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GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. THIS IS THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED PARKS AND SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE. IT IS MAY 8TH, 2025. THIS MEETING IS BEING HELD PURSUANT TO KRS 61.826 AND COUNCIL RULE FIVE A.
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JOINING ME TODAY IN CHAMBERS IS MY VICE CHAIR, COUNCILWOMAN BETSY RUBY, COUNCILMAN JP LININGER, COUNCILWOMAN MARILYN PARKER, COUNCILWOMAN CRYSTAL BASS, AND ONLINE COUNCILWOMAN JOSIE RAYMOND. WE ARE GOING TO START TODAY WITH SPECIAL DISCUSSION ID 25-0273. THE PARK[1. ID 25-0273 PARK RANGER PROGRAM – Bridget Frailey, Louisville Parks and Recreation]
RANGER PROGRAM. BRIDGETT AND ANY GUEST, CAN YOU PLEASE STEP TO THE PODIUM AND PRESENT YOUR NAME BEFORE YOU SPEAK AND YOUR TITLE AND WE CAN BEGIN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. HELLO, EVERYONE.THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO BE HERE. MY NAME IS BRIDGET FRALEY. I'M THE EXECUTIVE ADMINISTRATOR OF PARK SAFETY AND SECURITY. AND WITH ME IS OUR CHIEF PARK RANGER, JAMES BROWN. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. ALL RIGHT. OKAY, SO FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS WITH YOU THE PROGRESS THAT WE'VE MADE ON THIS PILOT PROJECT IN REGARDS TO OUR PARK RANGER PROGRAM. IT'S A VERY EXCITING TIME FOR US AT PARKS, AND WE ARE SUPER EXCITED TO HAVE AN AMAZING CHIEF ON BOARD WITH US. SO THIS THIS POWERPOINT AND WILL JUST KIND OF GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ABOUT WHERE WE ARE AND HOW WE GOT HERE AND WHERE WE'RE GOING WITH THIS. ARE YOU OKAY? YOU GOT US UP. ALL RIGHT. SO FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO START WITH A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY. SO ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS UNDERSTAND HOW WE GOT HERE IN 2021. THE PARKS FOR ALL STUDY WAS INITIATED. AND ACCORDING TO THAT STUDY, THERE WERE TWO MAJOR REASONS WHY LOUISVILLIANS DID NOT USE OUR PUBLIC PARKS OR RECREATIONAL FACILITIES. ONE OF THOSE WAS LACK OF ADEQUATE PARK SECURITY, AND THE OTHER ONE WAS BASICALLY A PERCEPTION OF SAFETY, OF NOT FEELING SAFE. SO THE INDIVIDUALS DID NOT PERSONALLY FEEL SAFE WITHIN OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT, WITHIN CERTAIN PARKS. SO BECAUSE OF THIS, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE APPLIED FOR AND WAS SELECTED AS ONE OF THE TEN CITIES GLOBALLY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE BLOOMBERG HARVARD CITY LEADERSHIP INITIATIVE COLLABORATIVE. AND WE WERE ON THE COLLABORATIVE TRACK, SAY THAT THREE TIMES REALLY FAST.
AND THIS WAS A TEAM THAT PARTICIPATED WITH US. OUR TEAM NAME WAS PARKS AND LOO. THERE WERE FOUR PARK PARTNERS THAT PARTICIPATED WITH US, ALONG WITH FOUR METRO EMPLOYEES. THE PROBLEM THAT WE DISCUSSED OR THE PROBLEM THAT WE ADDRESSED, EXCUSE ME, THE PROBLEM WE ADDRESS DURING THE COLLABORATIVE TRACK WITH OUR WITH THIS WAS OUR PROBLEM WAS CRIME, MISUSE AND ABUSE OF OUR PUBLIC PARKS, MAKING THEM UNWELCOMING, INACCESSIBLE AND THEREFORE UNDERUSED BY OUR RESIDENTS. SO SOME OF THESE PHOTOS WERE PHOTOS THAT WE PRESENTED WITHIN OUR PROJECT IN NEW YORK TO DISPLAY SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT WERE STRUGGLING WITH IN REGARDS TO MISUSE OF THE PUBLIC SPACE. FIRST, DEPICTIONS CLEARLY DEPICT GRAFFITI. THE SECOND ONE DEPICTS MISUSE THAT WAS RESTRICTING PUBLIC ACCESS. SO THIS WOULD BE SOMEONE LIVING OUT OF A RESTROOM. ACTUALLY, BOTH OF THESE ARE IROQUOIS PARK, SOMEBODY LIVING OUT OF THE RESTROOM THERE ON THE LEFT, AND THEN AN INDIVIDUAL ON THE RIGHT, RESTRICTING ACCESS FROM THE ONLY PICNIC TABLE. ONLY PLACE IN THAT IN THAT PAVILION STRUCTURE. AND THERE'S ACTUALLY SOMEONE SLEEPING UNDER THAT, UNDER THAT TABLE THERE. THE NEXT ISSUE THAT THAT WE FOUND WITHIN OUR PARKS WERE BASICALLY HEALTH AND SAFETY CONCERNS. SO UNFORTUNATELY, THERE ARE A LOT OF NEEDLES AND DRUG USE THAT OCCUR WITHIN OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT AND OUR PARKS, AND IT'S AN ISSUE WE DEAL WITH DAILY. THE SECOND PHOTO DEPICTS SOMEONE WHO HAS CLEARLY UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF SUBSTANCES, BUT THE SAFETY ISSUE IN THIS PICTURE IS YOU'LL SEE THE STROLLER THERE. WHEN I PULLED UP TO THE PARK, THERE WAS A CHILD UNDER THE AGE OF TWO PLAYING IN A SPLASH PAD IN A BUCKET,
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UNSUPERVISED. WE ALSO DEAL WITH INAPPROPRIATE VEHICULAR USE, INCLUDING ATVS AND DIRT BIKES.AND AS YOU KNOW THAT THAT IS AN ONGOING STRUGGLE. THAT IS ONE OF THE ISSUES AND A MISUSE OF THE PARK. SO AS A RESULT OF THE BLOOMBERG HARVARD CITY LEADERSHIP INITIATIVE, WE BEGAN STARTING TRACKING DATA IN REGARDS TO AREAS OF MISUSE AND THAT THE DATA INCLUDES THE VANDALISM AND THE ASSOCIATED COST TO REPAIR THINGS, GRAFFITI AND ILLEGAL DUMPING, AND THE ASSOCIATED MAN HOURS THAT IT TAKES FOR OUR STAFF TO ADDRESS THAT. BECAUSE IF THEY'RE ADDRESSING MISUSE, THAT KEEPS THEM FROM DOING THINGS PROACTIVELY TO KEEP OUR PARKS CLEAN AND HEALTHY AND SAFE AND MOWED AND ALL THE THINGS. SO ADDITIONALLY, WE HAVE AN INCREASED ATTENTION TO ENSURING THAT ALL OF OUR PARKS ARE CLEAN, HEALTHY, SAFE AND ACCESSIBLE FOR EVERYONE. THE PARK RANGER PROGRAM ADDRESSES THE PUBLIC'S CONCERN FOR LACK OF ADEQUATE PARK SECURITY. THIS IS OUR LOGO AND IT IS ON. WE HAVE A PARK RANGER VEHICLE. AND THAT IS OUR PARK RANGER VEHICLE THAT IS FULLY EQUIPPED, FULLY, BASICALLY A FULLY EQUIPPED POLICE CRUISER BECAUSE OUR OFFICER HAS FULL ENFORCEMENT POWERS RIGHT NOW, THE PERSONNEL. I JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ABOUT THE PERSONNEL THAT ARE IN THE PROGRAM. AGAIN, MY NAME IS BRIDGET. I HAVE A MASTER'S DEGREE IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE. I'M A RETIRED CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES WORKER. YOU KNOW, AS AS A PART OF THE MY JOB, I DO HOMELESS OUTREACH AND TRY TO CONNECT OUR UNHOUSED FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS WITH HOMELESS SERVICES DIVISION AND THE SERVICES THAT THEY MIGHT NEED TO IMPROVE THEIR SITUATIONS. I'VE BEEN WITH THE PARKS DEPARTMENT FOR TWO YEARS, AND I ALSO ADMINISTER THE RULES OF THE PARK, AND I DO THAT IN A KIND AND COMPASSIONATE BUT ALSO CONSISTENT MANNER SO THAT OUR NEIGHBORS KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT.
