White River Vision Plan Transition Team Submitted Written Briefs Activation/Economy Stakeholders
The White River Vision Plan Transition Team is appointed and charged with serving as the civic trust to create the regional governance implementation strategy for the White River Vision Plan. The White River Vision Plan Transition Team consists of balanced representatives from both Marion and Hamilton Counties with governance, organizational development, fundraising, and political experience.
As part of the Team process, three sets of representative stakeholders, organized around the Vision Plan’s guiding principle groupings of environment, activation/economy, and regional/community/equity, are invited to submit written testimony to guide the Team’s discussions.
Included in this packet are responses received from the activation & economy stakeholders.
• Norman Burns, Conner Prairie • Ginger Davis, Hamilton County Soil & Water Conservation District • Patrick Flaherty, Indianapolis Arts Center • Greg Harger, Reconnecting to Our Waterways White River Committee • Amy Marisavljevic, Indiana DNR • Sarah Reed, City of Noblesville • Michael Strohl, Citizens Energy Group • Kenton Ward, Hamilton County Surveyor • Jonathan Wright, Newfields • Staff, Hamilton County Parks & Recreation
Additional organizations were also invited to submit written briefs but opted not to respond.
Response from Norman Burns Conner Prairie WRVP Transition Team: Regional Governance Model Questionnaire
Please limit your response to four pages total. Responses will be public.
Briefly describe your organization or interest, its relationship to the White River, and its primary geographic area of interest.
Conner Prairie is a unique historic place that inspires curiosity and fosters learning by providing engaging and individualized experiences for everyone. Located on the White River in Hamilton County Indiana, the William Conner story, and the Indiana story, are intertwined and continues to be told and interpreted at Conner Prairie.
As the world changes around them, museums all around the country are faced with a critical question: Can they reengage the younger generations to remain relevant, interesting, and even critical in our cultural and educational landscape? Conner Prairie last completed a Master Plan in 2006. In the ten plus years since the last Master Plan, Conner Prairie and the community surrounding its campus has changed by leaps and bounds.
In 2017, the Conner Prairie Board of Directors commissioned a Master Plan to study the currently programmed areas of Conner Prairie, and for the first time ever, to comprehensively study the long term potential of Conner Prairie’s 1,046 acres located on both sides of the White River. Conner Prairie is uniquely positioned regionally as one of the largest remaining private landowners along the White River (3.3 miles). In addition, Conner Prairie continues to be one of the most successful and innovative living history museums and experiential sites in the country.
Completed in May 2018, this new Site Master Plan (SMP) is guiding Conner Prairie’s development of the land and river for the next 20 years. This Plan includes a vision and organizing themes that directed the development of a series of 25 projects that is serving as a roadmap for future study and implementation. The vision for creating this master plan focused on the fact that Conner Prairie as a preeminent interactive history museum embracing the White River as a resource for its future success and growth.
Conner Prairie’s 2018 Site Master Plan is organized around four project categories that identifies 25 individual projects that creates an overall planning framework. These projects include infrastructure in advance of future transformational projects, those that are experiential and programmatic, and others that will address our outward brand and image to the community. The four project categories are:
1) Advancement projects will address infrastructure like traffic ingress and egress off Allisonville and eventually River Road, improve and expand parking, storm water drainage, and create wetlands to help with flood plain drainage while educating about Prairie and river ecology.
2) Branding and image projects will change our gateway and entry sequence, address long-term traffic flow improvements, make improvements to the edges of our property along Allisonville, 146th Street and River Road, and address external and internal wayfinding.
3) Experiential and programmatic projects will repurpose and improve our current Welcome Center as a true Museum Experience Center; improve and expand current experience areas (Prairietown and more); improvements for expanded summer camp program with a larger and Response from Norman Burns Conner Prairie WRVP Transition Team: Regional Governance Model Questionnaire
renovated building for camp, resident teacher program, and other applied learning activities like Prairie Preschool; activate the Oxbow for expended trails, environmental and river education opportunities, and Prairie and Lenape learning experiences; and preserve the south woods as a natural sanctuary with a nature center.
4) These projects all lead to transformational projects like Food, Farm, and Energy Experiences (FFEE) with Farm to Table Dining; White River Education Center; outdoor river excursions; wetlands; and trails and bridges that will connect program areas on both the east and west side of our property and allow guests to truly learn and engage with the White River.
PLEASE SEE ATTACHED SMP MAP OF THE CONNER PRAIRIE SMP PROJECTS
What do you see as the greatest challenges facing the White River in the next 30 years?
I believe that the greatest challenges to the White River in the next 30 years will be awareness, politics, accessibility, connectivity, cleanliness, sustainability, and environmental impact. We need locals to better understand what we have in a unique and underutilized regional asset of 58 miles of river, and how it can be better used through development into an ecological wonder for education and connected recreational parklands and trails. It will take a unified brand and messaging for the sense of place that this will create for locals, while being a remarkable environmental, educational, and recreational attraction for tourism and business development.
Governmental cooperation could be problematic because the WRVP has to partner across boundaries to collaboratively manage the White River system and to create an efficient operations and sustainable governance model that can be agreed upon by all jurisdictions.
Consistent accessibility and connectivity will be problematic throughout the 58 mile stretch so it will be important to strategically acquire riverfront properties available for voluntary acquisition. We are blessed regionally with many Thankfully there are large connecting public parks and one large private landholder in Conner Prairie that has a master plan for its 1,046 acres of land and 3.3 miles of the White River that support the vision and guiding principles of the WRVP. Conner Prairie’s Site Master Plan is critical to both accessibility and connectivity between Fishers and Carmel.
Continuing to cleaning up the river will help with both sustainability and its environmental impact down river all the way to the Gulf. This will be one of the critical issues to be addressed by any cross jurisdictional agency created to manage this process.
What role or types of activities, funding, or decision-making abilities could a regional governance entity undertake to help address these challenges? Why?
The first activity and perhaps the greatest challenge faced by any regional governance entity will be creating the unified brand and the appropriate messaging about how the WRVP will be implemented. A communications plan will be needed to convince citizens that public and private funds, and various public regulations will be needed to create an accessible, recreational and cultural environment that encourages a unique sense of place for locals. Response from Norman Burns Conner Prairie WRVP Transition Team: Regional Governance Model Questionnaire
If this can be done then further steps to clean up the river will provide sustainability and improve environmental impact down river. The regional governance entity will need to identify natural area/transition locations and create a natural area conservation plan to manage recreational use at the edges of significant natural resource areas. This will include plans to remove invasive woody and herbaceous plants, plant native trees and shrubs, install native seed, and then manage and monitor along the river’s edge. Only a government entity that has cross jurisdictional support can then incentivize private investment in rain gardens, green roofs, permeable pavements, and rain barrels to capture and manage storm water that will reduce the impact on the river. An even greater role will be determining the capacity and design mechanism to both route and discharge flood water during major flood rain events.
