del. scott surovell's comments to fort hunt park environmental assessment
DESCRIPTION
Delegate Scott A. Surovell provides his public comments to the National Park Services proposed changes to Fort Hunt Park.TRANSCRIPT
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COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA
HOUSE OF DELEGATES RICHMOND
DISTRICT: (571) 249-4484 RICHMOND: (804) 698-1044 EMAIL: [email protected]
UGO
SCOTT A. SUROVELL STATE DELEGATE
POST OFFICE BOX 289
MOUNT VERNON, VIRGINIA 22121
FORTY-FOURTH DISTRICT
COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS: COUNTIES, CITIES & TOWNS SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY MILITIA, PUBLIC SAFETY & POLICE
July29,2015byfirstclassmail
FortHuntParkSDP/EAAttn:ClaireRozdilskiNationalParkService700GeorgeWashingtonMemorialParkwayc/oTurkeyRunParkMcLean,VA22101 Re: CommentsRegardingFortHuntParkDearMs.Rozdilski:
ThankyoufortheopportunitytoofferpubliccommentsregardingtheFortHuntParkSiteDevelopmentPlanEnvironmentalAssessment.
First,IwouldliketonotethatthenewproposalisamassiveimprovementovertheNationalPark
Service(NPS)initialproposal.IappreciatetheNPSwillingnesstogobacktothedrawingboardandlookatthisprojectasecondtime.Ittrulyappearsthatthecommunitywasheardfrominthisprocess.
FortHuntParkisnotonlyanationalasset,butitisalsoatreasuredcommunityassetshereinMt.
Vernon.Itisacommunitymeetingplace,apicnicsiteforfamilies,organizationsandbusinesses,aparkwherepeoplemeetandplay,andarecreationalfacility.Itaughtmykidshowtoridebikesontheloop.Itisalsoahistoricalsite.Alloftheseneedsmustbebalanced.
Intermsofhistoricalinterpretation,IhaverepeatedlytoldparkstaffthatFortHuntParkalsoserveda
siteforlocalschools.Manychildrenwereeducatedintemporarybuildingsonparkpropertywhileourareawasexperiencingahousingboomandtherewereinadequatefacilities.Ihaveseenzeromentionofthatinanymaterials.WhileIrecognizethatFortHuntParkisanationalasset,italsohaslocalconnectionswhichshouldbehonoredinitshistory.
Iwouldhopethattheexistinghistoricalstructurescouldbemademoreaccessibletothepublic.WhenI
waskid,weclimbedonmanybuildingsbackinthewoods,buttheywerenotreallyaccessibletothepublic.Theguardtowerhasalwaysbeenclosed.Itismyhopethattheycanopenedandfullyenjoyed,interpretedandappreciated.
ItisalsomyimpressionthattheNPShopestoincreasevisitorstotheparkbyenhancingthehistorical
displays.GiventheparksproximitytotheMt.VernonBikeTrail,IwouldhopethatimprovementswouldincludesegregatedbikelanesattheentranceanduptotheonewaysegmentoftheloopalongwithconsiderationofbikesafetyastheexistingpointwheretheMt.VernonBikeTrailcrossestheexitfromtheGeorgeWashingtonMemorialParkway.
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IamalsopleasedthatNPSproposestomaintainonewaycirculation,apedestrianbikelane,andseveral
ofthepicnicpavilions.IamconcernedaboutAlternativeFour,duetotheproposedremovalofpicnicpavilionswithoutanyreplacementpavilionsbeingconstructed.Thatwillplaceevenmoredemandontheexistingfacilities.Today,pavilionsmustbereservedsixmonthsaheadofscheduleduetothedemand.IwouldhopethatNPSmightconsideranonetlossofpavilionsstrategybyconstructingnewpavilionsinotherlesshistoricallysensitiveareas.
Lastly,itismyhopethattheNPSusethisopportunitytoimprovementstormwaterrunofffromthe
existingpark.Whenthecurrentimprovementswereconstructed,noprovisionforstormwaterrunoffmitigationwasmade.Theparkhasnumerousimpervioussurfaceswhichshouldbemitigated.ThesecouldincludebufferareastostabilizethebankalongPotomacRivershorelineandraingardensalongexistingparkinglots,andrainbarrelsorcisternsonallbuildingsincludingexistingpicnicpavilions.
Withtheseconsiderations,FortHuntParkcanremainanassetforalltofullyenjoyoverthenext
century.Thankyouagainfortheopportunitytocommentandforlistening.
SincerelyYours,
DelegateScottA.Surovell 44thDistrictcc: U.S.SenatorTimothyKaine
U.S.SenatorMarkWarnerCongressmanDonaldBeyer,Jr.
SupevisorGeraldHyland