Agenda - 09-17-2002 - 9d - Laserfiche WebLink

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MEMORANDUM fO facilities is the Town's lack of winterized restroom facilities in parks. While we agree that the restroom proposed for the dog park area may be expensive to build because of a lack of sewer in the immediate vicinity, we also believe that a lack of restroom facilities will likely result in complaints and unsanitary behavior. We agree with the Committee's recommendation that we continue to show restroom facilities on the conceptual plan. If implementation proves to be too difficult we can eliminate the facility during the Special Use Permit phase of the project. We believe that the dog park will not generate sufficient waste to justify a separate waste detention system. Any dog waste not removed by dog owners, as required by park rules,would have to travel over 1,200 feet down a normally dry gulley before reaching Fan Branch. We believe that current use of the Homestead Park Dog Park indicates that the Southern Community Park Dog Park would likely be well used and successful. The Homestead Park facility is about 20,000 square feet, or less than half the minimum recommended size of one acre or more. The Southern Community Park site has sufficient land to build a dog park of 1-5 acres. We believe that this size dog park would generate a great deal of use. 15. Disc Golf. Planning Board members expressed concerns about the extent of clearing that would be necessary to build a disc golf course and the possibility of conflicts between trail users and disc golf players. Southern Community Park Conceptual Plan Committee Comments: The Committee recommended that the disc golf course continue to be a part of the plan. Staff Comments: We believe that it would be possible to field-locate a disc golf course that would have minimal impact on the vegetation of the park and other trail users. Parks and Recreation Department staff members have visited disc golf courses in other communities and have noted that they can be designed to have a low impact to the site and to direct play away from trail users. Most disc golf players have emphasized their desire to build a course that uses the woods,and natural topography to make play more challenging. 16. Roller Hockey: A Planning Board member questioned why the proposed roller hockey rink was so expensive. Staff Comments: Roller hockey rinks are specially built courts designed much like an ice hockey rink. The courts must be built in such a way as to handle drainage issues, frost heaving, and other problems normally encountered with outdoor courts. In addition, roller hockey courts have special surfaces that are designed for skates as well as ice hockey style boards to contain play. The conceptual plan proposes that these courts have lights for evening play since most players are adults. 17. Performance Space: A Planning Board member questioned why the Committee included a performance space,noting that the downtown space is not used very much. Southern Community Park Conceptual Plan Committee Comments: The Committee voted to recommend that the Performance Space continue to be a part of the plan. The Committee noted that the Forest Theatre on UNC campus receives a high level of use despite the noise levels from nearby traffic. Staff Comments: The performance space is intended to be a small area suitable for plays, small musical performances, weddings, and other small gatherings. We believe that such a space, located in a natural setting would have a certain level of appeal.