What role or types of activities, funding, or decision-making abilities would not be helpful for a regional governance entity to undertake? Why?
I am concerned about the grant and funding mechanism needed by a regional governance model and how such a large public project might cannibalize and be a drain on other non-profit entities that receive funds from similar government agencies and private foundations. Currently thoughts are being given to raising new sources of funds using a new or reallocated tax, earned income on programs or facilities, or a philanthropic campaign. All of these could have potential negative impact on other non-profit and educational entities that provide similar services.
What excites you about the prospect of a regional governance entity that increases regional focus and collaboration around the White River?
The prospect of a regional governance entity excites me because this is the only way that the WRVP goes from another expensive planning study collecting dust on office shelves around the region to a viable project that enhances livability for locals and creates economic vitality through tourism and business development. I also excited about the prospect of what this regional river system can mean to leisure travel, ecotourism, and the local economy. I have lived and worked in cities like Chattanooga and Nashville, Tennessee, and Richmond, Virginia where major river plans have driven revitalization and growth for an entire region.
What scares you about this same prospect?
I’m fearful about what local politics and the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic will have on the publics’ psyche for these types of projects. There will likely be a backwash that there are needs in the community that are deemed much more critical to public health and safety today and moving forward. This government entity will need short-term wins and initial visible projects before settling into the long- term plans for the larger plan.
What do you see will be the biggest barriers to regional cooperation?
Despite the best efforts of the WRVP Transition Team, I still believe that the political viability of a regional governance model that can add sufficient value to generate cross-jurisdictional support and participation is going to be a barrier. Can it truly provide the accountability to the public that will be Response from Norman Burns Conner Prairie WRVP Transition Team: Regional Governance Model Questionnaire expected and have the ability to be bipartisan in structure and with goals to represent diverse regional interests? I am both curious and concerned about the WRVP recommended governance model that could pair a regional non-profit organization with a governmental entity or partnership, especially the notion of whether that non-profit organization could grow from an existing organization or would be new.
How could you see your organization’s own mission, work, and governance structure fitting into, or working alongside, a regional governance entity?
Conner Prairie is a unique historic place that inspires curiosity and fosters learning by providing engaging and individualized experiences for everyone. Our vision is to expand the boundaries of our historical and natural resources by exploring, celebrating and improving the human experience on our 1,046 acres and 3.3 miles of river frontage. This is being achieved through a Site Master Plan (SMP) completed in May 2018 that is guiding Conner Prairie’s development of the land (1,046 acres) and river (3.3 miles) for the next 20 years. The vision for creating this master plan focused on the fact that Conner Prairie as a preeminent interactive history museum embracing the White River as a resource for its future success and growth. This Plan’s organizing themes are directing the development of a series of 25 projects that is serving as a roadmap for future study and implementation. In 2019, Conner Prairie aligned a new organizational strategic plan with the SMP organizing themes. The organizational plan has four strategic imperatives that align with the WRVP.
1. Enhancement to Museum Experiences
• Provide more year-round experiences to grow visitation and engagement
• Create new and enhance existing opportunities for experiential learning to provide extraordinary visitor experiences
• Implement the master plan to enable programming goals and activate the White River
2. Engagement with Community, Land, and Brand
• Expand the use of our natural resources and the White River to create a natural campus to teach about the history and science of the land and river.
• Achieve premier brand status to become top-of-mind and sustain cohesive messaging
3. Connectivity to People and Partners
• Create an engaged, collaborative and inclusive culture to support and sustain strategic partnerships.
4. Sustainability of Resources, Revenue and River
• Create sustainable financial resources to fund operational, strategic, and master plans
• Protect our natural resources to preserve and protect our cultural landscape Response from Norman Burns Conner Prairie WRVP Transition Team: Regional Governance Model Questionnaire
The Conner Prairie Strategic Plan prioritized the first 10 projects of the SMP with an emphasis on the White River, wetlands, and trails. Conner Prairie is a regional and national destination and is an anchor to this part of the White River. The plan recognizes Conner Prairie’s prominence in the WRVP and its ability to bring awareness and energy to this 3.3 mile stretch of riverfront. One of the major projects is the White River Education and Ecology Center at Conner Prairie (companion study underway by Lake Flato and MKSK).
The White River Education and Ecology Center (WREEC) will allow visitors a chance to experience the White River and its role in the regional ecosystem. The vision for this unique center compliments nearby wetland complex creation and establishing a living laboratory and classroom within an integrated educational environment. Programmatic elements include ecology, sustainability and history of river transportation in Indiana, among other topics. The building and site will offer teaching tools and educational experiences. In addition, accessory uses such as special events, conferences and research, and access to the river, trails, and wetlands are intended to be accommodated in this space and site.
The WREEC is an integral part of the activation of the west side of the White River in Conner Prairie’s SMP and is complimentary to future projects such as the Food Farm and Energy Experiences (FFEE), Farm to Table restaurant and retail, lodging and conference spaces, trails, wetlands and river activation, and a pedestrian bridge across the White River linking Conner Prairie’s programmed space on the east side (Fishers) to the west side (Carmel).
The WREEC at Conner Prairie is viewed as an Impact Investing Project requiring multiple partnerships between various entities either operated independently of Conner Prairie, or as an attraction. This will include public and private partnerships with corporations, universities, foundations, agencies and non- profits, Hamilton County, and the City of Fishers and the City of Carmel (Carmel Clay Parks and Recreation Department).
The WREEC at Conner Prairie will be the anchor for the White River Greenway, which is a proposed regional project of the WRVP to connect parks and open spaces along the river. The planned public trail (connecting Fishers Allisonville Road multi-use path through Conner Prairie at 126th Street alignment) and public bridge planned across the White River connecting into River Road Park will link public trails and parks in Fishers and Carmel (and the Nickel Plate Trail) to the Monon Trail. This planned trail will link through River Road Park to the White River Greenway and conclude at the WREEC at Conner Prairie. This is the beginning of a fully connected and accessible regional trail and river system that creates vibrant experiences that bring people together on the White River.
