Item 7BCity of Southlake, Texas
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M E M O R A N D U M
November 27, 2007
TO: Shana Yelverton, City Manager
FROM: Steve Polasek, Director of Community Services
Approve Royal and Annie Smith Park design
SUBJECT:
________________________________________________________________
Action
Requested:
City Council approval of design for Royal and Annie Smith Park.
Background
Information:
In July 2006, City Council approved an agreement with Halff and
Associates for the architectural design and engineering for
improvements to Royal and Annie Smith Park. A workgroup
comprised of three Parks Board members and City staff worked
with the consultants on the conceptual designs and a SPIN meeting
was held on July 26 to review the plans with neighbors. Public
comment was overwhelmingly positive.
Royal and Annie Smith park is a 13.2 acre neighborhood park
located in the western portion of Southlake off of Johnson Road.
The park design is in keeping with the natural landscape and
provides for a playground, pavilion/overlook area, parking, trail
expansion, future landscape additions, and outdoor learning area.
Materials selected are intended to blend with the site and planned
park uses are relatively low impact (picnics, playground, walking,
open space)
Financial
Considerations:
The currently approved project construction budget is $324,000 to
accommodate the implementation of site work, pavilion, and a
playground (Phase I and II A) as part of the initial phase of
construction.
Other phases of the project (II B, C, and D) would be completed
using in-house resources with the crushed granite parking area (II
B) and extension of the trail (II D) completed in conjunction with the
initial phase of construction. Staff has also received verbal approval
from the Keller ISD to provide an additional walkway access point
to the park from the school parking area directly to the west.
Financial Impact:
The financial impact resulting from increased maintenance has
been accounted for within existing operational line items.
Citizen Input/
Board Review:
P&Z reviewed and approved (7-0) at their November 8, 2007
meeting.
Shana Yelverton, City Manager
Meeting Date – December 4, 2007
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SPDC reviewed and recommended approval (6-0) at their
September 4, 2007 meeting.
Parks Board reviewed and recommended approval (8-0) at their
August 13, 2007 meeting.
SPIN meeting conducted July 26, 2007 generating favorable
comments on the design from neighbors.
Parks Board workgroup participation in the development of the
conceptual plans.
Legal Review:
Not applicable.
Alternatives:
City Council review and consideration.
Supporting
Documents:
Supporting documents include:
Conceptual design components
Cost estimate
SPIN comments
Staff
Recommendation:
City Council approval of the design for Royal and Annie Smith
Park.
Shana Yelverton, City Manager
Meeting Date – December 4, 2007
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Shana Yelverton, City Manager
Meeting Date – December 4, 2007
Page 4
Shana Yelverton, City Manager
Meeting Date – December 4, 2007
Page 5
Shana Yelverton, City Manager
Meeting Date – December 4, 2007
Page 6
Shana Yelverton, City Manager
Meeting Date – December 4, 2007
Page 7
Shana Yelverton, City Manager
Meeting Date – December 4, 2007
Page 8
Shana Yelverton, City Manager
Meeting Date – December 4, 2007
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Shana Yelverton, City Manager
Meeting Date – December 4, 2007
Page 10
SPIN Comments and Questions
Concept Design for Royal and Annie Smith Park
July 26, 2007
1.What is the time frame?
2.When the City bought the property, there was an informal agreement with the
Keller ISD to provide access and parking in the area south of Florence
Elementary. Is that agreement still in place?
3.Can the future sidewalk connection shown on the southwest corner of the park
be re-routed to funnel people away from private property?
4.Can the City do something about the traffic on Johnson Rd? Can extra signs or
speed bumps be installed to reduce speed near park entrance?
5.Citizens expressed that they like the large stones at the Vermillion (south)
entrance to the park to keep traffic out of the park at night
6.Will the underbrush be cleared out and the trees pruned?
7.Don’t get rid of the blackberry bushes!
8.What will the playground look like?
9.Will there be fabric or metal shade structure over the playground?
10.What will the park hours be?
11.Will there be signage telling about the history of the land?
12.Will the Bob Jones Nature Center be involved in signage and ecological
aspects of the park – there is lots of wildlife there.
13.Could the future trail connection be located farther north, closer to the school?
The existing connection is difficult to use
14.“This is a great design”
15.Will the City keep the wooden sign on the south side that was installed by
developer?
16.There is concern for safety of children due to the number of people that walk
their dogs and don’t clean up after them. Can the City do anything about this?
17.“This is an ideal use for the land”