Park Board · Monday, January 27, 2025 · City Council Digest

2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Minutes of Special Meeting on November 14

packet pp.3–4

▶ Watch from 1:14 Open packet at p.3 ↗

Staff report:

APPROVAL OF MINUTES a) 11-14-24 Park Board Minutes Page [0000] CITY OF ISSAQUAH Park Board 7:00 PM Tibbetts Manor, 750 17th Ave November 14, 2024 MINUTES NW, Issaquah

4. REGULAR BUSINESS

Park System Level of Service

Information / Discussion · 30 min · Robin Spear, Park Planning and Development Manager · packet pp.5–12

Topics: Parks

▶ Watch from 3:03 Open packet at p.5 ↗

Staff report:

REGULAR BUSINESS a) Jeff Watling- Director, Parks & Community Services Robin Spear- Park Planning & Development Manager, Parks & Community Services Hasanthi Hoglund- Business Operations Specialist, Parks & Community Services

Park Municipal Code Introduction

Information / Discussion · 20 min · Hasanthi Hoglund, Department Operations Specialist · packet pp.13–19

Topics: Parks

▶ Watch from 31:25 Open packet at p.13 ↗

Staff report:

Parks Municipal Code - Introduction JANUARY 27, 2025 | PARK BOARD

Park Capital Project Updates

Information · 15 min · Robin Spear, Park Planning and Development Manager · packet pp.21–32

Topics: Parks

▶ Watch from 50:19 Open packet at p.21 ↗

Staff report:

REGULAR BUSINESS c) Jeff Watling- Director, Parks & Community Services Robin Spear- Park Planning & Development Manager, Parks & Community Services Hasanthi Hoglund- Business Operations Specialist, Parks & Community Services

5. REPORTS

Director's Report

packet pp.33–35

▶ Watch from 1:04:30 Open packet at p.33 ↗

Staff report:

Applicable Strategic Plan Goal Areas 2025 WORKPLAN [DRAFT] Proposed Meeting (check all that apply) PARK BOARD Schedule ☒Mobility ☒Social & Economic Vitality ☒Growth & Development ☒City Leadership & Services Tentative Timeframe ☒Environ. Stewardship ☒Infrastructure