Please submit responses to Brad Beaubien by email at [email protected]. Property Line 146th Street
23
7 8
River Road
1 9
3 9 White River 23 10 8 24 11 4 6 28
5 16
White River 13 27 7 18 2
19 14 17
20 25
15
8 Allisonville Road
11 23
# Transformational Projects White River # Experiential and Programmatic Projects # Branding and Image Projects
# Advancement Projects 21 1 New Food, Farm, and Energy Experiences
2 Presidents House/ Prairie Pre-School 131st Street 22 3 Farm-to-Table Restaurant 4 Family-Style Lodging
5 Small-Scale Lodging
6 Event Center
7 Prairie
26 8 Wetlands 9 Overflow Parking
10 River Education Center
11 River Excursions
12 Pedestrian Bridge
13 Relocated Amphitheater
14 New Prairie Experience
15 Relocated and Enhanced Lenape Indian Experience 23 16 Prairie House Expansion and Camp Improvements 17 New Experiences
18 Makesmith Workshop
19 New Arrival and Updated Entry Experience
20 Renovated and Expanded Welcome Center, Training Center and Administrative Office
21 Nature Center 22 Chinese House Improvements 23 Trails 12 24 Signature Pedestrian Bridge 23 25 126th Street Parking Improvements 26 Golf Course
27 River Overlooks N 28 Trading Post
Site Master Plan 2019 Response from Ginger Davis HC Soil & Water Conservation District WRVP Transition Team: Regional Governance Model Questionnaire
Please limit your response to four pages total. Responses will be public.
Briefly describe your organization or interest, its relationship to the White River, and its primary geographic area of interest.
The Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation District serves the County of Hamilton in Indiana which is entirely within the Upper White River Watershed. All the land within Hamilton County ultimately drains to, and influences, the White River, especially within the White River Visioning Plan focused reach. The Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation District provides our community with conservation leadership and quality service dedicated to improving and sustaining our natural resources. The purpose of HCSWCD is to provide information about soil, water, and related natural resource conservation; identify and prioritize local soil and water resource concerns; and connect land users to sources of education, technical, and financial assistance in order to implement conservation practices and technologies. Our core values are to provide quality conservation services to residents, improve water quality in Hamilton County, improve soil quality in Hamilton County, improve management of natural areas, and to provide conservation education and awareness to both our youth and adult residents.
What do you see as the greatest challenges facing the White River in the next 30 years?
Challenges for the White River in the next 30 years will be dictated by the awareness and responsibility of individual impacts, influences on water quality and water quantity, and management decisions along the river and within the watershed of White River. The quality of the river is going to be greatly impacted by the land and landuse decisions made within its watershed and adjacent to the river. Without greater holistic approaches of landowners and managers to implement practices that will help to mitigate increases in agricultural and urbanization impacts a decline in water quality and increase in water quantity will result in a further degraded system that cannot sustain its designated uses of drinking water, flood relief, habitat, and recreation. Without adaption to the changing environment we will see increased erosion, increases in flooding, bank instability, loss of habitat, decline in water quality and reduced recreation potential. Positive changes are being seen, but changes in administration and available programs for conservation can quickly reverse the positive impacts. A holistic approach that balances uses, and treatments is not currently considered and needs to part of any planning and projects proposed within the watershed.
What role or types of activities, funding, or decision-making abilities could a regional governance entity undertake to help address these challenges? Why? Social Responsibility-through a consistent message campaign and leadership, an attitude of social responsibility for the quality, quantity and management of the river and it’s watershed is necessary to encourage holistic management and land use choices with consideration to its effect on the river is paramount to focus on the guiding principles of the vision plan.
Holistic planning – leadership encouragement that considers the effects downstream for every landuse decision will be necessary to improve and sustain the resources of the White River. Considerations to the physical, chemical, social, and environmental impacts should be considered before any planning or implementation of changes within the watershed. The regional governance entity should be a voice to the political subdivision to encourage these considerations in all planning and development. Response from Ginger Davis HC Soil & Water Conservation District WRVP Transition Team: Regional Governance Model Questionnaire
Conservation focused resources – incentive funding and social responsibility with a conservation focus will encourage sustainability of the White River as a resource. Natural processes can be integrated into all processes to find solutions that will buffer manmade influences that may degrade or harm the resource. The biggest hurdle to most to include these processes inherently within individual planning is the financial burden with no perceived gain to the individual. A mechanism that encourages these efforts is necessary to obtain the balance needed between development and conservation to see continued improvement or sustainability of the resources.
Education through a diversified voice – inclusion of policy makers, planers, social justice, environmental stewardship, industry, public and private entities, and others is necessary to consider all viewpoints and create a unified message across discipline for the continued success and implementation of the vision plan.
Working with water resource partnerships to compliment efforts and assist in their missions.
What role or types of activities, funding, or decision-making abilities would not be helpful for a regional governance entity to undertake? Why?
Duplication of efforts already undertaken by other entities.
What excites you about the prospect of a regional governance entity that increases regional focus and collaboration around the White River?
The collaboration of multiple disciplined teams focusing efforts to encourage use and revitalization of the White River
What scares you about this same prospect? The additional Workload
What do you see will be the biggest barriers to regional cooperation? Differences in motivation and outcome visions of different groups
How could you see your organization’s own mission, work, and governance structure fitting into, or working alongside, a regional governance entity?
Perfectly. We are a great resource and entity to help provide technical assistance, education and outreach for conservation along white river and its watershed. We would be happy to assist in these planning and operational initiatives throughout the process. Please submit responses to Brad Beaubien by email at [email protected].
Response from Patrick Flaherty Indianapolis Arts Center WRVP Transition Team: Regional Governance Model Questionnaire
Please limit your response to four pages total. Responses will be public.
Briefly describe your organization or interest, its relationship to the White River, and its primary geographic area of interest.
The Indianapolis Art Center provides art classes for all ages, hosts exhibitions of artwork, has a 9.5 acre ArtsPark. The Art Center and ArtsPark are situated along the White River and the Monon Trail at 67th and College Avenue.
What do you see as the greatest challenges facing the White River in the next 30 years?
Continuing to get people to understand the importance of protecting water quality. Implementing measures to improve water quality. Maintaining good stewardship while simultaneously aiming to increase access and develop as a cultural/tour destination.
What role or types of activities, funding, or decision-making abilities could a regional governance entity undertake to help address these challenges? Why? Serve as an advocate for good policy. Work to build buy-in among the various constituencies along the watershed. Serve as a clearing house of information of all of the projects happening. Coordinate big- picture and strategic planning.
What role or types of activities, funding, or decision-making abilities would not be helpful for a regional governance entity to undertake? Why? Specific management of individual projects. Each organization would be better suited to manage their own projects.
