New Ford Park master plan ready for Vail Town Council review

A new Ford Park Master Plan has been completed and will be presented to the Vail Town Council for consideration and adoption at its evening meeting Tuesday, Nov. 5.

The item, resolution No. 14, will be reviewed during the afternoon work session with a public hearing scheduled for the evening meeting. The resolution is listed seventh on the evening meeting agenda which begins with an early start of 4:30 p.m. in the Town Council Chambers to accommodate Tuesday’s election night activities.

The 2013 Gerald R. Ford Park Master Plan includes components of the park’s previous documents from 1974, 1985, 1997 and 2012 as well as an updated list of allowed uses and prohibited uses in the park. It also includes a boundary line delineating the upper bench of the park from the lower bench and sub-areas within the two benches which will identify suitable uses for each sub-area.

The plan discusses limiting additional structures on the lower bench of the park and expands the boundary of Ford Park to the west along Gore Creek to Slifer Square and the opportunity for improvements to the pedestrian path from Vail Village to Ford Park. The plan further identifies a development site for a future Betty Ford Alpine Garden Education Center.

Tuesday’s decision is the final step in the master plan adoption process and completes the nearly month long planning process. Over the course of the past five months, proposed goals, objectives and policies for the future planning of Ford Park were created.

On Oct. 28, the Planning and Environmental Commission unanimously forwarded its recommendation of approval of the plan to the Town Council. Once approved, the plan is intended to serve the decision-making process for Ford Park for the next ten years.

For more information, including background information on the topic, visit the town’s website at vailgov.com or contact Community Development Director George Ruther at 479-2145. Comments may be forwarded to the Town Council in advance of the meeting at towncouncil@vaiilgov.com.