Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Proposed McIntire Park Master Plan not in compliance with Route 250 Bypass Interchange at McIntire Road MOA

August 1, 2012

Peter T. Kleeman
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