What excites you about the prospect of a regional governance entity that increases regional focus and collaboration around the White River? The possibility to increase collaboration and connectivity between the many stakeholders. Opportunity to raise the profile of the White River.
What scares you about this same prospect?
The possibility for the entity to viewed as ineffective or burdensome. If the plan doesn’t come toghether there is a risk that stakeholders will settle back into their own – non-collective – thinking/opinions.
What do you see will be the biggest barriers to regional cooperation? Time and limited resources from stakeholder groups. Skepticism. Conflicting viewpoints.
How could you see your organization’s own mission, work, and governance structure fitting into, or working alongside, a regional governance entity?
We would be happy to participate as a voice for the arts and how we view the river as a key asset to our campus. We would also welcome ways to find meaningful collaborations with other organizations along the White River to help build connectivity.
Please submit responses to Brad Beaubien by email at [email protected].
Response from Greg Harger ROW White River Committee WRVP Transition Team: Regional Governance Model Questionnaire My name is Greg Harger. I am the Founder and Director of the Indiana Invaders. The Indiana Invaders is an elite development member club of the Olympic Sport Governing Body, USA Track & Field. My organization, within the sport of track & field, has a focus on distance running. Our athletes live very near the White River in Downtown Indianapolis and train along the banks of the White River and its immediate tributaries in Downtown Indianapolis on the developed trails of the Indy Greenways and on the developing nature-themed pathways of the Urban Wilderness Trail. Since our organizational founding in 1999, our athlete roster has produced 152 USA National Championship Qualifiers, a World Indoor Champion, a World Indoor Bronze Medalist, 8 USA National Champions, 1 Olympian and 10 USA National Team Members.
I am a 20 year property owner and active resident in Indy’s Near West Stringtown neighborhood. Additionally, I have been a life-long nature conservation advocate who has helped finesse and develop more than an eight mile loop of natural surface trails through 250 acres of “hidden” urban wildlife habitat along the White River. Over the last 15 years, I have established working partnerships in this downtown Indy space with advocates for the health of our river and its adjoining terrestrial spaces. The working partnerships include Friends Of White River, Indiana Wildlife Federation, Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, White River State Park, Indy Parks, Department of Public Works, IUPUI’s Center for Earth & Environmental Science, among others.
I have served on the Reconnecting to Our Waterways (ROW) White River Committee for 4 years and currently hold a Co-Chair position with this committee.
The primary geographic area of interest for my organization and my role with ROW is exclusively focused in the White River Vision Plan’s Protected Zone with a concentrated emphasis in activities and programming from 16th Street south through to Washington Street along both sides of the White River.
Response from Greg Harger ROW White River Committee WRVP Transition Team: Regional Governance Model Questionnaire Q - What do you see as the greatest challenges facing the White River in the next 30 years?
A - I see the greatest challenge for the continued improvements in the health of the White River over the next 30 years to be sustaining political-private-resident discipline in the making of development decisions that stay true to the White River Vision Plan’s generalized principles. The process of activating a governance model when it attains initial action step status will launch inherent competition for access and resources all of which are limited. Collective governance structure must be strong in staying focused on maximizing longer-term goals that fulfill ecological & economic goals which are not mutually exclusive but often prove to be such when short-term decisions are made when ecologic or economic views are not balanced by the opposing view when and where there is conflict.
Q - What role or types of activities, funding, or decision-making abilities could a regional governance entity undertake to help address these challenges? Why?
A - Expedite bureaucratic steps and processes to allow rapid creation of safe river access points for direct engagement from view points to physical access and recreation. Access immediately selects interested human assets from the surrounding community and creates the ideal physical spaces in which resident users and prospective users can openly and freely energize plans in a manner that history is not lost if regional governance leaders listen locally.
Initial funding, where local community capacity exists, of simple activation programming (Nature/Environmental Education, Recreation and Arts) will build community trust and grow regional governance credibility on the ground and that credibility will be transferable to other river focus segments and formalized operational staffing.
Funding of agile operational staff for segments of the river where a functional municipal-public- private Collective can be established and polished into a transferable framework would firmly demonstrate the viability of the 30 year vision. A functional Collective would have activated all 9 White River Vision Plan Principles and have working relationships with significant operational entities (Public Safety, Department of Public Works, Utility Companies, etc.) with jurisdictional responsibilities to the public. Having a process such as this will allow for rewards going to work efforts already completed and ease in new river activation efforts such that they would not exceed what are likely to be challenging financial circumstances for the next few years. Identifying potential economic engines that are “owned” by the immediate local neighborhood should not be overlooked in developing long- term river community sustainability and they would inherently retain the many unique community cultural flavors found along the river.
Finally, a regional governance model would serve greatly as a medium for shared, appropriately effective, localized efforts which can serve other planning efforts as best practices reference points. Further defining, within the generalized zones of emphasis, functional community zones will help mitigate inherent, historic conflicts or simple historic isolation between what otherwise might seem, on the surface, to be compatible river neighbors and neighborhoods.
Response from Greg Harger ROW White River Committee WRVP Transition Team: Regional Governance Model Questionnaire Q - What role or types of activities, funding, or decision-making abilities would not be helpful for a regional governance entity to undertake? Why?
A - Creating another “authority” that municipal departments, businesses, residents & organizations have to answer to or work around on-the-ground is immediately problematic. Applying details beyond the 9 Principles uniformly to the 58 mile length of river, much less the 116 miles of river bank, would likely be problematic. Establishing locally supported Neighborhood Public-Private-Municipal Collectives held to the visionary goals of the 9 Principles by a regional governance entity, would be a welcomed partnership as would expert guidance facilitated by a regional governance entity. Being able to work through and around institutional bureaucracy to accomplish existing neighborhood and community initiatives would be welcomed.
Q - What excites you about the prospect of a regional governance entity that increases regional focus and collaboration around the White River?
A - A regional governance entity will bring great potential in immediate credibility which existing localized initiatives can leverage to serve and model neighborhood plans that serve to advance the White River Vision Plan’s 9 Principles.
Q - What scares you about this same prospect?
A - A regional governance entity would immediately have its membership become targets of outside influences looking to hijack (knowingly and unknowingly) local ideas and opportunities as opposed to the intended building of neighborhood capacity through existing resident-based organizations and neighborhood initiatives.
Q - What do you see will be the biggest barriers to regional cooperation?
