I'm not sure.
You better
get
appreciation for what?
>> You know what that means?
>> Jeff, you know what that means? You
don't have that. Next time
there won't
>> you got a challenge
>> deal. Wow. Thank you.
>> Okay. How you doing?
One more minute.
Hey Chris, you can hear us.
Everybody wants to sit forward tonight.
[laughter]
>> Really smart. I know. I'm kind of
trying.
>> You got to put that in the notes. Please
bring [laughter]
a little poll closed.
Yes, we did. Last at our house last
night, we our lawn was covered with
hail.
>> Hail.
That sounds weird. And went outside.
It's all white.
>> Yeah.
We have enough.
>> Yep.
[clears throat]
>> All right. It's uh recording good
701. As chair, I'll call this October
27th, 2025 meeting of this called part
one to order. We'll start off with roll
call. Ryan Olson present. David Lou
present. Katie Bell
>> excused.
>> Chris Kovac
>> present.
>> Thank you. Tim Mley
>> here.
>> Thank you. Hannah Nakovic
>> here.
>> Thank you.
Anna Ren
>> present.
>> Thank you. James Cushi here. Thanks.
Marley Waxi
>> here.
Paulair
>> excused.
>> Jeffrey
>> excused.
>> Thank you.
Uh I don't think we have any voting
action today.
Has everybody had a chance to review the
minutes from the last meeting which also
included the park tour meeting?
You have any corrections or edits?
No corrections on behalf of the board.
The minutes are approved.
Have public comment. I know we had a
couple emails. We can address those
shortly. I do think we have in person.
>> No comments understand
is wishing to speak.
>> Dave, you ready?
>> Comment.
>> I'm Dave Wag
so that I get
>> Why don't you come have a seat right
here, David?
>> Can I stand?
>> You can stand. You can. Yes, absolutely.
Glad you're here.
>> There are several boards in the city,
myself, as you well know, and uh I think
it was three years ago that we came in,
I think it was 2022,
>> right? We saw a little box on the plan.
It said relocate monument. That caused
all of us, my comrades, to take a little
notice about the parkboard. We're not
sure if we're going to use and one tank
or F-15,
but we were going to make sure that you
knew that we existed, but we didn't want
that monument moved.
Um, it was a great night. We sat our
side. You promised us with your word
that that monument would move and it
did. And we're very grateful. And uh
we've also
cleaned up the monument and got it
spruced up and it looks great. I've got
a picture of it at night. Um and we're
so happy about that. So I suggested to
uh John and Bill and Brian that we come
over tonight and uh we say thank you for
not moving that monument. There's names
on that monument that I know personally
and those are people who left Isiqua
whatever year and never got an
opportunity to come home. Skip, never
returned. This plane was blown out of
the sky. We don't want them forgotten
ever. So, um, thank you for not moving
that. And uh
you have a challenge coin now. So three
seed with the bar. You don't have that
you bought. [laughter]
>> Thanks again.
>> And it's been an honor, privilege, and a
pleasure to get to know Robin and her
wonderful husband and uh work through
all that. And just so you know, the
decision was made for Boy Scout uh
Eagle Scout Project to keep that flag
box and we knew it and put it over there
because that's where Isqua drops flags.
And let me tell you a little numbers.
It's been there since 2006.
And we VFW have probably, this is a
guest of uh
retired, that's the correct word, right?
Correct. Retired
over 8,000 flags in the town that's been
there for the city as well. And the
parks folks put their flags in that box
as well. So, uh, it's one of those
little things that you walk by and you
forget
here. Anyway, I'm going to shut up now.
And thank you, Jeff, and thank you, R.
And thank you, Park for keeping your
word.
Can I say a few words just to thank you
BFW, thank you so much for your care of
that monument. Um, and what you do and
what you stand for. Um, I I hope for
many many years to come and and I I know
the park board, this is deeply
meaningful to them that that plaza and
now access to that monument is so much
more improved. And I think there's more
residents that recognize that monument
is there like where did that come from?
It was always there. And so hopefully
it's um that much more accessible for um
all the residents of Isiqua for
generations to come.
>> When BFW donated that to the city of
Isiqua in 1947,
I was three years old
and is still here.
>> Yep. and hopefully long after I'm gone
be here and then whenever anybody asks
who is Elizabeth
um Ericson
somebody can't say her story
so thank you
so much
Thank you very much.
>> That was awesome. Thank you.
>> Um
I think we got I'm gonna go with Connie
and CM online with their hand up.
Nailed it.
>> [snorts]
>> Connie, you with us?
>> Connie, can you hear us?
>> Connie, do you think
she can herself
unmute?
>> Yeah,
we're checking, Connie. If you can't
unmute yourself, apologies. We with the
teams meeting she should be able to
please.
[clears throat]
I don't know if she has
>> just
do I make her present. I think you No, I
think Connie
one more opportunity here. We can maybe
circle back.
City put anything in the chat if she
>> Yeah. Can you type in the chat if you're
there?
>> And she's gone.
>> She just left. She might have
connection thing.
We'll see if she pops back up.
She is
>> Tony, we see you're back.
>> There we go.
>> Hey,
>> you all just
>> you all just entirely disappeared. It's
like all of the sudden you were gone. I
could hear you. But anyway, so um Connie
Marsh live on Squawk.
Uh I'm going to start with
the easy one, which is um the city of
Isiqua has never done a master plan. We
have done master site plans. That's how
we've dealt with our larger parks
before. And so I am reluctant to have
you go into a process that has never
existed and we don't know what it is.
Like blah. Here we're doing Tibbitz
Valley Park. I would uh suggest that
what you do is have a meeting or two
saying what is a master plan? What are
the components that we need to have in a
master plan to make sure that the
community contract that you are creating
actually can uh function in the future
once everybody is off the committee and
you no longer have the same staff? Um uh
because it's very different than the
master site plans that you've had in the
past. So then step number two is a
little more holistic and that is we
don't really have anybody in the city of
Isiqua who is for the natural
environment.
What we have is we have a person who's
dealing with trees and we have people
who are sort of about climate and then
we have rules and regulations that are
supposed to sort of protect the
environment. But when I look at the
changes that they want to make in the
climate action plan, it's very clear
that there's no one who is actually
responsible for protecting our
environment and the uh moving of code
around saying that we actually have our
tree plan. Our tree plan does not have
implementation
rules, regulations or even staffing. So
I don't see how we are going to progress
on the natural environment without
somebody who's responsible. So you would
say, wow, I would think the parks
department would be the people who are
responsible for their end of ensuring
that their parks are environmentally
protected. But what I find is when the
parks department goes through their
processes for our natural areas, they
act much like a developer in that
they're trying to thread the code needle
so they get what they want. They don't
ask is it right to do this
because I don't think it is. They just
say well if we look at it just exactly
this way then we can do what we want.
And this is happening with the dog park.
We know that it was a garbage dump
because I know the people who used to
shovel the garbage in the garbage dump
below the dog park. Um that is a stream
with the intent that the code was built,
but the parks department has pushed
heavily to make sure that it is not
going to be called a stream because they
don't like the buffers that are allowed.
The dog poopy water is going to go in
curtain drains and then into what
they're calling a bioellail. But that
bioellail is a vestage
of the train that used to run through
there and it's basically just
filled [clears throat] with reed canary
grass etc. And so you know you can you
can do it because our storm water plan
doesn't address dog parks and dog poop.
But should you? No, you should not do
that. And so I I am calling conscious
conscience
to this entire world of what people like
about Isiqua, which is our natural
environment and saying, should we be
doing things that we can sort of do? And
that should be the judge when we're
looking at our public lands and our
parks departments. And I'm going to stop
there before I get further in the weeds.
And uh have fun. Bye.
>> Thank you, Connie. Appreciate it.
>> All right. I think that is the end of
our public comments.
But if I could add one thing, uh we did
receive an email. You all received an
email uh from Steve Pereira um regarding
his some of his comments around both of
tonight's topics, the master plan that
we'll be talking about um and the um
climate action plan. He had some
comments as well. So, like we've done
previously, we can um add that email to
the minutes that you'll for this meeting
that you'll approve next month.
>> Absolutely. Yes. Thank you for that
reminder.
Uh and with that we'll move on to
regular business. Up first we have the
Tibbitz Valley Park master planning
process presented by an August 12.
>> Yeah, as Laban is preparing to share
screen. Look at that. Um I'll give a a
quick overview. Thank you so much. Um uh
like um we know as we came out of our
2024 park system plan update um a
revisioning of Tibbitz Valley Park. Um a
master plan update of Tibets Valley Park
was your highest priority. Um it was
also um a very high priority for city
council um in the past two six-year
capital improvement plans where they've
um identified and and provided some
funding uh to to do this planning
process. Um uh we thought tonight would
be a great opportunity to discuss what a
master plan is. Uh talk about uh this
process that uh we um are going to map
out and want to undertake. You'll notice
as Robin gives you overview two very
distinct phases of this master plan
process. Both are going to be really
really important. Um um I won't bury the
lead. Robin will go into this more but
one is is site feasibility. So
feasibility work to understand what's
happening environmentally on that site.
Um and once we really know that we've
done some initial work uh that you'll
hear about, but there's some additional
work we want to get done. We do that
work first and then we go into concept
development. um um understanding and and
being informed with um uh what's
available, what's possible uh for the
site. So, uh tonight's intended again as
an overview of what this master plan
process is going to be. We invite
questions um and discussion as we go.
>> Thanks, Robin. You're [snorts] welcome.
So I have a question just you touched on
it just briefly because when I went
through this and you you mentioned that
it was a it came out of the work we did
last year about uh being a high priority
from some of the park planning process
and that had skipped my mind. My
question really was what unmet need does
the planning process do? Why are we
doing this? And then you know why now?
Why are we doing it now? And maybe you
just touched on that um because it came
out of the work we did last year. Um but
could you just say a few more words
about you know why and why now?
