Hi Sheryl and Tim,
Deputy Mayor Bill Lyons wrote on KnoxViews.com that City officials "double checked with the Parks and Recreation Department at the time of the VMC request, not only this boundary designation, but any use, past or contemplated, for the lots in question."
This has prompted me to share with you that the lots in question on East Fifth Avenue in fact have a use contemplated by Parks and Recreation for over 20 years: namely, a greenway connection linking First Creek Greenway to Parkridge Park.
I am forwarding you the e-mail I sent Council documenting a greenway connection along the southern border of Caswell Park connecting First Creek Greenway to Parkidge Park was first envisioned by the Metropolitan Planning Commission in 1998, the Caswell Park Task Force in 1999, and the Haslam Administration thereafter.
I am also adding material excised from the Caswell Park Task Force recently published on the City of Knoxville's Web Site for Caswell Park (https://bit.ly/CaswellPark2000). The minutes of the Caswell Park task force in that document note Mayor Ashe called for a looping greenway trail around the entirety of Caswell Park. Accordingly, several concept plans note greenway connections through and surrounding the softball fields. A speaker at the October 10th's Planning Commission meeting in favor of the proposed project confirmed what Parkirdge residents know to be true: the alley right-of-way on the South side of Caswell Park is an important pedestrian connection linking Caswell Park to points East along Briscoe Avenue.
The image below speaks to the desire for a pedestrian connection linking "east and Park Ridge neighborhood." The alley aligned with Briscoe St. skirting the South Side of Park Place Condos to Parkridge Park and the greenway trail recently constructed in-house by the City Greenways crew.
The identified need for a pedestrian link is underscored in the Caswell Park Master Plan's discussion of a "network of neighborhood linkages," reading it is "crucial" to have "highly visible, easily accessible, safe pedestrian connections in all directions from the park," including "upgrades to the alleyways" as seen above.
The Caswell Park Master Plan envisioned a "greenway loop throughout the park."
You can see some of the greenway loops envisioned in Concept Plan F, the conceptual plan that most closely matches the final design. I have highlighted the proposed greenway connections in yellow.
This is further bolstered by the narrative text under the heading "blending passive and active recreation," including "looping jogging / walking paths and open fields for impromptu play and "trails radiating out to the neighborhoods."
My aim here is to dispel the notion that no use has ever been contemplated for the lots in question, as Dr. Lyons has asserted. Please carefully consider the history of the park and what the Master Plan, past City Council deliberations, and the Caswell Park Task Force minutes actually say about the community's intentions for the parcels on the south side of Caswell Park fronting East Fifth Avenue. Our recent "Challenge Grant" proposal proposing an ethnobotanical garden and food producing corridor linking Caswell Park to Parkridge Park along Briscoe Street is consistent with my community's decades old goals and aspirations for these parcels.
Thank you,
Tanner Jessel
1026 Olive Street
Deputy Mayor Bill Lyons wrote on KnoxViews.com that City officials "double checked with the Parks and Recreation Department at the time of the VMC request, not only this boundary designation, but any use, past or contemplated, for the lots in question."
This has prompted me to share with you that the lots in question on East Fifth Avenue in fact have a use contemplated by Parks and Recreation for over 20 years: namely, a greenway connection linking First Creek Greenway to Parkridge Park.
I am forwarding you the e-mail I sent Council documenting a greenway connection along the southern border of Caswell Park connecting First Creek Greenway to Parkidge Park was first envisioned by the Metropolitan Planning Commission in 1998, the Caswell Park Task Force in 1999, and the Haslam Administration thereafter.
I am also adding material excised from the Caswell Park Task Force recently published on the City of Knoxville's Web Site for Caswell Park (https://bit.ly/CaswellPark2000). The minutes of the Caswell Park task force in that document note Mayor Ashe called for a looping greenway trail around the entirety of Caswell Park. Accordingly, several concept plans note greenway connections through and surrounding the softball fields. A speaker at the October 10th's Planning Commission meeting in favor of the proposed project confirmed what Parkirdge residents know to be true: the alley right-of-way on the South side of Caswell Park is an important pedestrian connection linking Caswell Park to points East along Briscoe Avenue.
The image below speaks to the desire for a pedestrian connection linking "east and Park Ridge neighborhood." The alley aligned with Briscoe St. skirting the South Side of Park Place Condos to Parkridge Park and the greenway trail recently constructed in-house by the City Greenways crew.
The Caswell Park Master Plan envisioned a "greenway loop throughout the park."
This is further bolstered by the narrative text under the heading "blending passive and active recreation," including "looping jogging / walking paths and open fields for impromptu play and "trails radiating out to the neighborhoods."