Chairperson's Report

▶ Watch from 1:11:17

1879 segments .txt ↗

0:03 ↗ great take it away CIS all right 703 um

0:07 ↗ I will call the meeting to order and uh

0:11 ↗ we'll start with roll call and I'll just

0:14 ↗ read down the list and if you could uh

0:16 ↗ let me know that you're present Katie

0:19 ↗ Bell pres Andrew eloquent has a an

0:23 ↗ excused

0:24 ↗ absence I'm present David L present uh

0:28 ↗ Tim Motley

0:30 ↗ I'm here see him Ryan

0:33 ↗ Olson yeah

0:35 ↗ here uh and then Brenda Spears is not

0:40 ↗ gonna be here anymore so we'll talk

0:41 ↗ about that in a minut she's steing down

0:44 ↗ and

0:46 ↗ Marlene I'm

0:48 ↗ here and

0:51 ↗ then Paul there

0:53 ↗ here Martha G here and Mary yes been in

0:59 ↗ time

1:01 ↗ um and we talked about abses um I don't

1:05 ↗ think we have any decisions today but I

1:07 ↗ think we have enough form so good that

1:10 ↗ comes up uh we'll move on to

1:14 ↗ um uh approval of minutes it's been a

1:17 ↗ long time since the last meeting but did

1:19 ↗ everybody get a chance to review the

1:21 ↗ last minutes and uh are there any

1:23 ↗ objections to approving

1:27 ↗ them what remembers anyways that um with

1:32 ↗ that the minutes are from last meeting

1:33 ↗ are approved and maybe before we go into

1:37 ↗ public comment we could do a good

1:40 ↗ introduction take it away yeah so um

1:44 ↗ welcome I mentioned that we would have

1:46 ↗ potentially a new youth representative

1:48 ↗ joining our board and lucky for us we

1:51 ↗ have Mia ni M Mia so MIA take it away

1:55 ↗ give us a little bit about yourself and

1:58 ↗ your work with IAB and and why Park

2:00 ↗ Board maybe yeah so my name is Mia I'm a

2:03 ↗ junior in Skyline um so I've been with a

2:06 ↗ for the past few years and when I got

2:09 ↗ this like opportunity I was like I'm

2:11 ↗ excited to be like new representative

2:13 ↗ for the Parks Board um so I'm interested

2:15 ↗ in in advocacy and business and like

2:18 ↗ public speaking and things like that so

2:19 ↗ I thought this would be like a good

2:20 ↗ opportunity to like kind of like

2:22 ↗ understand what you guys do and like

2:24 ↗ back and so yeah I

2:27 ↗ so welcome we're excited have

2:31 ↗ you speak for everyone really enjoy

2:34 ↗ having Representatives think we all love

2:37 ↗ our roles here but you all bring a this

2:41 ↗ a certain highlight to thank you thank

2:44 ↗ you okay uh do we have anybody signed up

2:47 ↗ for public comments I don't have anyone

2:49 ↗ signed up for public comments I'm not

2:51 ↗ seeing anybody here in the room we the P

2:54 ↗ for did receive a couple of emails so

2:57 ↗ those can be included in the record but

2:58 ↗ nothing other than that

3:00 ↗ okay well then we get to move right into

3:03 ↗ regular business which the first topic

3:06 ↗ is um presentation about Park system

3:10 ↗ level of

3:12 ↗ service whatever you want to call it

3:14 ↗ analysis um and we've already talked

3:16 ↗ about that in the past and looks like

3:18 ↗ Robin you're gonna pill

3:20 ↗ us you want to queue it up or sure I

3:22 ↗ I'll queue it up really fast thanks

3:24 ↗ Chris um yeah tonight um we wanted to

3:29 ↗ bringing this back as an introductory

3:32 ↗ conversation um You Might Recall when we

3:34 ↗ adopted the park plan we took a shift to

3:38 ↗ a beginning to look at a more of a

3:40 ↗ performance-based level of service and

3:42 ↗ sort of how we're measuring how the park

3:44 ↗ system is doing um and Performing and

3:47 ↗ meeting the the needs of the community

3:49 ↗ uh we did that but as you recall even as

3:53 ↗ you were making a recommendation we felt

3:55 ↗ like yeah we're dipping our toe into

3:57 ↗ this but it needs more work and so

3:59 ↗ tonight Robin's going to be here to kind

4:01 ↗ of just highlight what that additional

4:04 ↗ work might look like um and how we want

4:07 ↗ to make sure that each part

4:09 ↗ classification um has a its own

4:14 ↗ identified goals um and therefore

4:16 ↗ criteria to determine how it's

4:18 ↗ performing and to put it real succinctly

4:20 ↗ a community park is going to have

4:22 ↗ different performance expectations on it

4:24 ↗ than an open space area they're going to

4:28 ↗ serve different roles for the community

4:29 ↗ and therefore we really want to make

4:31 ↗ sure we have some metrics that are

4:34 ↗ understanding that uh that distinction

4:36 ↗ so this is going to be some work it's

4:38 ↗ going to take time quite honestly um we

4:42 ↗ probably don't see completing this till

4:43 ↗ 2026 sometime but um again um this is

4:48 ↗ going to be a busy busy year for us so

4:50 ↗ we thought we'd at least Tee It Up get

4:52 ↗ some of your thoughts and then um begin

4:54 ↗ to to go to work and bring it back to

4:56 ↗ you again later this

4:58 ↗ fall Rob

5:01 ↗ thank you yeah um yeah so there's

5:03 ↗ there's two different ways that

5:05 ↗ typically you look at level of purpose

5:07 ↗ uh the first one would be quantitative

5:09 ↗ and that's what the nrpa was advocating

5:12 ↗ for several years but people are

5:14 ↗ starting and cities are starting to move

5:16 ↗ away from that and our PA recommended

5:19 ↗ typically between 10 and 10.5 acres per

5:22 ↗ 1,000 people um and we're doing really

5:25 ↗ well um we have at least 40 acres or 45

5:28 ↗ acres per person so we're actually head

5:31 ↗ of the curve if we're looking at it from

5:32 ↗ a quantitative approach but for a

5:35 ↗ qualitative approach or for a

5:37 ↗ performance-based level we really want

5:39 ↗ to look at again how the park is

5:41 ↗ performing for the community and that's

5:43 ↗ where we get to establish that Baseline

5:45 ↗ those goals those metrics um so each

5:48 ↗ year we can review each Park and

5:51 ↗ guarantee not guarantee but help help

5:54 ↗ achieve that that level of performance

5:56 ↗ and again it really depends we want it

5:58 ↗ to depend on the classification

6:00 ↗ yeah because a community park will act

6:02 ↗ differently than natural open space or a

6:05 ↗ Nature Park so we just want to to start

6:08 ↗ that discussion and start thinking about

6:11 ↗ what metrics uh we want to establish for

6:13 ↗ each

6:15 ↗ partk so next

6:17 ↗ slide right so previous in 2024 we did

6:22 ↗ establish u a baseline for performance

6:25 ↗ but it was across the board the same for

6:28 ↗ every type of par we looked at access

6:30 ↗ comfort and image uh use activities and

6:33 ↗ sociability environmental

6:35 ↗ sustainability and economic

6:38 ↗ potential but moving into more a

6:40 ↗ performance-based level of service we'll

6:42 ↗ be able to address the gaps in the

6:44 ↗ system that need to be improved or what

6:46 ↗ we need to implement in the system uh we

6:49 ↗ really want to include Community

6:50 ↗ feedback so that's a question of how we

6:52 ↗ want to reach out to the community and

6:54 ↗ get their input on the metrics uh it

6:57 ↗ helps us to prioritize Investments uh

7:00 ↗ develop replacement schedules budget

7:02 ↗ allocations and life cycle costing

7:04 ↗ that's really important because

7:05 ↗ typically Parks particularly Park

7:07 ↗ equipment will last 10 to 15 years and

7:10 ↗ again it depends on how heavy of a use

7:12 ↗ the park does get so we have to

7:14 ↗ anticipate replacement costs coming up

7:18 ↗ it is assist in planning for future

7:20 ↗ needs based on population growth Trends

7:22 ↗ and climate resistance again we've been

7:24 ↗ talking a lot about that we're really

7:27 ↗ land constrained so um um we want to

7:30 ↗ make sure that we're planning for future

7:32 ↗ expansion planning for our investments

7:35 ↗ to go in the right places according to

7:37 ↗ what the community is going to be