>> Yeah. Yeah. Um again I'll be super quick
and I think Robin will will go into it a
little bit more. Um
the central Isqua plan uh is an adopted
document that that has identified where
is wants to put its density. Right. All
cities are required to um um um have a
plan for where they're going to add
population
and um Isiqua adopted the the central
Isqua plan. It basically said, "Hey, we
want density in the downtown area in the
central Isco area. If you look at a map,
Tippetsz Valley Park is right on the
southern end of that um
um central Isco plan. Uh we've known for
a couple years now and these are the
conversations we've been having is
Tibbitz Valley Park has lived a
wonderful life. It's a wonderful
community park. It's tired. Um its
amenities are tired. Um we thought now
is a very strategic time and a strategic
moment knowing we have a current
population that is is wanting to see um
uh that park uh reinvested in. Uh we
know we need to plan for future growth.
Um, we think this is a strategic time to
um, cast a new vision for what Tibbitz
Valley Park is. The reason we're doing a
master plan, the reason we're looking at
a a park holistically is we know we're
not going to have the capital funding to
do it all in one fell swoop. So you you
do a master plan to allow for that
community vision to stand and and to be
important and um even as Connie says to
be a contract or here's here's the
direction here's the north star that
this community would like the park to go
and then as capital funding is available
um you're doing phases um you might do a
couple phases it might be 10 10
different phases really depending on
what funding looks like so getting that
vision getting that big picture vision
for this community park knowing its
neighborhood is going to change. It's
going to be asked to perform in
different ways. Um but it's also um has
some real ecological and environmental
um treasures, some resources on this
site that need to be protected. And so
let's understand those. Let's be
realistic and and pragmatic about how we
um how we achieve both.
Yes, we have to act like a developer
sometimes in the park department, but we
don't see ourselves as developers.
>> All right. Thank you.
>> Yeah,
>> we'll [clears throat] dig into the a
little bit of that detail more later,
but um yeah, so for the past month, Jeff
Brook and I have been working on what we
call a request for qualifications or an
RFQ that we'll send out to the public to
get garner interest from consultants
that want to be able to do this master
planning process. So, this is kind of
the first step, but we thought right now
it'd be a good idea to walk you through
the process, what's going to happen, um,
get your feedback if we're starting off
on the wrong foot or on the right foot,
but to let you know what's going to be
coming up next year. So, that'll be
going out early November.
Um, just a quick schedule for that. Uh,
we hope to have interviews by January
and under contract then by late January,
early February. So, we're hoping to
start a whole process early, very early
next year. Uh, we anticipate six to nine
months. Um, again, that depends on how
detailed our feasibility is going to be
and then our public outreach, what that
strategy is going to be. So, but first,
I kind of want to give you a history of
Tibbitz Valley Park. Um, one thing that
we want to be very conscious of now and
in the future as we go through the
process is that before even pioneers and
early early settlers were there, of
course, the Native Americans were there.
So, we want to pay homage to and be
respectful um that they have been here
since time in memorial and they very
much relied on this site and the
landscape uh for fishing, for hunting,
for gathering and for trade. And that
isn't something that just happened in
the past. They're also interested in
that in the future now. Um it's very
much a part of their cultural is very
significant to them. And because the
creek does tie in to Lake Samish, it's
even more significant significant
because of the fish potential uh coming
up the creek. Um but as we move in to
the late 1800s and early 1900s
uh settlement from the pioneers started
happening and the landscape started to
be transformed. Um it's still used or it
was used as early travel connections uh
mainly between the mining communities of
Newcastle in Reton which you can still
see SR900. You can still see that
connection today. Um, it became a real
key for north to south connection,
particularly from Lake Smash, uh, down
to southern Nisagwa. And as you can
tell, this this picture is from 1936.
Uh, it's probably the oldest aerial that
we have available, but you can tell that
there were agricultural activities that
grew with a population. Um, and the site
was more than likely farmed and utilized
for food. Um, we can assume that
probably hops were on the site. that was
a big agricultural crop in the area. Um
and then today the site remains as a
crossroad between Reton and the northern
portion of Isiqua. Um we have a very
large we still have a very large
environmental benefit with the creek and
the riparian area and the wildlife
that's capable across the site and also
now we have the recreation benefit also
the different programming elements
there. That kind of leads into my second
slide. So, this is what it looks like
today. We have five baseball softball
fields, uh, one playground with a
shelter, two parking areas, a skate
park, which I think is the most current
element that was added in, uh, four
tennis and pickle ball courts, the manor
of course, a barn that we use for
maintenance and operations, uh, several
walking paths, and of course our natural
features that are significant on the
site, the Tibet Creek, all the
vegetation. Um, we have a little bit of
slope on the southeastern side and of
course a graperian buffer there. So, a
lot of elements going on right now, a
lot of elements living together, but we
want to be able to harmonize those
better in the master plan.
So, next kind of to answer your
question, Tim, why does it matter that
we do a master plan? and master plans
are very common in several different
cities and and uh counties. It's a
typical form of developing a design, a
conceptual design that you can take
forward. Again, if we end up switching
staff, um that still remains that
guiding document that the community
developed. So, it's kind of solidifies
that idea more no matter who's here. So,
and just to reiterate, master plans are
guiding documents. They are not
construction documents. Uh they are
high-level conceptual plans
again based on community feedback,
community input um and the needs for the
community. So, some elements mostly the
programming elements will remain.
locations may switch a little bit, but I
feel if we do a really in-depth
feasibility study, we'll have a really
good idea of where those elements can
be. Um, this master planning process,
like I said, is going to be comprised of
two phases. We'll have our feasibility
study first and I like to do that first
and get a really good idea of the
capabilities of the site and then we'll
once we have that done we'll move into
concept development where we we'll be uh
preparing the plans and doing more
public outreach.
Uh this helps us develop that balance
between recreation access and ecology
which we talked a lot about last year
during the park system plan update
especially our goals and policies and
our core values. So this is going to be
a litmus test for those and and see how
well we can do that. It'll help ensure
responsible use of the public land and
public funds. It encourages and
reinforces reinforces sustainable design
and the protection of natural features.
You know like like Connie said, we do
want to protect the habitat areas, the
creeks and improve them where we can. Um
this will introduce phasing to help
alleviate funding challenges. Uh this is
a very large site so you can anticipate
that it'll be a significant investment.
Um and it's absolutely necessary for
grant funding again which we'll more
than likely have to go out for to help
implement the all the phases. So we
can't get out grant funding without the
master plan.
Okay. What is being studied? So the two
different phases the feasibility study
phase. So, we want to look at our
foundation and context analysis would be
our boundary, the basics. Let's look at
our boundary. What easements are there?
Uh what restrictions do we have on the
site? That's kind of the core basic that
you start with. Then we're going to be
looking at site characteristics, the
topography, the vegetation.
Um that's going to tell us a lot about
what what is capable and what's not
capable, what do we have to mitigate
for. Uh we'll look at existing
facilities
uh such as utilities. What utilities are
available either in the surrounding
streets or um on the site itself because
that can again help either exasperate or
or help us funding wise. Uh operations
and maintenance. A plan isn't successful
really unless we can operate maintain it
to the level that we want to to our
level of service. uh social aspects.
We'll be looking at social connectivity
uh connectivity within the park,
connectivity to the surrounding uh
neighborhoods and beyond to make sure
that we're meeting that need. Again,
that's a creeks to peaks connection. We
want to make sure this park is well
connected. Uh then we need to look at
because we do have environmental
concerns, city, state, federal codes and
regulations. I want to have a really
good idea before we go into any
construction. and then by the end of the
master planning process um what agencies
that we'll need to uh permit for which I
think is really critical because that
really impacts our time frame
once we finish that and and during that
process we'll also be going out for um
public engagement and public feedback.
So we're not going to be doing this in a
silo but we'll definitely be coming back
and forth for for more interest. The
second phase would be the conceptual
plan phase which is kind of the fun
phase in a way. Uh once we have that
feasibility study we want to come in
with a very transparent
um study basically and mapping. So um we
are kind of diving into pie in the sky
ideas that just the the site isn't
capable of holding. Um we'll look at
program de and development based on
feedback and needs. So that's what
everybody kind of the fun part what
elements what recreation elements what
pathways connections um definitely
circulation and connectivity
uh environmental and sustainability will
be a big portion of that then we'll once
we have those layer those on we'll look
at moving into the concept plan and
develop so it's very iterative it's back
and forth and back and forth but by the
end of the process um we'll go probably
from three plans or ideas down to one
preferred plan. And then we want to
definitely look at phasing and order of
magnitude costs because that's going to
help us determine what step we need to
go through first.
>> It's okay.
>> Yeah.
>> Questions. First of all, a couple years
ago when we had that Toronto money and
we were trying to decide where to spend
it, this was one of the areas that we
looked at and there were several
proposals about what to do there along
with several other areas and we so will
that be used as a basis or at least a
starting point for you know what we're
going to do there or will it be starting
from scratch? the uh I believe the
tranch of money you're referring to is
the ARPA money the federal
>> the money the money that went into the
uh
>> pedestrian park
veteran center and all that but there
were sever this was one of the finalists
along with that and there were some
suggestions and ideas about how we might
spend the money there which seems like a
good starting point because we kind of
mapped out what needed to be done or
could be done
>> you know I see what you're saying yes I
think it ideas that have then uh
discussed for Tibets Valley Park will
certainly be part of that. They will
they will be a baseline for some of that
um public engagement around conceptual
phase development. We won't just start
from scratch. Hey, we've talked to the
community before. We've talked to the
park before. Here's some elements that
have been discussed.
>> Okay.
>> I think we even had concepts at one
point and that wasn't for the ARPA. That
was even before that.
>> That was prior to AR, right? That was
>> take way back.
>> Yes. Yes. In 2019, you're right. Yeah.
And some of that some of that concept
development will will also be sort of
brought forward. I think again the site
feasibility is going to be really really
important because that is uh again not
wasn't necessarily fully done as those
concepts were created. So, um,
[clears throat]
>> we've done some of that, you know, so
we're not starting from scratch.
>> Exactly. Exactly.
>> Yeah.
>> And my second question or comment that
is not in here. One of the really cool
things about Tibbitz is the osprey nest.
>> Like you've been down there with the
young ospreys squawking and caring. It's
it's cool. So, I mean, I think it's
worth mentioning somewhere along line
that you're going to try to preserve
natural elements such as the osprey
nest. Uh, and I'm also wondering, does
that present any kind of regulatory
hurdle to doing [clears throat]
development there? I don't know if
ospreys are protected or what have you,
but you've got a a wellestablished nest
there that's been there for many years.
Is that something that has to be taken
in consideration?
>> Absolut Yeah. Yeah, that is clearly a
sight characteristic. Yes, it's a
natural nest and an unnatural asset.
[snorts] It's on it's on a light. It's
on a light pole. So So we will we will
that is that Yeah. And the platform is
intentionally put there so it it can it
can coexist and not interfere with the
lights and so um absolutely that is an
element that'll be part of um part of
this work.
>> Yeah. Because I'd hate to see that get
disrupted.
Great. Great point.
>> Hi, Hannah.
>> Hey guys, I have a question kind of um
about the planning process in general.
Um and I'm sorry if this is kind of an
ignorant question, but um this master
plan I understand is you know supposed
to help us for many many years. Um given
how long it takes Ray to um complete and
implement this master plan again
assuming this is going to take um an
extended period of time I was just
wondering how do you ensure that it's
adaptable right there's is there some
kind of framework in play
>> in place to like revisit it or to adjust
it as community needs change um or even
as like the environment kind of changes
right we saw with the um bomb cyclone,
right? Like we we have these
environmental changes that are happening
too. So, is this plan adaptable and um
is there a way for us to revisit it even
after it's been accepted?
>> Okay.
>> Yeah, I think it's a great question. I
think it's a great example of resiliency
and sustainability we want to put into
the plan. So
yes, [clears throat] again I you know I
Robin said it well when she said this is
intended as a guiding document, right? I
think I refer to as a north star. It's
it
it's not intended to be an absolute
because of the very questions you
raised. I mean it it's intended to um
certainly um not just be h you know
willy-nilly but it it it has to be
understood that um actual design actual
um
actual the the work done in any given
phase will will likely have a degree of
of community engagement involved in it.
so that um you're you're really drilling
into some of the details uh that might
be missing or might be spoken to or
ideas are spoken to in the master plan.
Um but um um yeah, it's not meant to be
so finite that we're trying to um
we're trying to build a park in 2026
for a phase that might be done in 20
36
um without pausing and saying, "Hey
community, in 2036, does this still ring
true? What elements might need to be
shifted?" So um trying to cast a broad
vision. If that broad vision is so
successful and um there's a funding
strategy and benevolent donors that give
enough money that it can all be
constructed in 2028, then great, right?
It's intended to be adaptable that way,
too. Um but um um yeah, it's it's maybe
slightly different. As Connie says, if
if master plans of a park of this size
are different than what's been done
before, um this does represent something
a little bit different. But I I can tell
you within the park profession and
within many municipalities and counties,
um as as Robin has said, this is a best
practice is to um something this big
at least understand the big picture
while and then um even if you're doing
minor improvements, you're doing minor
improvements that are working towards
the the bigger goal.
on a second.
>> So Hannah, does that
>> great question. Um, yes, it's meant to
have some um adaptability to it.
>> That really helped. Yeah, thank you for
further giving me context and like kind
of understanding what this master plan
is. It sounds like it's meant to
inherently be flexible. So that's
fantastic.
>> Can I add one more thought? flexible
with some degree of limits, right? That
if suddenly Tibbitz Valley Park was
wanting to become a gosh um
the municipal dump, we don't have one,
but I'm just going to make it up, right?
Or some completely different that's
there's a there's a limit to what that
flexibility is. Or hey, we want to plop
a building now in the middle of Tivitz
Valley Park.
um
you we want to build some guard rails
around this this master plan. Um
ultimately something that's recommended
by you. We would we're preparing to to
to assume this master plan goes to city
council for adoption. So there's a
resolution or ordinance that builds some
of those hey this is it's flexible to a
limit but it's um also rigid to try and
make sure this remains a a community
asset a community park uh that this that
the residents want.
>> Just a quick follow to that. Um, is it
typical in these kinds of like when
you're working with, you know, a
consulting firm
putting a plan like this together, would
it be typical to have some kind of to
your point like
uh, you know, change management process
or like decision protocol or like you
know just something like those
guardrails. Would that be something that
would be, you know, typical to that a
consulting company might put in with the
services that they
>> Good question. I don't know. I I don't
know that there's a typical I don't know
that the consulting firm does that. I
think we as a city do that, right?
That's like your work as residents, our
work as staff working for you that as
this goes to council,
hey, here's, you know,
>> there's some kind of
>> here's here's the right here's the
limits or here's the
>> Yeah. Yeah.
>> And that's where we can lean on the
zoning as well. The zoning really does
restrict just about what we can get to
there.
>> So, we there are others that exist
already. Yeah.
Okay, another benefit is is how will
community input help shape the plan? And
first we're going to start off with our
reinforcing our 2024 park system update
plan specifically our goals and
policies. Um this is reiterated quite a
bit as you all know you were part of
that. Um and we we're looking to uh the
comprehensive plan also as our baseline
as well as the previous master plan and
all the other work that was done. Um
site feasibility study and community
input will really shape the master plan
together. Again, we want to come in as
transparent as possible with a
feasibility plan letting people know
what what our opportunities and
constraints are on the site because
that's really going to direct us a lot
about what we can and can't do. Um, we
really want to hear how residents are
currently using the park right now. What
do they like? What do they not like?
What features would they like in the
future? Um, and what concerns they have.
Again, we're hearing a lot about
environmental concerns about
preservation and protection. So, that's
something we're definitely going to be
incorporating. Uh, we'll have surveys,
we'll have open houses, workshops,
online mapping. We really want this to
be a robust process. Uh we want to make
sure as many of our 40,000
residents um can be heard and they have
a say in what we're going to be
developing.
>> Yeah,
>> there was a lot of feedback given the
last on this in particular. So we'll
start to Tim's point. We'll start with
that. Right.
>> Yep.
>> So the plan.
>> Yep. Right. supply
>> and because of all the potential
development that's been going on, we
want to factor that in and see if we can
hit any um disadvantaged community or
any communities that we didn't hit
before that we know we need more.
>> Yeah, there's a couple there's a a
couple multifamily projects that are
planned and in in permitting uh that are
going to be across the street. So it's
taking what we've heard and having Yeah.
>> We know this input will inform tradeoffs
for TVP. Um we know we have a lot of
competing interests there. So we want to
hear from the community what priorities
are, what we want to move forward, what
we want to protect, what we want to
integrate together because there really
is a lot that we can do to start
integrating and um really enhance
habitat there while still making it
functional. There's a lot of new
technologies out there that we want to
investigate and see what's feasible uh
and what we can afford to.
>> Okay. So, this I just put together kind
of an iterative process um of what we
can do for community outreach. Um and
I'd love your feedback at the end uh if
if we need to do something different or
what you have found has worked in the
past or worked with a past master plan.
Um, first off, definitely a kickoff and
a project introduction to the community.
Uh, much like we're doing right here.
You know, what are we doing, why are we
doing it, what is our process going to
be, um, schedule, what the workflow and
our milestones are going to be. So, we
want to remain flexible in that process
to see if we need to hit something else
or do something else or kind of switch
gears depending on what is and isn't
working. Okay, we do want to have focus
groups and meetings. Um, again, a lot of
competing interests. So, we want to make
sure we hear from all the groups, user
groups that use currently use the park
and would like to use the park along as
individuals. Uh, definitely kids, you
know, kids can help shape a lot of the
home. Uh, seniors, we have a large
senior community uh with more coming up.
So, we want to make sure that we're
providing enough uh activities, outdoor
activities that will meet their needs.
Um, and again, disadvantage birds. We'll
have online meetings and surveys, of
course. Um, we've done some online
meetings before. Uh, the survey was very
su successful for the our system plan
update. We'd like to do that again um
again and be as transparent with our
graphics and our mapping to help people
understand the process and understand um
how they can provide input. Uh boards,
commissions, and council meetings uh
will definitely be coming back to you
several times during the process
um as well as other boards
[clears throat] um and commissions and
of course accounting meetings. So lots
of other not only public outreach but we
can have public input during those
meetings as well and again it's an
iterative process. We'll be pulling from
all those meetings and those should help
us set all the priorities.
>> One quick add Robin you know given the
scale of this project I know in the last
couple years we've had some success
creating ad hoc committees within the
park board. might be a a project that
would be a really good candidate to have
an ad hoc group. Um they can work a
little more frequently and then you all
are part of coming back and telling the
full hardcore what's been going on. So
something for us to think about,
>> right?
>> And just basically this is a typical way
that I've done my master planning
processes and that I've other seen other
cities and counties do their process.
But so again, this is all based on uh
community feedback during the engagement
process. But we'll start off um after
that introduction meeting, we'll get
some ideas rolling. We'll come back to
the community with what we call
conceptual plans. Three to five. Usually
you start with bubble diagrams, the big
ideas, big locations. And again, that
feasibility study is going to help us
move those around. um where we'd like to
locate programming elements. What
programming elements do we want? So it
you start off with a lot of ideas and
start narrowing it down as you work
through the process. Uh the next would
be preliminary plans, two to three
plans. Um and again it depends on how
much feedback, how much consensus, what
our priorities are. Um, typically you
come back with two plans there and then
after that uh we move into the preferred
plan which is usually one plan that has
all the preferred elements. It's not the
final but it's your one of your final
chances to give feedback on what you
like and what you don't like in the
plan. [clears throat] And then we'll
come back for a final master plan which
is the entire it's the feasibility
study. is our conceptual plans all
pulled together in one report. So you
can see how the entire process informed
our final concept plan.
And this is just a general timeline that
we were looking at. So first we'll start
off with the RFQ the request for
qualifications to bring in a consultant.
We'll do our feasibility study uh 7 to n
months. I mean this is a very large very
complex site. So I want to give it a
little more time to get as much
information as we can. Uh we'll start
the master planning process which is um
design and community outreach. And again
some of these may overlap and inform
each other and go back and forth. Uh
next we'll move into the plan the
preliminary concepts a few months for
that. Um and again knowing our meetings
and everything we have to attend and
time frames that schedule's going to
shift and move a little bit. Uh after
the preliminary we'll come into
preferred concepts then our final
concept which is our final master plan
report and then go to council for
so roughly 12 to 18 months for the whole
process. And again, that's going to flex
depending on if we want additional ad
hoc roots or we feel like we need to go
out to the the community to get more
feedback and information.
