*Proposed S. Glen Park Bike Trail
February 2021 Update

The ODWNA Board held a Zoom meeting with members of the City's Parks & Recreation Advisory Board (PRAB) and the Parks & Recreation Director on February 4th to discuss outstanding questions, issues, and concerns both the board and neighbors we have heard from have regarding this proposed project.

Our board's goal for meeting was to let PRAB and Kzoo Parks know and understand that we need much more detailed information regarding their proposal (trail parameters, NFP adherence, alignment to the ODWN Neighborhood Plan, etc.) than we have received to-date before we can accurately assess the project.

The meeting was productive and all voices were heard.  Nest steps:  the board is awaiting detailed answers to our written questions.  Once we can review those, we will work to insure that a neighborhood meeting is held so all neighbors can weigh in on this proposal.
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The ODWNA board will continue to communicate with Parks & Rec to gather additional proposal information and ensure that this (or any) proposal aligns with our Neighborhood Plan, and that two-way communication with our neighborhood takes place.
*Proposed* Glen Park Youth BMX Bicycle Trail
7/8 UPDATE: Results of PRAB Meeting and Next Steps

The Parks & Rec Advisory Board (PRAB) met on Zoom last night for their July meeting; the proposed youth BMX bike trail in Glen Park was on their agenda.

It was suggested by Sean Fletcher (Parks & Rec Director) that PRAB table any decision they might make until their board can first:
  1. Respond in writing to the many comments and concerns both called in and emailed in, and distribute back out to the public
  2. Meet with the ODWNA board as well as the neighborhood at-large to discuss this proposal

The PRAB agreed to pursue Sean’s suggestion, and to form an ad hoc committee of 3 PRAB members (and Sean) to put together those responses and then meet with us and the neighborhood.

No timeline on accomplishing those objectives was discussed by the PRAB board.

The ODWNA board will continue to communicate with Parks & Rec to gather additional proposal information (there has still not been much put forth) and ensure that this (or any) proposal aligns with our Neighborhood Plan, and that two-way communication with our neighborhood takes place.
*Proposed* Glen Park Youth BMX Bicycle Trail
6/24 UPDATE: PUBLIC MEETING INFORMATION
 
Below are the “next steps” in this process for YOU to participate in this discussion:

1) The City’s Parks & Rec Advisory Board (PRAB) will discuss this idea at their Tuesday July 7, 5:30pm meeting.

2) Due to COVID-19 safety precautionary measures, this will be a public “Zoom” meeting. Here is how you can watch:
3) To Comment: You can call-in and provide/record your comments (limited to 3 minutes)
  • The number to call and leave your voicemail comments: (269) 226-6573
  • You can submit comments from 5:00pm until the agenda item concludes. The approximate comment period will be about 20-30 minutes and will end around 5:45pm (their best guess).
  • Parks & Rec will play the comments during the PRAB meeting

4) If you can’t call in or watch on Zoom you can still email your thoughts to PRAB here:    [email protected]
  • ALL e-mails from residents will be read during the meeting
  • Emails can be sent anytime between now and the meeting date
 
I will also relate a comment I received from the Parks & Rec Director regarding this issue: “This project is an opportunity, as opposed to an improvement project our department would initiate. More specifically, we have people interested in this type of improvement and are willing to donate time and resources. We have to pursue these opportunities, including getting input from residents, which was always part of the plan.” 
 
This PRAB meeting is the first of many steps in the process to gauge project interest and viability; Parks & Rec is simply beginning its due diligence on an unsolicited proposal.
 
Again note: PRAB is a citizen’s advisory board to Parks & Rec, meaning that whatever they decide is simply their view; they are NOT the decision-making body and Parks & Rec can accept or disregard their decisions. Ultimately, the City Commission would make the final decision to build or not.
 
The ODWNA’s goal to this point is to ensure that all neighbor voices are heard on this issue, and that our Neighborhood Plan (now officially part of the City’s Master Plan) is respected; I believe that is happening.  The ODWNA will also send a letter to PRAB expressing our desire for genuine two-way communication, public meeting(s), and adhering to our Neighborhood Plan as this issue unfolds.

We will continue to stay on top of how this proposal plays out and I will keep you in the loop.
*Proposed* Glen Park Youth BMX Bicycle Trail
June 9 Update

Based on the growing amount of feedback to the ODWNA board, I reached out to our Parks & Rec director to discuss this non-motorized bicycle trail idea directly with him. 

(Note: the flags laid out in the park are just a rough layout idea of the bike path; these were not placed by Parks & Rec, and no formal plans for this have been presented to Parks & Rec to-date.)

This is what I learned regarding “next steps”:

1) The City’s Parks & Rec Advisory Board (PRAB) will discuss this idea at their next meeting
  • TU July 7, 5:30pm, Community Room at Mayors' Riverfront Park 6/22/20 UPDATE - this meeting will be a virtual Zoom meeting, not an in-person one.  We will post the details here as to how you can watch and/or submit comments once we receive those details from Parks & Rec. You can still sue the email address below to submit your comments.
  • This is a public meeting which anyone is welcome to attend and make their thoughts heard.  If you can’t attend in person you can email your thoughts to PRAB: [email protected]
  • PRAB can vote to “support” (or not support) the idea
Note: PRAB is an advisory board to Parks & Rec, meaning that whatever they decide is simply their view; they are NOT the decision-making body and Parks & Rec can accept or disregard their decisions. Ultimately, the City Commission would make the decision to build or not

2) If PRAB supports the idea, the Parks & Rec director has assured me that the next step (as for all park proposals) is to hold both neighborhood and community meetings to further consider all of the issues (appropriateness, best location, general interest/demand, cost/benefit analysis, etc.)I offered to help him set up, on behalf of the ODWNA, any/all neighborhood meetings to discuss if it gets to that point

3) If the project is still in consideration by this point, the decision then goes to the City Commission for final approval or not
  • As for all City Commission agenda items, there must be a public hearing first before they would vote on a proposal, where again your voice can be heard

I was told that the timeline for this project, if it moves all the way through to the City Commission, would likely be Spring 2021 before anything happened, not in the next month or so.

The ODWNA’s goal to this point is to ensure that all neighbor voices are heard on this issue, and that our Neighborhood Plan (now officially part of the City’s Master Plan) is respected; I believe that is happening.

Thanks to all for bringing this to our attention.  We will continue to stay on top of how this proposal plays out and keep you in the loop.
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ODWNA ~ P.O. BOX 20061 ~ Kalamazoo, Michigan 49019
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