CHIEF OFFICER JAMES BROWN HE HAS A MASTER'S DEGREE IN ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP. HE IS A RETIRED POLICE OFFICER WITH OVER 20 YEARS EXPERIENCE WITH BOTH THE OLDHAM COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE OLDHAM COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE. HE WAS HIRED WITH US ON APRIL THE 14TH OF 2025. HE DOES POSSESS FULL ENFORCEMENT POWERS, AND HE IS FULLY TRAINED AND CERTIFIED POLICE OFFICER. THIS IS THE SWEARING IN CEREMONY THAT WAS HELD. GOSH, WHAT? THE 16TH OF APRIL? YES. SO JUST TO GIVE YOU GUYS A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY ON THE PROCUREMENT, WE DO HAVE A FULLY EQUIPPED POLICE VEHICLE WITH THE MONEY THAT WAS INITIALLY ALLOTTED. WE'VE PURCHASED GUNS, AMMUNITION, BODY CAMERAS, TASERS, UNIFORMS, BADGES, LAPTOPS. THEN WE'LL ALSO BE FIELD EQUIPMENT. WE'VE ALSO PURCHASED SOME JUNIOR PARK RANGER STICKERS AND JUST SOME OTHER THINGS TO ENGAGE WITH THE PUBLIC. WE ARE STILL WORKING ON UNIFORMS. WE'RE HAVING SOME ISSUES WITH THAT, BUT WE FEEL LIKE WE'RE FINALLY LOCATED THE RIGHT PROVIDER, SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE SOMETHING BACK IN A WEEK ON THAT. BUT JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT WHAT WE'RE DOING IN THE FUTURE, THE SHORT TERM GOAL IS THAT WE WILL HIRE TWO PART TIME RANGERS, HOPEFULLY WITHIN THE NEXT 45 DAYS. THE THOSE TWO OFFICERS WILL WORK TOGETHER TO PATROL THE PARKS BASED ON A DATA DRIVEN APPROACH. THE DATA DRIVEN PATROL PLAN INCLUDES INFORMATION AROUND VANDALISM, GRAFFITI, ILLEGAL DUMPING REPORTS AND THEN ANY KIND OF INCIDENT OF MISUSE OF THE PARK. SO ILLEGAL CAMPING, RESTRICTING PARK AMENITIES FOR PUBLIC USE AND THEN USING PARK AMENITIES FOR UNINTENDED PURPOSES. THE GOAL IS FOR THE PARK RANGERS TO BE PRESENT WHEN THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE ARE IN THE PARK, SO THE TWO PART TIME RANGERS WILL WORK AFTERNOONS AND WEEKENDS, AND THAT IS WHEN THE MOST PEOPLE ARE IN THE PARK. IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR COUNCIL TO KNOW THAT SAFETY IN THESE POSITIONS IS IMPERATIVE, JUST AS ANY OTHER POLICE OFFICER POSITION. WE ARE CREATING A POLICE AGENCY FROM THE GROUND UP WHICH REQUIRES US TO OBTAIN WHAT'S CALLED AN ORI, WHICH IS A FBI UNIQUE IDENTIFIER ESTABLISHING OUR AGENCY AS A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY. THAT APPLICATION WAS IN PROCESS FOR OVER EIGHT MONTHS, AND WE JUST RECEIVED THE NUMBER ON APRIL THE 21ST OF THIS YEAR. SO WE ARE CURRENTLY WORKING WITH METROSAFE TO ESTABLISH RADIO COMMUNICATIONS FOR THE PARK RANGERS BECAUSE IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT FOR THEIR SAFETY AS WELL AS ANY OTHER OFFICER TO KNOW, YOU KNOW WHERE THEY ARE AND IF THEY'RE HAVING ANY ISSUES, HOW TO GET EMS OR SOMEONE TO THEM. WE'RE ALSO WORKING TO ESTABLISH THE ABILITY FOR THEM TO RUN ALL THE NECESSARY CHECKS THAT ANY OTHER
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OFFICER WOULD, WHICH IS AN NCIC, LIKE A NATIONAL CRIMINAL RECORDS CHECK, A CORTINATE CHECK. AND WE'RE WORKING ON MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH METROSAFE AND OTHER METRO PARTNERS. THE PROPERTY ROOM IS AN EXAMPLE. AND THEN WE'RE ALSO OUTLINING AND WORKING ON OUR HIGH RISK POLICIES AND PROCEDURES TO BEGIN A POLICY MANUALS FOR OUR PARK RANGERS. THE PATROL. THE PATROL PLAN, EXCUSE ME, WILL BE FOCUSED, BUT IT WILL ALSO BE FLUID BASED ON THE NEEDS THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING, HAPPENING IN THE PARKS AT THE TIME. WE WILL BE KEEPING DATA TO TRACK OUTCOMES OF BOTH ENFORCEMENT IF NECESSARY, AS WELL AS ANY KIND OF POSITIVE VISITOR CONTACTS YOU BASICALLY THEIR INTERACTIONS WITH THE PUBLIC AND OUR OFFICERS WILL BE ABLE TO ATTEND EVENTS AS ABLE WHEN THEY'RE WORKING. THE INITIAL PATROL PLAN IS BASED ON WE. THE PARKS DEPARTMENT HAS FOUR MAINTENANCE DISTRICTS AND THE PARK. THE PARK PATROL PLAN IS BASED ON THOSE FOUR DISTRICTS. SO IN THE NORTHEAST MAINTENANCE DISTRICT, THESE PARKS WERE IDENTIFIED AS THE PARKS THAT NEEDED ADDITIONAL ATTENTION. THAT WOULD BE BRESLIN PARK, KERRY PARK, CHEROKEE, EVA BANDMAN, CAMP TAYLOR, GEORGE ROGERS, CLARK PARK, SHELBY, THURMAN, HUTCHINS, AND TYLER IN THE NORTHWEST MAINTENANCE DISTRICT. THE PARKS THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED, BASED ON THE DATA THAT NEED ADDITIONAL FOCUS ARE ALGONQUIN, BOONE SQUARE, CHICKASAW, ELLIOTT, LANNON, PORTLAND PARK, SHAWNEE, VICTORY, WILLIAM BRETT, AND I WOULD ALSO INCLUDE IN THERE LAPORTE PARK.IT IS LITERALLY JUST RIGHT DOWN THE STREET FROM PORTLAND, SO I WOULD INCLUDE THAT ONE AS WELL.
SOUTHWEST MAINTENANCE DISTRICT WILL INCLUDE AUBURNDALE PARK, CENTRAL PARK, HOUSTON, QUINN, IROQUOIS, RIVERVIEW, RIVERSIDE GARDENS, SOUTHERN PARKWAY WHEN I MEAN SOUTHERN PARKWAY, THE THERE'S A THE UNDERPASS OF 264 IN SOUTHERN PARKWAY IS PARK. THERE'S SOME PARK BENCHES THERE.
THAT PROPERTY IS CONSIDERED PARKS PROPERTY AND THAT IS AN ONGOING ISSUE, A SPOT THAT NEEDS ATTENTION. SO I DON'T WANT YOU TO THINK IT'S ALL THE WAY UP AND DOWN SOUTHERN PARKWAY. BUT THAT IS A AN AREA OF FOCUS. WATERSON LAKE AND THEN WYANDOTTE PARK IN THE SOUTHEAST MAINTENANCE DISTRICT. HIGHVIEW, OKOLONA, PETERSBURG PARK AND THEN MCNEELY. THERE'S MCNEELY, LAKE, MCNEELY SOUTH AND THEN MCNEELY STABLES. THE SHORT TERM GOALS FOR THINGS WE'RE WORKING ON CURRENTLY IS ESTABLISHING A CLASS A AND CLASS B UNIFORM FOR OUR OFFICERS, OBTAINING ALL THE NECESSARY EQUIPMENT THAT THEY NEED, ESTABLISHING THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH NECESSARY LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERS THAT I MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY. BEGIN THE CREATION OF IMPORTANT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES, AND THEN OBTAINING ALL THE NECESSARY CREDENTIALS WITHIN LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES THAT WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO FULLY OPERATE AS A AS A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY, THAT A COUPLE EXAMPLES WOULD BE KEY OPS COORDINATE E WARRANTS. AND THAT'S THE PRESENTATION. SO DO YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OF EITHER CHIEF BROWN OR MYSELF? YEAH. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE THAT BRIDGET. THANKS FOR THAT GREAT PRESENTATION. I'LL START OFF ON THE MAINTENANCE PLAN. WILL WILL THE NEW NICK RODMAN LEGACY PARK BE ON THERE AT SOME POINT OR NO.