>> Big effort.
>> Yeah, huge effort.
So, questions we had for you. Um, what
are the board's expectations for the
master planning process now that we've
walked through a little bit of that? And
what does success look like to you for
the master plan?
I have a question. So,
this has to do with what does it look
like to you because I'd like to know
what your vision is in terms of the
final uh plan. There's going to be
multiple elements, right? There's
different things. And would the final
plan be such that it's prioritized that
we need to do this first, then do this,
and then do this. But what if there's
only money to do number three right now?
Do we save the money until we get enough
to do number one? Or is see what I'm
getting at? You know, do you do the
elements peace meal or do you try to do
them sequentially depending on the
priority they are given in the plan or
or how does that work? You know,
>> Yeah.
>> Yeah. Exactly. Exactly.
>> Yeah. You might have to do A before you
can do B, right? So, it's a great
question, Tim, but it's hard to answer.
I I don't know that it can be that
prescriptive. I I think I've certainly
found in my experience sometimes for the
want of doing something in the exact
order,
um you may not be able to get to step
four and five because step one is so
much money and it's taking a long time
to get there, right? And so I um I think
as we go through this process, as we
hear your priorities, as we hear the
community's priorities, I think we'll
get an understanding of what is truly
most important. Um as we get an idea of
the the cost estimate, cost estimates
and start to put dollar numbers to
those. Um we're hopeful that um
conversation helps to inform that. You
know what I mean? and and again um
having a a you know we don't know what
we don't know. We're going to know more
as we get to the end of this. There
might still be levels we don't entirely
know, right? Hey, how's what's the
funding strategy? How's the funding
going to come together? Um that um we'll
just have to see when we get to that
point. So that's a a pretty loose
non-answer other than I I don't think we
want to be so trying to be so
prescriptive because that could be
really limiting.
>> Yeah. So the decisions on where to put a
trunch of money will have to be made at
the time the tunch of money is
available. Uh
>> correct. How much money is it? How much
money is it and where is that
>> best where could that be best invested
in this
>> in this
vision that the community put together?
having a
something that's sort of written in a
very rigid fashion. We have to do this
first and then
>> and during the process we may find we
want to go and do a constructibility
review to see what makes sense. If we're
doing phase one, do we do the utilities
for phase two at that time to save the
money so we don't have to go dig up
phase one? Things like that I think
would be pretty helpful to do too.
>> Okay,
>> that'll give us a better idea.
Dan, did you have a comment question?
>> Yeah, kind of related to what's being
discussed. Um, Robin, you said that the
concept and the execution are going to
be separate things and the master plan
kind of details things at a high level
um without necessarily
concerning itself with the details of
the execution. Um
would there be the potential to kind of
revise the concept as
material issues arise? Um for example
related to funding or whatever is being
discussed like
Jeeoff you're saying there's all these
unknown unknowns but as those unknowns
become known
does that affect the master plan or feed
back into it?
Certainly what I what I've seen done
before is you can do an amendment to the
master plan as well. If it's a
significant enough change, we can look
at that. But usually during the design
process, you are going to get into the
details more much more as you're moving
into construction documents about what
is feasible and what isn't feasible. And
again, funding plays a large portion
plays into that quite a bit. Um that may
scale us back, that may move us forward
a lot more. We just we don't know yet.
But this will help us kind of stick our
toe in the water and take a temperature
of what we're capable of doing.
>> Yeah. Another thing.
Go ahead, Diana. Sorry. Go ahead.
>> Oh. Um, is there any possibility for
elements of the master plan to be funded
by money that's not part of the parks
budget? And I'm thinking of like
transportation budget for bike paths and
stuff like that or is that not a
consideration?
>> Well, it's it it's very much a
consideration. And I mean as we put a
funding strategy together, if there is,
you know, storm water work that we want
to do um with the creek and other thing,
we will work with our stormwater
partners and see storm storm water grant
funding. If there is, as you said, you
know, safe routes to schools funding and
we could show that wow, a pathway
through the park um getting people to
the middle school or getting students to
the middle schools easier. you know,
we're going to we're going to seek
funding that aligns with the amenity or
the the type of work that's being done
in the park. Um, absolutely.
>> And we've already started to have high
level discussions with the other
departments, letting them know this is
coming up, what can we coordinate
together, what do you guys have coming
up?
>> Yeah. And seeing how we can collaborate
on some of those ideas, which is great.
and Jane.
>> Um I was gonna take a stab at least from
my perspective on the first question.
Sure.
I I think for me um a lot of what you've
been talking about is is great in terms
of transparency, gathering community
feedback. Um, you know, I think for me,
I was when we did that field trip to
Tibets Valley Park, I've I've lived in
Isqua for it's going to be 20 years next
February. No, sorry. Yeah, 20 years next
uh September. And I didn't even know it
was there. And so that was the first
time I I even was aware that there
wasn't a disco park. And so I think as
we in the community feedback gathering
process, I'd love for
you know more pe I'd love for it to be I
I I kind of seek some uh concentric
circles in my mind like starting with
Tibbitz Valley Park and really make sure
we give people in the immediate area
like chance after chance after chance to
give feedback. But I'd also love to see
it, you know, I know we want to get
feedback broadly, but like I'd love to
see PE I live in Oldtown now, you know,
I'd love for people in Oldtown like me
who, you know, didn't get the email that
there's a Valley Park to be like, "Oh,
wow. There's this park here."
>> And, you know, so for just the
visibility of the park to
>> Yeah. There's an education element to
the outreach as well. Did you know that
this is an important
work, you know? Um, so anyway, so for
me, that's that's what I would say. And
then success for I I would um
uh part of what I I mean I'm a new board
member, so but part of what I love about
this has been about being on this board
has been that you all have given us the
context to contribute successfully to
the topic at hand. So I think like that
for me makes me feel a lot more
confident to contribute well to this
>> team and to this effort. So you know
that's a yes and keep
doing it. So
>> deal my um comment might be somewhat
related and that's that you guys are the
experts. So I I agree with we need
community feedback of course but you
guys know how the system works in total
and not just tibbit. So an expectation I
have for this planning is that we keep
in mind the total system and what the
needs of the system is. So I'll use
baseball as an example,
>> right? Like we might have people come in
who never play baseball or don't know it
exists or whatever, but it's very
important to that that park.
>> So we need to make sure that we and we
know like hey we're maybe getting rid of
some of the fields up in
you know, high look, you know, at the at
Central Park and, you know, this field
is too big and this only fits 9 to 13
year olds. Like the community is not
necessarily going to know that in the
depth that I expect the park team to
know that. And so for me, my expectation
is obviously community feedback is super
important, but that you guys are the
experts and that we have very strong
parameters on the
>> uses for the space. Oh,
>> really appreciate that, Barlene. and and
you you've you comment has encapsulated
why the park strategic plan and the park
system plan update are so important to
to understand the entirety the goals of
the whole system. So as we start to do
planning for a specific park that
context really really matters. Hey if we
do this or we don't do this here
what's going to happen systemwide.
>> Yeah like five fields to three people
but maybe we'll do that. what does that
look like and where are we going to get
>> those fields or how are we managing that
would be a big part of what I'll be
looking for over the course of the year
and then I'm just super excited
obviously because
>> you guys haven't been teach since 2018
so here we go again
>> and piggy back on that maybe just a
little bit the same exact specifics but
just said in a different way is like as
you're outlining what this master plan
could be is you know thinking about or
putting to paper for other people to see
the, you know, currently there's this
many programmed activities at this field
these times of the year. If we have a
plan that has this, this is how many
activities you can have. Opportunities
for revenue is here. Opportunities for
revenue is here and and seeing those
laid out. Um, I think the only other
thing I' I'd ask potentially for the
master plan, um, is if there's a
secondary strategy that involves any
potential expansion or
>> if that happens, what phase 2047
when you get like
>> that's a really good
>> and just to pick up on what's been
shared, I think what I'm hearing is
what's important to me. Success looks
like to me with specific what are the
smart goals, right? You know, something
that's very clear so someone can look at
it and pick it up and I'm not saying you
would, but it's going to be nice. No,
it's going to be, you know, X, Y, and Z.
>> Yeah. And so have it planned out so that
it's very clear what what was identified
as a need, what the remedies are going
to be. You know, this is what we're
going to do. um rather than something
that's a little softer.
>> Y
>> all really really good feedback. Really
good feedback. Thank you. Um I think an
example of that of trying to measure an
outcome is we've heard this in various
forms here with all of you and the
community feedback. Tibbitz Valley Park
right now is it's lived a great life.
It's a really important park. Um, but on
a day that there's not scheduled
activities, the park doesn't perform
very well. The park the park performs
really well when it has a lot of
scheduled activities. And we've heard
and think about that, you know, as more
residential comes around this park. A
true community park is good at both. A
true community park is vibrant when
there's
unscheduled activities and it's just
being used for drop in and also it can
it can handle scheduled activities. So,
I think a a metric or a measurement that
we're going to want to look at as we're
engaging with the community and
something we've already heard, again,
we're we're not starting at zero is,
right? How do we measure unscheduled
vibrancy, right? How do how do we
measure that, hey, this is a park we're
wanting to feel like it's it has use and
energy um on a on a cold November day
when there's no baseball games.
And that's
That's a community park that's
performing really really well, right?
Because it it can do both. Can do both
things. So,
>> to clarify, when you say performing
well, is that is that what you're
talking about? Use and use when
>> Exactly. Exactly. Right. Right.
Performing. It's serving the community.
It's serving a a a degree of needs and
daily uses that man, when there's x
number of games scheduled, the park's
again handling that. But when there's
nothing scheduled,
there's not just two people in the park,
right? There's it's it's doing more
>> as a as a community park because it's
this classification of park as a
community park. It's it's meant it's
expected to do more than an open space
parcel,
but some space if it has full slate ball
games scheduled Saturday and Sunday,
isn't it appropriate to give the space a
breather, you know, to try to have it
have it acknowledge that there'll be
times when there's gaps when it's not
being used heavily to basically give the
land a breather, you know, so there's
not that constant use. Well said, Tim.
