Dear Friends,
W
elcome to the third newsletter in the development of a general management plan and environmental impact statement for Rock Creek Park and the Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway. Since the National Park Service announced the beginning of the planning process in newsletter 1 last summer, we have heard from over 800 people through the mail, on the Internet, by telephone, and in face-to-face meetings. Newsletter 2, issued in January, summarized the input we received. In the meantime, the park planning team has been gathering information, meeting with regional agencies, and considering the ideas and comments from the public.This third newsletter is the first step in putting the ideas together, and it is presented here for your consideration and comment. In the following pages you will find statements of purpose and significance for the park and parkway, revised a bit from newsletter 1, plus a list of exceptional resources that we feel are essential to protecting park values. Also included is a brief statement of the issues contained in newsletter 2 for reference (all newsletters are available on the Internet at http://www.nps.gov/rocr/gmp/).
Within this newsletter are descriptions of potential management zones for the park and parkway. Once finalized, these management zones will delimit resource conditions and types of visitor experiences appropriate to different subareas. Management zone descriptions are followed by four alternative scenarios, showing what the park and parkway might look like under four different management approaches. Also included is a brief overview of the results of the transportation study conducted last year for the planning effort.
Even though this newsletter is only an interim progress report, it contains a great deal of information, and we appreciate the time you can spend reading this preliminary material and responding with your comments. A comment form is enclosed for your use, and options are included for responding by other means if you desire. We will hold two open house workshops for the public in the park in June so that you can directly discuss your ideas and concerns with planning team members.
I want to emphasize that no decisions have been made at this point. We want your response to the range of alternative scenarios and your thoughts on what scenario would be the most appropriate for the future of the park and parkway. Comments should be returned by August 1. Once comments are received and analyzed, the team will reconsider the range of alternatives and develop a preferred alternative to be included in the draft general management plan and environmental impact statement. You will have yet another opportunity to review and comment at that stage.
Thanks again for your continued interest in the planning effort for Rock Creek Park and Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway. We look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,Adrienne Coleman
Superintendent, Rock Creek Park and Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway