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<br /> <br /> <br /> <br />CITY COUNCIL COMMUNICATION <br />SUBJECT: PARKS AND ADVOCACY WITHIN CITY PARKS <br /> <br />DATE: FEBRUARY 12, 2013 PAGE 2 OF 2 <br /> <br />Active citizen involvement is a City of Louisville hallmark. In effect, we have over 18,376 <br />park advocates. A most recent and related example is the Colorado Technology Center <br />(CTC) to downtown trail championed by a Louisville resident. While the City does not <br />have a trail advisory board, in 2010 this citizen encouraged staff to work with CTC and <br />the Metropolitan District encouraging the City to construct a trail link connecting the <br />CTC to historic downtown Louisville. In 2012 the trail was dedicated. There was <br />significant support from the Open Space Advisory Board (OSAB) and the Business <br />Retention and Development Board (BRAD). Understandably, not all projects get “legs”, <br />are adopted, and are implemented in a timely manner, however; they all garner <br />thoughtful consideration. This is but one example and a testament to citizen <br />involvement, responsive municipal government and perhaps a strong indicator of why <br />the City has 38 miles of trails, 29 parks and is consistently cited as a great place to live. <br />It may also lend credence for the PROST recommendation to consider structural <br />changes/consolidation of some boards and commissions to perhaps make them more <br />inclusive of services and programs provided by the City. <br /> <br />FISCAL IMPACT: <br />If the intent is to develop more parks and create another board, staffing demands and <br />budgetary impacts will need further evaluation dependent upon direction from City <br />Council. <br /> <br />RECOMMENDATION: <br />Staff recommends that the City of Louisville retain the Charter-required Open Space <br />Advisory Board, and investigate the consolidation of the Golf Course Advisory Board, <br />Horticulture and Forestry Advisory Board, Youth Advisory Board and Senior Advisory <br />Board into a nine member Parks and Recreation Advisory Board with sub-committees <br />for each discipline as necessary. 501c3 organizations such as Friends of the Arboretum <br />and Louisville Cultural Council would coordinate operations with the City but would be <br />functionally independent of the City and without City staff. <br /> <br /> <br />ATTACHMENTS: <br />1. Current Park Inventory <br />5