Beulah Brainstorm

MEMO

March 6, 2008

To: Beulah Village Council

From: Beulah Brainstorm Committee (Pat Elliot, Patty Cantrell, Vicki Carpenter, Phil Downs)

Re: Initial recommendations and request for spending approval

The three Beulah Brainstorm meetings held over the last six weeks have been a remarkable success. At each meeting we had good public participation and much appreciation of the Village’s effort to work with the community on improvements to village parks, waterfront, and streets.

This memo organizes community priorities from the Brainstorm meetings into:

1.     Low-cost steps to take now with Council’s spending approval.

2.     Maintenance steps to arrange for this spring/summer in consultation with Village staff and Council president.

3.     Moderate-cost steps to investigate for potential spending approval.

4.     Longer-term steps to pursue for funding and implementation in 2009-2010.

Note:

·       The Beulah Brainstorm Committee requests Council approval tonight for Item # 1 above.

·       Complete notes from each Beulah Brainstorm are in tonight’s materials and on the Beulah Brainstorm Web page at www.VillageofBeulah.org.

SUMMARY OF PRIORITIES

1.     Low-cost steps to take now with Council’s spending approval

We estimate the following steps will come to approximately $10,000. With Council approval, the committee will work with Village trustees, staff, and community members to accomplish these items this spring and early summer.

·       Benches — additional benches, more locations (downtown and for sunset watching)

·       Bike racks – additional racks, more locations

·       Flower boxes – larger, more flowers

·       Trash cans – additional cans downtown and along beach, painting of blue cans (and benches perhaps) by school students

·       Use village property between Library and downtown main street as a park

·       Signage – new signs with uniform, inviting look directing people to parks, parking, and amenities like bathrooms and Betsie Trail

·       Business brochure/map (to work with signage effort also, to include events, hours …)

·       Establish tasks and procedures for volunteer help (such as flower box/landscape maintenance and staffing trailhead)

·       Beach sand – replenish (provided for in existing budget, not part of $10k approval)

2.     Maintenance steps to arrange for this spring/summer in consultation with Village staff and Council president.

·       More frequent trash pickup

·       More frequent beach cleaning

·       Tree trimming (Main park, Fair Park, Library park)

·       Park grounds – establishing the park space, keeping clean

·       Tennis courts – keeping clean

·       Main village parking lot striping (per plan from library’s engineers)

·       Crosswalk striping (plus approval and posting of policy that cars stop for pedestrians in crosswalks)

·       Explore near-term, low-cost parking solutions, such as angle parking on Benzie Blvd and options for boat trailer parking, i.e., near Trapp (skate) Park.

·       Explore parking use of recycling area in summer and area where village stores sand and salt.

3.     Moderate-cost steps to investigate for potential spending approval.

·       Irrigation for main park

·       Drinking fountain in main park

·       Landscaping for parks (additional, particularly main park and trailhead + amenities i.e. dog walk)

·       Tree planting (along beach etc., consider option of smaller trees in barrels for streetscape and planting later)

·       Dock and buoys off Fair Park for day mooring

·       Boardwalk along beach (from playground to parking lot near Cold Creek)

·       Fishing dock – any short-term fix for stability, usability?

4.     Longer-term steps to pursue for funding and implementation in 2009-2010.

·       Moving rental docks off beach

·       New dock for incoming boaters

·       New lighting/light poles

·       Light pole lines underground (Note: current sidewalk project should include use of removable brick pavers for later burying of lines)

·       Additional decorative items for streetscapes (banners etc.)

·       Further work on parking, particularly for boat trailers