Thank you,
Tanner Jessel
1026 Olive Street
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Tanner Jessel <mountainsol@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, Nov 4, 2019 at 8:11 PM
Subject: Caswell Park Parcels Were Slated for Greenway Connection
To: Gwen McKenzie <gmckenzie@knoxvilletn.gov>, Mark Campen <mcampen@knoxvilletn.gov>, Marshall Stair <marshallstair@knoxvilletn.gov>, George Wallace <gwallace@knoxvilletn.gov>, Lauren Rider <lrider@knoxvilletn.gov>, Andrew Roberto <aroberto@knoxvilletn.gov>, Stephanie Welch <swelch@knoxvilletn.gov>, Seema Singh-Perez <ssinghperez@knoxvilletn.gov>, Finbarr Saunders <fsaunders@knoxvilletn.gov>
Cc: Will Johnson <wjohnson@knoxvilletn.gov>
From: Tanner Jessel <mountainsol@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, Nov 4, 2019 at 8:11 PM
Subject: Caswell Park Parcels Were Slated for Greenway Connection
To: Gwen McKenzie <gmckenzie@knoxvilletn.gov>, Mark Campen <mcampen@knoxvilletn.gov>, Marshall Stair <marshallstair@knoxvilletn.gov>, George Wallace <gwallace@knoxvilletn.gov>, Lauren Rider <lrider@knoxvilletn.gov>, Andrew Roberto <aroberto@knoxvilletn.gov>, Stephanie Welch <swelch@knoxvilletn.gov>, Seema Singh-Perez <ssinghperez@knoxvilletn.gov>, Finbarr Saunders <fsaunders@knoxvilletn.gov>
Cc: Will Johnson <wjohnson@knoxvilletn.gov>
Council Members:
I served on the Mayor's Greenways Commission two terms, from January 2013 to mid 2017. I was nominated by my peers to serve as Vice Chair of that Commission. I have studied greenway issues in Knoxville extensively. Please allow me to comment on the proposed transfer of land on the south side of Caswell Park to private developers from my perspective as a former Greenways Commissioner residing in East Knoxville, a community with the fewest greenway miles of any city sector.
Various City officials have stated the parcels at Caswell Park are not part of Caswell Park and / or were never intended for use as park land, despite multiple planning documents, along with the OS-2 zoning itself, showing otherwise.
As early as 1998, City planners envisioned a greenway connection linking Caswell Park to Parkridge Park. Please see the excerpt from the 1998 Caswell Park Study below proposing a greenway trail to "link parks."
In my files, I have a foldable brochure produced by the City of Knoxville Parks Department showing a "First Creek Greenway Plan." It shows a greenway connection across the parcels in question at East Fifth. See the clipping below:
You can find the document online here:
http://www.outdoorknoxville.com/images-outdoors/City%20Greenway%20Map-%202%20pgs.pdf
The brochure notes the First Creek Greenway plan could "become a reality with the right planning and support."
The Knoxville-Knox County General Plan (https://knoxmpc.org/generalplan/action.htm) encourages planners to "emphasize park acquisition along potential greenways."
In my time on the Mayor's Greenways Commission, I was told by planners that building greenways in East Knoxville was difficult because "all the best routes were taken."
If the proposed land transfer goes forward, one of the best routes potentially linking Caswell Park to Parkridge park will be taken. The potential greenway linkage proposed over 20 years ago and in early planning stages as recently as five years ago will be lost forever.
Please do not allow the protective Park and Open Space zoning to be removed for the Caswell Park parcels at Fifth and Myrtle, particularly in light of the potential for a greenway connection linking First Creek Greenway to Parkidge Park, Parkidge Community Garden, and the Knoxville Botanical Garden. These sequential destinations form the core route in my community's proposed "ethnobotanical food corridor" (see attachment).
Thank you,
Tanner Jessel
I served on the Mayor's Greenways Commission two terms, from January 2013 to mid 2017. I was nominated by my peers to serve as Vice Chair of that Commission. I have studied greenway issues in Knoxville extensively. Please allow me to comment on the proposed transfer of land on the south side of Caswell Park to private developers from my perspective as a former Greenways Commissioner residing in East Knoxville, a community with the fewest greenway miles of any city sector.
Various City officials have stated the parcels at Caswell Park are not part of Caswell Park and / or were never intended for use as park land, despite multiple planning documents, along with the OS-2 zoning itself, showing otherwise.
As early as 1998, City planners envisioned a greenway connection linking Caswell Park to Parkridge Park. Please see the excerpt from the 1998 Caswell Park Study below proposing a greenway trail to "link parks."
In my files, I have a foldable brochure produced by the City of Knoxville Parks Department showing a "First Creek Greenway Plan." It shows a greenway connection across the parcels in question at East Fifth. See the clipping below:
You can find the document online here:
http://www.outdoorknoxville.com/images-outdoors/City%20Greenway%20Map-%202%20pgs.pdf
The brochure notes the First Creek Greenway plan could "become a reality with the right planning and support."
The Knoxville-Knox County General Plan (https://knoxmpc.org/generalplan/action.htm) encourages planners to "emphasize park acquisition along potential greenways."
In my time on the Mayor's Greenways Commission, I was told by planners that building greenways in East Knoxville was difficult because "all the best routes were taken."
If the proposed land transfer goes forward, one of the best routes potentially linking Caswell Park to Parkridge park will be taken. The potential greenway linkage proposed over 20 years ago and in early planning stages as recently as five years ago will be lost forever.
Please do not allow the protective Park and Open Space zoning to be removed for the Caswell Park parcels at Fifth and Myrtle, particularly in light of the potential for a greenway connection linking First Creek Greenway to Parkidge Park, Parkidge Community Garden, and the Knoxville Botanical Garden. These sequential destinations form the core route in my community's proposed "ethnobotanical food corridor" (see attachment).
Thank you,
Tanner Jessel
1026 Olive St.
Knoxville, Tenn.
