Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutMemo - Mail Packet - 4/14/2020 - Memorandum From Kurt Friesen And Jennifer Torrey Re: Rossborough Park Cyclo-Cross Pilot Project UpdatePage 1 of 2 Park Planning & Development Department 215 N Mason St PO Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522 970-416-2192 fcgov.com/parkplanning Date: To: Through: From: Re: MEMORANDUM April 07, 2020 Mayor & City Councilmembers Darin Atteberry, City Manager Kelly DiMartino, Deputy City Manager John Stokes, Interim Community Services Director Kurt Friesen, Park Planning & Development Director Jennifer Torrey, Senior Landscape Architect Rossborough Park Cyclo-Cross Pilot Project Update Bottom Line This memo is provided in response to a request at a recent Leadership Planning Team (LPT) meeting. A summary of outreach and recommendation regarding the cyclo-cross skills training course piloted at Rossborough Park is provided. The pilot project was completed at the end of 2019. City staff recommends the course be modified based on feedback received, and the course remain a seasonal use in the park. Summary Cyclo-cross is a seasonal off-road cycling discipline, with a season that typically runs from August to December each year. While Fort Collins is home to several nationally recognized cyclo-cross riders, this growing sport attracts a diversity of riders, representing all ages and riding abilities. The cyclo-cross community requested the City determine the feasibility of implementing a skills training course. The purpose of the course is to practice skills, with the average amount of time spent on the course estimated at 30 minutes. As a skills training course, it is not used for races, events, or paid classes / lessons. City staff and representatives from the cyclo-cross community worked together over a two-year period to assess several potential course layouts in several neighborhood and community parks and agree to course rules of use. Rossborough Park was selected for the course because it offers the best topography / physical features for the course, is easily accessible, has minimal potential conflicts with pedestrians, doesn’t have programmed sport conflicts, allows space for the course to be setback from other park uses, and has the least impact to other park use areas. After determining a proposed course layout at Rossborough Park, City staff conducted a neighborhood meeting with Rossborough Park residents to receive feedback. Reactions from residents were mixed, with some expressing concern that the course would impact the park negatively. After careful consideration of these concerns and with modifications DocuSign Envelope ID: 46F5A84D-199C-4301-87AA-829207EAB963 Page 2 of 2 to the proposed course and features, the City elected to move forward with piloting the course for one season. The Parks & Recreation Board was supportive of this approach. Funded with donations from the cyclo-cross community, course features were constructed and installed under City supervision in Rossborough Park. The pilot began September 20, 2019 and ended on December 10, 2019. Following the pilot, the City conducted a survey of three different groups regarding the pilot: Rossborough Park residents / park users, cyclo-cross riders, and city staff who maintained and monitored the course during the pilot. This feedback was summarized and shared at a second neighborhood held on February 20, 2019. At the meeting, several options regarding the future of the course were presented to neighborhood residents for consideration and feedback. Additional feedback on the pilot and the future of the course was collected online through March 12, 2020. Fifty-eight comments in total were received. A summary of the options and associated level of support follows: Rossborough Park Cyclo-cross Course Options Option Description Level of Support 1 Course remains a seasonal use in its current configuration 47% 2 Course remains a seasonal use, is modified based on feedback 33% 3 Course remains a seasonal use, is modified based on feedback and is piloted for a second season 5% 4 Course is removed from the park 14% Recommendation Staff recommends Option 2 - the course remain a seasonal use in the park with modifications. Minor course feature modifications are recommended to mitigate concerns expressed by neighbors, improve the course function, and reduce / streamline maintenance of course features. Attachments • Meeting summary from February 20, 2020 neighborhood meeting • Meeting summary from July 13, 2019 neighborhood meeting • Link to the project web page: https://www.fcgov.com/parkplanning/cyclo-cross-pilot-project DocuSign Envelope ID: 46F5A84D-199C-4301-87AA-829207EAB963 Page 1 of 1 Park Planning & Development Department 215 N Mason St PO Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522 970-416-2192 fcgov.com/parkplanning Meeting Summary Subject: Rossborough Park – Neighborhood Meeting Date: February 20, 2020 Location: Rocky Mountain High School Staff Attendees: Kurt Friesen, Kevin Williams, Jen Torrey, Colleen Bannon Meeting Format A meeting was held with neighborhood residents to give an overview of the cyclo-cross pilot project, share feedback received and offer an opportunity for neighbors to provide additional feedback. Mayor Pro Tem Kristin Stephens, Park and Recreation Board members Mary Carlson and Shari Heyman, neighbor and cyclo-cross community representative Dan Porter, and three neighborhood residents were in attendance at the meeting. The presentation included:  Recap of what cyclo-cross is  Overview of the pilot skills training course and the pilot process  What we heard from neighbors, course users, and parks maintenance staff  Next Steps Following the presentation, a Q & A session was conducted. Below is a Summary of the Discussion The following is a list of concerns expressed by neighbors who attended the meeting: • Potential that riders disobey rules, resulting in senior citizens and dog walkers feeling unsafe; • Cyclists riding along the top of and over the sides of the North and East berm, which are informal pedestrian routes within the park; • Damage to turf in the park due cyclo-cross course use; • Limited access to shade at the Southwest corner of the park due to the cyclo-cross route; • Why Rossborough park was selected for this use. Staff shared that online feedback will to be collected through March 12, 2020. After March 12, feedback will be reviewed and a decision on the future of the course will be determined and shared on the project web page. DocuSign Envelope ID: 46F5A84D-199C-4301-87AA-829207EAB963 Page 1 of 1 Park Planning & Development Department 215 N Mason St PO Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522 970-416-2192 fcgov.com/parkplanning Meeting Summary Subject: Rossborough Park – Neighborhood Meeting Date: July 13, 2019 Location: Rocky Mountain High School Attendees: Approximately 45 Neighborhood Residents Meeting Format A meeting was held with neighborhood residents to present a potential pilot project to introduce a cyclo-cross skills training course at Rossborough Park. The presentation included:  City and project goals  Background on the sport of cyclo-cross  Park selection process for this pilot  Proposed course layout and skills features  Course marking, signage and rules of use  Maintenance  Pilot evaluation process  Conditions for course closure Following the presentation, a question and answer session was conducted. After the question and answer session, electronic polling was done to obtain information on how people use the park and the level of support from neighbors for introducing a skills training course to Rossborough Park. Below is a summary of the discussion: Signage for the course: Should be thoughtful; have rules of use and course closure information at the beginning of the course; provide instructions for each feature; include “yield to pedestrians” along the course. Course Markings: Painted lines will help park users understand where cyclists will be. Pilot Evaluation: In early 2020 (after 1 season of use) input from neighbors, riders and city staff will be collected and reviewed to determine if the course remains as is, is modified or removed from the park. The pilot evaluation should include discussion of the following concerns voiced by neighbors:  Parking  Noise levels  Enforcement of rules of use  Maintaining neighborhood feel  Impacts to dog walkers  Access to shade for existing park users  Preserved sledding just north of the playground  Safety of existing park users DocuSign Envelope ID: 46F5A84D-199C-4301-87AA-829207EAB963