7:39 ↗ needing it establishes performance

7:41 ↗ metrics against the Los standards so we

7:43 ↗ know where we're at every year whatever

7:46 ↗ we need to improve uh we're able to

7:48 ↗ update asset inventory and condition

7:51 ↗ through the cograph asset management

7:53 ↗ program which park operations is

7:55 ↗ starting and I'm working with them on

7:57 ↗ that um and we can create a

8:00 ↗ uh inventory that we can use um and put

8:04 ↗ different lenses on to help help us

8:07 ↗ determine where we need to make those

8:09 ↗ Investments um and the metrics we want

8:11 ↗ to make sure that they align with the

8:12 ↗ new classifications that we established

8:14 ↗ last

8:17 ↗ year Robin just a thought as you're

8:20 ↗ hearing this and as Robin's about to go

8:23 ↗ through and sort of remind you all the

8:25 ↗ the different classifications we have in

8:27 ↗ the in the park system over these next

8:29 ↗ couple slides something I want you to be

8:31 ↗ thinking about that might might lead

8:33 ↗ into the discussion afterwards is to

8:36 ↗ establish criter to to understand how

8:38 ↗ each of these classifications is

8:40 ↗ performing it's it's going to be

8:42 ↗ important to us before we set criteria

8:44 ↗ to EST what what's the goal what what's

8:47 ↗ the goal what is the goal that this

8:50 ↗ community wants for its Community Parks

8:51 ↗ what's the goal that this community

8:53 ↗ wants for its nature parks once it's go

8:55 ↗ right so sort of be thinking as you're

8:57 ↗ hearing and being reminded of what each

8:59 ↗ of these types of parks are in our

9:00 ↗ system um just be thinking sort of goal

9:04 ↗ what should a goal be for for what a a

9:06 ↗ good performing acre within that type of

9:09 ↗ Park what should it be doing sorry Rob

9:13 ↗ okay next one just a recap on the

9:16 ↗ classifications that we developed last

9:18 ↗ year our community park is probably

9:20 ↗ going to be our largest park uh it's

9:24 ↗ it's dedicated for multiple

9:25 ↗ neighborhoods and a larger population

9:28 ↗ our neighborhood parks are more

9:29 ↗ centrally located depending on the

9:31 ↗ neighborhood and typically will see

9:33 ↗ serve the needs of one or more

9:36 ↗ neighborhoods um Nature Park we have in

9:39 ↗ various locations around the city um

9:42 ↗ typically access from a collector

9:43 ↗ arterial Street um but primarily focused

9:47 ↗ on passive Recreation such as trails and

9:50 ↗ educational

9:52 ↗ s and then for those three just examples

9:55 ↗ so Community Park great examples Tietz

9:57 ↗ Valley Park what of our community Parks

9:59 ↗ a great example of a neighborhood park

10:01 ↗ would be either Blackberry park or

10:03 ↗ Hillside Park the the I should correct

10:06 ↗ myself the portion of Hillside Park that

10:08 ↗ we're working on right that the little

10:10 ↗ two acre piece that's about to to get

10:12 ↗ reopened a great example of a Nature

10:15 ↗ Park is the rest of Hillside park right

10:18 ↗ that Natural Area that that might have a

10:20 ↗ some neighborhood Trails through

10:22 ↗ it yeah and moving to the next slide are

10:27 ↗ two of our newest class ifications are

10:30 ↗ the linear park that's really located

10:33 ↗ more of in an urban or commercial

10:35 ↗ environment is more linear in form um

10:38 ↗ our Greenway Park serves the needs of

10:41 ↗ multiple neighborhoods but really is

10:43 ↗ primarily focused on a natural landscape

10:46 ↗ with a minimal amount of passive

10:48 ↗ Recreation a facility obviously is a

10:51 ↗ building that has a public user

10:52 ↗ Gathering space uh think of the pool or

10:55 ↗ the community center on

10:57 ↗ that linear Park exam would be rer

11:01 ↗ Trail right a Greenway example would be

11:07 ↗ weif

11:10 ↗ anology that ribon through the the

11:12 ↗ Wetland area down by RI and Arena

11:18 ↗ Sports and finally we have our natural

11:20 ↗ Open Spaces uh located in various

11:24 ↗ locations around the city but really

11:26 ↗ permanently focus on passive Recreation

11:28 ↗ again with no active Recreation

11:31 ↗ development allowed and then our

11:33 ↗ undeveloped Parks um that's are are just

11:35 ↗ on hold until they're

11:37 ↗ activated so those are the main

11:39 ↗ classifications that we want to start

11:41 ↗ looking at and developing different

11:43 ↗ criteria but and again what is the goal

11:46 ↗ for each of that type of classification

11:48 ↗ that we want to

11:50 ↗ set okay so now I just want to open it

11:53 ↗ up for a discussion that um as we start

11:57 ↗ moving into level of service are there

11:59 ↗ certain classifications that would take

12:02 ↗ priority that you would want to start

12:03 ↗ with and start developing that goal and

12:06 ↗ metrics um are there others that aren't

12:09 ↗ as critical we'll still get to them but

12:12 ↗ are there some that kind of put forward

12:15 ↗ in your mind that you'd want to move

12:16 ↗ forward first like the top

12:19 ↗ three I would say for me the top three

12:22 ↗ would be the Community Park Community

12:24 ↗ Park okay the neighborhood park and um

12:38 ↗ all linear

12:44 ↗ okay okay interesting to note and I

12:47 ↗ think you recall this from our Park plan

12:49 ↗ when you look at the proportionality of

12:52 ↗ our acreage through those eight

12:55 ↗ classifications uh we have the lowest

12:57 ↗ amount of acreage in our community works

12:59 ↗ and are NE CL um I would say if you

13:02 ↗ looked at a National Standard we're

13:04 ↗ probably closer to being a deficit but

13:07 ↗ it comes to develop you know built

13:09 ↗ community park and the Ood park space

13:12 ↗ where we have an abundance and a

13:14 ↗ wonderful abundance and it's to be

13:15 ↗ celebrated is our natural open space

13:18 ↗ areas it's it's a um you know between

13:21 ↗ that and the Greenways that is oh boy I

13:24 ↗ want to say close to 90% of our of our

13:28 ↗ Park system in a

13:35 ↗ parkage anyone

13:37 ↗ else does that feel like a good start to

13:40 ↗ just start with those

13:41 ↗ three and we'll start establishing kind

13:44 ↗ of a Cadence to look at those and come

13:46 ↗ back those yeah to me I feel like those

13:48 ↗ have the most kind of community

13:50 ↗ involvement or interaction rather the

13:53 ↗ other are you'll have a

13:56 ↗ more obvious use and obvious is you know

14:00 ↗ kind but those are the ones that OB much

14:02 ↗ more interaction a lot more foot traffic

14:05 ↗ maybe I

14:06 ↗ guess say that performance has more to

14:09 ↗ do with has a lot to do with active uses

14:13 ↗ yeah or or diversity of uses the

14:16 ↗ performance expectation in our Open

14:18 ↗ Space is really important but that's

14:19 ↗ going to have habitat verical area

14:24 ↗ environmental right and

14:26 ↗ natural goals as well Community parks

14:29 ↗ and neighborhood parks will

14:32 ↗ also but the proportionality of those

14:35 ↗ and that just a good example of maybe

14:37 ↗ maybe the goals or criteria are somewhat

14:40 ↗ similar but they're weighted differently

14:42 ↗ totally thinking out

14:44 ↗ loud say this but yeah

14:49 ↗ 10 your hands raised yeah thank you uh

14:53 ↗ you I I sort of echo the previous

14:55 ↗ comment that I think we need to put

14:58 ↗ prior

14:59 ↗ where the people are uh and the

15:02 ↗ community parks that get a lot of people

15:04 ↗ going to them and the trails uh and

15:06 ↗ green spaces where we get a lot of foot

15:08 ↗ traffic going through so you know

15:11 ↗ putting the priority where the people

15:14 ↗ are I think makes sense rather than um

15:17 ↗ trying to uh prioritize areas that don't

15:22 ↗ get as much use so be nice to raise them

15:25 ↗ all up but you know I'd say let's take

