebLink

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• An informal fishing area at the pond; and • An agricultural demonstration plot of local foods and heirloom crops. In addition to these planned amenities, site infrastructure would be added, including a parking area (with grass overflow parking), portable restrooms, entry gate, improvements to the driveway and directional /park rule signage. The above amenities and infrastructure are expected to exhaust all appropriated funds (with a small amount to be transferred as shown below) for the remainder of the fiscal year, and allow for the park to be open three days a week — projected to be Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Future park personnel, operations and maintenance funding will be included in upcoming annual County budgets. Upon Board direction and /or approval of this plan, staff would proceed to: • Prepare a site plan for the designated improvements, for submittal to the Planning Department for approval; • Beginning the hiring process for the Park staff person (augmented with backup from a seasonal employee as reflected in the FY 2014 -15 budget); • Solicit and award bids for the construction of the small parking lot and /or picnic shelter An additional environmental trail, with boardwalk sections, is anticipated to be pursued after park opening and completed over the next 18 months using existing and future budgeted funds. The remainder of park facilities shown in the Blackwood Farm Park Master Plan, including an amphitheatre, overlook and other amenities, is scheduled in the adopted CIP for design in FY 2016 -17 and construction in FY 2017 -18. Blackwood Farm Park is also the planned site for the Parks Operations Base, currently housed in existing buildings at the future Millhouse Road Park. In preparation for the limited opening of the park, staff has held two meetings with neighboring property owners on site. Property owners along the northern boundary have expressed pleasure in hearing about the limited opening plans, but also have concerns about some of the facilities planned for the eventual park construction (in particular a proposed road and parking lot along the northern boundary) that will need to be addressed prior to developing plans to construct the remainder of the facility. FINANCIAL IMPACT: A total of $197,400 has been appropriated to date for Blackwood Farm Park capital improvements and operating. Funding was also approved for a permanent Parks Technician and seasonal employee assistance. The need to have a second person on site during operating hours has led staff to propose that $9,000 of the project capital funds be transferred to personnel to help fund additional seasonal staffing. Project work will be adjusted as needed to meet the available funds. The adopted FY 2014 -19 CIP reflects future funding of $150,000 in FY 2016 -17 for construction design, and $1.9 million in FY 2017 -18 for construction. Approximately $1.21 million in additional funding for the Parks Operations Base is reflected for FY 2019 -2020. These amounts and their timing and source would be addressed each year through updates to the CIP. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board review the proposed Limited Opening Plan, provide feedback or direction to staff as needed, and authorize staff to proceed with described actions to open the park on a limited basis with a target of March 2015.