EXCUSE ME, NICK RODMAN LEGACY PARK. WILL THAT BE ON THE ON THE PATROL? OF COURSE. IF WE WOULD BE TRACKING DATA WITH THAT. I KNOW THAT PARK IS GOING TO BE OPENING SOON. SO AS FAR AS IF IT WILL BE PATROLLED FREQUENTLY AT THIS POINT, I, I CAN'T SAY THAT IT WILL, BUT WE WILL BE TRACKING THE DATA. OF COURSE, IF THERE LIKE I SAID, THE PATROL PLAN IS FLUID BASED ON THE NEEDS. SO IF THERE'S ANY IDENTIFIED NEEDS THAT OCCUR THERE, THEN YES, WE WILL GIVE THAT SOME ATTENTION AS AS COUNCIL MEMBERS. WHERE AND WHEN, WHEN YOU'RE FULLY READY TO OPERATE AND YOU'RE STARTING TO PATROL AND WE NOTICE SOMETHING OR WE GET A CALL OR COMPLAINT, WHO DO WE NEED TO REACH OUT TO? OBVIOUSLY, WITH THE SIZE OF IT JUST BEING MYSELF AND THEN POTENTIALLY TWO PART TIME PEOPLE, WE WOULD STILL RELY ON LOUISVILLE METRO POLICE DEPARTMENT AS A911 RESPONSE FOR THAT IMMEDIATE ISSUE. HOWEVER, IF THERE ARE NON LIKE NON-EMERGENCY ASPECTS OF IT TRENDS OR THINGS LIKE THAT, WE WOULD DEFINITELY WANT TO KNOW THAT. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE DONE SO FAR IS GOING AROUND TO THOSE MAINTENANCE DISTRICTS AND MEETING WITH THE WORKERS, EMPLOYEES OF IT TO HEAR DIRECTLY FROM THEM, FROM WHAT THEY OBSERVE AND REQUESTING THEM TO BE, YOU KNOW, SOURCES OF INFORMATION FOR US TO REPORT THOSE THINGS BACK SO THAT WE KNOW WHAT THEY'RE SEEING, WHAT THEY'RE DEALING WITH AND ASKING, UTILIZING. ADDITIONALLY, LIKE THE 311 SERVICES, THE INCIDENT REPORTS THAT THE PARKS COME UP WITH SO THAT THERE IS, AGAIN,
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LIKE I SAID, THAT FLUID DATA THAT COMES BACK TO US SO WE CAN MAKE THOSE ADJUSTMENTS AND AGAIN, BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE BACK TO YOU ALL WHAT WE ARE DOING DIRECTLY TO RESPOND TO THOSE ISSUES. AND I'LL BEFORE I LET SOMEBODY ELSE ASK, I WANT TO ASK ONE FINAL QUESTION IN REGARDS TO ATVS AND DIRT BIKES, OBVIOUSLY, LMPD IS NOT ALLOWED TO PURSUE THEM ON THE ROADWAYS.YOU CATCH THOSE GUYS IN THE PARKS OR IROQUOIS OR HOW DO YOU PLAN TO OR WHAT ARE YOUR POLICIES GOING TO BE AROUND PURSUING THEM? AND WHETHER APPREHENDING THESE, THESE PEOPLE OR NOT? RIGHT. MAJORITY OF OUR POLICIES WILL MIRROR THEIRS, UTILIZING THEIRS AS THAT INITIAL GUIDELINE. HOWEVER, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S IS OVER A THOUSAND PAGES AND HAS NUMEROUS THINGS THAT JUST PHYSICALLY WOULDN'T APPLY TO US SPECIFICALLY, BUT ANY POLICIES THAT WE, YOU KNOW, WANT TO IMPLEMENT WOULD OBVIOUSLY BE PUT BEFORE THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE FOR REVIEW, AS WELL AS MAYOR'S OFFICE TO ENSURE THAT IT'S CONSISTENT, BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, AGAIN, THE CONSISTENCY IS THERE. WE DON'T WANT EITHER AGENCY TO BE TRYING TO PUSH THINGS OFF TO THE OTHER BECAUSE THEIR POLICY IS EITHER MORE LENIENT OR MORE RESTRICTIVE ASSOCIATED WITH IT. BUT OBVIOUSLY ALL OF OUR POLICIES WOULD MAKE SURE THEY COMPLY WITH METRO ORDINANCES, STATE LAW. AND AGAIN, THE GENERAL IDEA OF ENSURING THE SAFETY OF THE PUBLIC AS BEST WE CAN. OKAY. AND MY APOLOGIES, GUYS. BRIDGET, ONE FINAL QUESTION. MAYBE FOR YOU, WHAT IS OUR LONG TERM TIMELINE ON MAYBE GETTING FULLY STAFFED? HOW MANY DO YOU HOW MANY HOW MANY PARK RANGER OFFICERS ARE WE LOOKING TO HIRE IN THE IN THE NEXT, I GUESS LET'S SAY FIVE YEARS? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
AND ULTIMATELY THAT COMES DOWN TO BUDGETING AND HOW MUCH HOW MUCH MONEY WE HAVE FOR OFFICERS AND NOT ONLY DO WE NEED PEOPLE, WE NEED EQUIPMENT AND CARS. YOU KNOW, SO I MEAN, WE HAVE FOUR MAINTENANCE DISTRICTS. I MEAN, IDEALLY, IF WE HAD 12 PEOPLE, 15 PEOPLE, I THINK THAT WOULD BE AN AMAZING START, AN AMAZING GOAL FOR EVEN THE NEXT, YOU KNOW, 3 TO 5 YEARS. OKAY. THANK YOU. WE HAVE COUNCILWOMAN CRYSTAL BASS IS IN THE QUEUE SO YOU CAN GO AHEAD. I WAS JUST WONDERING HOW THE PROCESS WAS. HOW DID YOU PICK WHICH PARKS? BECAUSE I NOTICED, LIKE THERE'S SOME VALLEY PARKS NOT ON HERE IN THE SOUTHWEST. AND JUST FIGURING OUT HOW YOU ALL CHOSE, WHAT PARKS YOU'RE GOING TO LEASE AND WHICH ONES YOU'RE NOT SURE. SO THE, THE, THE PARKS ARE, ARE BASED ON DATA THAT WE KEEP. THE DATA COMES FROM BOTH MY WORK DURING THE DAY. SO I TRACK ANY KIND OF MISUSE OF THE PARK. AS I SAID, ILLEGAL CAMPING, USING PARK AMENITIES FOR UNINTENDED PURPOSES, RESTRICTING PARKS FOR PUBLIC ACCESS. SO THAT'S ONE ONE PIECE OF IT. THE OTHER PIECE OF IT COMES FROM INCIDENT REPORTS THAT ARE REPORTED FROM OUR STAFF IS AND LMPD IF THEY'RE IF THEY'VE BEEN INVOLVED AS FAR AS VANDALISM, ANY KIND OF VANDALISM TOWARDS THE PARKS, GRAFFITI AND ILLEGAL DUMPING. SO THOSE ARE THE MAIN ISSUES IN REGARDS TO MISUSE OF THE PARK. SO THOSE THAT IS WHERE THE PATROL PLAN CAME FROM IS FROM THE DATA, FROM THOSE SPECIFIC CATEGORIES.