15:27 ↗ care of what gets used the most because

15:30 ↗ that has the heaviest traffic and gets

15:33 ↗ the most uh the community gets the most

15:36 ↗ out of it that's all yeah thanks for

15:43 ↗ that that's good okay and as as we start

15:47 ↗ diving into these I just want to have

15:50 ↗ you start thinking about what should be

15:52 ↗ included in in the evaluation what

15:55 ↗ should our overall overarching goals be

15:58 ↗ um and I just I I ran through a couple

16:01 ↗ other cities evaluation criteria and

16:05 ↗ they had noted these so I just put these

16:07 ↗ down as discussion points but uh if

16:10 ↗ there's anything that really pops out

16:12 ↗ between now and the next meeting uh

16:14 ↗ let's just start making a list of those

16:18 ↗ depending and Robin brings up a really

16:21 ↗ good point and that we are not alone in

16:23 ↗ this journey right this right just

16:26 ↗ measuring the number of Acres we have

16:27 ↗ doesn't really tell the story of how

16:29 ↗ those acres are performing other cities

16:32 ↗ have beg going down this road of

16:33 ↗ performance space l so we're going to be

16:36 ↗ able to um no none of us trademark our

16:40 ↗ public materials they're all they're all

16:43 ↗ sharable with with one another so we'll

16:45 ↗ we'll have some good information from

16:47 ↗ our our peer cities right which is nice

16:50 ↗ because we're realizing they're leaning

16:52 ↗ heavily on their their GIS systems also

16:55 ↗ so it's nice to get some lessons learned

16:57 ↗ from other people too and how how using

16:59 ↗ their data to improve their parts so

17:02 ↗ that'll be

17:05 ↗ fun so thank you thanks Rob just really

17:08 ↗ W to te this up and make sure that we

17:10 ↗ don't time doesn't go too far where we

17:12 ↗ forget about this this will be an

17:14 ↗ important we don't want to wait until

17:15 ↗ the next Park system Plan update to

17:18 ↗ really do this more detailed work of of

17:21 ↗ some performance-based

17:24 ↗ criteria within each classification

17:31 ↗ thank

17:32 ↗ you well up to the next

17:35 ↗ item which is a Park Municipal Code

17:40 ↗ introduction Santi says you're gonna

17:43 ↗ present

17:55 ↗ this code yay

18:00 ↗ all your policy walks out there get

18:02 ↗ ready it's really

18:05 ↗ not so um yeah thanks I wanted to just

18:09 ↗ start this off with just a really you

18:13 ↗ know brief introduction to this idea

18:17 ↗ that we have been talking about a lot in

18:20 ↗ our office amongst staff um about our

18:24 ↗ Parks Municipal Code so this will be

18:27 ↗ just like a really highle

18:29 ↗ discussion to sort of start the

18:31 ↗ conversation and again this is going to

18:33 ↗ be one of those processes that's going

18:34 ↗ to take time for us to develop think

18:37 ↗ about look at from lots of different

18:40 ↗ angles um and is likely going to be a

18:43 ↗ full 2025 2026 process nothing happens

18:47 ↗ quickly when it comes to policy I don't

18:49 ↗ think it really should when it comes to

18:51 ↗ this type of policy um but we did want

18:54 ↗ to start the year off with hey this is

18:56 ↗ something we're thinking about and

18:58 ↗ looking at and sort of get your take and

19:00 ↗ initial reactions um and then be

19:03 ↗ bringing this back to the board multiple

19:06 ↗ times um the earliest will likely be

19:09 ↗ sometime in the fall um but potentially

19:12 ↗ earlier if we feel like that we've

19:14 ↗ gotten to a place that makes a sense

19:17 ↗ after this conversation so um we're

19:21 ↗ going to start with a really simple part

19:23 ↗ of this is what is Municipal Code um so

19:27 ↗ officially

19:29 ↗ there are regulations within Washington

19:33 ↗ States

19:35 ↗ um oh I'm going to forget the acronym

19:38 ↗ um RC RCW which is the revised code of

19:44 ↗ Washington um that offer this option

19:48 ↗ basically for municipalities and smaller

19:51 ↗ groups to have their own Municipal Code

19:54 ↗ um so the basic objective of city code

19:58 ↗ is to increase the ability of cities to

20:00 ↗ cope with complex Urban Problems by

20:02 ↗ providing broad statutory home rule

20:05 ↗ Authority um in matters of local concern

20:08 ↗ and it you know goes on so more or less

20:11 ↗ it helps governments and communities to

20:14 ↗ have a mutual understanding of the rules

20:16 ↗ regulations operations enforcement and

20:19 ↗ uses and services within a

20:22 ↗ jurisdiction um in all of these they

20:25 ↗ work in tandem with state and federal

20:28 ↗ Reg ation and rules and laws um and

20:32 ↗ depending on what we're talking about

20:34 ↗ one of those May supersede the other um

20:37 ↗ if something already exists in state

20:39 ↗ code then we likely don't need it in our

20:41 ↗ own like isqua Municipal Code

20:45 ↗ um and speaking of our city of isqua

20:49 ↗ Municipal Code these are all of the

20:53 ↗ different sections that already exist

20:56 ↗ within the isqua municipal codes so

20:59 ↗ there's a lot of stuff about just how we

21:02 ↗ function as a city there's a lot of

21:05 ↗ stuff about how you know businesses can

21:08 ↗ function within the city um health and

21:11 ↗ safety for the the area traffic water

21:16 ↗ safety Public Services streets has their

21:19 ↗ own section um and probably the one that

21:22 ↗ everybody knows is um the land use code

21:27 ↗ and building and construction C codes so

21:30 ↗ those are like really Hefty sections of

21:33 ↗ our Municipal Code by no means are we

21:36 ↗ trying to create that here when we're

21:39 ↗ having this conversation about part code

21:41 ↗ so I just want to set realistic

21:44 ↗ expectations here um when we're we're

21:47 ↗ talking about some of this stuff because

21:49 ↗ what's interesting is you notice in all

21:51 ↗ those

21:51 ↗ titles another title is another term for

21:55 ↗ chapter each of us there's no Parks

21:58 ↗ chapter yeah yeah so missing amongst

22:01 ↗ this is work

22:03 ↗ specifically

22:05 ↗ um

22:07 ↗ and to that end Park code um current

22:13 ↗ status there are Park codes that do

22:16 ↗ exist within our ESA Municipal Code

22:18 ↗ currently um they are built in

22:21 ↗ throughout different sections this is

22:23 ↗ just sort of like a really brief

22:25 ↗ overview by no means comprehensive of

22:28 ↗ where some of that Park code exists um

22:31 ↗ so in our title six about animals

22:34 ↗ there's sections that speak about

22:35 ↗ animals and Parks um there are certain

22:38 ↗ regulations and rules within the

22:40 ↗ criminal code that relate to our parks

22:43 ↗ and Trail

22:44 ↗ spaces um Street sidewalks in public

22:47 ↗ places so this is like sort of how our

22:49 ↗ rways and sidewalks interact with our

22:52 ↗ Parks there's some Park code in there um

22:55 ↗ obviously revenue and finance how our

22:58 ↗ Parks get funded um both to department

23:02 ↗ and capital projects um and then

23:05 ↗ vehicles and traffic so that's just like

23:07 ↗ a tiny bit oh also a big one land use um

23:11 ↗ there's there is part code within the

23:13 ↗ land use section of our code as well um

23:18 ↗ and so the bigger question is well great

23:21 ↗ if that already exists then why do we

23:22 ↗ need to change anything um and part of

23:26 ↗ that is just to make sure that we as a

23:29 ↗ community have a better understanding of

23:31 ↗ how our Park spaces are really being

23:32 ↗ used and an understanding of how we as a

23:36 ↗ community want those Park spaces to be

23:39 ↗ used um we've seen a really large

23:42 ↗ increase in usage of our Park system we

23:45 ↗ know this from our Park strategic Plan

23:47 ↗ update that Park system Plan update that

23:49 ↗ we just did um the diversity of that

23:52 ↗ usage has changed a lot um and what

