By Matt Ward—
Expected growth in the neighborhood surrounding Old Fair Park has caused the Fredericksburg City Council to examine the future of the recreational park.
During its regular meeting Monday, the council approved a contract with Freese and Nichols, Inc. to aid in the development of three alternative conceptual master plans for the long-term future of Old Fair Park development.
Options include:
1. Leaving the existing park alone while adding the new skate park developed by the Fredericksburg Morning Rotary Club, shared parking and relocation of the existing soccer field;
2. Reducing the existing park facilities by relocating the sports fields and creating a smaller, passive park surrounded by new commercial infill development; and
3. A complete redevelopment of the park site with a mix of new infill housing, retail and commercial uses.
The plans would be developed to foster a community discussion about the park’s future with no decision yet made on specific changes.
“I think what we most want to determine is if that area being used as ball fields for kids is going to remain a site feasible for that kind of activity to continue with the growth around there,” Mayor Linda Langerhans said. “We don’t know and that’s what we’re trying to find out.”
The city will facilitate a meeting with area stakeholders — including Fischer & Wieser, H-E-B and developers of a new hotel project on Ufer Street — within the next several months.
Following that meeting, the consultant will develop the master plan alternatives and bring them before the council in early 2015.
Regulation change proposal delayed
The council took no action on a request to change its regulations in order to allow expansion at non-conforming, conditional use permitted sites.
The request, made by city staff at the direction of the council, follows discussion earlier this fall regarding a zoning change for the Gillespie Animal Clinic from C-1 Neighborhood Commercial to C-2 Commercial in order to make future expansion of the site easier and avoid the need for a conditional use permit.
Neither the council nor staff were opposed to expansion of the clinic, though staff concerned with a Planning and Zoning Commission recommendation to deny the regulation change.
“As it relates to this particular use, I think it’s good. If we open it up to everything, we could run into some problems down the road,” Councilman Bobby Watson said, adding that he had reservations about going against planning and zoning commission recommendations.
“My concern is if we do this, we’re primarily doing this for one situation and not taking into account what could happen in the future in other parts of the city,” Watson said. “Looking out for the good of the whole, I’m a little hesitant.”
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