Anna Parks Advisory Board to explore park subcommittees, forwards 5K permit to council

The Anna Parks Advisory Board approved corrections to prior meeting minutes, voted to explore forming small park-focused subcommittees, and recommended that a special-event permit for a 5K run and wheelchair push be sent to city council for final approval.

Board members voted to accept the changes to the Nov. 18, 2024 and Jan. 13, 2025 minutes after a member noted a few misspelled names; the corrections were described as minor.

Board member Marc Marshawn introduced a proposal first raised by board member Colgrove to create subcommittees that would each “take a park” and conduct informal community outreach outside regular meetings. Marshawn said the groups would be small enough to avoid forming a quorum so pairs or trios could visit parks, speak with neighbors at different times, and bring ideas back to the full board. Marshawn described examples including visiting Bryant Park or Slater Creek at different hours to talk with users and identify improvements "that we can then recommend ... to city council if it's something that we deem worthy." Board members discussed logistics such as whether subcommittees would be permanent pairings, how many parks a member would take, and the need to coordinate with city council since the board is advisory. A motion to explore a process for developing subcommittees and return with more information at the next meeting passed.

On a separate agenda item, a city staff presenter identified as Jeff reviewed a special-event permit application submitted by Jennifer Garcia of Pate Rehabilitation for a 5K run and wheelchair push at Natural Springs Park. Jeff summarized the application: "The application is for a 5 k run and wheelchair push on Saturday, 03/29/2025 from 07:30AM to 09:30AM at Natural Springs Park." He said the application included route maps for both the 5K and a separate fun run, and that an interdepartmental review raised two conditions the applicant must satisfy before final approval: a letter of approval from Brookshire's for overflow parking and an on-site first-aid station.

Staff told the board that the applicant intends to provide its own volunteers and water stations, and that no food, alcohol or vendor booths are proposed. City departments including police, fire and public works were notified and would monitor and respond as needed; staff said no planned street crossings require additional on-site public-safety staffing, though departments will include the event in briefings. Board members asked about course layout and potential congestion at turnaround points and urged ensuring resident parking at Baldwin Park and other nearby facilities remain available to neighbors during the event.

A motion passed to forward the special-event permit application to city council with the board's recommendation for approval, subject to the applicant providing the required letter from Brookshire's and locating an on-site first-aid station prior to final approval by council.

The meeting opened at 6:19 p.m., included the pledge and invocation, and adjourned at 6:41 p.m.