23:55 ↗ these Parks need to be able to do has

23:58 ↗ changed over time and so are there key

24:02 ↗ rules and regulations that never needed

24:05 ↗ to exist before that now maybe do um and

24:10 ↗ to help clarify enforcement for things

24:15 ↗ that we feel as a community are not

24:18 ↗ sanctioned uses within our Parks um

24:22 ↗ there are lots of pure cities that are

24:24 ↗ doing this that have gone through sort

24:26 ↗ of this review um Jeff's gonna have to

24:29 ↗ remind me on most of them and where they

24:31 ↗ are but um City of Redmond did sort of a

24:35 ↗ big update recently to their park code

24:38 ↗ chapters um I believe city of Kirkland

24:41 ↗ is currently underway and reviewing it

24:45 ↗ um who else uh Samus just went through a

24:49 ↗ recent one um I guess just to add to

24:52 ↗ this as a best practice most cities have

24:55 ↗ a Parks chapter right in their code

24:58 ↗ we're the anomaly we're we're the we're

25:01 ↗ the odd one and that we don't have a

25:05 ↗ specific title where Parks related items

25:09 ↗ rules regulations enforcement are

25:11 ↗ Consolidated so um but is this salty is

25:15 ↗ saying again and as we were saying with

25:18 ↗ with uh the level of service work we

25:20 ↗ have peer cities we have really good

25:22 ↗ examples

25:23 ↗ of this isn't something we're going to

25:25 ↗ be blazing a trail on our own

25:31 ↗ so yeah just a a little bit in there um

25:35 ↗ and then more or less our process for

25:39 ↗ how we think and I'll say hope that this

25:43 ↗ process goes um so the first thing is

25:47 ↗ really just reviewing our current part

25:48 ↗ codes where do those all exist in what

25:51 ↗ chapters in what titles how many of

25:54 ↗ those maybe need clarification and

25:57 ↗ updating for and potentially

25:59 ↗ consolidating into one other section

26:03 ↗ that we create for Parks um and what

26:05 ↗ makes sense to just stay and live where

26:08 ↗ it is because it's working it was just

26:10 ↗ recently updated um and there may not be

26:14 ↗ a need to pull it out of the section

26:16 ↗ that it currently lives in um so that's

26:18 ↗ sort of the first step that we as staff

26:21 ↗ are going to take reviewing our our

26:24 ↗ current code um and then in that is also

26:28 ↗ reviewing our current practices and

26:31 ↗ needs so what are the common things that

26:33 ↗ are happening that we're all just kind

26:34 ↗ of like assuming has a rule or a

26:37 ↗ regulation behind it that maybe doesn't

26:40 ↗ officially um and those are the things

26:43 ↗ that that really we want to to identify

26:45 ↗ those needs and update them and make

26:48 ↗ sure that that is actually

26:50 ↗ codified um and through all of this

26:53 ↗ there's going to be Community engagement

26:56 ↗ to make sure that we're understanding

26:57 ↗ you know these rules that we're thinking

26:59 ↗ of putting in place how they're going to

27:01 ↗ work today but also how they're going to

27:04 ↗ work in five years and in 10 years and

27:07 ↗ where they need to be able to have

27:09 ↗ flexibility to change and update um

27:12 ↗ because with all code it all needs to be

27:15 ↗ able to change an update as the

27:17 ↗ community changes um so making sure that

27:19 ↗ that is is built in as a regular Cadence

27:23 ↗ um and then once we get through most of

27:26 ↗ that there's also just the the municipal

27:29 ↗ process so this will involve you know

27:32 ↗ key reviewers internal external

27:35 ↗ Community engagement sort of the um

27:39 ↗ different boards and commissions that

27:41 ↗ will be involved in reviewing and and

27:44 ↗ updating certain sections or or offering

27:47 ↗ sort of review of certain sections um

27:51 ↗ and then our city council process as

27:54 ↗ well um and then you know the last bit

27:58 ↗ in

28:00 ↗ 2026 um really

28:02 ↗ formalizing um and adopting this new

28:05 ↗ code

28:06 ↗ section um so that's really the quick

28:10 ↗ rough and dirty um process that we're

28:14 ↗ we're looking at um and so that's kind

28:20 ↗ of the introduction here um I would love

28:24 ↗ to open this up to discussion questions

28:27 ↗ anything that I just t talked about if

28:28 ↗ you're like policy is not my thing I'm

28:31 ↗ totally out have fun um I understand

28:34 ↗ that as well I went to school for policy

28:37 ↗ so I know that this is like I have like

28:38 ↗ a a very um rose-colored glasses for

28:42 ↗ this um but I also know that you know

28:45 ↗ anything that we are deciding on

28:48 ↗ updating or changing or adding something

28:50 ↗ in code is going to have potential

28:54 ↗ unintended consequences and that's just

28:56 ↗ the reality of every policy and so I

29:00 ↗ want to make sure that we're thinking

29:01 ↗ about those as much as we can and

29:04 ↗ knowing that like hey I think it's our

29:07 ↗ job to kind of minimize that as much as

29:09 ↗ possible so there might be something

29:11 ↗ that maybe doesn't warrant needing to be

29:15 ↗ codified um it might be something that

29:17 ↗ we all feel really strongly about there

29:19 ↗ might be other ways for us to think

29:21 ↗ about how we enforce that potentially um

29:24 ↗ but maybe it doesn't need to get you

29:26 ↗ know full Park Co code for it um so

29:30 ↗ that's just one thing as we're sort of

29:32 ↗ going through this process

29:35 ↗ but initial thoughts reactions

29:40 ↗ questions I'll say just the word of

29:42 ↗ improvement I think this is fantastic

29:44 ↗ idea because I as someone who's

29:46 ↗ following a lot of political Shenanigans

29:48 ↗ going on right now it feels like a good

29:50 ↗ way to protect the parks that if the

29:52 ↗ code is so split off that seems like an

29:54 ↗ easy way

29:55 ↗ for council member that's against the

29:58 ↗ the parks to easily kind of to use code

30:00 ↗ against the park system to some extent

30:02 ↗ so it feels like a good way to protect

30:04 ↗ the system we have to really get it its

30:05 ↗ own section codified and really

30:07 ↗ dedicated stuff it feels very smart for

30:10 ↗ the future for this so ASC I think this

30:13 ↗ is fantastic absolutely should be done

30:15 ↗ and it should be another number on that

30:18 ↗ St yeah it's a great way to put it

30:20 ↗ you're right it is another it's

30:23 ↗ another layer of protection for the

30:25 ↗ public system

30:28 ↗ question I do have is is it like the US

30:31 ↗ Constitution where it's very hard to

30:32 ↗ change once it's there or it's like we

30:34 ↗ have a meeting we decide to change a

30:36 ↗ paragraph here do not as but I wouldn't

30:39 ↗ say it's as easy as the second option

30:42 ↗ but definitely not as hard as like US

30:44 ↗ Constitution or or Title 18 like land

30:47 ↗ use code um there are options for us to

30:51 ↗ you know bring something to the board if

30:54 ↗ there's a change needed make sure that

30:56 ↗ we're getting enough community input to

30:59 ↗ say that like yes this makes sense for

31:01 ↗ us to update and change and then take it

31:04 ↗ through the the city council process um

31:07 ↗ so it it is something that does change

31:11 ↗ you

31:12 ↗ know relatively easy yeah yeah municipal

31:15 ↗ code is administered by staff it's

31:17 ↗ governed by Council so um and I think

31:21 ↗ for good reason any any am so this

31:24 ↗ process where we're saying hey we a

31:27 ↗ staff and as Community think creating a

31:29 ↗ Parks chapter makes a lot of

31:31 ↗ sense as aanti point out in those five

31:34 ↗ steps we're going to do our work with

31:35 ↗ you all on the community um looking at

31:38 ↗ pure cities and then we ultimately

31:40 ↗ present that David to councel and say we

31:42 ↗ think this is really important they say