No, I I think we're saying the same
thing. When I say perform, it's not
we're not burdening it with schedule.
We're we're giving it we're giving it
reprieve, but when it when it has
reprieve, it's not going from zero to
100. It's not going from, you know, a
quiet day at Tibbitz Valley Park right
now is very few people. You know what it
would look like if a quiet day was still
a couple hundred people that were coming
to use a vibrant play area and a really
cool loop trail and um an educational
um kiosk and boardwalk or lookout over
to Creek, right? You know, um so it's
it's it's quiet community park use, but
it's still it has energy.
I'm sorry. I'm probably diving way too
into details, but
>> I love that. I think a place to like
that I think of when I think of Central
Park
>> as busy as I'll get out when it's
scheduled, but it's also really busy.
>> It's a good
>> just generally. So like if you're kind
of looking or want to see like that's a
place where if you go on like a Saturday
afternoon even like it's partially
raining like there's kids out there
playing there's people running you know
like there's a lot of just stuff
happening there and that we're going to
have as much if not more density
>> right coming.
>> Yeah. Both are community both are
classified as community parks. But
that's a good
that part's always busy whether it's
scheduled or not
>> and that's why this site this site
feasibility is so important um because
we really need to understand what and
I'll be honest I think Tivis Valley Park
has has really important natural
environment u natural resource things
happening on this site that we have to
steward that's a little different than
Central Park and So, you know, that site
work is important. You know, a community
park needs to fit the canvas that it's
it's in, right? And so, um, yeah, all of
these are really really important goals
and um
it's it there's no way around it. We're
going to be we're going to be threading
a needle and um you know site um site
work like this is um it takes time and
it takes thought and we're going to hear
different opinions and we're going to
we're going to
um hear and listen to those different
opinions. Um if if we've learned
anything from Hillside Park, um as
you've gone through that process,
hopefully you realize the the goal our
goal as staff is to not create winners
and losers. Our goal as staff is to hear
some really divergent opinions and work
towards a public space that um that
tries to do multiple things and fit the
site. Tibbitz is going to be that
as well.
So, here we go. Buckle up.
>> Did you have any other questions? I know
we had three other bullet points, but
any questions on the feasibility or
conceptual plan phase?
>> Where did the comments about astroturf
come from that came up about? Was it one
of the [clears throat]
bright ends? Somebody was talking about
I don't want to, you know, we shouldn't
be putting astrotur
it's I didn't see that anywhere. Where
did that come from?
>> Oh, it's it's been discussed at Valley
Park. It's it's was discussed before I
arrived in 2016. It's been it's been
discussed in my time here. I think as
we've talked athletic fields um
we've talked about that balance of hey
when you're as land constrained as we
are as a city how do we do we build a
ton of grass fields or do we concentrate
and have multi-use synthetic turf
fields. So the idea of synthetic turf is
has been talked about at Tippets Valley
Park and nothing has been decided or
definitive. Um, yeah, Steve, I think,
wrote that in his in his public comment,
his email. And we're going to hear that.
We're going to, you know, that it's
going to be another example of um
what are the trade-offs, what are the
pros and cons, and again, what's
feasible. That feasibility study is
really, really important. Understanding
the hydraology that's happening
throughout that site will help us, hey,
as we consider synthetic turf, here's
what we're going to need to do to make
synthetic turf happen. It's previously
been talked about. That's why I didn't
remember that. I had heard it.
>> Yeah. [clears throat]
>> Right. So [clears throat]
this back to the first question too and
kind of about um you know your guidance
to us to
I I'm I could you can table me if this
is if this isn't the right one for but I
I I would love some guidance as we're
gathering back and even just like the
two emails that we got this
is is the protocol to set him up to kind
of say thank you for the feedback if
there's
like
I I I guess I need some guidance about
what to do when they hear feedback that
is just either coming from left field or
somebody is like saying up and down is
down is you know up is down and down is
up. You know what I'm saying? like how
how do we
>> Yeah, J, you know what I'm saying? No, I
think I know what you're asking. I say
that's a much that's probably a much
longer conversation than I have tonight.
So, um,
>> but I guess dur in as we go through this
guidance like that would you don't have
to answer it tonight, but I mean like
guidance like that would help me because
like you know
>> real quickly I think all public all
public feedback is important and is
valued and I I don't hear you're saying
it's not. Um um you're going to we're
going to hear a lot much like we heard a
lot from Hillside Park as a advisory
board. You're not asked to um go that
alone,
>> right? We really are again as an
advisory group to the mayor um and to
council um it's our job to work with you
all and and do this together and and
navigate this together. So
>> I don't know if
anybody else had a parks board
discussion on email. That's what you're
talking about.
>> That too, right?
>> It's it's not as well. It just is more
like, you know, we just live it feels
like sometimes we live in an age of
misinformation
and as we're
like I I don't know if
you know I I I as we go through this I
could just use some guidance about like
I don't want to say to resident what are
YOU TALKING ABOUT THAT'S NOT YOU KNOW
WHAT I mean but I know myself enough
say Yeah, [laughter]
>> good. You got it.
>> Looking at time. I think we Thank you.
This has really been been very very
helpful. Um again, we'd love to hear,
you know, any other closing thoughts or
comments. Want to give ample time for um
our next our next topic as well.
>> Okay. Thank you. That's a robust
conversation. Excited to see next steps
on that. Our second piece of regular
business is the ISPA climate action
plans update. Stacy McKinst
>> Happy to have Stacy here. Welcome Stacy.
>> Thank you for making time for me
tonight. Uh Stacy Vin McKin Street. I am
the sustainability manager with the
city. So we sit within the uh executive
department.
Um so tonight I'm just going to give you
an update on our climate action plan. It
is nearing five years old um which is
when it was visioned it would be
updated. Um and we've been going through
a process over the last several months
that will continue up through next
spring in order to update that. Uh this
is our first touch point with you. I
think we'll probably plan on coming back
in early 26 to focus in on a couple
specific areas.
Um, so tonight really the intention is
to make you aware of the process that
we're going through to update the plan
and then to have that very initial
conversation around some early feedback
we received on the natural systems
actions.
So tonight I'll just walk through kind
of our progress to date um how we're
approaching the update um the
recommendations that we got from a
committee and I'll explain how those
committees were formed. Luckily we have
two members of the committee here um and
then really want to open it up for
conversation around a few topics related
um uh to the update. I have a limited
set of questions for you all tonight.
So, first as a bit of background, just
wanted to talk to you about the climate
action plan since we don't come here
regularly. I know we've had a couple
joint meetings with the environmental
board, but I don't think any of those
have been focused on the plan. Um, this
is what I spend most of my time doing.
Um, so it was adopted in December of 21
and we are well underway in
implementation.
Um the plan sets targets and identifies
actions for both reducing greenhouse gas
emissions as well as preparing for the
impacts of climate change. We have six
what we call focus areas within the
plan. Those are things like uh buildings
and energy um natural systems and water
resources, land use and transportation.
Um and we have been working to implement
actions within all of those areas over
the last few years.
um we are a small team is myself, one
other full-time staff person and then we
do bring on fellows or interns um
throughout the year. Um but then of
course we work across all the
departments at the city to really
implement this work as well as with a
number of community partners.
So, in terms of how we're doing so far,
um we're actually making great progress
in terms of implementing the actions as
written in the plan. We have about 90%
of the actions we are moving forward.
They're either done um they're well
underway, moving forward as expected or
they're underway, maybe with some really
minor delays or hiccups, but moving
forward.
We have a number of both internal
programs within our own city operations
as well as community based program
programs underway. Uh so for example um
within city operations we just finished
installation of 19 EV chargers. So I'm
actually right in the back of this
building. Um transition a number of city
vehicles CDBs
and I've been working with our
facilities teams on a bunch of building
upgrades. And then at the community
level, we run programs such as a heat
pump program um for households with low
income as well as just the market rate
program. We run solar campaigns. Um and
then we work with our commercial
buildings to help them meet energy
efficiency standards.
Um we've also been very successful with
grants there. Um you are not living and
breathing this every day. Um there is uh
the state's climate commitment act uh
through which is essentially a cap and
trade program. Um that program generates
a lot of revenue and a lot of that is
distributed through grants. So we've
been very successful in securing a
number of those grants.
So that's kind of all the good news. Um,
but one of the things we're noticing as
we implement the plan is while we have
so many actions underway, a lot of great
programs and projects, we're actually
falling short of a lot of our bigger
targets. So, in terms of reducing our
overall gas emissions, um, as one of the
examples,
um, for natural systems, our target is
around our 55% tree canopy. Talk about
that in just a minute. Um, so as we go
into this plan update, we know a couple
areas that we want to focus on. One is
really to hone in on buildings and the
other is transportation. Those are our
biggest emission contributors.
So in terms of updating our plan, um,
the isolate action plan, we call the
IAP. Um, we have experience over the
last four years. We kind of know what's
working. We know it's working in other
jurisdictions. We know it's not working.
Um we know that some of the actions were
um real specific projects that we just
still don't feel like are the best use
of our time. Um so we're applying that
experience into thinking about how we
update a number of those actions.
We also knew there were a couple areas
we really wanted to hone in on. Um our
transportation and land use area. A lot
of those actions actually related to
updating the city's land use plan which
was uh completed a couple years ago. A
major over completed and then the other
area was natural systems. Our target in
that area is around tree canopy.
I don't think there are any actions in
there that actually directly relate to
increasing our tree canopy. And so we
wanted to really hear from experts
around how do we create some new action
that um actually have an impact on um
helping us make progress towards that
target.
Um and then the last area was um there's
a number of jurisdictions around us that
are either in the process of updating
their plans or recently completed. So
there's a lot of work we can um learn
from in those neighboring jurisdictions.
Um [clears throat] so tonight what we'll
hone in on are those natural systems um
the actions within the natural systems
focus area. Um as I mentioned we have a
target in that area 55% tree canopy by
2035 we are at 51% I think that's 20 19
data maybe our last study. Um, and as
mentioned, most of the actions within
that area don't relate to increasing
tree canopy. So, we really want to make
sure there's a stronger connection
there.
