Res 04-28

ANC 3F RESOLUTION NOT OBJECTING TO THE FINAL CONCEPT PLAN

FOR BALL FIELDS AT FORT RENO NATIONAL PARK

Advisory Neighborhood Commission 3F

North Cleveland Park, Forest Hills, and Tenleytown

4401-A Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Box 244

Washington, D.C. 20008-2322

WHEREAS, in response to ANC 3F resolution 04-21, a resolution from ANC 3E, and comments from the community, the DC Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) has developed a Final Concept Plan for ball fields at Fort Reno, which includes:

· a 90’ baseball diamond with 310’ outfield near Chesapeake Street

· a backstop and 10’ high foul line fencing totaling 260 linear feet

· no fencing in the outfield

· players’ dugouts inside the foul line fences

· benches for spectators, but not bleachers, outside the foul line fences

· a regulation-sized, 100 yd. x 60 yd. (300’ x 180’), soccer field at a slant across the outfield, with 15 feet of clearance on all sides

· an 80 yd. x 55 yd. (240’ x 165’) youth soccer field to the north with 15 feet clearance on all sides

· no retaining wall, but steps into the park from Donaldson Place

· a new 5’ wide sidewalk along Chesapeake Street

· irrigation of all fields

· new trees along Chesapeake Street as well as between the tennis courts and third base foul line fence; and

WHEREAS, at the September 20 ANC meeting, DPR reaffirmed that artificial turf, lighting for night games, perimeter fencing, or disturbance of the community garden will not be considered in renovating and expanding ball fields at Fort Reno; and

WHEREAS, after the ANC meeting on September 20, DPR forwarded to ANC 3F information on fencing standards and revised the final concept plan to include:

· retention of the pin oak by the back stop, as well as two to three trees between the proposed ball fields

· an arched and hooded backstop to catch foul balls

· porous pavers on the path to Deal; and

WHEREAS, although ANC 3F continues to believe that playing baseball in this location poses dangers to pedestrians and drivers along Chesapeake Street, as well as to other users of the park, it recognizes that these dangers must be weighed against risks arising from Wilson High School’s continued use of its stadium on Nebraska Avenue for baseball, where the right field is so short – 170 feet – that balls fly into that busy arterial and have been known to hit the houses across the street;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT: ANC 3F does not object to the Final Concept Plan for ball fields at Fort Reno Park and endorses DPR’s decision not to install artificial turf, lighting for night games, or perimeter fencing, and to retain the community garden in its present location; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT: ANC 3F strongly recommends that the following actions be taken during the design and implementation phases and that the final design for ball fields be resubmitted to ANC 3F for comment:

(a) Fencing

• Limit fencing to what is shown on the final concept plan, i.e., no fencing should be installed in the baseball outfield or at the ends of the soccer fields so that the public may continue to circulate freely through the park when games are not being played;
• For access into and through the park and to preserve as much of the historic setting as possible, do not increase the length or height of the foul line fences beyond what is shown in the final concept plan;
• Choose a hooded backstop like the one shown in the final concept plan or a similar model to prevent foul balls from hitting spectators, tennis players, and pedestrians and cars on Chesapeake Street;
• If the foul line fencing proves inadequate to protect these people, consider changing the field back to a 60’ softball field;

(b) Permitting

• Control the use of the fields to allow maximum enjoyment of Fort Reno Park by all user groups and to achieve the safest environment possible under the circumstances;
• Permit the baseball field only for groups aged 18 and under;
• Allow only wooden bats to be used on the baseball field to limit the distance balls can travel and to decrease the chances of others in the park getting hit;
• Permit the baseball field only during the spring season, i.e., only from March to June, to ensure that the myriads of soccer players who presently use the park have full use of it at other times of year and to allow grass in the infield to regenerate;
• Do not issue permits for the youth and championship soccer fields for the same times as permits for the baseball field unless a single permit covering all fields is requested;

(c) Trees

• Save the pin oak by the backstop to screen the backstop and shade the afternoon sun from players’ eyes;
• Save the trees between the playing fields indicated on the October version of the Final Concept Plan and remove poison ivy from their trunks;
• Choose large caliper, fast-growing canopy trees like willow oaks or pin oaks for lining Chesapeake Street to catch baseballs that go over the fence and to hide views of the fences;
• Plant new trees between the playing fields to replace the ones cut down, but place them at least 100 feet from the community garden to keep them from shading the garden;
• Consider planting replacement trees now so that they can become established before the older trees are removed;
• Consider planting some trees in the small open area west of the reservoir for the enjoyment of dog walkers and spectators at soccer games, as well as for birds that frequent the park;
• Devise and document tree protection plans for the pin oak and other trees to be saved, showing how roots will be protected from removal during construction or from compaction by fill, heavy equipment, or new structures and including such measures as tree protection fences, root pruning and feeding as necessary;

(d) Paving

• Eliminate the sidewalk in public space on the north side of Chesapeake Street, which is in the purview of DDOT, not DPR;
• Strongly consider using porous pavement for the path to Deal rather than porous pavers, as pavers can become dislodged or uneven and could cause students to trip;
• Eliminate the proposed pavement around the baseball infield if its construction could harm roots of the pin oak or if it would prevent water from reaching the roots of the pin oak or ornamental trees proposed between the baseball field and tennis courts;
• Build the steps by Donaldson Place as planned;

(e) Dugouts

• Consider placing the dugouts outside the foul line fences for the safety of players in the dugout and to give more room for fielders to catch balls;
• Stagger the alignment of the backstop and foul line fences or incorporate a gate into the fences to provide access for players to get onto the field;

(f) Championship Soccer Field

• Consider whether the championship soccer field can be moved to the southeast to gain more playing area and to minimize wear and tear around the goals; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT: ANC 3F requests that after three years both the safety record and recreational needs for baseball and softball be reviewed and appropriate conclusions reached; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT: ANC 3F urges DPR to submit construction plans for irrigation, fencing, paving, and other structures to NPS and the DC Historic Preservation Office for determination of whether a Phase II archaeological survey should be conducted; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT: ANC 3F urges DPR to negotiate with DC WASA and NPS an agreement to add to the MOA a small triangle of land currently within the reservoir fence but very close to the championship soccer field to soften this sharp corner for players running close to the fence and to provide more room for circulation around the fields for others; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT: ANC 3F asks DPR, DCPS, Deal JHS, and the Mayor's Office to find ways to rehabilitate the Deal softball field and make it available to the general public when not needed by Deal; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT: ANC 3F requests that Rock Creek Park take measures to prune the trees, especially the lower limbs, and to improve maintenance and mowing of the section of the park between Nebraska Avenue and the MOA area in order to make it more usable for dog walkers and others who wish to stroll through the park; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT: ANC 3F requests party status in any and all proceedings regarding this matter.

Approved by a vote of 6-1-0 at a duly noticed public meeting of ANC 3F on October 18, 2004.

/s/ Karen Lee Perry /s/ Cathy Wiss

Karen Lee Perry, Chair Cathy Wiss, Secretary