31:45 ↗ yes or no they make the change and then

31:47 ↗ should there um something I were joking

31:50 ↗ a couple weeks ago right this is not the

31:52 ↗ George Fen Grill you don't set it and

31:54 ↗ forget it code code needs to be reviewed

31:57 ↗ code

31:58 ↗ will need updates you know um on on some

32:02 ↗ sort of routine frequency but those

32:04 ↗ would all need to go to City

32:06 ↗ Council great question and then yeah

32:11 ↗ Tim hi yeah so what pops my mind is just

32:14 ↗ from what we were just talking about a

32:16 ↗ few minutes ago about the various the

32:18 ↗ different kinds of parks that we have

32:20 ↗ and so you know would you envision there

32:24 ↗ being slightly different code depending

32:26 ↗ on what kind of park it is because it

32:28 ↗ would seem challenging to me to come up

32:31 ↗ with

32:33 ↗ overarching codes or regulations that

32:36 ↗ govern such dispar uh Parks as we have

32:41 ↗ uh in our system so I'm just I'm

32:43 ↗ wondering how you know what's the

32:45 ↗ thinking around that is it kind of a

32:47 ↗ high umbrella uh of guidelines or will

32:51 ↗ it be more granular for like in this

32:53 ↗ kind of Park these things are allowed

32:55 ↗ but maybe not in the other kinds of

32:57 ↗ parks

32:59 ↗ really really good question Tim I'll

33:01 ↗ take a first crack at that yeah I would

33:03 ↗ say you know if you look at other other

33:06 ↗ how other cities have sort of organized

33:09 ↗ their um Parks chapter their Parks code

33:13 ↗ it's probably Prim primarily those

33:16 ↗ overarching rules and regulations uh for

33:19 ↗ the entirety of the park system um

33:22 ↗ understanding that

33:24 ↗ certain certain elements of the code

33:26 ↗ might apply strictly to C you know to

33:29 ↗ open space areas or more or less to the

33:33 ↗ active development areas but it's not

33:37 ↗ code isn't

33:39 ↗ organized by

33:41 ↗ classification um this Parks chapter

33:44 ↗ will also work in a complimentary

33:47 ↗ fashion to all the other chapters of the

33:49 ↗ code right so the land use code doesn't

33:52 ↗ just go away so a lot of our different

33:56 ↗ types of Class part classifications will

33:58 ↗ still all need to to obey and work

34:02 ↗ within you know critical area

34:05 ↗ protections um Conservation Area right

34:08 ↗ so sort of what's allowed what's not

34:09 ↗ allowed where is a trail allowed that's

34:11 ↗ not necessarily in a park code that

34:13 ↗ would be land use code right so um this

34:19 ↗ is I think you know by practice the

34:23 ↗ parks chapter is focusing more on what's

34:27 ↗ allowed and not not allowed what rules

34:29 ↗ and regul how do we want to handle

34:31 ↗ electric bikes on our trail system how

34:33 ↗ do we want to you know um look at dogs

34:37 ↗ and dogs off leash um so it's

34:42 ↗ um yeah it's it's more of a systemwide

34:45 ↗ look than a prescribed look by

34:54 ↗ classification okay thank you

34:58 ↗ yeah it's a great question though

35:01 ↗ Tim I think this is a great

35:04 ↗ opportunity so glad to hear you say that

35:07 ↗ you like this

35:09 ↗ stuff it

35:10 ↗ is having dealt with worked with code my

35:14 ↗ career it is sort of like a Hydra you

35:17 ↗ know pops up multiple heads and

35:19 ↗ everything all over the place um and you

35:23 ↗ do end up finding conflicting sections y

35:28 ↗ conflicting language unended because

35:30 ↗ someone wrote this one year and three

35:31 ↗ years later someone else wrote this and

35:34 ↗ the conflict was never even

35:36 ↗ identified

35:37 ↗ resolve U but this seems like an

35:40 ↗ opportunity to really fix a lot of

35:43 ↗ things that could be very challenging

35:45 ↗ you know one example just real Loosely

35:48 ↗ is you know Title 18 has new

35:50 ↗ requirements for planting trees for

35:52 ↗ canopy coverage that's great when

35:55 ↗ someone wants to pave an entire site or

35:58 ↗ development but that can be complicating

36:01 ↗ when you're trying to do an athletic

36:02 ↗ field you can't have trees in the middle

36:05 ↗ of you soccer field baseball field

36:07 ↗ whatever so there's opportunities to

36:10 ↗ apply

36:11 ↗ um specification and judgment maybe you

36:16 ↗ know the the development code might need

36:19 ↗ an adjustment that says you know refer

36:21 ↗ to the Park section Park title but then

36:25 ↗ um Parks might have an opportunity where

36:27 ↗ it's like yeah we can do this within

36:30 ↗ requirements of tile 18 um but some

36:33 ↗ allowances for you know director

36:35 ↗ approval development community

36:38 ↗ development director you know that

36:40 ↗ you're demonstrating that you're meeting

36:41 ↗ the same you know requirements and

36:44 ↗ intentions so I think this is a great

36:46 ↗ opportunity I'm so glad that you like

36:49 ↗ it I say that now famous lot

36:53 ↗ work but yeah I I think you're totally

36:56 ↗ right

36:58 ↗ much much needed I appreciate hearing

37:00 ↗ all all these questions and feedback it

37:02 ↗ it's time and it's been time and I think

37:05 ↗ we've been making as a department a lot

37:07 ↗ of progress on standardizing stuff and

37:09 ↗ modernizing approaches and this is a

37:12 ↗ this is a really important step to to

37:15 ↗ both protect the park system and also

37:18 ↗ clarify be transparent with the

37:19 ↗ community of what's what's allowed and

37:22 ↗ not allowed within our within our parts

37:27 ↗ that end is sort of like a teaser I

37:30 ↗ guess are there current Park uses that

37:33 ↗ you all know no notice see observe that

37:38 ↗ you feel like could benefit from

37:40 ↗ clarification or or potential

37:44 ↗ codification um a few examples that have

37:48 ↗ come up in at my time I will say at the

37:51 ↗ parks um is sort of the usage of drones

37:54 ↗ in our Parks um the use of ebikes in

37:59 ↗ parks and on our Trails um just a couple

38:02 ↗ of things that are just sort of like new

38:04 ↗ emerging things that are happening that

38:07 ↗ maybe make sense to happen in part of

38:10 ↗ our system but maybe don't make sense to

38:12 ↗ happen in

38:14 ↗ others

38:18 ↗ thats

38:21 ↗ and AR often time

38:25 ↗ um go really fast and as as

38:29 ↗ pedestrians

38:31 ↗ Andes I think that you could POS

38:33 ↗ potential harms and then I think another

38:36 ↗ thing that I do see frequently is just

38:38 ↗ driving through tibits

38:39 ↗ Park and we've discussed this see a lot

38:43 ↗ of the Dos running um and and I know

38:47 ↗ that you know it's it's um just see all

38:51 ↗ the time and but then it goes back to

38:54 ↗ the questions do we have our do part Fe

38:57 ↗ is so it's like I could sympathize with

39:00 ↗ the dog owners but at the same time you

39:02 ↗ like if you out they're playing baseball

39:05 ↗ whatnot you step on do you know it's not

39:07 ↗ fun so maybe those are the kind of

39:10 ↗ issues that we need to discuss about

39:12 ↗ maybe that limits or some kind of um

39:17 ↗ enforcement that type of

39:20 ↗ thing well thanks Katie yeah that last

39:22 ↗ one's a good example of even if there's

39:25 ↗ language in the code how do we want

39:27 ↗ handle enforcement so you know another

39:30 ↗ really key perspective in this work um

39:32 ↗ and something already been and I've been

39:34 ↗ talking with our park operations team in

39:36 ↗ particular Alex our park

39:38 ↗ ranger Alex is going to have a a key

39:40 ↗ voice and perspective in in this work as

39:43 ↗ well right so when it comes to these

39:45 ↗ things how do we want what does

39:47 ↗ enforcement look like and it's not just

39:49 ↗ a hey you can't do it but you know we

39:52 ↗ also don't want to be out you know

39:54 ↗ having harsh you know um punishments but

