LVPOA Newsletter Page 3

Newsletter Archives:

2006

2007

2008

Newsletter Printable Version
Click Here

Thinking about Facility reservations for 2009?

Event requests for 2009 must be received by June 30th. Group Reservations will begin on August 14th. Individual reservations will begin on September 2nd. For complete details download the Facility Request Policy

(Page 3)

General Manager's Report

Making an LVPOA Park

The picture above was taken when the lake was approximately 678' MSL. Lake is full at 681' MSL.

What does it take to locate, purchase, rezone and build a new park?

Controlling Emerald boat ramp has been a challenge for the Association for many years. Purchasing the land adjacent to the Emerald Boat Ramp Park in 2007 paved the way to control the ramp. Thanks to the Board's action, the Association is now able to build a small pocket park (just under 3.5 acres) and control access to the ramp.

Historically, the Association was aware that many non-members used the Emerald Boat Ramp. It has also been known that members and non-members parked their vehicles and trailers on property that did not belong to the Association. Over this last Labor Day weekend, the Association estimated that more than 500 vehicles and trailers used the park. At least fifty percent were non-members.

The lots purchased and traded were residential lots. To build a park, the Association had to rezone and combine the lots. The boat ramp was zoned "Undeveloped Park". The Association felt the zoning was overly restrictive and that the zoning ordinance was woefully inadequate to meet the needs of the Association. Approaching the City with the idea of creating a new zoning ordinance was resisted, leaving the Association the option to ask for zoning associated with a "Developed Park."

Going through the process is a challenge. Since the Association had not added a park in over twenty years, we were unprepared for the hurdles that lay ahead. When we asked for a developed park zoning designation, the Planning and Zoning Committee (P&Z) challenged the need for several items in that designation such as mobile homes and park ranger residence. We agreed that we did not need or desire those items in the park; the park was too small to support them and a mobile home would have to be placed over twenty feet above ground to meet the flood plain building codes. The Association argued that though we did not need some of the items in the "Developed Park", we did need other items that were not included in the "Undeveloped Park." We mentioned pavilions, picnic tables, trash receptacles and playscapes, to name a few.

The Association pointed out to the P&Z and the City Council that the Board represents over 7,800 members. LVPOA members want to improve their parks (according to the 2007 Long Range Planning Committee survey.) The Association's "prime" purpose is to improve their parks (according to the LVPOA Articles of Incorporation.) In the end, the P&Z committee recommended disapproval, leaving us to plead the case with the City Council.

(Page 3 of 5)

Newsletter Pages