WHEREAS: the 1890 legislation establishing Rock Creek Park stated that it “be perpetually dedicated and set apart . . . for the benefit and enjoyment of the people of the United States”; and

WHEREAS: the 1890 legislation directs park managers to provide for public recreation, and specifically to “lay out and prepare roadways and bridle paths, to be used for driving and for horseback riding, respectively, and footways for pedestrians.”; and
 
WHEREAS: ANC 3F includes the portion of Rock Creek Park  west of Rock Creek, South of Military Road, N.W. and north of Tilden Street, N.W. including Melvin Hazen Park and Soapstone Valley Park ; and

WHEREAS: the Draft General Management Plan, Environmental Impact Statement for Rock Creek Park and the Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway provides four alternations for consideration:
     Alternative A: Improved management of established park uses.
     Alternative B: Continue current management/No action.
     Alternative C: Nonmotorized recreation emphasis.
     Alternative D: Mid-weekday recreation enhancement; and

WHEREAS: the major difference between the four alternatives is traffic management measures; and

WHEREAS: alternatives A, C and D would divert traffic that would use park roads under alternative B onto nearby residential and other street; and

WHEREAS: alternatives C and D would eliminate or reduce the traditional visitor experience of automobile touring along the length of the park, including the gorge area, which would be a major adverse effect on traditional park character and visitor experience; and

WHEREAS: under alternative A, two road segments would have noticeable degraded level of service (LOS), with associated adverse effects on community character; and

WHEREAS: the current mix of recreational and nonrecreational use of the park and parkway, including urban traffic, is appropriate and enhances the quality of life in the city and surrounding region; and

WHEREAS: the analysis of the environmental consequences found that all alternatives would have fairly similar effects on air quality, water quality and hydrology of Rock Creek and its tributaries, wetlands and floodplains, deciduous forests, and protected and rare species; and

WHEREAS: Rock Creek Park and the Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway do not have any special mandates that would affect this general management plan and future planning activities; and

WHEREAS: without a General Management Plan, The National Park Service will continue to strive to implement service wide legal mandates and policies including natural resource management, cultural resource management, special use management and visitor experience and park use requirements; and

WHEREAS: Alternatives A, C and D include:
     Upgrading recreation trails.
     Increasing use of park historic resources for interpretive and educational purposes.
     Improving park introduction and information services.
     Relocating park administrative facilities and U.S. Park Police substation outside the park;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT: ANC 3F recommends that the National Park Service adopt Alternative B: Continue current management/No action; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT: ANC 3F recommends that the National Park Service adopt the proposals in Alternatives A, C and D to (a) upgrade park trails, (b) increase use of park historic resources for interpretive and educational purposes, (c) improve park introduction and information services, and (d) relocate park administrative facilities and U.S. Park Police substation outside the park, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT: ANC 3F recommends that the National Park Service revisit the policy of closing certain portions of Beach Drive to motorized traffic on weekends and that these sections be open for the benefit and enjoyment of all citizens at all times.

____________________________________________________________________________

Approved by a vote of 6-0-1at a duly noticed public meeting on May 19, 2003, with a quorum present.

/s/ Cathy Wiss                                                               /s/ David J. Bardin
Cathy Wiss, Chair                                                        David J. Bardin, Secretary