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Red Bank moves to restore LWCF eligibility with park land conversion plan
Summary
City staff and a Kimley Horn consultant outlined plans to submit a Land and Water Conservation Fund conversion packet after a 2011 land swap left the original 1971 LWCF property out of compliance; two candidate park sites and December community input events were announced.
Jeffrey Grama, with the City of Red Bank Parks and Recreation, announced the city is preparing a Land and Water Conservation Fund conversion packet to restore eligibility for federal and state recreation grants after a 2011 land swap left the original LWCF property out of compliance. "This is an important step to restore eligibility for future federal and state recreation grants and to ensure our park properties continue to serve the community," Grama said.
Grama said the city received an LWCF grant in 1971 and that, in 2011, it transferred 14 acres to the Hamilton County Department of Education for a new middle school off Tom Weathers Drive. The city was required to replace that property under the LWCF terms, but "due to various reasons, this never happened," leaving the city out of compliance, Grama said.
To satisfy LWCF requirements, staff are preparing a conversion packet that will identify replacement property and final designs for submission to the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) and the National Park Service. Grama named two candidate parcels: the Hixson property at 4839 Dayton Boulevard and a portion of the former Red Bank Middle School property at 3715 Dayton Boulevard.
Alicia Elle, a landscape architect with Kimley Horn, which the city selected through a competitive RFP process, said the consultant team will translate community priorities and planning documents into detailed, fundable site plans. "Our goal is to create designs that are both practical, fundable, and truly reflect the needs of the community while meeting those federal requirements," Elle said. She said the Bridal School site will build on an existing Small Area Study, while the Hixson site will be shaped by the city's park and recreation master plan.
Grama encouraged residents to provide input on the proposed designs before the final conversion packet is filed. The city listed two outreach opportunities this calendar year: Dec. 6 at the traffic garden jams at the Hixson property from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and Dec. 13 at the Red Bank Christmas Parade and Festival from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.
If approved through the conversion process, the city would regain eligibility to apply for federal and state recreation grants that could pay for construction and improvements at the replacement parks. Grama thanked the community for its support and said staff and the consultant team are working to finalize designs and submit the conversion packet to TDEC and the National Park Service.
