1. NVRPA/GMU are more aware of neighborhood concerns about the current operation and future plans for operation of the Park,
2. The community is more aware of the operation of and possible plans for the park in our neighborhood,
3. We have shared this increased understanding and have narrowed our concerns and differences, and
4. We have remaining problems and issues to be resolved.

 I would characterize the remaining problems and issues as follows:

1. The community remains concerned about the unpublicized growth and change in the mission of the park during recent years—since GMU took over management.
2. What was originally a “camp” operation for 100 Fairfax County, Region 4, school children at one time, to expose them to “their natural environment,” has now grown into a park to serve “people of all ages and abilities,” “operating as an Outdoor Education Center offering team development, environmental education, overnight retreats, and summer camps” for as many as 350 people per day.
3. The NVRPA now plans to construct new facilities in the park to better serve this enlarged population.  New draft General Management and draft Operations and Management Plans do not provide any limits to the possible future growth of programs at the park, even though the NVRPA recognizes that Hemlock Overlook Park has difficult and unsafe traffic management issues.
4. The NVRPA has failed to recognize requests by HOTFORCE to include several important requests in the referenced plans.  These are summarized as follows:
   1. The goals and objectives for the park do not include any mention or statement of the neighboring community and that the Park is an integral part of this community.
   2. The Park Purpose is too broad, reflecting the “creeping” growth of programs not originally intended at Hemlock.
   3. The Park Purpose does not have any recognition of the over-riding need to “conserve the park in the current rural and austere shape to assure that facilities remain in support of the mission of outdoor education—primarily for Northern Virginia youth.”
   4. Identifies a capacity limit of 350 individuals on a daily basis, which equates to over 125,000 persons per year, as opposed to current use by 30,000.  There should be both a daily maximum and an annual maximum.
   5. Does not recognize that this level of utilization of the park would have serious adverse impacts on the quality of life in the community. 

In addition to the above problems and issues, the following should be included in the NVRPA plans for Hemlock Overlook Park: 

1. The Hemlock community believes that a central principle of Park use should be agreed to and included in the plans—the principle of  “proportionate impact.”  The programs at the park should not have a more adverse impact on the environment in the community than the residences there or to be built there.
2. Hemlock is integral with the Clifton community and the neighbors of the park.  The real estate in this community was downzoned in 1982 to protect the Occoquan Watershed.  As a result, all property owners in this watershed have restrictions on their use of their property.  Hemlock Park is in this watershed and should comply with and be governed by the same restrictions.  This should be explicit in the plans.
3. Fairfax County has just passed increased Resource Protection Areas (RPAs) along water bodies with perennial flow.  Hemlock is bounded by two of these bodies of water:  Bull Run and Popes Head Creek.  The RPAs limit improvements and levy other restrictions on land within 100 feet of these bodies of water.  The RPA requirements should be included in the park plans.
4. Improvements in the Park should be precluded by appropriate impact studies and assessments to determine whether they would adversely impact the Occoquan Watershed, meet the downzoned restrictions, and the RPAs’ new requirements.  The community has a right to have the NVRPA provide these impact studies and assessments to the community before any improvements are authorized.
5. Very clear and comprehensive statements should be included in the park plans that outline the conditions in the park community that are required by law, regulations, and physical limitations of the area.  These are not now included in the plans.
6. There needs to be an outside evaluation of current and planned programs at the park to make sure that the “fragile nature” (NVRPA characterization) of the park is not damaged or destroyed by over utilization.  There is current concern that the park environment is at risk and may already be over utilized.

The community supports the Outdoor Education Center at Hemlock.   We do not support programs conducted there that can and should be more appropriately be conducted elsewhere, such as executive team building programs.  Programs at Hemlock should be focused on the original intent—that of providing outdoor experiences to Northern Virginia school children.  What is needed now is for the NVRPA to work openly with the Hemlock community to define, limit, and promote the proper programs at Hemlock that fit within the limits of the laws, community restrictions and physical conditions