OBVIOUSLY, WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO PATROL 124 PARKS ON AN ONGOING BASIS. HOWEVER, THE INITIAL PATROL PLAN IS VERY FOCUSED SO THAT WE ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE SOME OUTCOMES AND SOME SOME SOME FOCUSED AND INCREASED ATTENTION TO A SMALL AREA AS OPPOSED TO TRYING TO DO A FEW PEOPLE OVER A LARGE SPAN AND HAVING, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO HAVE WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO PRODUCE RESULTS AND BE VISIBLE AND BE PRESENT FOR PEOPLE. AND IT'S NOT PHYSICALLY POSSIBLE FOR 1 OR 3 PEOPLE TO BE PRESENT IN 124 PARKS. SO WE'RE USING THAT DATA DRIVEN APPROACH TO TARGET THOSE SPECIFIC AREAS INITIALLY. AND AGAIN, ONCE OUR PROGRAM IS GROWING, THEN WE WILL BE ABLE TO ADD MORE AND DO MORE. OKAY. YEAH, I WOULD HOPE IN THE NEXT 3 TO 5 YEARS WE'RE ABLE TO ADD TO THAT THEN BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I KNOW WE HAVE VANDALISM AND WE HAVE ATV AND DIRT BIKE AND GRAFFITI AND ALL THOSE ISSUES OUT IN THE SOUTHWEST LOUISVILLE TOO. SO YES, I WOULD LOVE TO FOLLOW THAT AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET THAT IMPLEMENTED. I WOULD LOVE THAT AS WELL, MA'AM. THANK YOU. COUNCILWOMAN PARKER. I'M GOOD. MY QUESTION WAS JUST ANSWERED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MA'AM. COUNCILMAN LINIGER SO OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE A LARGE SUNK COST PORTION THAT WE HAVE CREATED THIS AGENCY AS A ARMED LAW ENFORCEMENT OPERATION, BUT WE ARE STILL MOSTLY RELYING ON LMPD FOR THE MAJORITY OF, YOU KNOW, PROBLEMS IN THE PARKS. THAT WOULD REQUIRE LAW
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ENFORCEMENT IF GOING FORWARD, MORE POSITIONS WERE CREATED THAT WERE NOT ARMED, TRAINED LAW OFFICERS, BUT INSTEAD JUST FOCUSED ON SURVEILLANCE AND PATROL AND REPORTING ISSUES.WOULD THAT BE A FASTER AND CHEAPER OPTION FOR EXPANDING COVERAGE? TO ADDRESS SOME OF THAT? I DON'T KNOW NECESSARILY IN THE IDEA OF IF IT WERE EXPANDED AND THERE WERE OFFICERS WHO WERE AVAILABLE, RANGERS WHO WERE AVAILABLE TO RESPOND, THAT WOULD REDUCE LOUISVILLE METRO'S NECESSARY NEED TO RESPOND TO THOSE THINGS. ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH, WITH METROSAFE IS CREATING THAT CAD LAYER AND UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT WE WOULD RESPOND TO, WHAT THINGS COULD BE ROUTED TO US AS WE DID, WHERE THAT IT WOULD NATURALLY POPULATE. IF YOU CALL 911 AND TURQUOIS PARK AND SAID YOU NEEDED SOMETHING, IT WOULD THE CAD WOULD IMMEDIATELY KNOW. WHEN WE GOT TO THAT POINT THAT TO DISPATCH THE RANGERS AS OPPOSED TO LMPD FOR THAT. IF THE IDEA AS OPPOSED TO LIKE SWORN OFFICERS VERSUS NON-SWORN OFFICERS, I DON'T KNOW THE POOL OF PEOPLE THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR EITHER ONE OF THOSE POSITIONS. SO I COULDN'T NECESSARILY SAY IT WOULD OR IT WOULDN'T BE QUICKER. AS FAR AS COST ASSOCIATED WITH OUTFITTING EITHER OF THOSE. I MEAN, VEHICLE COST IS CONSISTENT BETWEEN THOSE TWO. EQUIPMENT IS MOSTLY CONSISTENT BETWEEN THOSE TWO. SO I THINK THERE ISN'T NECESSARILY A LARGE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THOSE TWO POSITIONS. IF YOU WERE LOOKING AT JUST A EITHER LIKE FINANCIALLY AND OR THE EXPEDIENCY WITH WHICH THEY COULD BE FILLED. SURE. I MEAN, THERE ARE SOME EQUIPMENT DIFFERENCES, LIKE THE COMPUTER NET ACCESS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, AND OBVIOUSLY WEAPONS AND AMMUNITION, WHICH ARE, YOU KNOW, NOT NOT INCONSIDERABLE. OKAY. THANK YOU, DEPUTY MAYOR GEORGE, PRESENT WITH US. AND I THINK SHE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MAKE A FEW STATEMENTS. YES. THANK YOU. CHAIR. NICOLE GEORGE, DEPUTY MAYOR, JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT ON THE FRONT END OF THIS PROJECT. AND BRIDGET CAN CERTAINLY SHARE MORE ABOUT THE PATH THAT WE TOOK AND THE RESEARCH THAT WE DID TO GET TO THIS MODEL, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY MULTIPLE CITIES OR VARIOUS CITIES HAVE MULTIPLE MODELS USING AN ARRAY OF SWORN AND NON-SWORN STAFF. OUR MODEL IS ONE IN WHICH WE ARE STARTING SMALL TO REALLY BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND AND MAXIMIZE IMPACT, BE ABLE TO SHOW THE OUTCOMES AND DEMONSTRATE RETURN ON INVESTMENT. BUT TO THE COUNCIL. THANK YOU, DEPUTY MAYOR. ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? MR. CHAIR, MAY I ASK? YES, ABSOLUTELY. PLEASE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. FIRST, I WANT TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR THIS AND SAY, BRIDGET, YOU'RE INCREDIBLY RESPONSIVE TO OUR CONCERNS. AND, OFFICER BROWN, WE REALLY APPRECIATED YOU THE OTHER NIGHT WHEN WE HAD A WHOLE LOT OF PEOPLE AT THE ALLGEIER CENTER TO TALK ABOUT THE TENNIS CENTER. SO THANK YOU GUYS. A COUPLE QUESTIONS, BRIDGET, DO WE KNOW HOW MANY LMPD CALLS AND RESPONSES WE HAD IN OUR PARK SYSTEM LAST YEAR? NO, I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT NUMBER. BUT I DO KNOW THAT IN IN CERTAIN AREAS WE DID HAVE SOME TARGETED AREAS AND WE DID PULL SOME DATA. SOME OF THAT DATA IS DIFFICULT BECAUSE THEIR SYSTEM IS BASED ON ADDRESSES. SO FOR EXAMPLE. YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S AN INCIDENT AT ALGONQUIN AND WE WERE LOOKING AT POOLS, FOR EXAMPLE. SO IF THERE WAS AN INCIDENT ALGONQUIN POOL, IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT FOR US TO SPECIFY WHAT HAPPENED AT THE POOL, BECAUSE ANY INCIDENT THAT WOULD ANY INCIDENT THAT OCCURRED POTENTIALLY IN THE PARK OR AROUND THE PARK MAY HAVE THE SAME ADDRESS AS THE PARK, AND THEY CATEGORIZE EVERYTHING THAT CAD SYSTEM BY THAT ADDRESS. SO WE HAVEN'T PULLED SPECIFICALLY ON THE 124 PARK SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE THAT'S VERY CUMBERSOME. BUT THE DATA IS IT CAN BE PROBLEMATIC DUE TO CERTAIN AREAS BASED ON THE RESEARCH THAT WE'VE ALREADY DONE. OKAY, I SEE WELL, THAT THAT CONFUSES ME A LITTLE BIT THEN HOW THE PARKS THAT ARE BEING TARGETED WERE CHOSEN TO BE TARGETED. I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU IF WE COULD SEE THE DASHBOARD, YOU KNOW, OF HOW MANY LMPD CALLS THERE WERE FROM EVERY PARK, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE WE DON'T HAVE IT DRILLED DOWN THAT WAY THE INFOATNS SE O PK DATA BASED ON PARK STATUS. SO THE THINGS THAT OUR STAFF SEE, THE THINGS THAT OUR STAFF CLEAN UP, THE THINGS THAT OUR STAFF HAVE TO REPLACE AND FIX, WHICH, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE JUST TONS, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SO MANY ISSUES THAT DON'T INVOLVE LMPD. WHEN LMPD IS INVOLVED, IT'S ELEVATED TO A WHOLE HIGHER LEVEL. AND WE'RE CAPTURING, YOU KNOW, THE EVERYTHING FROM, YOU KNOW, SOMEONE DOING GRAFFITI AND ALL THE WAY TO THEM JUST COMPLETELY BREAKING IN OUR MAINTENANCE FACILITY AND STEALING EVERYTHING FROM A GATOR TO MOWERS TO BREAKING THE, THE CAMERAS. SO IT
