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CITY OF PALM BEACH GARDENS
4404 Burns Road * Palm Beach Gardens, Florida 334104659
Recreation Advisory Board Meetin
City Hall Council Chambers
April 19th
7:OOPM
A enda
1. Call To Order
2. Follow -Up and Staff Report — Vest Pocket Park
3. Board Appointments —Code Review and Revision
4. District Park — Discussion
5. Comments by Board Members
6. Comments by the Public
7. Adjourn
CITY OF PALM BEACH GARDENS
COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT
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To: Recreation Advisory Board
From: Mike Kelly, Parks Division Director
Date: April 7, 2004
Subject: Ilex Circle Green Space Follow -up Report
The following report is a follow -up to the Ilex Circle Green Space issue
brought to the Recreation Advisory Board as an issue for resolution.
Background
• This past year a concerned resident brought to the attention of the City
Council that the Ilex Circle Green Space was a potential site for a small vest
pocket type park to be utilized by younger children. The request was
essentially made to provide the neighborhood children on both sides of the
footbridge a place to play rather than in the streets. In addition, it was stated
that these younger children require parents transporting them to the larger
facilities at Plant Drive and Gardens parks.
Survey Response
The Recreation Division circulated a survey in the adjoining neighborhoods
to ascertain interest in a vest pocket park.. The ensuing survey produced an
exceptional response which provoked further interest on the future of the
project. The response also produced strong opinions on whether or not the
project should be entered into at all.
Rapid Response
The distribution of the survey evoked an immediate reaction from the
neighbors on the north side of the footbridge. The City assembled a Rapid
Response Team which is comprised of department/division directors that
. have specific knowledge and experience to meet the specific problem at
hand. The team met with a neighborhood leader to assess the situation and
40 bring it to resolution. The neighborhood concerns were centered on the fear
that additional park amenities would produce a destination where the
footbridge traffic, especially at night, was already producing undesirable
behaviors. It was determined that the issue should be discussed at an
appropriate public meeting that being the Recreation Advisory Boar meeting
set for Monday, February 23ra
Recreation Advisory Board April Meeting
The public attendance and response at the Recreation Advisory Board
meeting of April 23rd was excellent. The discussion centered primarily on
the footbridge traffic especially at nighttime. Many residents simply wanted
the footbridge to be removed. However, they generally understood that it
was placed there for children to have a school pathway as an alternative to
walking on Military Trail. Therefore, a nighttime timed locking device on
the footbridge seemed to be a viable alternative. The issue of the green space
in general was that the effected residents did not want a vest pocket park
with picnic tables, playground equipment or basketball courts. It was
generally felt that the site should be beautified but essentially left passive
• without amenities that would draw people to the area.
Staff Recommendation
The staff recommendation is the following based on comments, discussion
and suggestions from residents at the April 23rd Recreation Advisory Board
meeting on the subject:
Recommendation Approximate cost
1. Install a chain link gate with an automatic locking $200
device set by timer for the hours of darkness.
2. Install signs at the entry points to the footbridge $300
and at the primary entry points of the neighborhood
regarding the locking timing and procedures.
3. Install irrigation to support an aesthetically pleasing $4,000
combination of turf, plants and trees.
• 4. FPL electrical service $1,500
5. Install a full lawn of St Augustine turf $5,500
6. Install 3 -5 clusters of plants and palms appropriate $8,000
to the size of the site.
Summary
In conclusion, there are items such as the gate, locking device and timer that
can be installed immediately. The electrical power, irrigation, turf, plants
and trees will need to be coordinated carefully due to the proximity to
underground utility lines. Therefore, the size and scope of the project may be
limited. In addition, the $25,000 necessary to properly complete the project
will need to be included as a request in the upcoming 2005 budget.
•
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