This post was originally written by Frank Self and posted on his behalf by Steve Shumway.
All,
As a representative of Friends of Ute Valley Park (FUVP), I went to the Park and Rec. meeting on Monday where they discussed the information gained by FUVP and other groups via the “Meetings in a Box,” trailhead intercept surveys, and parking lot surveys. They also discussed the format for the upcoming public meeting on 23 September at Eagleview MS. Lastly, they included information obtained by other city government and sub-contracted individuals/companies concerning forestry, soil analysis, archeology, paleontology, GPS map of all trails as walked by their staff, etc…
The meeting on 23 September at Eagleview MS will cover all the findings. Rest assured, I saw a great deal of data displayed in a way that demonstrates that all of your effort was analyzed and compiled into useful data to help with the master plan process. It will all be shown and used at the public meeting. One of the things they found from all the public input FUVP and other groups submitted was that there was a great deal of common interest and common concerns. So, they categorized the public input into 3 categories that will be discussed and used at the public meeting.
Format of the public meeting on 23 September 5:30pm-8:30pm at Eagleview MS: I will admit I was not looking forward to attending this public meeting on Tuesday 23 September because I assumed the public meeting would be a big auditorium with a microphone and concerned citizens giving 15 minute speeches of what they think about UVP. That is not what is planned. The format of the meeting is to introduce the process to the people attending, show some overview information, and then break the entire audience into small groups for the vast majority of the remaining meeting. Each group will have a UVP satellite map with the trails they have found by walking the park with GPS and a variety of tools to accomplish some common objectives. The small groups will have the information and tools to create on this UVP map a representation of what they want UVP to have in the Master Plan. It will have some specific objectives but will also have room for each group’s opinions. In other words, if you could objectively plan UVP based on your values and opinions this process allows you to submit that plan to the COS Parks & Rec. Based on this meeting format, I believe the public meeting on 23 Sept will be an effective way to get everyone’s opinion to the COS Park & Rec. So, contact as many people as you can in order that their opinion will be heard and the UVP Master Plan will be what our community wants.
Since what I have written above regarding the 23 Sept public meeting is based on my notes and memory, I have asked the COS Park & Rec. to send me an outline of the 23 September meeting so that you will have an accurate idea of what to expect. Additionally, the COS Park & Rec. will send me the exact location of the webpage where all the data gathered will be located. I was told that all the information that has been input so far and all future information will be there for the public to view. This will include pictures of the maps each of the small working groups will create at the meeting on 23 September. I will forward both of these items to you all when I receive it.
What to expect from the UVP master plan process going forward: After the meeting on 23 September there is currently planned at Eagleview MS another public meeting on 12 November and finally a public meeting on 27 January. The format of each successive meeting will be based on the information gathered at previous meetings and through other sources of input. This is why the 23 September meeting is very important to attend since public input at this meeting will shape future public meetings. In the later stage of the master plan process there is also planned to be an online way for the public to send the Park & Rec. information. Of course, there will be Park and Rec. staff meetings, TOPS meetings, and the Park and Rec. advisory Board meetings with all the normal public and government processes those meetings have always used. Final approval of the Master and Management Plan is expected by March of 2015. The last time UVP had a master plan was in the early 1990s so I would expect this master plan to be in effect for many years. The best way for you to influence the master plan process is to attend these public meetings.
My impression at this Park and Rec. meeting I attended was that all participants are working hard to get this master plan correct and reflect community concerns and expectations. They need public participation so that the final master plan of this regional park does reflect the vision of our community. Please spread the word so that we have strong public attendance at this meeting on Tuesday 23 September.
Regards,
Frank Self
FUVP Board of Director, Property
