Approximately 225 enthusiastic participants attended the second community workshop of the Silver Lake/Ivanhoe Reservoir Master Plan on May 20th to get a first glimpse at the design concepts developed by the master plan consultant team. The concepts were all based on comments received in workshop #1.
Cindy Miller of RBF, our independent water quality consultant, described the federal and state regulations, both existing and future, that will affect the operations of the reservoir as a drinking water source. We have identified that if a filtration plant were required, the community's preference was for an off-site facility. Any other options would require an extensive EIR process and community involvement.
Nancy Michali of MMA, our traffic consultant, proposed a number of "traffic calming" techniques to improve pedestrian safety around the reservoir. Some of these techniques include: narrowing the traffic lanes on Silver Lake Blvd and West Silver Lake Drive, introducing additional signals and stop signs with painted crosswalks at all major crossing points, and adding commuter bike lanes on Silver Lake Blvd. These elements will help slow traffic through the area.
The major recreational elements include: a continuous pathway for walking and jogging separated by a landscaped parkway along the street sides of the reservoir property, more attractive fencing and gates to restrict access to the water bodies and DWP operational areas, improved pedestrian level lighting, continuous bicycle paths around the reservoirs or a smaller loop path limited to the larger open space areas.
Questionnaires were distributed at the second workshop.The questions were intended to garner responses (in pdf format) from the attendees to help us formulate ideas that will go into the master plan. The master plan is only a guideline that the community will use to influence future development and improvements at the DWP reservoir site and the streets surrounding the reservoir. For that reason, it is important that everyone has sufficient time to digest the proposals and offer informed opinions.
The next workshop is on Saturday, July 24th, 1999 from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at John Marshall High School Auditorium to review the concepts that a majority of the participants favored and reintroduce and clarify those concepts that required more time and explanation. The presentation boards will be on display an hour and half before the workshops for participants to review and formulate questions before the presentation begins at 10 a.m. This will be the last workshop before the final presentation is made and we encourage you all to attend and participate as you have in the past.