39:58 ↗ we probably want to create in this code

40:01 ↗ a or in this chapter a um scale if you

40:05 ↗ will of all right what is it you know

40:08 ↗ you get a warning um if you have a dog

40:11 ↗ off leash but after that warning it's is

40:14 ↗ it a is it a financial penalty is it you

40:17 ↗ know what what do we want to put in the

40:19 ↗ code um

40:22 ↗ to give some sense of teeth for that

40:25 ↗ enforcement and again not in a

40:28 ↗ bad way but I think we're trying to be

40:30 ↗ good managers for all of you of of of

40:34 ↗ the park

40:35 ↗ system so another real important part of

40:39 ↗ code and something to think about is as

40:41 ↗ we work with our partners in other

40:43 ↗ departments so we either work with code

40:46 ↗ enforcement side in planning or with

40:49 ↗ Public Safety our police um things even

40:52 ↗ like parking enforcement um when you

40:56 ↗ think of rules and regul ations in the

40:58 ↗ Parks or you know how we want people to

41:00 ↗ think of using the parks um you

41:04 ↗ typically want that signage to be tied

41:07 ↗ to a code right so if we're going to say

41:09 ↗ hey there's a penalty for you to you

41:12 ↗ know if we're to put on a sign not just

41:15 ↗ hey we encourage you to keep your dog

41:17 ↗ Unleashed but hey there's going to be a

41:19 ↗ a fine should you um have that we we

41:23 ↗ can't just make that up that has to be

41:25 ↗ there needs to be code

41:27 ↗ is referenced that sign

41:32 ↗ so the goal is not again

41:35 ↗ to to turn our park rangers into uh

41:39 ↗ enforcement offic

41:43 ↗ monitors um we we we they're going to

41:46 ↗ need some semblance of that some of our

41:48 ↗ residents unfortunately need

41:51 ↗ that this the social pressure the

41:53 ↗ positive social pressure is enough for

41:55 ↗ many but it's not enough for for some in

41:58 ↗ our

41:59 ↗ system and there may be things that come

42:01 ↗ up through this where we realize great

42:03 ↗ we need to have that and have some code

42:05 ↗ and enforcement but we also need to do

42:08 ↗ this other sort of like development work

42:10 ↗ right that that we just need to do as a

42:12 ↗ city because we're not there yet and

42:14 ↗ that's why we're having some of these

42:16 ↗ interactions so that will also be part

42:18 ↗ of this well because to Katie's point we

42:23 ↗ are working on a dog park but we don't

42:26 ↗ have very many here in the city and for

42:28 ↗ the city at least and so you know maybe

42:31 ↗ that looks like great certain times of

42:33 ↗ day certain usage areas can be that

42:36 ↗ until we have this other you know need

42:40 ↗ met for the community um but

42:45 ↗ yeah seems like you hit three of the

42:48 ↗ really

42:49 ↗ important bikes and the dogs Dr me the

42:53 ↗ drones you one time I was at um C Park

42:57 ↗ and there was somebody it was kind of

43:00 ↗ neat but you know of course terribly

43:02 ↗ annoying to scene going in and out of

43:04 ↗ all the trees like this and you know

43:07 ↗ it's impressive but only you know

43:09 ↗ pleasurable for one

43:12 ↗ person so uh but the other end of that

43:15 ↗ is you know say there's a wedding at

43:17 ↗ Pickering barn and they want to do the

43:19 ↗ the photo shoot or even just some of the

43:22 ↗ nature shoots you know maybe there's a

43:23 ↗ permitting process to you know for an

43:25 ↗ allowance to to use a

43:27 ↗ are like

43:29 ↗ that yeah yeah that could for sure be

43:33 ↗ part of that that we look

43:35 ↗ at um I will make this one caveat before

43:39 ↗ we move too far into it um depending on

43:42 ↗ where we want to do some um

43:46 ↗ consolidation Andor updates some of it

43:50 ↗ will be easier than others so to David's

43:54 ↗ question how easy is it to change code

43:57 ↗ and Chris to your point of hey there's

44:00 ↗ maybe some conflicting things in land

44:02 ↗ use code land use code is one of those

44:05 ↗ code sections that's very hard to change

44:08 ↗ there are lots of layers that have been

44:11 ↗ built into that that will need to be met

44:14 ↗ before you can actually make a change so

44:17 ↗ some of that is you

44:19 ↗ know open public hearings there's uh a

44:25 ↗ Deepa review there's uh two other boards

44:30 ↗ that have to sort of review and approve

44:33 ↗ and discuss and and have sign off before

44:36 ↗ we even hit the hey Council here's our

44:40 ↗ recommendation um so that might be a

44:43 ↗ section that we don't fully tackle in

44:47 ↗ this first round of creating our chapter

44:50 ↗ but will be something that we'll be

44:52 ↗ reviewing as like hey no this doesn't

44:54 ↗ make a ton of sense and might not be

44:57 ↗ something that we decide to change with

44:59 ↗ our part code that we're looking at but

45:01 ↗ might be something that we have

45:02 ↗ conversations with our colleagues in CPD

45:04 ↗ to be like hey Title 18 is getting an

45:07 ↗ update we need to have this conversation

45:09 ↗ when that's having that update um so

45:13 ↗ just W

45:14 ↗ to put that out there that's a good

45:17 ↗ point not all not all title not all

45:19 ↗ chapters are the same yeah yeah to that

45:23 ↗ end with this chapter end up having a

45:25 ↗ lot of safeguards on it once it's

45:28 ↗ I mean that's

45:30 ↗ definitely up for discussion right like

45:33 ↗ how much of that do you want do you want

45:35 ↗ it to feel

45:37 ↗ really I'll use the term M hant these

45:40 ↗ words onerous to do those updates and

45:43 ↗ changes or do you want it to be flexible

45:46 ↗ to really be able to meet the

45:47 ↗ community's needs um with the idea that

45:51 ↗ like it also needs to still be

45:52 ↗ protecting right like the ultimate goal

45:55 ↗ of this is protection of this great

45:57 ↗ resource that we all want access to um

46:01 ↗ that's that's really the main goal here

46:04 ↗ it is it is another benefit to doing

46:06 ↗ this consolidation work and putting

46:08 ↗ those Park

46:09 ↗ related items in a chapter because like

46:12 ↗ those other chapters something in that

46:14 ↗ chapter could say the park board is the

46:17 ↗ one right so there's a there's a clear

46:19 ↗ Citizen Community perspective that's

46:22 ↗ always going to have to be sought and

46:23 ↗ looked at before it even is considered

46:26 ↗ by city counselor

46:27 ↗ there's it's tough to do that now

46:29 ↗ because again there's Park elements in

46:32 ↗ every in every nearly every chapter yeah

46:37 ↗ it's a great Point

46:40 ↗ Paul just sounds like the right thing to

46:43 ↗ do thanks yeah we we think so and we're

46:48 ↗ ready to do it so here we go

46:52 ↗ co all right thank you everybody more to

46:55 ↗ come soon more to

47:01 ↗ come right uh next item is the par

47:06 ↗ Capital project updates I think

47:09 ↗ everybody's this is

47:13 ↗ mostly very exciting

47:16 ↗ updates for she won

47:18 ↗ to we've had two really really exciting

47:23 ↗ capital projects going on I'm excited to

47:25 ↗ update both Hillside Park is getting

47:27 ↗ really really close hopefully as you see

47:29 ↗ these pictures if you haven't had a

47:30 ↗ chance to go out and look um it's really

47:34 ↗ really taking shape well it's going to

47:36 ↗ be a very exciting neighborhood park um

47:39 ↗ that I think is

47:40 ↗ is um I hope many um if not all

47:43 ↗ neighbors really feel like the the

47:45 ↗ heartbeat of Hillside Park Remains the

47:48 ↗ Same still looks and feels very much

47:50 ↗ like like Hillside

47:52 ↗ Park and then an update on pedestrian

47:55 ↗ Park but Robin just outstanding

47:57 ↗ outstanding work both of those everybody

48:01 ↗ capital projects yeah we've all been

48:03 ↗ pitching in I know it's been a while

48:05 ↗ since we we looked at these but um I