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COMES DIRECTLY FROM WHAT OUR STAFF SEE, WHICH IS ONE OF THE OTHER ISSUES AND THE OTHER REASONS THAT BOTH MYSELF AND CHIEF BROWN ARE AGAIN CIRCLING AROUND TO OUR PARKS MAINTENANCE DISTRICTS SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THAT FACE TO FACE INTERACTION WITH THEM, AND THEY CAN TELL US WHERE THEY WHERE THEY SEE THE PROBLEMS. GOTCHA. AND THEN, CHIEF BROWN, LET ME ASK YOU, SAID YOU'RE GOING TO BE MIRRORING LMPD POLICIES FOR THE MOST PART. WILL YOU BE ENFORCING OR UTILIZING HOUSE BILL FIVE FROM LAST YEAR, THE SUFFER KENTUCKY ACT, TO CITE PEOPLE WHO ARE SLEEPING OUTDOORS? THAT IS PART OF THE RESPONSE POSSIBILITIES. BUT WITH BEING FOCUSED SOLELY ON THE PARKS, OUR MAIN GOAL IS JUST THAT SAFE USE AND THE INTENDED USE OF IT. BUT WE HAVE MORE TIME AND MORE ABILITY TO EMPATHETICALLY DEAL WITH PEOPLE IN THE PARK. AND EXAMPLE I USE IS JUST YESTERDAY WAS A CHICKASAW PARK, AND I HAD THE ABILITY TO SPEND APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES TALKING DIRECTLY WITH A PERSON WHO COULD HAVE POTENTIALLY BEEN MISUSING IT, AND BUILT A RAPPORT WITH THAT INDIVIDUAL TO TALK ABOUT IT, WHERE AS OPPOSED TO NECESSARILY A METRO POLICE RUN TO, IT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN THERE TRYING TO GET FROM CALL TO CALL.SO SOMETIMES MAYBE THE AMOUNT OF TIME NECESSARY TO SPEAK WITH AN INDIVIDUAL MIGHT NOT BE THERE FOR THE RESPONSE FOR OTHER THINGS. SO WHILE THAT IS AN ENFORCEMENT CAPABILITY, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT UTILIZING THAT IS THE FIRST STOP IS ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM WHAT OUR INTENTION IS.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU. WE HAVE DEPUTY MAYOR GEORGE AGAIN TO SAY A FEW WORDS. THANK YOU. AND I WOULD ALSO JUST ADD, AS IT RELATES TO HOUSE BILL FIVE, LMCO GOVERNS WHAT ACTIVITIES CAN OCCUR IN A PARK, PARTICULARLY AS IT RELATES TO CAMPING AND OR MISUSE OF PARK ASSETS. AND SO WE WOULD BE CONTINUING TO UTILIZE THE LMCO TOOLS THAT ARE AVAILABLE AS IT RELATES TO THOSE ACTIVITIES. THANK YOU, DEPUTY MAYOR. ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? CHIEF BRIDGET, THANK YOU ALL. WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME, YOUR ENERGY, YOUR TIME, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THE PROGRESS AND THE WORK THAT YOU DO TO KEEP EVERYTHING UP TO PAR. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
NEXT WE HAVE A RESOLUTION. OUR DASH 038-25, A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR ON THE
[2. R-038-25 A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR ON BEHALF OF LOUISVILLE/JEFFERSON COUNTY METRO GOVERNMENT TO ACCEPT THE ASSIGNMENT OF ONE SCENIC CONSERVATION EASEMENT LOCATED AT 5811 STOLL HILL ROAD IN JEFFERSON COUNTY, KENTUCKY FROM THE LOUISVILLE/ JEFFERSON COUNTY METROPOLITAN SEWER DISTRICT. Action Required By: October 24, 2025 Sponsors: Scott Reed (R-16) ]
BEHALF OF LOUISVILLE, JEFFERSON COUNTY METRO GOVERNMENT, TO ACCEPT AN ASSIGNMENT OF AN ASSESSMENT OF THE SCENIC CONSERVATION EASEMENT LOCATED AT 5811 STOLL HILL ROAD IN JEFFERSON COUNTY, KENTUCKY, FROM LOUISVILLE METRO JEFFERSON COUNTY METROPOLITAN AREA DISTRICT. DO WE HAVE ANYBODY TO SPEAK ON THAT? THIS IS IN COUNCILMAN SCOTT REED'S DISTRICT. I NEED A MOTION, PLEASE. SORRY. SECOND, AND WE ARE MOVED. OKAY. THANK YOU. SO WE I THINK WE HAVE TWO OF THEM THAT'S GOING TO GO FORWARD. SO CAN WE START WITH YOUR NAME AND EVERYTHING FOR THE RECORD? SURE. IT'S CURT MASON AND I SERVE AS CHAIR OF THE LOUISVILLE JEFFERSON COUNTY ENVIRONMENTAL TRUST OVERSIGHT BOARD. AND HERE TODAY WITH ME ALSO HAVE AARON WAGNER, WHO IS COMMUNITY BENEFITS AND PARTNERSHIP MANAGER WITH THE METROPOLITAN SEWER DISTRICT, AND ANNE SCHULTZ, WHO IS OUR ATTORNEY FOR THE LOUISVILLE JEFFERSON COUNTY ENVIRONMENTAL TRUST. WE THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. SO WE CAN JUST WE CAN GET ROLLING.THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU. AND AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING US HERE TO PRESENT TO YOU A COUPLE OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR METRO TO HOLD CONSERVATION EASEMENTS, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE LOUISVILLE JEFFERSON COUNTY ENVIRONMENTAL TRUST AS WE'VE BEEN IN EXISTENCE SINCE ABOUT 1994, ORIGINALLY WAS FORMED BY AN ORDINANCE BY THE COUNTY, AND WHEN THE MERGER TOOK PLACE, IT BECAME PART OF. MERGE GOVERNMENT. AND SO THE LOUISVILLE JEFFERSON COUNTY ENVIRONMENTAL TRUST IS GOVERNED BY AN OVERSIGHT BOARD. AND IN THE ORDINANCE, IT WAS INTENTIONAL THE WAY THAT THAT ORDINANCE WAS SET UP. AND THE BOARD, THE BOARD IS ACTUALLY COMPRISED OF NINE MEMBERS. FIVE OF THOSE ARE CITIZENS. AND THEN THERE ARE OTHER FOUR MEMBERS OF THE BOARD THAT ARE THERE BECAUSE OF THEIR FOOTPRINT WITH METRO GOVERNMENT IN REGARD TO PARKS AND OPEN SPACE MANAGEMENT. SO THEY HAVE A BIG EFFECT WITH MANAGEMENT OR OVERSIGHT OF SOME OF THE LARGER AREAS. SO THE FIVE CITIZEN MEMBERS COME FROM. YOU HAVE TO THINK BACK A LITTLE BIT
[00:30:03]
