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Resolution of the County of Allegheny, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, authorizing the County Department of Parks & Recreation, Council's Committee on Parks, and the Parks & Recreation Commission to work cooperatively with the riverfront communities of the County and the Riverlife Task Force to investigate the establishment of a Riverfront Trails Park in Allegheny County and make recommendations to the Council and the County Executive on the matter.
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WHEREAS, one of the greatest assets of Allegheny County and this region is four great rivers - the Ohio River, the Monongahela River, the Allegheny River, and the Youghiogheny River; and
WHEREAS, Allegheny County is fortunate to have a parks system which is comprised of nine parks and 12,000 acres, providing recreational, cultural, and educational opportunities to more than 11 million visitors annually; and
WHEREAS, through extraordinary effort, commitment and resources provided by Allegheny County, the County municipalities, various non-profit entities, citizens, volunteers, and many, many residents, a number of recreational riverfront trails have been established in various areas in both the City of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County; and
WHEREAS, the region's rivers are a great attraction for residents and visitors alike who boat, kayak, water ski, fish, and jet ski on the waters and spend time at the riverfront walking, fishing, cycling, biking, running, and roller-blading, utilizing the riverfront trails in increasingly large numbers; and
WHEREAS, a Riverfront Trails Park would take advantage of the beautiful riverfront corridors which Allegheny County is blessed to have, by making improvements where needed and connections where none exist to take advantage of the unique feature of this landscape for residents and visitors alike and would facilitate the completion of a comprehensive network of riverfront trails; and
WHEREAS, the completion of a comprehensive network of riverfront trails will inure to the benefit of residents of the City, the County and the region; and
WHEREAS, similar trail development in other cities has proven to increase property values, impact the economy, improve quality of life, provide a cleaner environment, promote health and fitness, and reduce crime; and
WHEREAS, because Pittsburgh riverfronts are no longer heavily concentrated with manufacturing plants and facilities, there are at this time innumerable opportunities to facilitate the advancement of a trail system through the acquisition of property rights along riverfronts within the County; and
WHEREAS, the economic benefit of trails has been proven in local trail-related communities where 59% of groups traveling on trails make some type of small item purchase, spending an average of $8.84 per person, per trip; in a study on visitation and spending in the Great Allegheny Passage, a total of $7,262,939 was spent on items associated with trail use in 2002; and
WHEREAS, quality of life is the third most important factor in locating a business, according to an annual survey of chief executive officers, which includes convenient access to natural settings, recreational, and cultural opportunities, and open space; and
WHEREAS, trails contribute to public health by providing a means to exercise while still doing the things required in daily life by providing safe, attractive routes to work, school, church, and shopping, resulting in a healthier and happier community; further, businesses recognize the benefits of having healthy employees who have increased efficiency and decreased health insurance claims and convenient access to trails helps promote fitness, making this region more attractive for economic development; and
WHEREAS, the trails serve as connections for riverfront communities and riverfront and riverfront attractions; and
WHEREAS, our riverfront corridors are truly a regional asset and the concept of a new linear park along our riverfronts is an opportunity that should be studied in terms of benefits and costs, with a goal of providing and protecting recreational opportunities for future generations.
The Council of the County of Allegheny hereby resolves as follows:
SECTION 1.
The County Department of Parks & Recreation, Council's Committee on Parks, and the Parks & Recreation Commission are authorized to work cooperatively with the riverfront municipalities of the County and the Riverlife Task Force to investigate the establishment of a Riverfront Trails Park in Allegheny County.
SECTION 2.
Recommendations regarding how the establishment of such a park can be moved forward shall be presented to the County Council and the County Executive within ninety days of the enactment of this resolution. Such recommendations shall include, but not be limited to, considerations relating to benefits, costs, planning, and feasibility of the endeavor, as well as recommendations for subsequent actions by the governing body.
SECTION 3.
If any provision of this Resolution shall be determined to be unlawful, invalid, void or unenforceable, then that provision shall be considered severable from the remaining provisions of this Resolution which shall be in full force and effect.
SECTION 4.
Any Resolution or Ordinance or part thereof conflicting with the provisions of this Resolution is hereby repealed so far as the same affects this Resolution.