A - The biggest barriers to cooperation would be short-term efforts that do not respect and build on the human laws of nature in the initial targeted river spaces. A regional governance entity, if centralized and not connected to the people active on the river, can easily become immediately disconnected from on-the-ground realities by the sheer act of trying to govern as opposed to serve. If regional governance is seen as an opportunity for a classic Hoosier Service and Hospitality effort, then cooperation will not be a barrier. Initially, everyone will want to be on The River Team! River people need to see and have immediate easy access where there are active initiatives and remaining historic river users will become effective supporters with improvements to their access. They should feel and see benefits before any ”governance” finds a way to make a visible improvement to current river user experience. A regional governance entity must also be seen supporting highly visible improvements to access and activation in the eyes of the general public. Early failures will undermine larger effort credibility and vision. Find easy “wins” and dominate their implementation.
Response from Greg Harger ROW White River Committee WRVP Transition Team: Regional Governance Model Questionnaire Q - How could you see your organization’s own mission, work, and governance structure fitting into, or working alongside, a regional governance entity?
A - The Indiana Invaders and our Community Arts Development partner, Indy Convergence, working with Near West Livability Task Force have a 7-years-in-the-making neighborhood resident approved river centric model that actively addresses all 9 Principles of the White River Vision Plan. Our river centric development model includes an operational Public-Private-Municipal-NonProfit structure with a Work Plan. The Work Plan has finalized Vision, Goals & Intended Consequences statements for all coordinated initiatives/projects/programing created in concert under the ROW White River Waterway Committee framework. We have a proposed rapid action team concept with working partner best practices as an operational cornerstone and we are very pleased with the degree to which our local, independent product lines up with the White River Vision Plan’s 9 Principles and even this final regional governance entity process. Our rapid action team proposal has immediate and long term components transferable to all of the White River Vision Plan and more pointedly, specific applications to significant portions of what a governance entity might resemble where/when interfacing with community efforts. Finally, our river centric model is active with programming in public schools in two historic neighborhoods as, for a generational initiative to become part of the fabric of our respective river communities, we must be prepared to bring the next generation with us until they become our community leaders.
Response from Amy Marisavljevic Indiana DNR Outdoor Recreation WRVP Transition Team: Regional Governance Model Questionnaire
Please limit your response to four pages total. Responses will be public.
Briefly describe your organization or interest, its relationship to the White River, and its primary geographic area of interest. The Division of Outdoor Recreation is a small, but dynamic team within the Department of Natural Resources that works closely with recreation-oriented partners to extend the benefits of outdoor recreation in Indiana. Our ultimate goal is to promote, expand, and improve trails and outdoor recreation opportunities. We work with state and local agencies, park departments, outdoor recreation organizations, non-profits, concerned citizens, businesses, and federal representatives to help increase and improve recreational opportunities for citizens and visitors alike. The division is often a bridge between federal and state agencies to local outdoor recreation providers. We help provide technical, planning, and financial assistance to park and trail projects across the state.
The White River is one of the largest streams in Indiana and provides a bounty of existing recreational opportunities as well as potential for many more. This include both water and land based trails as well as parks. Although the Division of Outdoor Recreation is not a land manager or provider of these opportunities, we still strive to help promote, increase, and improve these to the public. Our primary geographic area is the entire state of Indiana.
What do you see as the greatest challenges facing the White River in the next 30 years? The biggest challenges I see for the White River are funding, coordination, and private interest.
Funding- Some communities along the White River struggle with maintaining the infrastructure they have with their current budgets. Other can maintain their infrastructure, but struggle to develop more or improve their current infrastructure with their budgets. Water quality and recreation infrastructure have traditionally been underfunded.
Coordination- Key stakeholders in communities and organizations are not often tasked with reaching out to their neighbors and building coalitions or partnerships. In addition to tackling this, some outside of the box thinking is needed to make this successful given the existing framework of jurdictional boundaries and budgets. The organization, or make-up, of this entity will most likely be a key to coordination.
Private Interest- The White River is a public asset, but private interest on and along the river has prevailed too often in the past. Private development on the river, such as low-head dams, can have major, long- term impacts on the river and impede future goals.
What role or types of activities, funding, or decision-making abilities could a regional governance entity undertake to help address these challenges? Why? A regional governance entity could help balance private interests along the river through working with various local zoning boards to get special regulations and reviews for development along the White River. Another item the regional governance entity cold tackle is prioritizing the goals developed in the White River Plan and creating working subcommittee to advance them. This would best since the entity should be made up of a variety of stakeholders that can see the bigger picture, unlike more individual communities and stakeholders. The entity can also make sure their coordinated efforts are clearly Response from Amy Marisavljevic Indiana DNR Outdoor Recreation WRVP Transition Team: Regional Governance Model Questionnaire
communicated with branding, marketing, etc. Lastly, the entity might try to represent the larger vision to the public, esp. at public meeting, and forge meaningful partnerships to advance the goals.
What role or types of activities, funding, or decision-making abilities would not be helpful for a regional governance entity to undertake? Why? Having this entity directly oversees development projects or manages infrastructure is probably not recommended. This would be a hard task with no jurdictional authority, not owning land, or having a tax-based budget. Without being directly responsible for the development of projects or long-term management of infrastructure, this entity will have a hard time applying for grant funds. Instead their focus should be providing communities and stakeholders who are pursing grants with technical assistance and support. They might be able to help with private fundraising.
What excites you about the prospect of a regional governance entity that increases regional focus and collaboration around the White River? The idea of developing larger and more impactful recreation infrastructure that truly connect the communities and benefit additional people. For example, a trail system that runs along the White River that connects several communities and activates the entire corridor would be particularly exciting. A large scale greenway or water trail like this would be more accessible to residents, provide more recreational opportunities, boost economic development, and even attract tourists.
What scares you about this same prospect? The potential to prioritize more private interest, such as tourism or economic development, over local concerns, such as quality of life and access.
What do you see will be the biggest barriers to regional cooperation?
The ability to prioritize the greater good of the region over their individual goals and resources. Our office frequently sees communities develop infrastructure using their own resources and stop as soon as soon as they get to their jurisdictional boundary, creating a piecemeal effort. Often neighboring communities and organizations aren’t communicating or planning together, let alone pooling resources or co-developing infrastructure. Also, years of competing for resources against each other has often created strained relationships.
How could you see your organization’s own mission, work, and governance structure fitting into, or working alongside, a regional governance entity? Our organization could help to provide some technical, planning, and financial assistance as this regional entity moves forward. We have also served on larger boards and task forces as advisory members.
Please submit responses to Brad Beaubien by email at [email protected].
Response from Sarah Reed City of Noblesville WRVP Transition Team: Regional Governance Model Questionnaire
Please limit your response to four pages total. Responses will be public.