TO, TO THE OLD LOUISVILLE GOVERNMENT WAS THERE WERE THREE COMMISSION DISTRICTS A, B AND C, I'M KIND OF HISTORICAL AND GO BACK IN TIME, BUT THEY WERE SET UP IN A, B AND C DISTRICT THAT COVERED ALL ALL OF LOUISVILLE AND JEFFERSON COUNTY BEFORE MERGER. SO THERE'S THREE SEATS ON THAT BOARD THAT COME FROM THE OLD A, B AND C DISTRICT. AND THEN THERE'S TWO MEMBERS AT LARGE, WHICH MAKES A55 CITIZEN MEMBERS. AND THEN ALSO ON THE BOARD IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF MSD, THE DIRECTOR OF LOUISVILLE PARKS AND RECREATION, THE DIRECTOR OF METRO PLANNING AND DESIGN SERVICE, AND THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS AND ASSETS. SO THAT MAKES THE NINE MEMBERS THAT COMPRISE THE LOUISVILLE JEFFERSON COUNTY ENVIRONMENTAL TRUST BOARD. WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL TRUST, WE GET SUPPORT FROM METRO GOVERNMENT IN TERMS OF OUR LEGAL ASSISTANCE COMES FROM THE JEFFERSON COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, WHICH IN SCHULTZ IS OUR ATTORNEY. WE ALSO HAVE ACCESS TO METRO AGENCY STAFF IN REGARD TO DOING THINGS LIKE PUTTING TOGETHER MAPS OR FINDING INFORMATION ON PROPERTIES. WE HAVE A AN ADVISORY BOARD THAT'S COMPRISED OF PRIVATE AND PROFESSIONAL ADVISORS, PEOPLE WITH BACKGROUNDS IN EVERYTHING FROM WATERSHED MANAGEMENT TO LAND USE TO NATIVE PLANTS, TO A LOT OF THINGS THAT YOU FIND ON OPEN SPACE AND AREAS THAT MIGHT GO UNDER CONSERVATION EASEMENT. AND WE WILL HAVE UNTIL THE END OF THIS FISCAL YEAR. A PART TIME PROJECT MANAGER, AND SHE IS HAS BEEN VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN HELPING TO LEAD THE ENVIRONMENTAL TRUST, ESPECIALLY THROUGH WHAT'S CALLED THE ACCREDITATION. SO THE NINE MEMBER WORKING BOARD HAS CITIZENS WITH EXPERTISE IN DIFFERENT FACETS OF LAND MANAGEMENT, RANGING FROM NATURAL AREAS, WORKING FARMLANDS, WETLANDS, WOODLANDS, WILDLIFE HABITAT, WATERSHED MANAGEMENT AND URBAN OPEN SPACES. ONE OF THE BIG KEYS TO THE SUCCESS OF THE LOUISVILLE JEFFERSON COUNTY ENVIRONMENTAL TRUST AND BEING THE CHOICE OF PRIVATE CITIZENS THAT WANT TO DO CONSERVATION EASEMENTS, IS BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A ROUNDED CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT IN THE BOARD, AND WE DEVELOPED DONOR TRUST FROM THERE. THE LOUISVILLE JEFFERSON COUNTY ENVIRONMENTAL TRUST WAS THE SECOND LAND TRUST IN KENTUCKY TO ATTAIN ACCREDITATION THROUGH THE LAND TRUST ACCREDITATION COMMISSION, AND ONE OF THE FEW QUASI GOVERNMENTAL LAND TRUSTS IN THE US TO HOLD THIS DESIGNATION. WHEN I PUT THIS POWERPOINT TOGETHER, WE WERE GOING THROUGH ACCREDITATION FOR OUR THIRD TIME AND JUST FOUND OUT THAT WE ARE ACCREDITED AGAIN BY THE LAND TRUST COMMISSION, WHICH IS A BIG DEAL.CONSERVATION EASEMENTS FOR THOSE THAT MIGHT NOT KNOW WHAT CONSERVATION EASEMENTS ARE, THERE ARE LEGAL VOLUNTARY AGREEMENT BETWEEN A LANDOWNER AND A LAND TRUST OR A GOVERNMENT AGENCY THAT PERMANENTLY LIMITS THE USE OF LAND TO PROTECT ITS CONSERVATION VALUES FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC, AND ALSO FOR THAT LANDOWNER. RIGHT NOW, THE LOUISVILLE JEFFERSON COUNTY ENVIRONMENTAL TRUST HOLDS 22 EASEMENTS ON 1702 ACRES. FOUR OF THOSE EASEMENTS ARE PREDOMINANTLY WETLAND, NINE OF THEM THEIR PREDOMINANT USE AND FUNCTION IS WILDLIFE AND SCENIC BEAUTY. SEVEN OF THOSE ARE WORKING FARMS, AND THERE'S TWO EQUINE FARMS. AND SO THE CONSERVATION VALUES THAT ARE HELD ARE THINGS LIKE FLOOD CONTROL, WATER QUALITY, WILDLIFE HABITAT, SCENIC BEAUTY, PRIME FARMLAND, THOSE THINGS THAT ARE INTRINSIC ON THE LAND. THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL TRUST OR ANY EASEMENT HOLDING ORGANIZATION IS REALLY THEY HAVE THREE BIG THINGS THAT THEY'RE REQUIRED TO DO. ONE OF THEM IS TO MONITOR THOSE CONSERVATION EASEMENTS ANNUALLY. SO THE CONSERVATION EASEMENT DOCUMENT IS RECORDED IN THE COURTHOUSE, AND IT'S A LEGAL DOCUMENT THAT OUTLINES THOSE THINGS THAT ARE BEING DONE TO PROTECT THE CONSERVATION VALUES ON PROPERTIES. SO THE EASEMENT HOLDER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MONITORING THOSE EASEMENTS ANNUALLY. THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR ENSURING THE PROTECTION OF THE CONSERVATION VALUES. AND IF NEEDED, THEY'RE REQUIRED TO DEFEND THE CONSERVATION EASEMENT TO ENSURE THAT THOSE VALUES ARE BEING UPHELD. AND THIS IS DONE IN PERPETUITY, WHICH MEANS ONCE
[00:35:05]
THERE'S A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LANDOWNER, WITH THE LOUISVILLE JEFFERSON COUNTY ENVIRONMENTAL TRUST, IT IS FOREVER. AND WE WORK WITH THOSE LANDOWNERS EVERY YEAR TO ENSURE THAT THAT THEY STAY IN COMPLIANCE WITH THEIR CONSERVATION EASEMENTS AND GENERALLY HAVE VERY FEW OR ALMOST NO ISSUES WITH THOSE. THE CONSERVATION VALUES, AGAIN, THAT ARE PROTECTED BY CONSERVATION EASEMENTS INCLUDE THE PRESERVATION OF PRIME AND STATEWIDE IMPORTANT FARMLANDS, GRAZING LANDS, UPLAND WILDLIFE HABITATS, CRITICAL WETLANDS, WATER QUALITY ATTRIBUTES, WATERSHED HEALTH, STORMWATER INFILTRATION, WOODLAND AND TREE CANOPIES, SCENIC AND OPEN SPACES, AIR QUALITY AND NATURAL FLOOD STORAGE ATTRIBUTES. WE ALSO HOLD WHAT'S CALLED FACADE EASEMENTS ON ABOUT 8 OR 9 DIFFERENT PROPERTIES. THESE WE ASSUMED WHEN THE LOUISVILLE JEFFERSON COUNTY ENVIRONMENTAL TRUST WAS FORMED, THE CITY HELD HISTORIC AND FACADE EASEMENTS ON PROPERTIES, AND THE LOUISVILLE JEFFERSON COUNTY ASSUMED THOSE ONCE THEY WERE FORMED. AND THERE'S A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT PROPERTIES THAT WE'RE AT LEAST RESPONSIBLE FOR LOOKING AT AND WORKING WITH THE OFFICE OF PRESERVATION TO ENSURE THAT THOSE FACADES STAY IN PLACE. SO TO GET TO WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY, WE ACTUALLY HAVE TWO CONSERVATION EASEMENTS THAT ARE COMING FORWARD FOR CONSIDERATION OF METRO GOVERNMENT TO HOLD. I'M GOING TO IF I CAN FIND A WAY TO MOVE FORWARD AND BACKWARDS, I'LL GO THROUGH BOTH OF THESE BECAUSE STONE HILL IS ON THE SECOND PART. YES. SO LET'S SO LET'S JUST GO AHEAD AND DO THE FIRST ONE, GET THROUGH THAT, AND THEN WE CAN JUST SKIP ALL OF THE STUFF YOU JUST DID AND JUST GO TO THE SECOND. OKAY. SO YOU WANT TO DO STONE HILL FIRST. YES PLEASE. OKAY. AND THEN SOMEBODY MIGHT HAVE TO SHOW ME HOW TO BACK UP ON HERE. SO STOW HILL STOW HILL IS A IT'S A CONSERVATION EASEMENT THAT'S LOCATED IN THE STOW HILL SUBDIVISION. AND THE STONE HILL HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION ACTUALLY OWNS THIS PROPERTY. IT'S 8.9 ACRES. IT WAS GRANTED TO MSD ON OCTOBER THE 27TH, 2000. AND THAT WAS ABOUT A YEAR BEFORE THE LOUISVILLE JEFFERSON COUNTY ENVIRONMENTAL TRUST WAS