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'ity of Durango Search Our Site <br />development, the cost of which usually greatly exceeds the land value. <br />The City should review its park dedication requirements and consider requiring <br />the new development dedicate completed parks that meet City park standards. <br />Durango Parks Plan <br />22 <br />3.1.2 Mini Parks <br />Relative to other communities, Durango has a large number of mini parks. This is a <br />positive aspect for the City to have and maintain. A true mini park is valuable to a <br />neighborhood — it is a small park, oriented to small children and /or passive use <br />(sitting, casual games, etc.). In the developed parts of town, mini parks are often <br />the only way to provide parks within walking distance of residences. For example, <br />Memorial /Oppie Reames Park is a linear park that is acting as a neighborhood park <br />because there are not any parcels large enough for a true neighborhood park. <br />However, there are a number of parcels that have been designated as mini parks <br />that are left over parcels or street medians. The Crestview right -of -way is a good <br />example. It is not only small and undeveloped, but it is also surrounded by streets <br />and is not a safe location for young children to play. <br />The City should encourage the continued development of mini parks in new and <br />existing neighborhoods, but only when the mini parks meet the City's park <br />standards. Because mini parks are less efficient to maintain, the City should <br />encourage maintenance by adjacent property owners, the neighborhood, or the <br />homeowner's association. <br />3.1.3 Community Parks <br />Because they are drive -to parks, most existing neighborhoods in Durango are <br />within the service areas of the City's Community parks. However, in spite of the <br />general accessibility, there are, and will increasingly be, significant needs for <br />Community Parks and turf sports fields, as identified in Section 2. <br />3.2 <br />PLANNED NEW PARK FACILITIES <br />The City currently has a several new park facilities in the design process. They are <br />each described briefly below, and preliminary design concepts can be found in the <br />Appendix (Section 6.3). <br />3.2.1 17 Acres Park <br />The 17 acre park site is located in the southern end of town and is bounded by the <br />Highway 550 Frontage Road on the west and the Animas River on the east. <br />Commercial properties abut the property on the north and south. The site offers <br />excellent frontage and riparian vegetation on the Animas River with and an <br />existing pedestrian path. Physically, the site is divided into two parts an upper <br />bench at the level of the Frontage Road and a lower bench just above the elevation <br />of the River. There is a 35' grade change and steep slope between the two <br />benches. <br />The proposed master plan for the 17 acre site dedicates much of the site to <br />community park uses, while leaving the riparian area largely intact. Vehicular <br />access to the site will be via a sloping road, which intersects the frontage road and <br />is benched into the face of the slope with a retaining wall. Once on the lower <br />bench, the access road terminates in a cul -de -sac connecting a river access ramp <br />and a 75 -car parking lot. Overflow parking for 20 to 30 cars is provided on the <br />upper bench. A large picnic shelter with restrooms is located just south of the <br />parking lot and serves as the focus of a court complex including four sand <br />volleyball courts and an in -line hockey arena. A 110 x 70 yard soccer field is just <br />north of the parking lot with a small turf warm -up area north of the soccer field. A <br />full size soccer field will not fit on the site. The 17 acre site's soccer field, will <br />help meet some of the current demand, it does not meet long -term needs for <br />Durango Parks Plan <br />23 <br />Page 2 of <br />ttp: // web. durangogov .org:88 /isysquery /3e5177b6- 9341 - 4802- 9b32- 9da5l2Oe9f66/6 /doe/ 2/9/200 <br />