Briefly describe your organization or interest, its relationship to the White River, and its primary geographic area of interest. The City of Noblesville, Indiana is located along the White River with the heart of our downtown located at the intersection of the river with SR 32. Our interest is to activate the White River and surrounding properties, while giving due consideration to the need for the long-term protection of the natural asset.
What do you see as the greatest challenges facing the White River in the next 30 years? We believe that the greatest challenge facing the White River in the next 30 years is the attempt to balance sustainable development while protecting the floodplain and habitat areas.
What role or types of activities, funding, or decision-making abilities could a regional governance entity undertake to help address these challenges? Why? A regional approach to hydraulic modeling to help determine the development potential of various parcels/projects along the White River. It would be great to have a feasibility analysis of compensatory storage options for a bigger regional opportunity. Funding and economic impact on a regional governance level would be helpful and likely more impactful to look at holistically as opposed to community by community.
What role or types of activities, funding, or decision-making abilities would not be helpful for a regional governance entity to undertake? Why? Any particular action or regulation above and beyond local jurisdiction or recommendations that would relax existing standards (ex. fill in a floodplain and damage of structures in a floodplain). Currently, multiple agencies are involved in water and land adjacent regulations (IDEM, DNR, and Army Corps), which hinders quick processes and action implementation. Additionally, we would want to ensure that any regional plans and guidelines do not unduly restrict local decision-making or customized approaches that are designed to address unique needs and preferences of our constituents.
What excites you about the prospect of a regional governance entity that increases regional focus and collaboration around the White River? We are eager for potential collaboration across communities, celebrating a true asset in our State. We feel the White River Vision Plan had great participation from various government agencies, land owners, businesses, tourism, stakeholders, etc. and look forward to continuing the process into funding and implementation phases.
What scares you about this same prospect? We are cautious about the timeline and competition for funding projects on a regional level. Implementation could get bogged down if the regional governance structure lacks a clear and workable process for project vetting, prioritization, funding, and decision- making.
What do you see will be the biggest barriers to regional cooperation? The biggest barriers are: time, management of the regional governance structure it needs a “White River champion,” and allocations of funds once received by the governance. It could be very labor intensive process to vet projects and receive and implement funds.
Response from Sarah Reed City of Noblesville WRVP Transition Team: Regional Governance Model Questionnaire
How could you see your organization’s own mission, work, and governance structure fitting into, or working alongside, a regional governance entity? Noblesville has made the White River a priority in its own planning and economic development efforts since our involvement in the White River Vision Plan. Mayor Jensen has identified White River activation and Riverwalk Development as policy priorities for his administration (for reference see page 11 of his Transition Report at http://www.jensenfornoblesville.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Report-of-the-Jensen-Transition- Committee.pdf). We would be more than willing to participate in and assist a regional governance entity to complement or enhance our efforts locally.
Please submit responses to Brad Beaubien by email at [email protected].
Response from Michael Strohl Citizens Energy Group WRVP Transition Team: Regional Governance Model Questionnaire
Please limit your response to four pages total. Responses will be public.
Briefly describe your organization or interest, its relationship to the White River, and its primary geographic area of interest.
Citizens Energy Group(“CEG”) is the a local provider of gas, water and wastewater services to nearly 800,000 customer in Central Indiana. The White River is an important asset connected to our business---both as a source of drinking water for Central Indiana and a discharge site for treated wastewater. Through the completion of the Dig Indy project, CEG is eliminating over 95% of the combined sewer overflows into the river annually making the river the cleanest it has been in decades. Managing the ecologically and environmental integrity of the river is of utmost importance to CEG.
What do you see as the greatest challenges facing the White River in the next 30 years?
Continuing the process of managing the water quality of the river while supporting responsible growth as it relates to the White River Vision Master Plan. We agree that the river is an amazing asset that can transform Central Indiana, and we also agree that the growth must be done responsibly with the integrity of the river and its importance to long-term drinking water supply being the top consideration.
What role or types of activities, funding, or decision-making abilities could a regional governance entity undertake to help address these challenges? Why?
It is my firm belief that someone from the utility should be on the regional governance entity to represent these interests.
What role or types of activities, funding, or decision-making abilities would not be helpful for a regional governance entity to undertake? Why? A singular focus on economic development without considering all the stakeholders of the river. That said, I can’t imagine that scenario since it is not the way we do things as Hoosiers. Again, having CEG on the regional governance committee would help mitigate that concern.
What excites you about the prospect of a regional governance entity that increases regional focus and collaboration around the White River?
Having a singular entity focused on execution of the plan in a responsible way
What scares you about this same prospect? Bureaucracy and too much political focus.
What do you see will be the biggest barriers to regional cooperation? Response from Michael Strohl Citizens Energy Group WRVP Transition Team: Regional Governance Model Questionnaire
How could you see your organization’s own mission, work, and governance structure fitting into, or working alongside, a regional governance entity?
The purpose of the Public Charitable Trust is to provide benefit to the residents of Marion County. This is absolutely within that mission.
Please submit responses to Brad Beaubien by email at [email protected]. Response from Kenton Ward Hamilton County Surveyor WRVP Transition Team: Regional Governance Model Questionnaire
Please limit your response to four pages total. Responses will be public.
Briefly describe your organization or interest, its relationship to the White River, and its primary geographic area of interest.
Hamilton County Surveyor’s Office – Kenton Ward – responsible for all drainage
What do you see as the greatest challenges facing the White River in the next 30 years? Encorachment into the flood plain, specifically by development. We need to keep the flood plains as storage, especially with the increasing storm intensities and frequencies. We’re going to see an increase in flooding, and we need to let the river do what it wants to do. This means the entire watershed, which ultimately impacts the White River. We are getting more requests for waivers and we are tempting fate in doing such encroachments. Additional road and other types of development push water into the river through draingage systems means more water will be fed into the river as well and these flood plains are needed.
What role or types of activities, funding, or decision-making abilities could a regional governance entity undertake to help address these challenges? Why? It is worrisome that there could be yet another layer of government managing the river as the system is already complicated. Local systems already exist with professionals managing it. DNR does a good job of oversight of the river but sometimes IDEM overreaches their authority in local jurisdictional decisions.
For flood plain encroachment, having a group to educate and help the public understand how important the flood plains are and advocate for protecting them could be meaningful.
There has to be give-and-take in every situation and this organization would need to understand that.
What role or types of activities, funding, or decision-making abilities would not be helpful for a regional governance entity to undertake? Why? Overstepping of local jurisdicational authority. Being too strident in their viewpoints. Not understanding the need for balance.