PREPARED TO ACCEPT THEIR FIRST EASEMENT. SO THEY DIDN'T REALLY OPERATIONALLY EXIST TO HOLD EASEMENTS AT THAT TIME. THE HILL EASEMENT WAS PART OF A CONDITION FOR DEVELOPMENT OF THE STONE HILL SUBDIVISION. AND SO WHEN THAT WAS GRANTED, THERE WAS 8.9 ACRES THAT WAS SET ASIDE THAT HAD STEEP SLOPES AND A FLOODPLAIN ON IT. AND THE REASON FOR THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE CONSERVATION EASEMENT WAS TO ENSURE THAT NOTHING WAS BUILT ON THE FLOODPLAIN, AND NOTHING WAS BUILT ON THOSE STEEP SLOPES. SO IT IS GOING TO STAY WOODED. AND IT'S WOODLAND CATEGORY FOR PERPETUITY, IN PERPETUITY. SO THERE'S AN EXISTING CONSERVATION EASEMENT THERE. WHAT WE'RE ASKING METRO TO DO IS TO ASSIGN THAT CONSERVATION EASEMENT TO THE LOUISVILLE JEFFERSON COUNTY ENVIRONMENTAL TRUST. AND I'LL TALK ABOUT A LITTLE BIT WHEN I GO BACK TO BEARGRASS CREEK. ONE OF THE REASONS WHY IS BECAUSE AT THE TIME THIS EASEMENT WAS DONE, THERE WASN'T ANOTHER ENTITY IN LOUISVILLE AND JEFFERSON COUNTY THAT HAD EITHER THE WILLINGNESS OR THE CAPABILITY TO HOLD A CONSERVATION EASEMENT AND DO THE MONITORING AND ALL THOSE OTHER THINGS THAT WERE REQUIRED YEARS AGO, THE LOUISVILLE JEFFERSON COUNTY ENVIRONMENTAL TRUST MSD SERVES ON OUR BOARD, AND THERE WAS A DISCUSSION ABOUT THEY JUST REALLY DIDN'T HAVE THE CAPACITY TO DO ANNUAL MONITORING, WHICH IS WHEN A LOT OF TIMES SOMETHING GOES A LITTLE BIT AROUND SOME OF THE CONSERVATION EASEMENTS. SO THERE WAS A DISCUSSION WITH LOUISVILLE, JEFFERSON COUNTY ENVIRONMENTAL TRUST TO ASSUME THAT CONSERVATION EASEMENT AND TAKE ON THE RESPONSIBILITY OF ANNUALLY MONITORING WALKING THE SITE EVERY YEAR AND TALKING WITH THE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION ABOUT THAT CONSERVATION EASEMENT TO ENSURE THAT IT WAS DONE. SO I DON'T KNOW IF I EXPLAINED THAT MOSTLY, BUT YES. SO AARON WAGONER WITH LOUISVILLE MSD AND YES, KURT, I THINK YOU COVERED THAT VERY WELL. AND I WILL SAY THAT MSD IS REALLY PROUD TO HAVE HELPED THESE CONSERVATION EASEMENTS AT A TIME WHEN THERE WASN'T A ENTITY THAT COULD PROPERLY MONITOR, AND WITH THE EXISTENCE OF LJ SET AND WITH MY[00:40:10]
JOINING THE BOARD, WE REALIZED THAT THESE CONSERVATION EASEMENTS EXISTED AND THERE IS SOME DUPLICATION OF OUR ROLES. AND AS KURT SPOKE TO WITH THE MAKEUP OF THE BOARD, WITH CITIZEN MEMBERS AND EXPERTS IN ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT AREAS, THAT THOSE CONSERVATION EASEMENTS, THE VALUES THAT THOSE CONSERVATION EASEMENTS PROTECT ARE BEST ALIGNED WITH THE RESOURCES OF THE BOARD. AND SO THE THREE PICTURES THAT YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN, THEY'RE TYPICAL PICTURES OF THAT 8.9 ACRES. IT'S GOT A FLOODPLAIN ON IT. GOOSE CREEK IS ONE OF THE BOUNDARIES OF THAT PROPERTY. SO IT BORDERS A GOOSE CREEK AND THEN THE STEEP SLOPE AREA. THAT BOTTOM PICTURE SHOWS A DEPICTION OF THAT STEEP SLOPE THAT IS PROTECTED FROM HARVESTING TREES FOR TIMBER. IT ALLOWS PEOPLE TO WALK AROUND ON IT WITH THE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION. HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION CAN INVITE ANYONE THAT THEY WANT TO WALK AROUND ON IT, VISIT THE CREEK, WHATEVER.BUT IT WILL ALWAYS BE TREES. THE NATURAL FLORA AND FAUNA ALONG THE STREAM CHANNEL, AND IT WILL ALWAYS STAY IN PRETTY MUCH THE CONDITION THAT YOU SEE. WONDERFUL. THANK YOU. DO WE NEED TO TAKE A VOTE ON THIS? ALL RIGHT. DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT. I'M GOING TO OPEN IT UP FOR A VOICE VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. AYE. EVERYBODY AGAINST SAY NAY. AND THE RESOLUTION PASSES AND WE WILL MOVE TO THE NEXT ONE. RESOLUTION R-04-25. RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR ON BEHALF OF LOUISVILLE, METRO JEFFERSON COUNTY, LOUISVILLE METRO GOVERNMENT TO ACCEPT THE ASSESSMENT FOR FOUR SCENIC CONSERVATION EASEMENTS FROM LOUISVILLE, JEFFERSON COUNTY METROPOLITAN SEWER DISTRICT ALONG THE SOUTH FORK OF BEARGRASS CREEK IN JEFFERSON COUNTY, KENTUCKY. THIS IS IN COUNCILWOMAN JOSIE RAYMOND'S DISTRICT, AND WE WILL PROCEED. OR I NEED A MOTION ON THAT, PLEASE. SECOND. AND IT MOVES, AND WE WILL PROCEED. OKAY. SO THE PICTURE THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT IN FRONT OF YOU IS THE
[3. R-040-25 A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR ON BEHALF OF LOUISVILLE/JEFFERSON COUNTY LOUISVILLE METRO GOVERNMENT TO ACCEPT THE ASSIGNMENT OF FOUR SCENIC-CONSERVATION EASEMENTS FROM THE LOUISVILLE/JEFFERSON COUNTY METROPOLITAN SEWER DISTRICT ALONG THE SOUTH FORK OF BEARGRASS CREEK IN JEFFERSON COUNTY, KENTUCKY. Action Required By: October 24, 2025 Sponsors: Josie Raymond (D-10) ]
BEARGRASS CREEK CONSERVATION EASEMENT. THERE ARE FOUR EASEMENTS IN THIS AREA, FOUR DIFFERENT PARCELS THAT HAVE THEIR OWN SEPARATE CONSERVATION EASEMENT. RIGHT. OKAY. AND SO IT'S A CORRIDOR THAT KIND OF WRAPS AROUND CALVARY CEMETERY. AND IT HAS BEARGRASS CREEK IN THE MIDDLE OF IT. AND IT IS A IT'S A LINEAR CONSERVATION EASEMENT IN THAT IT PROTECTS A STREAM CORRIDOR ON THE SOUTH FORK OF BEARGRASS CREEK. SO THE INTERESTING THING ABOUT THIS CONSERVATION EASEMENT OR SERIES OF CONSERVATION EASEMENTS IS IN THE 1980S, MID 1980S TO EARLY 1990S, THERE WAS A MAYORAL TASK FORCE THAT WAS PUT TOGETHER THAT WAS CALLED THE BEARGRASS CREEK TASK FORCE. AND THE REASON THAT THAT TASK FORCE WAS FORMED WAS BECAUSE THERE WAS A LOT OF COMMUNITY INTEREST IN BEARGRASS CREEK. IT HAPPENED TO BE ONE OF THE CREEKS IN THIS AREA THAT HAD A LOT OF ACCESS TO IT FROM THE PUBLIC. THE ZOO RAN THROUGH THE CREEK, RAN THROUGH THE ZOO, IT RAN THROUGH SENECA AND CHEROKEE PARK. IT RAN THROUGH THE LOUISVILLE NATURE CENTER. AND THERE WERE ALWAYS PEOPLE THAT WERE APPROACHING THE CREEK THAT THEY WANTED TO HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CREEK IN TERMS OF WATER AND HABITAT AND THOSE DIFFERENT THINGS. SO ONE OF THE STRATEGIES THAT CAME OUT OF THAT MAYORAL TASK FORCE WAS. TO ASK FOR FROM PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS, TO ASK THEM TO SET ASIDE A LINEAR CORRIDOR ALONG THAT PROPERTY TO PROTECT THE INTEGRITY OF THE CREEK, AND THAT IS TO LOOK AT THAT, THAT CREEK, LOOK AT THE BUFFER AND START THINKING ABOUT WHAT IS THE VALUE OF THAT BUFFER. IT'S EVERYTHING FROM WILDLIFE HABITAT TO WATER QUALITY TO SOIL HEALTH. BUT IN A LOT OF CASES, WHAT IT DID WAS IT OFFERED A STREET, A CANOPY OVER THAT STREAM TO KEEP IT COOLER SO THAT YOU COULD HAVE BETTER AQUATIC LIFE THERE, AND ALSO TO[00:45:02]
