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Open Space Advisory Board <br />Minutes <br />May 10, 2023 <br />Page 3 of 12 <br />There will be a discussion of a proposed Dark Skies ordinance at an upcoming Council <br />meeting. <br />7. Discussion Item: Consideration of questions posed by City Manager regarding Board <br />roles and interactions with City Council. Presented by David Blankinship, OSAB Chair <br />David shared the email from City Manager Durbin (see meeting packet). Council will <br />discuss this topic further on June 6t". The Board discussed each of the City Manager's <br />questions, one at a time. <br />"What do you consider to be the purpose and role of your body?" <br />Helen shared the language regarding the role of OSAB written in the City Charter — <br />https://www.louisviIleco.gov/home/showpubIisheddocument/64/635500284987870000. <br />The charter establishes OSAB as a permanent board (§10) and describes a framework of <br />the advisory subjects including defining passive recreation, property inventory, <br />management, classification, and transfers (§15). David said he also found language in the <br />municipal code that was pertinent. He read the relevant section that said that OSAB <br />should be consulted in an advisory role on: "inventory of city open space, open space <br />master plan, trails master plan, land classifications, open space aspects of development <br />proposals, open space management, environmental education, etc." Laura asked David <br />what the code said about OSAB's role regarding trails. David said that in some places it <br />talks about trails in general and in other places it talks about trails specifically on open <br />space. Laura said she considers one of OSAB's roles to be to advise on new and proposed <br />trails, and to consider the City's trail network and specifically how it functions as a <br />network. She based this opinion on previous instruction and on the fact that a trail <br />network works best when considered holistically. David added that in the bylaws of <br />PPLAB, trails are not mentioned as one of their purviews. Helen pointed out that <br />commenting on Open Space budgeting should be included on this list. <br />"What have been your greatest successes and failures?" <br />Helen commented that wayfinding has been both: the planning and proposals have been <br />wonderful and promising, but the new signs have not been delivered, even after ten <br />years. David said the acquisition of the Mayhoffer property should be considered a <br />success. David also thought that the Board's recent rally around not paving Coal Creek <br />Trail counted as a success, but it revealed a lot of process and communication problems <br />between Council and the Board. Susan suggested convincing the City not to require open <br />space volunteers to have background checks is a success. Michiko suggested that the <br />board has shown a history of very successful teamwork. Jojo suggested that <br />communication with Council is a process failure, in both directions. David described the <br />creation of the "Half-and-half trail" section of the Coal Creek trail on Aspen Way and <br />Roosevelt as an example of this sort of process failure given that the City Council ignored <br />OSAB's recommendation that the trail be entirely crusher fines and subsequently paved <br />5 <br />