HomeMy WebLinkAboutLaurel Glen 1 30 09Bozeman Recreation & Parks Advisory Board
P.O. Box 1230 · Bozeman, MT · 59771
Park Master Plan Review
PLANNER: Dave Skelton
FROM: Subdivision Review Committee
SUBJECT: Laurel
Glen Phases III & IV
REVIEWED ON: January 30, 2009
COMMENTS:
As per prior requests, this development has consolidated the parkland into one unit with no intersecting
streets and 100% street frontage.
Because this plan was originally approved prior to the UDO, concessions were offered for this new submittal. These allowed counting wetlands toward
parkland requirements and allowing the 11% of acreage to prevail over the .03 acre/DU standard. With these concessions and an additional offset for affordable housing, the current plan
meets the required acreage.
The current plan calls for a pavilion and playground to be installed in the South West corner of the park. The advantages of this location are its proximity
to the commercial center, proximity to the majority of the dwelling units already in place, central location in the development, likelihood of it being developed sooner (the alternative
location is currently a large pond), and the fact that it won’t take space away from the active play area in the East side of the park. The principal disadvantage is that the proximity
to Annie Street and Laurel Parkway create a busy, noisy, and potentially less safe location.
The parkland included in phases I and II is a very small wetland corridor with some aesthetic
but minimal recreational value to the residents.
RECOMMENDATION:
We support the GVLT proposal for a North/South trail through the Baxter Creek greenway, running on the West side
of the creek from Durston to Annie; crossing the Creek in roughly the center of the park; then running on the East side of the Creek from this crossing north to Oak. We suggest that
great attention be paid to the safety of the street crossings.
We strongly encourage the developer to begin developing the area of the park West of Baxter Creek immediately upon approval
in order to provide some recreational parkland for the residents of phases I and II.
We would like to see the gravel pit pond East of the creek being filled in so that the playfield
area can be developed.
We leave the location of the pavilion and playground equipment to the developer’s design team.
We recommend that the City not accept the two .06 acre park parcels
but leave them as undedicated greenspace, to be owned and maintained by the developer until ceded to the Owners Association.
FISCAL EFFECTS:
Pushing the development of the small parkland
area West of the creek ahead of the usual schedule would create unusual upfront costs, but given the inadequate acreage and minimal development expense of the parkland in phases I and
II, and the fact that this area was set aside as parkland for phases I and II, it does not seem an unreasonable request.
ALTERNATIVES:
n/a
Respectfully submitted,
Sandy Dodge, RPAB subdivision review committee
Report compiled on February 4, 2009