Um, so diving in a little bit to the
committee approach. um in those areas I
mentioned, natural systems and then land
use and transportation because we wanted
a deeper dive into those areas of the
plans, we decided to form committees
that were made up of board and
commission members um staff
representatives and then the snowy tribe
also participated in the natural systems
work group or committee. Um the
committee talked about their goals and
objectives um for updating the plan. uh
talked a bit about current status of the
actions. They looked at content from uh
jurisdictions that our consultant pulled
together and then provided some
recommendations. This was done very
quickly in two meetings essentially over
just a few hours. Um this is a snapshot
of the committee members. Um we were
really lucky to have three parkour
members. So David, Ryan, and then Martha
participated. Um, and I'll have David
and Brian jump in here in just a minute.
>> Yeah.
[laughter]
>> So, just wanted to briefly summarize
high picture some of the feedback we
heard from a committee and then we'll
dive in deeper. Um, so one of the first
topics they talked about and really
started to hone in on was the potential
to actually revise our tree canopy goal
or target for the climate plan. That's
probably one of the only targets that
we're looking at revising.
um they felt that that 55% tree canopy
target might not be feasible and instead
um we should develop something that was
around no net loss and maybe having the
55% target as a stretch goal. Um we
probably won't dig into that too much
tonight. We still need to have some
additional staff conversations, but if
you all have initial feedback reactions
tonight, we can definitely capture those
and be back probably in early 26 to to
dive in deeper.
>> So, I have a I have a question about
that and it's
high levels almost philosophical. Uh,
but considering our climate,
>> um, increasing tree canopy
at first glance, of course, sounds
wonderful, and I'm all for the trees,
but it also increases fuel.
And we're starting to see more and more
discussion about fires reaching west
side of the Cascades and communities
such as North Bend, Isqua, other places
being vulnerable because of the trees.
How do you balance that in?
>> Yeah, that's a great question. I'll let
Jeff [clears throat] has thoughts here.
So, that was quite an extensive
discussion with the environmental board
when we were talking about the tree code
update, which I'm assuming this group
may have touched on maybe.
Yeah.
>> Yeah. So that there um I think what we
what Dan really talked about was tree
canopy in the right places. And I think
the tree code allows for um those
allowances for safe places or safe
defense around the home, but that we
could look at areas around the city that
might not um increase vulnerability to
wildfire, but would still be beneficial
in terms of the cooling and all the
other benefits that the trees provide.
Um, I know Dan and team have also been
looking into um, trees and other
vegetation that might be more resilient
to wildfire and help increase the
community's resilience to wildfire, too.
But I don't know if there's other
>> No, I would just say I think it's a
great it's another really really
important factor when thinking about
what is an appropriate
canopy goal. Um, and and as Stacy said,
I think there's a lot more work in terms
of all right, is is a revision due and
because there's some really important
factors we need to think of, but
wildfire
um risk is is certainly one of them. Um,
so we certainly look forward to being
part of that conversation. I, you know,
I think as as Dan Hint has come and you
you've met Dan, our urban forest
supervisor, he's come a couple of times.
he works really really closely uh with
Stacy and team and will be a big part of
that conversation. Um even as we're
adding maybe tangible goals to the IAP,
we we're doing a lot of tree work. We're
doing a lot of tree planting. We're
doing a lot of programs that may make
sense to at least inform that that IAP
and even understand at at sustaining at
51%.
um there's a lot of tree work that needs
to be done um constantly, right? Um and
um yeah, so I just I think it'll be a
really really good discussion not only
of a percentage goal, but even some
degree of mapping or proximity or
understanding um where
does canopy growth make sense? where
does um limiting canopy um that's maybe
not the right way to put it but um a lot
of important factors.
>> Yeah. And does this do you have
responsibility for like the requirements
for homeowners to have x number of trees
like on their property because I know
like what if I wanted to take out a big
tree on my property if I wanted to
ostensively create defensible space
>> they would say no you know you can't
take out those trees you need to have
this many trees on your property not
that I would want to right now but
there's almost a shift in
focus or thinking that needs to happen
if somebody
as environment continues to change.
>> So that's the regulatory that's
community planning and development. That
was the that's the tree code.
>> Yeah.
>> In the city code. So the tree code
update that just happened trying to
factor in those
pressures, concerns, realities as well.
>> Yep. Yeah. Um, and I I believe they did
allow some allowance for um for
wildfire, what trees that would be
considered as hazardous for wildfire,
but that tree code will be revisited
again in 26. And I think that'll be one
of the big topics. But I think that's a
great note even in whether or not we
change the tree canopy, making sure
we're being really explicitly talking
about those issues and concerns and
canopy in the right places.
and the briefly.
>> Thank you.
>> Okay.
>> Yeah. Great.
>> Um just a couple other things that were
emphasized by the committee. Uh they
talked about drought preparedness, uh
surface water conservation, native
vegetation.
Um there was a strong emphasis on
expanding education efforts,
environmental education efforts. Um
particularly around native plant
landscaping too. There were ideas around
looking at blue carbon as a source for
carbon accounting and wetland related
planning. Um
really wanted to see improved
partnerships with schools and
underserved [clears throat] communities.
Um there were conversations around
invasive species removal to help
increase resilience in our forest.
Um and a lot of support for continuing
to work on urban forestry. Um and again
just really emphasizing those
partnerships to expand our efforts. So
that's very high level about what they
talked about and see Brian and David if
you had other
>> just perceptions coming out of the
committee meetings highle takeaways. It
these meetings were in April and June.
So it was quite [laughter] a long time.
>> Yeah. The the one thing I would say that
I really liked about it was the makeup
of the committee was great you know in
terms of so many different people
represented even having you know some of
the native tribe folks um but also just
the process that you went through so I
think this we could also learn as we're
going to Tippets Valley Park it's not
just sending out a survey and trying to
digest and put intelligence around it.
was okay, why do you think that? Why?
Like just asking why why why getting
down to the actual nitty-gritty of what
should we change about this or or why do
you think that way? So, um being able to
kind of dive in and have those I think
it was like three-hour meetings, but
yeah, it was it was helpful and to see
other people's perspective like yes that
I fully agree with what they're saying
and that's the true root of the problem,
right? Um so, yeah, that's what I really
appreciated about sort of how we did it.
The process was was great. But and I
think you know some of the takeaways I
had and one you know I'm on this called
park board but I'm not an
environmentalist or a uh climate action
person and so it was great to like sit
in there and hear all those different
like crazy thought but but bringing
together that piece and we've sat here
and talked about canopy cover three four
five times now and healthy vegetation.
what does a healthy forest look like and
what is it when you're underbrush versus
like what it's supposed to be from
what's native or um there's a lot of
stuff that I personally learn that I'm
excited [clears throat] to even come
back and talk to some of these things of
like the
you know how you lower the temperature
of the city versus various things you're
doing or I think they call them rain
gardens like just different ways you can
um even as you're talking about thing
getting buildings and planning and and
how you can find ways to potentially not
lose the canopy but find ways to
maintain your canopy but through other
means that are you know Dan's talking
about be a 15 foot tree with certain
things certain things various things
like that but I I thought it was really
cool uh to be a part of and um
I I came with a lot more questions than
I had um
answers to this mind's gonna blow.
[laughter]
>> It was a hard group to compare to like
the transportation group. There was a
lot of transportation experts. Natural
systems is so much so you had park
people there. You had forest people, you
had our conservation, uh storm water. So
it was um there was a lot to cover
our world
>> public realm and public land doing
>> needing to do so much.
>> Yeah,
>> absolutely needing
>> um so that is kind of where I wanted to
go next. So, there's three areas um
wanted to touch on tonight. And again,
I'm hoping this is kind of the first
touch point to get some general
reactions and then we would come back
possibly to hone in on that target as
well as any policy questions. Um but
wanted to hear from you all the park
board perspective
um any reactions to what you heard from
the very high level output of the
committee meetings. um or just your
general feedback around priorities, the
types of actions you want to make sure
we are retaining or incorporating into
the plan with this update. Um we have a
few specific ideas that were proposed as
kind of new for the climate plan
although some of them may live in other
plans. So we wanted to talk through
those for a few minutes. And then um the
last topic was around redundancy and I
put urban forest management plan but
there actually could be some redundancy
with the park plan especially if some of
the new actions are considered and kind
of this question of what do we do if an
action exists in two different plans? Is
that okay? Do we need to have um some
kind of balance there? But I can talk
through that a little bit more in a few
minutes. Um, so the last two meetings
where I've done this, we've actually
broken out into groups, but we did
decide we didn't have enough time to do
that tonight and it's a small enough
group. So just um move into a group
conversation, but the first topic was
really just around general feedback.
Were there things that you heard from
the highle summary of the committee
meeting that really struck you want to
make sure that we're capturing in the
plan update? um are there other
priorities that you have around the work
this board is doing that intersect with
climate action and resilience um that
you want to make sure we're
incorporating? So just any kind of
initial takeaways or as um Tim was
mentioning too kind of concerns around
wildfire and that increased canopy
to the next slide just
[laughter]
yeah so just want to open it up to any
general feedback then we'll move into
some of the more specific questions
thoughts around priorities
concerns
I'm glad to hear um the focus on or the
action item again on
just invasive species. Um, that's been
something as I wander around the parks,
it's always feeling like I'm protecting
my dog from [laughter]
those things.
>> What are some of the
I don't have a top in mind.
um the for the um
greenhouse gas emissions, what were some
of the other um
kind of actionable pieces of that plan?
I know you mentioned the EVs and the 19
chargers and stuff like that.
>> Yeah, that's a good question. So, a lot
of the other areas there's um it's
mostly on kind of mitigation mitigating
our emission. So that's easier to talk
about. Okay. Transportation, building.
So there's reducing energy use, changing
the type of energy use we're getting for
our buildings. Transportation, there's
actions around changing how we get
around town using lower emitting
options. Um, when we get to natural
systems,
that's where we've kind of struggled of
what belongs in the climate plan and
what might belong in other ways. So I
think we can either think of natural
systems in two ways. One is where we are
supporting those systems or expanding
those systems to exist because they are
um sequestering carbon and they're
helping take in carbon um h tree canopy
but they can also
um similar to tree canopy be providing
kind of resilience for our community. So
they might be helping with cooling and
shading um absorbing extra stream flow
and water for example.
