August 1, 2012
Peter T. Kleeman
407 Hedge Street
Charlottesville, VA 22902
peter.kleeman@gmail.com
(434) 296-6208
407 Hedge Street
Charlottesville, VA 22902
peter.kleeman@gmail.com
(434) 296-6208
To: Charlottesville VA City Council
Dear Councilors,
I was dismayed at the discussion at the last city council
meeting that the proposed master plan for the east side of McIntire Park
appears to be not in compliance with the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA)Among the
Federal Highway Administration, City of Charlottesville, Virginia Department of
Transportation, Virginia State Historic Preservation Officer, and the Advisory
Council on Historic Preservation Regarding the Route 250 Bypass at McIntire
Road in the City of Charlottesville, Virginia.
Total elimination of the McIntire Golf Course and
elimination of the wading pool in the eastern side of McIntire appear to be
inconsistent with elements of the MOA signed by Maurice Jones on behalf of the
City of Charlottesville on May 20, 2010. I have provided below two excerpts
from the MOA that explicitly states that “the City shall ensure thaqt historic
features contributing to McIntire Park’s eligibility for inclusion in the NRHP
[National Register of Historic Places] will be highlighted in the McIntire Park
master plan." This commitment is clearly stated in section V of the MOA
provided below. The McIntire Golf Course is explicitly identified as being eligible
for listing on the NRHP and the wading pool and bath house are explicitly identified
as features contributing to McIntire Park’s eligibility for inclusion in the
NRHP in the tenth clause of the preamble of the MOA.
The master plan fails to highlight McIntire Golf Course, the
wading pool or the bath house but rather provides for elimination of both the
McIntire Golf Course and the wading pool and conversion of the bath house to a
storage building to support the proposed relocated skate park. To be in
compliance with the MOA negotiated over many months, I believe these historic
features must be retained in their
historic use and condition to the extent possible in light of the proposed
interchange construction. All three of these historic features can co-exist
with the interchange project and to be in compliance with the MOA, the City’s
master plan is required to “highlight” these features.
I urge council to direct the Director of Parks and
Recreation to revisit all of the currently viable master plan alternatives and
rework the plans to be in compliance with the explicit requirement of the MOA.
As always, I am happy to discuss this matter with you or
members of the City staff to ensure that the ultimate park master plan is in
compliance with the City’s commitment in the MOA.
Sincerely,
Peter Kleeman
sent by email from peter.kleeman@gmail.com
Note that a copy of the fully executed MOA including all
Attachments is available online at the following site: http://www.250interchange.org/images/stories/pdf/environmental/products/060310_Final%20MOA%20Concurring%20Signatures.pdf
Excerpt 1:
V. Coordination with the McIntire Park Master Plan
Decisions regarding the long-term management of McIntire
Park (including the golf course) cannot be made outside of the City’s McIntire
Park master planning process. However, using the research and the coordination
completed for this undertaking as a source of information, the City’s
Department of Parks and Recreation will ensure that the public participation
process considers the historic character of McIntire Park during master plan
development. Furthermore, the City shall
ensure that historic features contributing to McIntire Park’s eligibility for
inclusion in the NRHP will be highlighted in the McIntire Park master plan.
Exerpt 2:
WHEREAS, the FHWA in consultation with the SHPO and with the
cooperation of the City, has determined that three properties located within the APE {Area of Potential Effect] are
eligible for listing on the NRHP; McIntire School/Covenant School
(104-0120), Rock Hill Landscape (104-5237, 44AB0215), and McIntire Park (104-5139), including as contributing resources, the
Dogwood Vietnam Memorial, wading pool, bath house, and the McIntire Golf
Course, as shown in Attachment B