FILTER OUT POLLUTANTS THAT WERE UPSTREAM, NOT SO MUCH UPSTREAM IN THE CREEK, BUT UPSLOPE, WHERE PEOPLE MIGHT CUT DOWN TREES, PUT DOWN A LOT OF FERTILIZERS AND PESTICIDES, AND IT RUNS INTO THE CREEK. SO IT WAS A BUFFER ZONE. AND WHEN THE TASK FORCE WAS IN ITS OPERATIONAL, THERE WERE THERE WERE LIKE THREE MAJOR PLAYERS ON THAT TASK FORCE. ONE OF THEM WAS THE METROPOLITAN SEWER DISTRICT. THE AND WHAT THEY DID WAS THEY OFFERED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO HELP FOLKS LOOK AT IMPROVEMENT OF THAT CORRIDOR ALONG BEARGRASS CREEK. AND THE TWO OTHER ENTITIES WERE EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, JEFFERSON COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND THE ARCHDIOCESE. SO DURING THAT PERIOD OF TIME WHEN THAT TASK FORCE WAS IN EXISTENCE, BOTH THE JEFFERSON COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND THE ARCHDIOCESE SCHOOLS ENGAGED MOST OF THEIR STUDENTS IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT AQUATIC HABITAT STREAM HEALTH, THE REASON TO LOOK AT WATER, AND TO ENSURE THAT IT HAS A BETTER CONDITION, AND IT GREW BETTER AND BETTER EACH YEAR. AND SO WITH THE IDEA OF DOING CONSERVATION EASEMENTS THAT WERE KIND OF NEW TO THE CITY, THERE WASN'T, AGAIN, AN ENTITY THAT WAS IN PLACE BECAUSE THIS WAS PRIOR TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE LOUISVILLE JEFFERSON COUNTY ENVIRONMENTAL TRUST. THERE WASN'T AN ENTITY TO HOLD CONSERVATION EASEMENTS. MSD STEPPED UP AND SAID, WE WILL HOLD THOSE EASEMENTS KNOWING THAT THEIR STAFF, THEIR THEIR MAIN PURPOSE WASN'T CONSERVATION EASEMENTS, BUT THEY WERE THE ENTITY THAT STEPPED UP, HELD THE CONSERVATION EASEMENTS, WORKED WITH THESE LANDOWNERS. AND SO THERE WERE FOUR OWNERS OF PROPERTIES ALONG THIS STRETCH THAT EQUATED TO 11.5 ACRES THAT DECIDED TO DO CONSERVATION EASEMENTS. TWO OF THEM WERE UNDER THE ARCHDIOCESE OF LOUISVILLE. SO THERE'S A STRIP THAT'S OWNED BY ARCHDIOCESE THAT HAS CALVARY CEMETERY AND SAINT HIGH SCHOOL. ANOTHER ENTITY WAS THE HOME FOR THE AGED OF THE LITTLE SISTERS OF THE POOR. AND THE FOURTH ONE WAS DAY SPRINGS FOUNDATION INCORPORATED. AND THEN THE LAST ONE WAS AUDUBON RIDGE SUBDIVISION HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION. SO THOSE ARE THE FOUR CONSERVATION EASEMENTS. THERE WAS A FIFTH ONE. BUT WHEN THOSE EASEMENTS WERE WRITTEN, THEY HAD A TERMINATION DATE ON THEM. AND THAT WAS WITH THE HOSPITAL. THAT'S NORTON'S HOSPITAL. SO WE'RE GOING TO REENGAGE WITH THEM ABOUT TRYING TO CONNECT THAT LITTLE QUARTER IN THERE. BUT SINCE THAT ONE HAD EXPIRED WHEN WE WERE WORKING ON THIS WITH MSD AND WITH THOSE PROPERTY OWNERS, IT ACTUALLY STARTED BEFORE COVID AND TRYING TO GET IN CONTACT WITH THE PEOPLE IN THE HOSPITAL DURING COVID WAS THEY HAD A LOT MORE THINGS TO DO THAN TALK ABOUT A CONSERVATION EASEMENT. SO THOSE EASEMENTS ARE CURRENTLY HELD BY METROPOLITAN SEWER DISTRICT. WE WOULD LIKE THEM ASSIGNED TO LOUISVILLE, JEFFERSON COUNTY ENVIRONMENTAL TRUST, AND THE TRUST WILL TAKE OVER THE MONITORING, RESPONSIBILITY AND ENFORCEMENT OF THOSE CONSERVATION EASEMENTS. AND THE PICTURES THAT ARE DEPICTED THERE SHOW RELATIVELY WHAT THOSE EASEMENT AREAS LOOK LIKE. THEY'RE ALONG BEARGRASS CREEK ON BOTH SIDES OF THE CREEK. VERY, VERY INTERESTING AND LONG PROCESS WITH MSD AND THE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO WORK OUT ALL THE BUGS OF THE LEGAL PART OF THOSE CONSERVATION EASEMENTS. SO THEY HAVE GOOD TITLES ON THEM. THEY HAVE GOOD OWNERSHIP. I'M NOT GOING TO GET INTO A WHOLE LOT OF IT, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT THE MIDDLE OF BEARGRASS CREEK IS PART OF THE MIDDLE OF THE BEARGRASS CREEK IS OWNED BY THE CITY, AND WE HAVE THE EASEMENT ON BOTH SIDES OF IT. SO I DON'T KNOW IF AARON OR ANYBODY ELSE HAS ANYTHING THAT THEY WANT TO TALK ABOUT THOSE, BUT JUST A GREAT ASSET FOR WATER QUALITY AND SOIL HEALTH. WILDLIFE CONSERVATION AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT THAT OPEN SPACE DOES. WELL. THANK YOU. WE APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENTATION. WE HAVE ONE SPEAKER IN THE QUEUE, COUNCILMAN JP LINIGER. YEAH. DOES DOES THIS EASEMENT INCLUDE THE 11 JONES CAVE? THE CO2 CAVE.NO IT DOESN'T. NOW THAT'S KIND OF ADJACENT TO CALVARY. AND SO IT'S THAT'S I MEAN I'VE BEEN I WAS ON THE BEARGRASS CREEK TASK FORCE IN THE 80S AND WE VISITED THAT AREA. IT DOESN'T GO WIDE
[00:50:04]
ENOUGH INTO THERE, BUT IT'S GOT AN INTERESTING HISTORY AND TALKING TO PEOPLE ABOUT THAT. SO YEAH, I WAS JUST CURIOUS. YEAH. THANK YOU. MR. CHAIR. MAY I. YEAH. PLEASE GO AHEAD. YEAH. I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT IN DISTRICT TEN, WE'RE THRILLED TO HAVE THIS CHANCE TO DRAMATICALLY INCREASE THE NUMBER OF EASEMENTS THAT ARE CARED FOR BY THE ENVIRONMENTAL TRUST, THESE FOUR, WHICH YOU SAW ARE SORT OF CONTIGUOUS ALONG BEARGRASS CREEK, BUT UP TO SOME OF OUR OF OUR FINEST LANDMARKS LIKE SAINT X, LITTLE SISTERS OF THE POOR, DAYSPRING. AND THEN KURT WAS KIND ENOUGH TO GIVE ME A TOUR OF THE EASEMENT BEHIND GERMANTOWN BASEBALL. AND SO I KNOW IT TOOK YEARS AND YEARS OF WORK. AND THEN IT'S GOING TO, YOU KNOW, IN PERPETUITY, BE CARED FOR AND CLEANER WATER IS A BENEFIT FOR ALL OF US. SO THANK YOU, EVERYONE, FOR YOUR WORK. YES.THANK YOU. AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR ALL'S PRESENTATION. WE SO WE ARE LOOKING FOR A FOR A VOICE VOTE TO ALLOW MSD TO MOVE THIS EASEMENT OVER TO THE CONSERVATEE. SO ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. NAYS SAY NAY AND WE ARE MOVED. THANK YOU EVERYBODY.
[Adjournment Note: Agendas are followed at the discretion of the Chair. While an item may be listed, it does not mean all items will be heard and/or acted upon by the Committee.]
HAVE A GREAT DAY AND PARKS AND SUSTAINABILITY MEETING FOR MAY 8TH IS ADJOURNED. THANK YOU, THANK YOU.* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.