Um, another area, and this might be
going beyond your question, but another
area around natural systems we've been
thinking about is, um, how do we
protect, and this gets a little bit to
Conniey's comment, um, and some topics
that were discussed with the
environmental board for the
comprehensive plan update, is how do we
expand what we mean by community to mean
wildlife and the natural environment and
ensuring ing that expanded definition of
community is resilient in the face of
climate change. So how can we
incorporate in actions um that ensure
our salmon are resilient to a climate a
changing climate or came up in one of
our discussions um with a committee
where we were talking about dark sky
ordinance making sure the birds and uh
the bugs are also resilient in the face
of a changing climate. So natural
systems is a little trickier where um
the other areas of the plant can install
EV chargers. We can um track transit use
and like that
>> track trail connectivity.
>> Yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> Multimodal ways to get around town.
>> Yeah.
>> Yeah.
So, something you just barely mentioned
and I'm wondering if it's more
uh mentioned more in the plan in general
is about water. Um because we live in an
area that has mostly abundant water as
we saw this weekend, but [laughter]
but we have real dry spells now. They
didn't used to be as dry for as long as
they are now.
And so during those dry spells,
anything, you know, what do you what do
you do? Are are you planting things that
are going to have to be watered, you
know, and use more water when it really
gets hot and dry, or are you doing
things that will actually in the long
run conserve? Um,
and I don't know the answer and how it
all balances in, but I didn't hear a lot
of
mention of that. And I think it's an
important aspect.
You know, one of the things we've we've
discussed and Stacy, please jump in as
well, but you know, the placement and
use of drought tolerant vegetation
throughout the park system, right? We
we've set a goal this year alone. It'll
be interesting to see how close our
metrics get at the end of the year, but
we want to we we've set out to reduce
irrigation use in the park system from
25 to 26 um by a pretty significant
percent. And so I I I think we've
accomplished it. Um but it'll be great
to measure that and see. Um so
um yeah, what we plant, where we plant,
how we plant, maybe, you know, do we do
some different things with some of these
planting beds? Um all of that are uh
certainly important to us operationally.
And I it feels like the committee and
the IAP u there could be some
measurable, you know, metrics about
that. And I I for one think there's
value when multiple plans are talking
about the same thing um and referencing
the other right not talking as if hey
this is the only place this
recommendation is and it's an edict and
it has to look exactly like this but hey
this is a goal and priority within the
park system plan that is also a goal and
priority within the the IAP I think that
you know where you have complimentary
plans and reference referencing one
another. I I don't see that as a
conflict. I see that as that's that's
governance. That's local government.
Local governance is is balancing
competing values and trade-offs and
priorities.
>> Yeah. And I think to the water
conservation that did um come up quite a
bit on that committee. I may not have
emphasized it in the summary, but
hopefully if folks um were able to look
at attachment a copies of there was
quite a bit on um water conservation,
drought tolerant things.
>> Um so I think that will definitely be
something we emphasize more because it's
both a resilience factor, making sure
those places can withstand either really
wet times or really dry times, but it's
also mitigation where we're saving water
for drought times. we're saving that
energy use from all of the um um for
watering um and things like that. So, I
think yeah, those are solutions that
we'll probably see more of in this next.
Yeah, that's
>> Oh, yeah. We talked a lot about
expanding community gardens.
>> Oh, yes. So, we can do we would it be
easier just to jump? We can go into the
next one and feel free to if you have
other thoughts. No, it's probably a
little easier to dive in and respond to
something that bigger question, but
these were a few of the new actions.
These are I will say these are would be
new for the IAP. Some of these exist in
the urban forest management plan, the
park strategic plan. So, um but we would
think about how to shape them. So
they're complimentary or kind of have
the climate lens, but we [snorts] could
um just walk through these and get
initial reactions. Um so community
gardens, there was discussion around
that. My um request if this did move
forward to the committee was thinking
about the climate lens of that. Is that
kind of a community resilience piece by
creating more local food or what's the
kind of climate piece? Um I would say
that actually across all of these and
then similar for invasive there's a lot
of talk around invasive plants but just
thinking of it what is that climate lens
if we are creating actions like these um
but yes would love to get reactions
around um from the group on considering
these for the climate plan
[clears throat] update
you can start at the top thoughts around
community gardens
I don't know how can you refresh your
memory.
[laughter]
>> Yeah. The park strategic plan.
>> Yeah. You know, we've talked about, you
know, within the park strategic plan
goals for activating our public spaces.
Um um specifically, you know, where we
can find opportunities to um increase
our community garden program. Right now
we have a community garden um at
Confluence Park. Um uh so um this would
be very complimentary in that in that
regard. Um and compliments to um what I
was
pardon me for my soap boxing earlier,
but you know taking a community park or
a neighborhood park and
creating space that's not so reliant on
a scheduled game. A community garden is
a great example,
>> right? Where where it's activated,
people are coming and going. There's not
a flow on a schedule. Um um so
>> certainly an element community.
>> Say it again. How is it?
>> Yeah. Like is it busy? Is it full?
>> Plots are always full and we have a wait
list. So, so I mean even in terms of
interest in the community, it's it's
evident that finding somewhere else in
the valley, you know, where a community
garden is is put is really really
important, right? Um um are we doing it
if we're doing it on natural soil,
what's the soil condition of that park
in that space? Um um and also just
location in terms of
complimentary to the to the rest of the
park. Is it a space that community uh
plot renters are feeling comfortable in?
And um but yeah, it's certainly very
complimentary to to things we've talked
about. Um
provenence to the system, park system.
>> Do you have a question comment?
Oh, me?
>> Yeah. Um, I I think I've commented on it
before. I'm super in favor of the
community gardens. I have a large garden
at home myself, and I still like walking
by Confluence Park to see what everyone
else has done. Um, I've heard from other
members of the community that they
either, you know, like wish they could
get a plot. I I guess there's a wait
list or um that even if they're not
gardening themselves, they like seeing
the gardens that everyone has put up. So
I I love this idea.
>> Yeah.
>> Great.
>> Thanks, Diana.
>> Yeah. And that's when we can work with
Ramen and the parks team to kind of
align with what's in the park plan and
then in the IAP have kind of the more
climate lens around that.
>> What does this do for climate? Right. So
you're right. There's a social there's a
social benefit that
>> you know and that's the beautiful thing
about some of these and why I think
having them in multiple plans is really
important because it might be coming the
primary benefit and one plan might be
different but speaking to um multiple
primary benefits and is is really
important that there should be a a
climate reason you're doing something
but there's also a social um community
building um reason you consider
community gardens as well.
>> Is there much
benefit to a community garden from a
climate lens other than using this plot
or something else that you've deemed
important?
>> Yeah, I think we can talk about the
resilience aspect and access to local
food is discussed a lot through
community um or through the climate
lens, but also um kind of the shorter
distance that that food's traveling
as well.
>> Yeah. And I also think community gardens
are a great thing, especially if we have
a waiting list. Um, and it, you know, so
there's community interest,
it's social,
it's, you know, like all the other side
benefits of getting your food locally
and not having to drive and it doesn't
be transported and all of it. I think
it's a
we should try to meet the uh community
interest and need there.
All right, sounds like strong support
for that. Um, invasive plant mapping and
removal. A lot of discussion on this
too. Dan was in the committee. So,
[laughter]
um,
>> Dan Dan
>> Dan, so we did speak to he was preaching
greenqua.
>> Yeah. Yeah. Um,
>> so there are actions within the urban
forest management plan specific to
invasive mapping and removal. One thing
we talked about with the committee um
again is if we were to include this in
the climate plan focusing on that
climate lens. So this would probably be
around resilience and ensuring our um
natural areas are more resilience to the
resilient to the impact of climate
change through the removal of invasives
as an example though.
>> But yes, would love um if there's other
thoughts around this one as a priority
for the park. Did you guys discuss um
anything to help own homeowners
understand what's invasive or to help
them mitigate? I'm just curious if it
came up at all.
>> That's a good question. I'm not sure.
I'll double check back on our committee
notes unless it's in that attachment a
but I'll check on that. Is that
something you'd want to
>> Yeah, I think it just be like Well,
speaking of somebody whose previous
owner is planting that like ivy
everywhere,
[laughter]
>> you
exactly like chokes out my tree like
it'd be nice to like especially for like
here's what to look for, here's what to
do about it. like I don't know
[clears throat] there's
>> I'll make sure that's incorporated in
>> and that could be a great way that again
I know I camp is looking at climate lens
but you know you know ample climate
benefits to invasive plant removal and
plant and and management in the public
space but also private space and maybe
the IAP can
speak to private um
>> a little bit more but but hey you know
here's what's happening in the public
realm and efforts that you can help and
why it's important why it's important to
a canopy cover goal,
>> right? [clears throat]
You can't achieve we can't sustain a
canopy cover goal without really
thinking of um invasive management,
invasive removal that is quick to choke
out canopy. Yeah, Diana.
>> Yeah. So when I think about invasive
species in like a climate context, um we
often see
we often see like the abundance of these
invasive species as a symptom of climate
change, right? Like species that are
further south um making their incursion
into more northern latitudes or native
species being displaced into more
northern latitudes at higher elevations.
So, um, what's the plan, I guess, to
kind of
address these root causes where native
species may not be thriving and may be
displaced by invasive species, where
they're not getting the conditions to
thrive.
>> Yeah, that's a great question. I don't
know if this will fully answer it and
probably Dan um hence would be the one
but he has been looking at um species
migration and through the update of kind
of preferred tree list and preferred
species list looking at what um species
will best survive under the changing
climate. So that is something that is
being considered is maybe it's
redefining kind of what becomes um
native versus an invasive which um might
be impacting the goals towards our tree
canopy for example. But there is there
are a lot of discussions in the climate
and forestry world about kind of
changing um how we're defining kind of
which species will best survive here
based on that changing climate. That's a
great question in great question in
common Diana. I in some ways I think it
it blends it blends action two and
action three, right? How do we you know
due to that you know new new types of
invasives are thriving because of
climate change. How are you know one way
to prevent that is how are we
proactively planting or thinking of what
is native or the native migration
>> um to to get ahead of that. Yeah, it
combat it proactively.
