Joint Board Matter with Supervisor McKay and Supervisor Herrity

July 29, 2014

Consideration Item for Carryover:

Request for Lake Accotink ParkSite Analysis and Area Use Recommendation Study

Madame Chairman:

Lake Accotink Park, an unpolished gem in Fairfax County, is comprised of a 55 acre lake and 493 acres of surrounding park land. Recently, the Park Authority has begun to reimagine its potential and is about to embark on an approximately 18 month re-master planning effort. This new master plan seeks to turn this underutilized park into one of the County’s crown jewels.

Before that effort begins, however, the Park Authority has recommended that a preliminary Site Analysis and Area Use Recommendation Study be conducted to inform and establish parameters for the planning process. Given the park’s sensitive environmental nature, I agree that doing so is a wise first step. Attached to this board matter is an outline and budget for the proposed study, which is expected to take six months for completion. While the Park Authority is currently working with Northern Virginia Regional Commission to identify potential grant funding opportunities, there is no indication that such talks will bear fruit. Given that, I would ask that the Board take action today as it will not meet again before NVRC and the Park Authority will be able to determine if an additional avenue for funding this study exists.

I would ask that funding for the necessary actions to inform the new master plan be included for the Board’s consideration in this Fall’s carry over package.