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April 23, 2001Commons will turn focus to open spaces-Officials are exploring the idea of creating a park authority to manage, maintian landsBy BILL O'BRIENRecord-Eagle staff writer TRAVERSE CITY - Since its formation more than a decade ago to oversee redevelopment of former state hospital grounds, the Grand Traverse Commons has focused mostly on the aging buildings. Now some local officials want to start putting more effort - and resources - toward the spacious park land and open space areas at the Commons campus. City and Garfield Township leaders are exploring the idea of creating a park authority to manage and maintain park lands and dedicated open space areas. "It's just an idea right now," city manager Richard Lewis said. "We need to do some more groundwork before we even know if it could happen." Officials got the idea for a joint park authority from a new state law that took effect Dec. 1. It allows local municipalities to form parks and recreation authorities that can levy up to one mill within a park district - with voter approval - to raise funds for park improvements or maintenance. Lewis said the law may need to be tweaked to apply to the Commons property, but officials are hopeful the statute could be amended, if necessary. Lewis discussed the concept with the city, township and Commons officials at a joint meeting Thursday night, where it received a positive response. Commons officials acknowledged that much of their effort has been consumed reviewing development plans for the campus or working on roads and utilities. That has left the volunteer board with less time to work on recreation issues, although park land and open space still make up about half of the 477-acre campus. "I think there's been a lot of interest in keeping that land as a community recreation area. But the Commons does not have the money to do that," Commons chairman Brad Barnes said. He thinks a park authority is "the way we're going to get something created up there that people can enjoy." About 113 acres of dedicated park land in the Commons is located within the city and almost 130 acres lie in Garfield Township. There are other properties not currently dedicated as parks that could be purchased from the Commons for park land if funds were available, including the land around the historic barns along Silver Lake Road where the county had proposed a law enforcement center. Combined with wetland areas and other dedicated Commons open space and open space areas on neighboring properties, up to 350 acres of contiguous lands eventually could become public recreation property, officials said. Long-time Commons board member Dan Tholen has chaired a parkland committee for the Commons since 1992. He characterized the Commons' efforts in preserving and improving the open space areas there as "benign negligence." "It hasn't been bad, but it hasn't been good," Tholen said. "We've managed it as what's it's been - an unimproved open space area - but we haven't actively promoted recreation area out there." Lewis said Friday that because of the positive response received from the city, township and Commons board, city and township officials will further investigate the idea although any formal proposal is likely weeks - possibly months - down the road. The city and township also are continuing to simplify the Commons review process for development proposals. Officials said the present system is cumbersome, "duplicative" and time consuming. City planner Russ Soyring said the city and township are drafting proposed changes to shorten the review process while maintaining the same level of public review and keeping the basic regulatory framework intact. Those recommended changes will be presented to the Commons, city and township later this spring. |