Public Comment

1. Violet Hover

Thanks for working on lights. Noise is a concern; orient bleachers at playing fields away from residential areas. The increase in traffic is a concern as well. No overnighters.  Lake maintenance is a problem now.  No sport fields and no lights on the 55-acre site. Homeless people are a problem.

RESPONSE: Condition of Lake (response as of 5/13/04): Staff regularly cleans the park, including the lake.  At this time only one groundskeeper is assigned to this park. Although the groundskeeper is very competent, it is recognized that additional help would improve the condition of the park. With the City currently facing budget constraints, we are unable to add additional staff at this time.

2. Darlene Jones-Lundergan

Do not want to see lights on the 55-acre parcel. Want peace and quiet, not thousands of kids. Concerned about homeless people in the park and concerned about safety.

3. Evelyn Bing

Has lived in the Tucson Mountains for many years.  Was poorly informed of earlier public meetings. We cannot win if only one group has the say in this.  Talked with all groups and everyone has a piece of the cake.  Need plan like 5 and 6 [Tucson Mountains Association/Pima County proposal].

4. Debbie Hecht

As President of the Tucson Mountains Association [TMA], worked many hours with lots of groups to come up with 5 and 6.  There are no plans to widen Silverbell. Request that the 55-acre parcel be included as an integral part of the park.  Ask that #6 be adopted so that groups can look for funding and work together. Asked that the scope defined in the County Bond Program be honored.

5. Lloyd Perper

Tennis courts need to be included in the design of the park. Presently, the only available courts are at Pima Community College West Campus.  These are a considerable distance away and usually not available when desired.  They cannot be reserved, which is a problem.

6. Midge Hardy

As owner and operator of a nearby stable, see need for equestrian facilities.  Trails in area have been removed due to new development.  Kids in a 4H group would have a place to go.  Would rather see park than development.  It’s a good plan. Keep horse and dog people away from ball fields. Make it work together.

7. Sharon Welch

In strong support for equestrian facilities. Off-leash dog area should stay the same. Keep passive activities away from active ones.

8. Ray Sola

Asked that Bocce Courts be included in the park design, since Christopher Columbus likely played Bocce. Why move soccer fields?  Why not move up to Ft Lowell Park?  No palm trees or grass. Teach people about desert landscaping.

RESPONSE: No palm trees or grass (response as of 5/13/04): Drought tolerant plants will be considered in the plan.  Grass on fields is presently planned. Non-native, invasive species of wild grass will not be planned.

RESPONSE: Soccer fields (response as of 5/13/04): The City of Tucson Parks and Recreation Strategic Service Plan calls for one soccer field per 14,858 in population as this community’s standards for soccer fields. Based on this standard, we currently need 16 new fields to meet current needs. Soccer fields are in short supply, especially in the northwest area of the community.  Kids that would like to play soccer are limited by this shortage and parents often travel long distances so their children have an opportunity to play. Fort Lowell Park is designed to serve the youth in that part of the community and is at capacity.  Consequently, soccer fields are needed in Columbus Regional Park to address the lack of fields citywide, but most importantly, to serve children living in the northwest area of our community.  The goal is to create equity of access for all citizens.

9. Sabra Beck

Strong support of tennis facilities in the park design.  She is a tennis coach at Marana High School.  Students cannot play near where they live. Strongly support children activities, especially a totally covered children’s play area for children three and under as well as children from three-to-six years of age.  This area should have a sand base.

RESPONSE: Totally covered play areas (response as of 5/13/04): This is certainly a preferred way of building tot playgrounds and will be considered when planning.  Shading areas via planting trees is another way to address this need, if budget constraints are encountered.

RESPONSE: Playground surfaces (response as of 5/13/04): The design of playgrounds and playground surfaces are governed by very specific standards and requirements by the National Playground Safety Institute, which the City of Tucson must meet. These standards do not permit the use of a sand base.

10.  Steve Lefler

He is a district administrator for Little League in Tucson north of Speedway to Marana. Glad to see everyone getting along.  Need ball fields in this area.  Community got lights at Jacobs Park.  Little League can help with lights.

11.  Mike Dunn

Been involved since the beginning. Great to not travel so far.  Realize other’s needs.  Supports #6.  We’re in a growing area with lots of kids. AYSO kids here have nowhere to play. Baseball needs it.

12.  James Martin

Support TMA/County Plan as a great improvement especially for field placement.
Don’t move existing Dog Run. Leave it alone.

RESPONSE: Dog area move (response as of 5/13/04): Relocation of any current facilities would only occur to optimize the overall use of the facility and for the long-term benefits to the community the park is intended to serve.

13.  Marianne Martin

Live at Desert Ashram Monastery and concerned about noise. Wants to keep area peaceful and natural. The increase in traffic is a concern as well.  No sport fields and no lights on the 55-acre site.

14.  Randall Cuberly

Active in Cholla Choppers Model Airplane Club and see model planes included in all plans.  Support the multi-use approach to facilities.  Would like to remember others.  Some are single use such as tennis. Been here since 1977.

