Mayor Stout and Members of City Council:

As residents of Alpine City, in particular as residents located in close proximity to Smooth Canyon Park, we unitedly raise our voices against the proposal to construct additional parking by any degree or number of lots in Smooth Canyon Park. We share the view that this construction will have a strongly negative impact on the park, the lifestyle of our neighborhood residents, and on Alpine as a whole. We are also concerned that the City Council has not done enough to consider and scope other options which may offer a better solution.

The primary issues, which factor into our stance, are listed below:

1. Competitive soccer leagues are currently over-scheduling and overcrowding the park.
2. Smooth Canyon Park is unavailable to the Alpine residents due to sports, and has been reduced from a multi-purpose park to a sports complex.
3. Mature trees will need to be removed in order to complete the planned lot.
4. Adding parking spaces in Smooth Canyon will not solve the street parking problem for Healey Park, and will instead only exacerbate the overcrowding of the parks
5. We disagree with the recommendation of 45 parking spots per soccer field.

To remedy the above concerns, we request the following:

1. The City Council honor the park’s designation for mixed use by reducing the number of soccer fields from two to one, and use the newly-freed space for installation of a children’s playground and/or covered pavilion.
2. There be no non-resident activity permitted before 8AM or after 4PM, including weekends.
3. A crosswalk be installed at the corner of Healey and High Bench Roads to facilitate safe crossing of the street by soccer participants.

In past Zoning Commission meetings, as well as at City Council meetings, we have repeatedly raised other options for consideration, which we strongly reaffirm here as better options to the currently proposed design. These options include the following, in order of preference:

1. Development of the city-owned lot to the north of the LDS Church building on High Bench Rd, which is currently unused and unkempt. This development will achieve the goal of reducing street parking, and will also provide a lot for Healey Park, which currently has no parking other than the church parking lot. Add no additional parking to Smooth Canyon park.
2. Reduce Smooth Canyon park to a single soccer field and add no additional parking in any location.
3. Utilize the land designated for future parks and homes south of Smooth Canyon Park, and expand the existing parking lot southward into the current farmer’s field. This will serve the additional purpose of parking for future parks as this field is developed.
4. Add a limited number of spots on the south side of Smooth Canyon park to accommodate a single field and children’s playground. We estimate the current parking lot to accommodate 15-18 vehicles, and further estimate that 25-30 vehicles is the most that should be accommodated. Please note that this is the least preferred option.

We are grateful for the attention that you have given to our comments at previous City Council meetings, and are hopeful that you will represent us, your constituents, appropriately in this matter, which we view so strongly.

Sincerely,

Residents of Alpine, and members of the Keep Alpine Beautiful Alliance