What excites you about the prospect of a regional governance entity that increases regional focus and collaboration around the White River? Anything that would give people more access and information about how to use and enjoy its natural beauty would be a good thing. It’s a great asset and you don’t realize this resource is here in such an urban/suburban environment. Awareness about the river would increase people’s desire to keep it clean and understand how valuable it is to central Indiana.
What scares you about this same prospect? Worried that we could lose the realization of what an asset we have in the long-run, so this has be in the forefront and can’t start taking it for granted again by introducing practices that would be negative (e.g. flood plain removal). We need to keep pushing for this river and how fortunate we are to have it. Keeping up the momentum long after the current interested players are gone will be the most challenging aspect of the plan. Response from Kenton Ward Hamilton County Surveyor WRVP Transition Team: Regional Governance Model Questionnaire
What do you see will be the biggest barriers to regional cooperation?
Funding will be the biggest challenge. Some entities don’t have enough funds to contribute on the same scale as others. Smaller communities to the north that might be involved can’t prioritize funding for the river, yet they impact everyone downstream.
Political boundaries exist and need to be acknowledged. When you don’t recognize that, it can slow progress. For some entities, the river simply cannot be a priority now even though it should be. Working through these challenges and supporting them could go far in supporting communities downstream.
How could you see your organization’s own mission, work, and governance structure fitting into, or working alongside, a regional governance entity?
Whoever represents a community should be an elected official. They will know the workings of the government whereas a well-meaning citizen might care about the river but not understand the political climate and complex clockworks that go along with government structures.
They need to be knowledgeable about the river system as a whole in order to be part of decision- making. But the community specific representatives need to have the “clout” or ability to make decisions and bring others that need to be at the table into the conversation.
Please submit responses to Brad Beaubien by email at [email protected].
Response from Jonathan Wright Newfields WRVP Transition Team: Regional Governance Model Questionnaire
Please limit your response to four pages total. Responses will be public.
Briefly describe your organization or interest, its relationship to the White River, and its primary geographic area of interest.
JMW for Newfields:
Newfields, a place for nature and the arts is a unique, 152-acre campus located along the banks of the White River in Midtown Indianapolis. Our campus offers immersion in the beauty and wonder of the built and natural environment. The Indianapolis Museum of Art and the historic Lilly House are the main anchors of The Garden, designed by the Olmstead firm in the early 1900’s. The Indianapolis Museum of Art, The Lilly House and The Garden sit atop a bluff overlooking Fairbanks Park. Our park is open daily, free of charge and welcomes the public to explore the natural world and the intersection of art and nature. The park has been open to the public since 2010 and we have been steadily working to restore native habitat and provide public access to explore nearly 100-acres in the floodplain along banks of the White River for 15 years.
What do you see as the greatest challenges facing the White River in the next 30 years? JMW for Newfields: Contamination and runoff from development along the river are my key concerns as development (both construction and agricultural) continues throughout the watershed.
What role or types of activities, funding, or decision-making abilities could a regional governance entity undertake to help address these challenges? Why?
JMW for Newfields: I believe there is an opportunity for a regional governance entity to support property owners, farmers, developers along the river in making sound decisions and supporting thoughtful infrastructure and development. Often property owners do not have access to the experts, programs and counsel that could help inform and implement solutions that are in the best long-term interest of the watershed. Additional help to coordinate grant and funding opportunities for property owners could be a benefit to all.
What role or types of activities, funding, or decision-making abilities would not be helpful for a regional governance entity to undertake? Why?
JMW for Newfields: Collective action is very powerful, but requires care and consistent communication, especially when so many entities are involved. Although challenging, it is important we remain open- minded and work collaboratively throughout the process.
What excites you about the prospect of a regional governance entity that increases regional focus and collaboration around the White River? Response from Jonathan Wright Newfields WRVP Transition Team: Regional Governance Model Questionnaire
JMW for Newfields: I am excited about the potential positive impact thoughtful and meaningful regional governance will have on the health of the White River and the vitality it will bring to the region and all our residents. Access to healthy and stable natural environments and green space is key to the health and well-being of us all. The prospect that a regional governance entity can equitably and thoughtfully improve the environment and the quality of life for generations of Hoosiers to come is very exciting.
What scares you about this same prospect? JMW for Newfields: I do worry that without thoughtful communication and input from as many varied perspectives as possible this process could be politicized. All Hoosiers deserve access to clean water, healthy ecosystems and opportunities to connect with the natural world. Care must be taken to ensure that many viewpoints are continued to be brought together in the spirit of ensuring the WRVP comes to fruition.
What do you see will be the biggest barriers to regional cooperation? JMW for Newfields: As with any large-scale coordination initiative I believe communication is key to ensuring all parties are engaged, have buy in and are working towards the same vision. Timelines for information gathering and collaborative meetings are challenging when working with so many entities. This process of information gathering provides optimism that together if everyone puts in the time we will have a positive impact on the White River and the lives of all in the region.
How could you see your organization’s own mission, work, and governance structure fitting into, or working alongside, a regional governance entity?
JMW for Newfields: I hope that Newfields can be an example of the power of collaboration. With the support of several regionally based foundations and trusts we have been able to maintain access to the White River for the public while steadily improving the stability of the river bank and the health and diversity of the natural habitat within the floodplain. A recent study with Butler University showed a steady path from a degraded site to being categorized as a natural area of high floristic diversity and high-quality wildlife habitat. Our Natural Resources staff continue to work with regional experts and elevate the standards for natural lands management. We hope to be a resource for residents seeking a green escape, collaborators with colleagues in the Natural Lands Management field where we can share and learn from each other as well as a willing partner in collaborating on future WRVP teams.
Please submit responses to Brad Beaubien by email at [email protected].
Response from Staff Hamilton County Parks & Rec WRVP Transition Team: Regional Governance Model Questionnaire
Briefly describe your organization or interest, its relationship to the White River, and its primary geographic area of interest. The Hamilton County Parks and Recreation Department exists to serve the leisure and recreation needs of its residents and tourists, and to enhance the quality of life in the county. We strive to preserve and provide high quality, passive parks and facilities, to offer natural resource education and services, and to be recognized as a leader and resource for our community and its citizens in the pursuit of living an environmentally responsible lifestyle.
Hamilton County Parks and the White River – Recreational & Educational Activities… and Beyond Hamilton County Parks and Recreation has not only worked diligently to provide safe and convenient access to the White River - it has served as a steward of the waterway for decades. From bank stabilization efforts to offering educational programming to the public that underscores the importance of the river to past, current and future occupants of the region.