15.  Bill Katzel

Live across the street.  This is the first public meeting with good notice.  There is a legal IGA with the County Bonds.  City is resisting transferring 55-acre parcel into the park.  There should be three self-contained areas with no through traffic.  Take traffic off Silverbell.  Strong push for TMA plan.

16.  Ann Binau

Do not move facilities that have been improved by volunteers; i.e., paved path in dog park.  Regarding homeless people, many could have homes.  Not safe. Who will pay for lights?

17.  Jeanette Hanby

Support riparian corridors.  Slow down cars. Natural area could be used for educational purposes.  She teaches biology. Advocated for pedestrian paths, trails in general and development of the De Anza Trail (Rafael Payan, Pima County, responded to the question of paths in the big picture.)  Requested pedestrian/bicycle bridge over the Santa Cruz River for connectivity.

18.  Mike Campbell

Lives across from the #6 plan’s lighted tennis courts. Supports soccer fields but not lights.

19.  Debbie Hicks

Thanks to all for design and planning work done. There are so many needs and desires.   The TMA/County Plan incorporates many needs and the concept plan is needed for the future.

20.  Bob Davis

Dog walker and supporter for dog park and related facilities.  Event things are nice.  Don’t want to see the Dog Run relocated.

21.  Lee Fullerton

Disabled people are ignored; ADA is 14 years old. Paving surfaces should accommodate wheelchair access, even into natural areas. Need more ADA parking; should be 10% of available parking to meet needs. Need Braille on signs.

RESPONSE: ADA requirements (response as of 5/13/04): Since 1990, all new City of Tucson Parks and Recreation facilities have been built to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).  We have also invested in the compliance of older, existing facilities per ADA requirements.

22.  Bill Jones

Don’t understand if the 55-acre parcel is in or out. City and County should work together.   Need to include the 55-acre site.  Concerned about lighting and noise. What are the hours for lighting? Why spend money to move the dog park?

23.  Don Kucera

Support for the development of the De Anza Trail. Work with the rookery for the heron. Provide for trailhead parking for hikers and parking for equestrians. There should be pedestrian access to the 55 acres (under the bridge at El Camino Del Cerro and Santa Cruz River). Complained about the site being used as a dumping ground and that more effort must be made to clean up the area.

24.  Allison Titcomb

The multi-use facilities are awesome.  Compromises have been made. The dog agility training area is very important and addresses a growing need.  Dogs don’t care where the park is.  Note that AKC is only for purebred dogs and there are other dog groups out there.

25.  Mike Rusk

Strongly support kid’s sports. Need youth sports facilities sooner than later.

26.  Richard Law

Questions if 55 acres is within the bond proposal. [Staff responded that it isn’t.] Cited the County Sport Park on Ina Road as an example of light pollution. Suggested that the number of soccer fields shown on the TMA/County Plan be cut in half.  Complained about trash on the 55 acres and the need to clean up the park.  Suggested that we build soccer fields without lights.

27.  Roxanne Washington

Volunteers put in the ADA ramp.  Dogs and kids don’t mix; often dogs are blamed. People do the policing.  Suggested that it would be a waste of money and effort if we relocated the existing dog park. Put in more solar lights.

28.  Bill Pederson

Brings eight dogs to dog park. Don’t move it. Soccer fields are overbuilt.  Do not support lighting.  Development community should pick up trash, volunteer to maintain and keep it up.  Support #6. Have smaller lights close to the ground.

29.  James Stanley

Use the park occasionally. Maintenance of the lakes is appalling. They are dying.  Where does water come from? Sewage.  Model boat lake to CC is plugged.

RESPONSE: Lake water (response as of 5/13/04): The lake water is pumped from a well and is untreated well water. It is not effluent or reclaimed.  It enters Archer Lake (the smaller lake, used for model boats) and moves to Silverbell Lake, the larger fishing lake. Periodically, aquatic weeds are cleaned in the channel area between the two lakes, as well as the drainage pipe. All urban lakes are stressed, as they are man made, and efforts continue to address conditions and allow Game and Fish to stock it for fishermen's use.

30.  Emily Johnston

Support horses and trails. Bond voted for horse facilities; already paid for.

31.  Jeffrey Harris

Security is important. Concerned about homeless people. There is a need for covered, shaded play area.  Concerned about noise from fields.

32.  Mr. Arvind

Support broad  pedestrian walkways for exercise away from pets and bikes.

33.  Valery Thompson

Multi-use fields are worth the effort. Support lights.  Use of fields is in the evening hours.  Need space for dog agility training.  Need dog training area for this side of town.

34.  Kendall Kroesen

Represents Tucson Audubon Society and supports the maximum amount of urban wildlife. Supports habitat restoration. More water flow would enhance wildlife viewing.  Introduce hydro-riparian vegetation.

35.  Julia Huslig

Active with AYSO.  Like #6.  Pay attention to lights.  No dogs are allowed on fields.  Need fields on west side.

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