City Parks & Recreation Director Gary Robinson returned to the Council Monday night with revisions to the forest lands comprehensive plan with language he hoped reflected a consensus of the Council.
But, language that summarized the goal as “maintaining and enhancing recreational opportunities” drew objections from Council member Nick Petrish. “I’m somewhat reluctant to approve this. I think we should maintain the forest rather than enhance recreation.”
Cynthia Richardson liked the language and said “To me, it suggests both aspects. Enhancing doesn’t mean putting in water slides,” adding “A balance doesn’t mean equal everywhere” in the forest.
Petrish came back with “This is important. The environment has to take precedent.”
Council member Bill Turner said he wanted to make sure “we still have recreation 10 or 15 years from now.”
“I’m against using the word ‘enhance.’ We need to manage recreation,” Council member Brad Adams said.
In the end, the Council left that language alone, but, the next paragraph, the fourth paragraph of the comp plan’s introduction, drew the most comments and did get modified by the Council, on a four to three vote.
Objections came over the sentence “The ACFL has become a regional destination and should be managed to accommodate this use.”
Petrish said “It should not be our purpose to manage our forest lands for people from outside our region.”
Council Member Brian Geer said “I disagree...it’s critical that that line remains.”
But, Adams said ”We are a local park. It would be difficult to manage it in a regional way. It will take additional resources.”
Turner said “I dislike the language.”
Council Kevin McKeown offered a compromise, which combined part of the sentence which drew objections with the preceding sentence.
In the end, the Council, voting 4-3, approved a line which reads “Use in the ACFL from local and regional residents has increased as people seek out its natural beauty and recreational opportunities and should be managed to accommodate this use.”
The Council okayed other changes Parks director Robinson had drafted, including changes involving climbing on Mt. Erie, dogs and motorcycles in the forest.
One paragraph that Robinson added said “The Forest Board should work with the Park Board and other public entities to find place(s) where dogs can be allowed off-leash in a trail setting and or with access to water. This process may take several years of careful research and require significant input as to how best to accomplish this goal.”
Robinson said the off-leash area may end up being outside the forest lands.
The comprehensive plan will be back before the Council in the form or an ordinance later.