Following are some of the ways the park department serves as a “river resource” for the Hamilton County community:
- Building, maintaining and promoting multiple canoe and kayak launches in county parks along the river, all of which offer access to boating enthusiasts at no cost
- Ongoing maintenance of trails in county parks along the banks of the White River allowing users to view and enjoy the river’s varied wildlife
- Providing a supervised and maintained camping area along the White River’s banks that offers an aquatic respite to local and visiting campers, anglers, canoers and kayakers
- Salvage, restoration and placement of historic bridges that now connect White River Campground and Strawtown Koteewi Park in northern Hamilton County. Not only has the span served to connect the campground with the park, but it also draws visitors and historians eager to enjoy the unique vista of the White River the bridges’ vantage point offers
- Monitoring river conditions and levels to ensure the safety of the public and park and campground guests
- Partnering with other agencies in efforts of conservation, education, stewardship, legislation and community building:
- Upper White River Watershed Alliance (UWRWA) - MCPSC and Annual White River Clean-up - Hamilton County Soil & Water Conservation District - Friends of White River - Teeter Retreat - Camptown - Indiana Department of Natural Resources, (Division of Fish & Wildlife)
Response from Staff Hamilton County Parks & Rec WRVP Transition Team: Regional Governance Model Questionnaire
- Working with commercial interests that share the department’s respect of the river, to ensure enjoyable and responsible use of the waterway (i.e. White River Canoe Company)
- Offering interpretive programming in our parks that focus on the natural, ecological and historic significance of the river, that winds through Strawtown Koteewi Park, along River Road Park and serves as the foundation of the White River Greenway Trail in historic Potter’s Bridge Park.
Graph listing the “river share” held by Hamilton County Parks and Recreation Department:
County Parks, Municipal Parks, and Conner Prairie along White River White Properties/Banks River % of White River Share Length in Hamilton Co. in Miles Hamilton County Parks 5.81 21.05% Noblesville Parks 0.83 3.02% Carmel Clay Parks 1.57 5.70% Fishers Parks 0.14 0.50% Conner Prairie 2.84 10.29% Total White River Length 27.58 40.56%
What do you see as the greatest challenges facing the White River in the next 30 years? - Ensuring that riparian wildlife, flora and fauna health, protection and growth are maintained, and taking the necessary measures to prevent erosion damage and silt and sediment issues. Additionally, ongoing identification and eradication of invasive vegetation add to the maintenance challenges
- Environmental threats in the form of pollution, discharge, toxic (phosphate and nitrogen) run-off
- Ensuring that any development is measured, closely examined so as not to negatively impact water quality or increase the potential for undue channeling, flooding or bank erosion
- Achieving a balanced implementation of river-related policies and regulations accompanied by the ability to enforce them
What role or types of activities, funding, or decision-making abilities could a regional governance entity undertake to help address these challenges? Why? To address the challenges listed above, a regional governance entity would do well to reach out to existing organizations such as the highly regarded Upper White River Watershed Alliance, that has a proven track record in guiding municipalities making critical decisions related to the river. Other entities such as MS4, that among its other responsibilities, provides policy and oversight for SWPPP, should be involved in river activation planning. Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation District could also serve as an invaluable resource when crafting policies impacting the waterway. Response from Staff Hamilton County Parks & Rec WRVP Transition Team: Regional Governance Model Questionnaire
In short, a regional governance body does not have to be comprised solely of White River experts – but its members need to recognize and utilize qualified experts in the field, in order to achieve a measure of success.
What role or types of activities, funding, or decision-making abilities would not be helpful for a regional governance entity to undertake? Why? Any role, activity, funding or decision that represents an overreach of the governance would be deemed not helpful. Additionally, any bureaucratic layers that duplicate functions and oversite currently administered by existing organizations (ranging from Hamilton County Surveyors Office to the Army Corps of Engineers) would not only be inefficient but could potentially slow down policy formation related to critical and time sensitive issues such as river protection, restoration, and development.
For such reasons, it would be advantageous to clearly define the extent of influence, power and oversite a governance entity would possess prior to its formation and mandate transparency in its intent and operation. Anything less, would be unhelpful.
What excites you about the prospect of a regional governance entity that increases regional focus and collaboration around the White River?
A balanced activation of the waterway through a committed, regional governance would, if implemented properly, achieve economic, environmental, educational and recreational benefits for Marion and Hamilton county residents and businesses. The responsible development of the waterway, under a regional governance, could have a broader reaching impact, resulting in favorable outcomes beyond those anticipated benefits borne of conservation, education, recreation, socialization, and tourism, and could conceivably create less obvious benefits such as enhanced irrigation, hydro power, and even expanded travel options on, along and over the river.
What scares you about this same prospect? The irreparable harm that could be done to the environment, public trust, stake holders, donors and businesses, if a regional governance acted in a narrow-minded or biased manner, ignoring the importance of the river itself. The entire White River watershed is threatened as development continues and more areas along the river aren't set aside to capture the increasing run off from manmade activities. Flood events are becoming more common, more costly, and more powerful each decade. Working with landowners, other municipalities, and local government on understanding why the outcomes happen in flooding events and helping everyone understand how we can mitigate them is critical. The river draws our attention, but it must be noted that without looking at the entire watershed, we are missing a larger picture of potential health threats. Additionally, invasive plant species, if left unchecked along the river, will not only lead to declines in riparian diversity and a degradation of habitat, but can compromise the ability of the shoreline to stabilize; as many of the invasive plant species are shallow rooters that do not allow the same amount of groundwater infiltration and cannot stand against the natural flooding that regularly occurs. Finally, if funds are not appropriated properly (i.e. 50% for land acquisition, 20% for engineering/consulting/office, 25% direct funding of plants/materials/projects, and 5% oversight) the success of the project could be greatly compromised.
What do you see will be the biggest barriers to regional cooperation? Response from Staff Hamilton County Parks & Rec WRVP Transition Team: Regional Governance Model Questionnaire
- Identifying and avoiding overlapping jurisdictional decision and policy-making - Maintaining sustained funding across a broad political and organizational landscape - Achieving and retaining public and private buy-in and suppor
How could you see your organization’s own mission, work, and governance structure fitting into, or working alongside, a regional governance entity?
Where Hamilton County Parks and Recreations’ mission-based principles and objectives overlap with those of a regional governance structure, it acknowledges the potential for achieving mutually beneficial results. However, the department recognizes broader concerns related to the questions contained within this survey that cannot be adequately addressed within the limits of this document and welcomes the opportunity to contribute input of a more comprehensive nature.
It should be noted that Hamilton County Parks and Recreation staff is addressing the challenges of maintaining its park operations and services during the Covid-19 global pandemic currently and will continue to direct its resources to do so through the duration of the unprecedented health crisis.