>> I believe that was addressed in the
urban forest management plan, but I'll
double check and we could do some cross
reference in the IAP to that as we're
talking about invasives in the tree
canopy.
>> Um right, I know about 12 minutes.
>> Um we have talked a bit about
redundance. So um yeah the next one I am
interested on there was discussion
around having a policy for city um
landscaping to be uh for only native and
drought tolerant. We do have a citywide
code
>> um around that. So I think this was to
kind of go a step further and have the
city be um more of a leader in that
piece. I don't know if there's anything
missed that was addressed in the park
plan, but this is something we could
explore if we saw this as a priority. I
know um had some discussion with Robin
about just wanting to be cautious of
what we're um we are setting in policy
for the types of landscaping because
we'll need to have some flexibility.
Yeah, I think it I think it it it
warrants more discussion in terms of
how, you know, how do we look at a
policy that can be operationalized and
and meet again the competing not
competing the just the the multitude of
goals that this community has for its
park system. Um, and
like I said, you know, we're we're
instituting we're we're we're we were we
set a goal to institute some irrigation
reductions um this year. So, it's it's
certainly a priority to us, but
sometimes landscaping these types of
policies can if they don't really think
through the operational lens as well can
become um
the pendulum can swing too far. Um and
oh wow, here comes an unintended
consequence.
>> I think that if um the environmental
board is recommending moving something
forward around that, we would bring that
back to this group to make sure that we
have the the input from both boards
moving to our questions.
Um the other one um I think I referenced
a little bit earlier was there was
desire from some members of the
committee to look at dark sky
ordinances. The city did incorporate um
quite a bit around dark sky objectives
into the land use plan update. Um I
think here the intent was for protecting
migratory species um in particular and
so wanted to one thing I had mentioned
earlier was around um we're considering
some expansion of what we mean by
community um that would
enable these types of actions to be
incorporated in terms of community
resilience for our broader
wildlife community along with human um
community um and ensuring that those
other species can withstand more of the
impacts of climate change. So that's
kind of where we would consider these
types of
>> questions. How do we think about
impacting where we have lights?
I think that's that's a great question
and leads to what
>> I was going to say.
>> Yeah.
>> Yeah. You know, this is again competing,
you know, public spaces from a SEPTA
sept, a sort of crime prevention through
design uh approach to public spaces.
People want to feel safe. They want to
feel they're they're going to go to
public spaces where they feel safe. And
so, you know, where lighting is
important, but we'd want to make sure an
ordinance
um understands the the goals of how that
public space is used, whether through,
you know, pedestrian lighting, ballfield
lighting, right? you know, and and
understanding that balance of um you
know, I bring up ball fields is again
this reality of as a really land
constrained city, um lighting athletic
fields allows us to
build less ball fields,
>> right? So, um you know, that's where
it's great. These conversations are
really, really important. So we're
looking at both community perspective
but even operational perspective um you
know h how are Yeah.
>> I would say that what makes me the most
nervous as a board member of all of
these.
>> Yeah.
So, ordinances I've seen there's, you
know, making sure all lights are
shielded, all lights are,
>> which we do have that.
>> Yeah, that that's currently in uh that's
currently a requirement in the recent
title 18 update. So,
>> yeah,
>> we too as staff will want Yeah,
>> I don't think we should have anything. I
just don't want to over
>> That's why we need to hear from multiple
boards and commissions and staff. We
compile all them. But um
do we
Are you all on time? Do you want me to
start though?
>> Um how long your director report?
[laughter]
>> I'm not no director's report tonight.
[laughter]
>> Great. Um why don't we go through these
last two and then kind of summarize the
redundancy conversation. I think Jeff's
had some good input um little input from
others. So um other priorities we heard
from a committee for new actions around
native plant and pollinator gardens. Um
again I was encouraging what's the
climate lens here. I think this was kind
of a climate resilience increasing
habitat for um species that could be
more impacted um from some of
[clears throat] the impacts we're seeing
from climate change. Um I don't know if
this has come up in park board
discussion in terms of
>> specific pollin pollinator gardens. It
hasn't been a native topic but
absolutely absolutely
>> something Dan and I have been starting
to talk about.
>> Okay.
>> To increase that habitat
in new parts.
Are there enough native pollinators that
you don't think you can just use native
pollinators to put where you want
pollinator gardeners?
>> That's a great question. Yeah, I think
so. And I think of um I don't know if
it's technically a pollinator garden,
but that garden next to the community um
uh garden at confluence
>> um has all the fl or at least seasonally
has the flower. That's kind of what I
think was maybe here was having more of
those spaces around the
>> um and then the last one uh maybe a
little outside of the park board realm
but um maybe not. Uh the the group did
talk about improving stream health
through reducing pollutants. Um
I there you could draw a climate lines
here. Um but just wanted to it's a
little bit maybe more of a stretch than
some of the actions would be considering
in the plan. Um but wanted to see how
much that is a priority of the park
board if that comes up in your
discussions. Um in terms of just looking
at um stream health,
>> I don't think we've looked at it so much
as a pollution reduction as we talked
about stream health terms of Azure
as we've been like you just look at like
the history of confluence all the way
from that stream the next like 500 feet
and everything's been worked on slowly
ever since. I think we've talked more
about it in like that sense as you're as
you're redesigning, rebuilding,
repairing
is looking to improve riparian stuff,
stream health, but I not necessarily
through the climate lens, but more of a
health of the stream, which is, you
know, I mean, you can
>> Yeah,
>> I think another Yeah, I think this is
complimentary and
in the multiple benefits
of improving stream health, right? A
lots of the goals and policies within
the park system plan talk about
strategic acquisitions along Creek Side,
right? The value of um you preservation
of those um
for multiple purposes in multiple, you
know, riparian health, but also
recreational corridors, right? So, um I
love the idea of multiple plans speaking
to a goal but then saying, "Hey, this
goal is important for this reason,
right?
>> For this reason, for this, it's for
climate and for social. It's it's for
transportation because it right if we're
giving alternate ways for people to get
around town, but doing it in a way that
reduces burdens and and improves the
riperian area. So I I think we have we
haven't talked about it through a
climate lens, but we've certainly talked
about um the value of those corridors um
and their health, their environmental
health,
>> right? Um well, why I think we can
probably skip over redundancy. um heard
a lot from Jeff Hoger to see, but I
think that's consistent though um with
what we've been starting to hear in the
conversations we're having. Um well, the
issue we were dealing with is that there
is at least one action in the plan,
potentially more if we look at some of
the new actions that the language is
slightly different than what exists in
other plans. And so trying to figure
out, well, which action are you
reporting on? what if it changes
significantly in a plan, which plan kind
of has priority? Um, a lot of the
feedback that we've heard that I think
Jeff was emphasizing tonight is
redundancy is good. Um, we want to see
these actions in other plans, but
probably what we will how we'll approach
them in the IAP is making sure it is
that climate lens in the action. Um,
where right now it's just kind of
slightly different wording in the
language. Um, but if there is anything
that we're looking at removing or
changing significantly that overlaps
with um the work that park board does,
we'll make sure to inform you of that.
Um so in terms of next steps um what we
are doing is taking the input that we're
getting from you all and other boards
and commissions. We'll be um using that
to revise and propose revisions uh that
will be going through the environmental
board. And then um I think what I'll
probably do is work with Robin and Jeff
and Santi to come back in early 26 where
we can dive a little bit deeper into the
canopy target and discuss any proposed
revisions to that. And then if there are
any policy related actions that overlap
with your work, we'll really want to
make sure to get feedback on those
before we take anything through to
council so that they can weigh the input
from the different boards and
commissions.
>> That's a great idea. Coming back, Stacy,
if I can add, you know, I a conversation
like um it's an important one like
canopy cover could be a great candidate
for a joint meeting. Yes. Yes, park
board environmental board and again for
these really important perspectives of
residents to talk through all the all
these key variables to be thinking of
canopy cover could be really healthy
discussion.
Um
well that is it and I would say too if
you have any feedback on um the
attachment that was much deeper dive
into the committee recommendations some
staff reflection feel free to email me
send it to Robin she can forward it to
me. Um but yeah we're continuing to take
update as we move through this process.
um we'll be starting to go to council
probably late spring so we still have
quite
but thank you great feedback tonight
really appreciate all
>> thank you for sharing
>> um with that we'll go to the director's
report which been reported that there is
none
>> a lot a lot going on one report Hanti um
is coming back she'll be back on Monday
next Monday so look forward and I know
Looks forward to jumping back into park
board and seeing you all at the November
meeting.
>> Very cool. Uh chairperson report. I just
have a couple things. Uh just to get on
a a quick tangent is tomorrow's the last
day to sign up for your free tree. Uh
and then if you do get a free tree, Dan
will be teaching you how to plant it and
take care of it on Saturday the 1st at
Confluence Park. Then my high horse for
the day is get out and vote on Tuesday.
There is a lot of things going on in our
community. There are a lot of people uh
positions and bills and sponsored things
up for your vote. And no matter how you
vote, just please get out and vote.
>> And does anybody have anything else
they'd like to cover? Yes.
>> Have people been to the um intersection
of Gilman and Rainy Trail? Is all done?
>> Yes. Does anyone seeing the orange?
>> It looks great, right?
>> Yeah.
>> I just want to say that looks good. It
was fun to plan that. Fun to see it come
and get executed. It's a fun one because
it was fast.
>> Talked about [laughter] it and executed
like
>> it's there. And that's that's chapter
one. Chapter two is going to be we're
still working with public works and
timing the we're going to have colored.
We're gonna have striped crossings
>> as well. Yeah. For the hallway. Yeah.
>> Yeah. And just a little kudos, despite
all the rain we had this weekend, the
drainage system at Hillside Park worked
really well.
>> Good. Good to know.
>> That was a good test.
>> The test
good.
>> Um, excellent. I know we don't have
youth representative as well. Um, maybe
we'll look forward to that in the
future. And then um the next meeting as
you noted is November 24th and we will
not have a December meeting with you. So
unless anyone has anything further
online
the discussion on both topics tonight
is
>> a few teams that I didn't get called
away into the council meeting. So so far
so good.
This is the person.
>> Yeah.
>> Yeah.
Thanks,