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PARKS, RECREATION, AND COMMUNITY ENHANCEMENT COMMITTEE AGENDA September 9, 2008 - 12:00 Noon - Caucus Room - City Hall - City of Dover Public comments are welcomed on any item and will be permitted at appropriate times. When possible, please notify the City Clerk (736-7008 or e-mail at Tmcdowell@dover.de.us) should you wish to be recognized. AGENDA ADDITIONS/DELETIONS 1. CDBG Program - Status of Contracts 2. Updates A. Puncheon Run Watershed Action Team Update B. Planning and Funding for New Library C. 2008 Comprehensive Plan Update D. Schutte Park Space - Boys and Girls Club E. Skate Park Committee /tm S:\ClerksOffice\Agendas&Minutes\Committee-Agendas\2008\09-09-2008 PR&CE.wpd THE AGENDA ITEMS AS LISTED MAY NOT BE CONSIDERED IN SEQUENCE. THIS AGENDA IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE TO INCLUDE THE ADDITION OR THE DELETION OF ITEMS, INCLUDING EXECUTIVE SESSIONS.

Status of FY-2007 CDBG Projects Homeowner Rehabilitation Program All rehabs have been completed and final inspections will be scheduled the week of September 5th. Rental Rehabs 301 W. Loockerman Street One apartment unit is completed. Unit will be ready for occupancy upon final plumbing inspection and a certificate of occupancy inspection completed. Work is scheduled to begin immediately on second apartment unit once architectural designs have been revised and approved by the City Building Inspector and a permit obtained. Status of FY-2008 CDBG Projects An executed Funding Approval Agreement was submitted to HUD on August 22, 2008. Congress has not released 2008 funding available for draws for new projects as of yet. On July 30th, the President signed the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008, which will provide $3.9 billion in funds for states and entitlement communities for the purchase and redevelopment of abandoned and vacant homes. The State of Delaware is expected to receive $19.6 million of these funds which will be allocated to entitlement communities throughout the state. Once guidelines have been established for the expenditures of these funds, each entitlement community will have 18 months to expend the funds.

Parks, Recreation, and Community Enhancement Committee Agenda - September 9, 2008 2. Updates B. Planning and Funding for New Library Holzman Moss Architecture visited Dover Public Library on August 25, 2008. Met with Library Steering Committee to review project process, discuss project goals and objectives, review schedule and establish next meeting dates. Discuss and determine list of persons to be involved, review approach for speaking with users and review approach for speaking with key constituents and community members. Took tour of library to review existing spaces and discuss current deficiencies. Held a lunchtime briefing with City Council and Levy Court. Met with library staff to review project schedule and process and to discuss project goals and objectives as well as preliminary building program requirements. Met with library director to discuss preliminary project thoughts. Held a public meeting with an open forum to discuss project parameters and to inform public of the process. Start work on site survey and topography. F. Skate Park Committee RECENT ACTIONS: Met with the Kent County Parks and Recreation committee on Aug 14. Shared our work and goals and asked if they felt the County would be interested in Partnering with the City to fund a skatepark. We spoke for about an hour on the subject. They raised concerns including securing access for County as well as City residents, the added cost of insurance coverage, a need to have a park staffed and the associated cost and location/parking/restrooms. They, as an advisory board to Levy Court, felt it is a very worthy effort, offered that Mr. Van Sant would be the point of contact and was willing to meet with Zach and or Tony to discuss the issue further, and shared there opinion at the end of the day is just advice to Levy Court. Members from the Dover Public Skatepark Project committee completed site visits this past month to three free community skateparks in New Jersey to research different designs and management approaches. Another research day is being discussed. We have initiated conversations with several national firms that design / build skateparks. Or near term goals here are to flesh out design issues the possible sites in Dover will bring and gain some assistance in completing preliminary site plans for one, two or three of the reviewed sites. POSSIBLE SITES: The most promising site to date is the PWII site (the City’s old WWTP site) as it has good access, little exposure to homes, possible future site for a city riverside park, has two existing large concrete pads (the old clarifiers) that are not currently used, stormwater quality and quantity design would be much less expensive here due to the existing impermeable surface cover and proximity to the St. Johns River. The other site we feel warrants further discussion is Saulsbury Park. It brings additional tasks of gaining DelDOT/City approval for traffic flow/entrances, addressing neighbor thoughts and quality & quantity stormwater controls. MOVING FORWARD: Our plan moving forward is to prepare site plans for 1 – 3 possible sites, communicate these site plans to the City and near residents, continue the petition drive, continue to explore a City – County partnership, gain City and County buy-in, grant applications / fundraising, assist the City – County in completing an RFP for the design / build of the park.