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Ken Griffin - Fwd: RE: Thweatt Park
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Ken Griffin
Brad Reid
3/25/20088:42 AM
Fwd: RE: Thweatt Park
Kei th Marvin
Brad
Yes, this is the federal money that we received for a portion of the Sandy Lake project. I've forwarded
your original email to Keith so he can help if there are any design issues that impact the park. The trail
around the pond was proposed to eliminate the need for walls around a portion of the pond.
ken g
>>> Brad Reid 3/24/2008 1 :54 PM >>>
Ken,
Do you know about this? I am prepared to respond, but wanted to make certain that you were aware.
Brad
>>> Guy McLain 3/18/2008 11:52 AM >>>
FYI
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Keith Marvin - RE: Thweatt Park
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To:
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"Alma Canning" <alma@?civilassociates.com>
"Parks" <Parks@?ci.coppell.tx.us>, "Guy McLain" <GMCLAIN@?ci.coppelLtx.us>
3/18/2008 10: lOAM
RE: Thweatt Park
"Jonathan Stewart" <jonathan@?civilassociates.com>
Parcels. pdf; Sandy Lake Aerial. pdf
Guy,
I do appreciate this information on Thweatt Park. I am not sure if the City of Coppell is aware of the
proposed expansion of Sandy Lake Road, but let me just give you a background on my inquiry.
The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) Dallas District has assigned us to prepare a
Categorical Exclusion environmental document for the proposed expansion of Sandy Lake Road. The
section that was assigned to us is from N. Coppell Road to S. Coppell Road. The proposed project would
expand the existing two lane roadway into a four-lane divided roadway. Additional right-of-way will be
required from this expansion. Based on the schematics (see attached), it shows that there are no
additional ROW acquisition at the park. However, a trail is proposed around the park's pond.
This being said, because of this proposed action to a publicly owned land (Thweatt Park), the
environmental document triggers a Section 4(f) inquiry. Section 4(f) properties are publicly owned
land such as a public park, recreational area, wildlife and waterfowl refuge lands or any land from a
historic site of national, state or local significance. In order for TxDOT to evaluate the proposed project,
we would like to request answers to the following questions from the City of Coppell:
(1) Is Thweatt Park PUBLICLY OWNED?
Public ownership in Section 4(f) refers to ownership by a local, state or federal government
agency. However, the idea of ownership does not necessarily mean that the government has a
proprietary interest in the land, although it may. Public ownership can also mean that a
government entity simply has a legal interest in the land, such as a perpetual easement for
conservation purposes, for example. (NOTE: Section 4(f) does not apply if a park or recreation
area is owned by a private institution or an individual, even if it is open to the public.)
(2) Is Thweatt Park OPEN TO THE PUBLIC?
A resource that is open to the public is one where access is not limited to specific members of the
public; rather, it is available to the entire public during normal hours of operation. If a resource
is restricted to a select group of people (i.e., not the general public), it is not considered open to
the public and is therefore not considered a Section 4(f) resource. For example, if a publicly
owned recreational facility (such as a state university softball complex, for example) is open only
to students, faculty and staff, then it would not be considered open to the public.
(3) Thweatt Park's MAJOR PURPOSE IS A PARK OR RECREATION ACTIVITIES?
Recreation refers to typical outdoor activities such as walking, hiking and birding, for example,
as well as organized sports like soccer, softball and lacrosse. Major purpose is not so easily
defined. In order to determine a piece of land's major purpose, you will have to review its master
plan to see if the purpose is explicitly stated, and formally consult with the officials with
jurisdiction over the land. For parks and recreation areas, the officials with jurisdiction are often
the owners or administrators of the land, who may be one or more federal, state or local
agencies. Lands used primarily for non-recreational purposes but that host recreational
activities which are incidental, secondary, occasional, or dispersed do not have recreation as a
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major purpose. Here are a few examples:
land used primarily for equipment storage
land used to house park administration buildings
land that has some open space but with limited access and parking, and with no formal
designation or recreational elements such as ball fields, play equipment, trails, and so
forth
a reservoir that primarily serves to protect drinking water, but also provides
opportunities for incidental hiking, boating, and so forth
(4) Is Thweatt Park SIGNIFICANT AS A PARK OR RECREATION AREA?
A recreational resource is considered significant if its availability and function, when compared
to the overall recreation objectives of the surrounding community, are thought to fulfill those
objectives. This condition is not always easy to assess. It is best described with an example of
two parks:
Park A 15 located In the middle 01 town and ~es the sOfloun<ing neighborhoods,
It indUdE!'S a vanely of recreational opportumbe5 fOI the general public. meets the
'cocatlona! accessib,fity and aVailability. and serves all thc comrnurnty'5 recreation
obJecuves
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Park B IS located on the ootsklrts of town and <s difficult to access. It IS open
space WIlt' "0 defined goal af'\d no of1iclal plans for any lonna' rec,eatJlUlal faciltbes
The City's Planning Department may be able to help you out in identifying the park's significance base
on the City's Master Plan. In order for the environmental documentation and the project to go forward,
we are requesting response from the City. If you have any further questions, please give us a call.
Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Alma R. Canning
Civil Associates, Inc.
1521 Northwest Highway
Garland, Texas 75041
Phone: 214-703-5151 x 236
Fax: 214-703-5150
a lma@civilassociates.com
www.civilassociates.com
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