COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

HOUSE OF DELEGATES
RICHMOND
UGO
SCOTT A. SUROVELL
STATE DELEGATE

COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS:
COUNTIES, CITIES & TOWNS
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
MILITIA, PUBLIC SAFETY & POLICE

POST OFFICE BOX 289

MOUNT VERNON, VIRGINIA 22121
FORTY-FOURTH DISTRICT

July29,2015
byfirstclassmail

FortHuntParkSDP/EA
Attn:ClaireRozdilski
NationalParkService
700GeorgeWashingtonMemorialParkway
c/oTurkeyRunPark
McLean,VA22101

Re: CommentsRegardingFortHuntPark
DearMs.Rozdilski:

ThankyoufortheopportunitytoofferpubliccommentsregardingtheFortHuntParkSiteDevelopment
PlanEnvironmentalAssessment.

First,IwouldliketonotethatthenewproposalisamassiveimprovementovertheNationalPark
Service(NPS)initialproposal.IappreciatetheNPSwillingnesstogobacktothedrawingboardandlookatthis
projectasecondtime.Ittrulyappearsthatthecommunitywasheardfrominthisprocess.

FortHuntParkisnotonlyanationalasset,butitisalsoatreasuredcommunityassetshereinMt.
Vernon.Itisacommunitymeetingplace,apicnicsiteforfamilies,organizationsandbusinesses,aparkwhere
peoplemeetandplay,andarecreationalfacility.Itaughtmykidshowtoridebikesontheloop.Itisalsoa
historicalsite.Alloftheseneedsmustbebalanced.

Intermsofhistoricalinterpretation,IhaverepeatedlytoldparkstaffthatFortHuntParkalsoserveda
siteforlocalschools.Manychildrenwereeducatedintemporarybuildingsonparkpropertywhileourareawas
experiencingahousingboomandtherewereinadequatefacilities.Ihaveseenzeromentionofthatinany
materials.WhileIrecognizethatFortHuntParkisanationalasset,italsohaslocalconnectionswhichshouldbe
honoredinitshistory.

Iwouldhopethattheexistinghistoricalstructurescouldbemademoreaccessibletothepublic.WhenI
waskid,weclimbedonmanybuildingsbackinthewoods,buttheywerenotreallyaccessibletothepublic.The
guardtowerhasalwaysbeenclosed.Itismyhopethattheycanopenedandfullyenjoyed,interpretedand
appreciated.

ItisalsomyimpressionthattheNPShopestoincreasevisitorstotheparkbyenhancingthehistorical
displays.GiventheparksproximitytotheMt.VernonBikeTrail,Iwouldhopethatimprovementswould
includesegregatedbikelanesattheentranceanduptotheonewaysegmentoftheloopalongwith
considerationofbikesafetyastheexistingpointwheretheMt.VernonBikeTrailcrossestheexitfromthe
GeorgeWashingtonMemorialParkway.

DISTRICT: (571) 249-4484 RICHMOND: (804) 698-1044 EMAIL: DelSSurovell@house.virginia.gov


IamalsopleasedthatNPSproposestomaintainonewaycirculation,apedestrianbikelane,andseveral
ofthepicnicpavilions.IamconcernedaboutAlternativeFour,duetotheproposedremovalofpicnicpavilions
withoutanyreplacementpavilionsbeingconstructed.Thatwillplaceevenmoredemandontheexisting
facilities.Today,pavilionsmustbereservedsixmonthsaheadofscheduleduetothedemand.Iwouldhope
thatNPSmightconsideranonetlossofpavilionsstrategybyconstructingnewpavilionsinotherless
historicallysensitiveareas.

Lastly,itismyhopethattheNPSusethisopportunitytoimprovementstormwaterrunofffromthe
existingpark.Whenthecurrentimprovementswereconstructed,noprovisionforstormwaterrunoff
mitigationwasmade.Theparkhasnumerousimpervioussurfaceswhichshouldbemitigated.Thesecould
includebufferareastostabilizethebankalongPotomacRivershorelineandraingardensalongexistingparking
lots,andrainbarrelsorcisternsonallbuildingsincludingexistingpicnicpavilions.

Withtheseconsiderations,FortHuntParkcanremainanassetforalltofullyenjoyoverthenext
century.Thankyouagainfortheopportunitytocommentandforlistening.

SincerelyYours,

cc:

U.S.SenatorTimothyKaine
U.S.SenatorMarkWarner
CongressmanDonaldBeyer,Jr.
SupevisorGeraldHyland

DelegateScottA.Surovell
44thDistrict