Commissioners hitting pavement for input on Marble Falls green spaces

JENNIFER FIERRO • STAFF WRITER

MARBLE FALLS — With the city of Marble Falls eyeing a possible hotel and conference center amid three key parks, it’s time for residents to give their two cents (and more) on how they envision the future of the green spaces.

And the Marble Falls Parks and Recreation commissioners will serve on the front line of that input.

Marble Falls Parks and Recreation Department Director Robert Moss told the commissioners during their regular meeting May 2 that they will be used as an advisory committee by representatives of Halff Associates, the group tapped to update the city’s parks, recreation and open space plan.

One task the commissioners have, he added, is to speak to people in the community, including business owners, workers, neighbors, church leaders and others, to discover what they want in the parks, what improvements they’d like to see and how to make the parks better.

“You can talk to people you know in the community and get a feel for what they see,” he said. “You are a key part and significant in this process. You’re very important.”

In addition, Moss said others would join in serving on the advisory committee, including a board member of the Marble Falls Economic Development Corp., a Marble Falls City Council member, a planning and zoning commission member and a member of the public sector.

Meanwhile, city of Marble Falls staff support the process, said City Manager Mike Hodge, who added that Mayor John Packer would be the likely council member serving on the committee.

“He expressed an interest,” Hodge said.

Moss told the commissioners no dates have been set, but they should prepare for a special workshop and getting together with stakeholders in focus groups in the next few weeks to talk about the needs and wants for the parks system.

Invited individuals will include representatives from Marble Falls Independent School District, neighborhood groups, downtown and other business bureaus, and anyone who has an interest in contributing.

Moss added that these gatherings will be open to the public.

“We’ll have 15 to 20 people in three different meetings who’ll provide feedback and ideas and things they’d like to see,” Moss said. “The general public can come and observe or participate.”

Parks and recreation commission chairman David Rhodes said he was pleased to have this chance.

“This is an opportunity for us to get feedback on questions we have on parks,” he said. “If we go out to these groups, what do we want to know to help staff and the council ask questions? This is an opportunity we don’t get all the time. This is a road map for the future parks and recreation board and the city council to use as a guideline.”

The parks, recreation and open space plan is being updated because of a possible new hotel and conference center between Main Street and Lakeside Park. The location puts it adjacent to Lakeside Park and Falls Creek Park and within easy walking distance to Johnson Park.

Moss said that location, in the heart of the parks system, means potential changes in conditions for the parks.

The council approved spending up to $75,000 to update the city’s parks, recreation and open space plan. The EDC pledged $28,000, while the remaining $47,000 came from the Capital Improvements Projects fund balance.

Halff Associates will focus primarily on Lakeside, Falls Creek and Johnson parks.

An up-to-date plan puts the city in better position to have grants allocated, Moss said.

The commissioners also:

• were told a Spring Break subcommittee and a Keep Marble Falls Beautiful committee needed three commissioners for each. Commissioners Mark McCary, Leta Stevenson-Smith and Charles Watkins volunteered for the Spring Break subcommittee. Moss said the top task is to find sponsors for each Spring Break event so all activities are paid for by businesses or nonprofits. The Keep Marble Falls Beautiful subcommittee was formed at the suggestion of Keep Texas Beautiful to move Marble Falls from provisional status.

• were told the department has received complaints about the way Marble Falls City Cemetery looks because of the bluebonnets and other wildflowers that are growing. Moss said the city will mow certain areas of the cemetery but chose to let the bluebonnets reseed naturally, which will take a few more weeks. Moss said it’s the staff’s preference to mow it now; the higher the grass gets and is allowed to grow, the tougher it will be to mow later. “Staff hates it,” he said.

jfierro@thepicayune.com