Help Shape Landscape Master Plan for Veterans Parkway

How often do you use Veterans Parkway, aka the greenbelt? How do you think it should be used? Do you like how it looks? What could be done to improve it?

These questions and more are what city officials are hoping residents and others will bring ideas and answers to at the first meeting of three on developing a Landscape Master Plan for Veterans Parkway, the city's largest park at 21 acres.

The first public meeting will be held Monday from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Police/Fire facility conference room, 420 15th Street. It will include an introduction to the consulting firm Mia Lehrer + Associates, who have been hired to assist with the plan.

The city hopes to reduce the use of water and chemicals, introduce native plant species and/or design areas that limit erosion or runoff from the greenbelt via the Landscape Master Plan, said Sona Kalapura, environmental programs manager for the city.

The following, taken from a city press release, details the process for Monday's meeting:

Workshop #1
Goal: Develop working relationship with the community, understand concerns, and gather initial feedback. 

1. Mia Lehrer + Associates: Introduction of the firm; briefing on past project experiences with similar issues as the Veterans Parkway; dialogue with attendees to establish relationship with the community. 
2. Presentation of understanding of past efforts from the community on the Veterans Parkway, including the Greenbelt Restoration Project Master Plan, photos of existing conditions, maintenance concerns, etc. 
3. Presentation of large-scale plan on the wall illustrating findings of the site conditions. 
4. Community Exercise: Attendees will be asked to come up to the wall and write their comments on the map (or place sticky notes) on different areas to share their thoughts. 
5. Data gathering: Attendees will be asked to complete a questionnaire when they arrive to provide input on their views of Veterans Parkway. 

Questions about the meeting or Landscape Master Plan can be directed to Kalapura at skalapura@citymb.info or (310) 802-5341. Information on the Veterans Parkway Landscape Master Plan can be found on the city's Going Green website.