48:08 ↗ went out um as as the construction is

48:11 ↗ making progress I've been trying to take

48:13 ↗ a lot of pictures uh and keep track of

48:15 ↗ what is going on so next picture so just

48:19 ↗ to give you an update uh 2024 we did

48:22 ↗ finish the park system plan it was

48:25 ↗ approved by Council in nov nber and then

48:27 ↗ approved by rco in December

48:34 ↗ so with Grant eligible Grant eligible

48:37 ↗ which is great and we have actually

48:39 ↗ started in on some grants so it's going

48:42 ↗ to be a productive 2025 I think uh so

48:44 ↗ for Hillside Park uh construction is

48:48 ↗ about 80% complete playground

48:51 ↗ installation is actually happening right

48:53 ↗ now the past few weeks they've gotten

48:55 ↗ pretty far with the good weather which

48:56 ↗ is nice um and I I think I don't know if

49:00 ↗ H were you able to get those Friday

49:02 ↗ photos no it's exciting it's it's cool

49:05 ↗ to see the playground equipment in and

49:07 ↗ see everything coming together nature

49:08 ↗ path is all done that feels really good

49:11 ↗ a majority of the um Ada accessible path

49:14 ↗ is in we have Furnishings in so it's

49:17 ↗ really starting to come together

49:18 ↗ plantings are in um we're anticipating

49:21 ↗ soft opening February March you know

49:24 ↗ depending on weather they still have

49:26 ↗ some stuff need to finish up as they

49:27 ↗ back out of the park so we're gauging

49:30 ↗ we're trying to gauge that and just be

49:32 ↗ able to do a soft opening as quick as we

49:34 ↗ can and then uh a more formal

49:36 ↗ neighborhood grand opening after that

49:39 ↗ soft opening meaning we take the fences

49:41 ↗ down and hey go go have fun and use it

49:45 ↗ um we're not going to wait to to cut a

49:47 ↗ ribbon before the commor can the

49:50 ↗ neighborhood can start enjoying that

49:52 ↗ right space and Veterans Memorial I

49:55 ↗ don't know if you've been around down

49:56 ↗ town but ped Park is now they finalized

49:59 ↗ the demo I think last Friday so they're

50:02 ↗ getting ready to dig for that Vault for

50:04 ↗ the mechanical

50:05 ↗ equipment um and then the senior center

50:08 ↗ is actually progressing much faster we

50:10 ↗ can't keep up with them they're moving

50:11 ↗ so fast there really really good team to

50:14 ↗ to work with so um they're actually

50:16 ↗ finishing up storm drain the storm drain

50:19 ↗ system this week which is surprising but

50:23 ↗ um it looks completely different so if

50:24 ↗ you haven't seen it yet please walk by D

50:27 ↗ side it looks great and then we just we

50:32 ↗ start with Hillside Park yeah so this

50:35 ↗ was happening back um October I believe

50:39 ↗ they finished up the the cut off drain

50:42 ↗ and the

50:43 ↗ dissipation uh drain for the ball field

50:47 ↗ uh that's the top two pictures there uh

50:50 ↗ the bottom pictures are they starting in

50:52 ↗ on the playground area uh getting rid of

50:55 ↗ the getting theot footings and getting

50:57 ↗ the edging condition set in place uh

51:00 ↗ bringing the Rock in on the far right

51:03 ↗ that is our manhole for the

51:05 ↗ dissipator uh for the cut off

51:10 ↗ drain and that top picture there is

51:13 ↗ actually the seed starting to take in

51:15 ↗ the field uh they raised up the the back

51:19 ↗ stop area regraded the whole field and

51:22 ↗ that's the seed coming in much faster

51:24 ↗ than I anticipated so it's getting

51:28 ↗ um and then the other pictures are

51:29 ↗ really on the right you see the new

51:31 ↗ benches coming in uh still the edging

51:34 ↗ they did planting already so all the

51:36 ↗ plant materials installed all the trees

51:38 ↗ are installed uh that bottom left

51:40 ↗ picture is right when they they poured

51:43 ↗ the footings and then it riged the next

51:45 ↗ day so they had to suck out all that

51:47 ↗ water out of the footing area um and

51:50 ↗ then the lower right is the Ada path

51:53 ↗ with the Ada picnic table and then two

51:56 ↗ more picking tables on the way but it's

51:57 ↗ a really really nice flow um they did an

52:01 ↗ amazing job with the quality of the

52:03 ↗ edging and just the the new painting

52:05 ↗ material so it's it's really nice it's

52:07 ↗ really looks really good part of

52:09 ↗ constructing this in the winter

52:11 ↗ especially with the the new field um as

52:14 ↗ you're saying the seating but also the

52:16 ↗ drainage we were able to sort of test

52:18 ↗ while it's still in construction how the

52:20 ↗ drainage system is doing and Robin how's

52:22 ↗ it how's it doing it's working really

52:24 ↗ well yeah actually yeah you can hear

52:26 ↗ coming out a little bit on the heavier

52:28 ↗ storms I've been out there um so so that

52:32 ↗ conflict of of wetland and field again

52:36 ↗ was a big part of this

52:38 ↗ project it's nice it does drain within

52:40 ↗ 72 hours so the field do

52:45 ↗ really Tim you've got a

52:49 ↗ question yeah thank you uh yeah it is

52:52 ↗ looking great I'm down there all the

52:53 ↗ time and the the I watched it when we

52:55 ↗ were getting all that heavy rain and it

52:57 ↗ does drain quite well now so they did a

53:00 ↗ good job with that I have one concern uh

53:05 ↗ and it's not has anything to do with the

53:06 ↗ construction but the trail that's been

53:08 ↗ built back through the

53:10 ↗ cemetery as part of this project um it

53:14 ↗ goes along the backside of people's

53:17 ↗ properties and there's one homeowner

53:20 ↗ there that has a couple of I'm a dog guy

53:23 ↗ right I I've got I like big dogs but

53:25 ↗ he's got a couple of big

53:27 ↗ muscular dogs that when they're out they

53:30 ↗ go berserk with people walking by that

53:32 ↗ trail and at one point and the dogs know

53:34 ↗ the close point to where they're like I

53:36 ↗ don't know 8 feet from the trail and

53:39 ↗ it's just a welded wire fence which is

53:41 ↗ not the most sturdy and you walk by

53:44 ↗ there if You' got a dog with you you've

53:45 ↗ got these two big dogs just losing their

53:49 ↗ minds as you go

53:52 ↗ by is there what can we do about that

53:55 ↗ can we talk talk to the homeowner about

53:57 ↗ putting up some wood fencing there to

54:00 ↗ you know at least block The View it's if

54:03 ↗ you if you've walked by and the dogs

54:05 ↗ haven't been out you wouldn't appreciate

54:07 ↗ but if you walk by especially have a dog

54:08 ↗ with you and the dogs are out it's

54:12 ↗ intense and I don't I don't know is

54:15 ↗ there anything we can

54:17 ↗ do um I we can talk with them and see if

54:20 ↗ there's a you know neighbor to neighbor

54:22 ↗ way of either doing some screening or a

54:26 ↗ different type fencing as you as you

54:29 ↗ suggest yeah it's a it's a great point I

54:31 ↗ think I know the the property you're

54:35 ↗ you're talking to as i' as I've made a

54:37 ↗ few trips you're right when when the

54:38 ↗ dogs are out it's

54:41 ↗ noticeable yeah it's going to impact

54:43 ↗ people walking along there it's a

54:45 ↗ beautiful Trail great job with that it's

54:47 ↗ just uh sure it's a thing now and so I I

54:52 ↗ haven't gone and spoken with them but I

54:54 ↗ wanted to wait till we had a meeting I

54:55 ↗ could bring you to the board and we

54:56 ↗ could talk about how we want to handle

54:58 ↗ it if you want me to go just as neighbor

55:00 ↗ to neighbor and be like hey you know

55:04 ↗ what what do you think about putting up

55:05 ↗ some wood fing I would I would suggest

55:07 ↗ we as as staff as the city reach out and

55:10 ↗ have a conversation you know I we can't

55:12 ↗ we can't I wouldn't want it to feel like

55:14 ↗ we're requiring them to do something

55:17 ↗ right they they have every right to do

55:19 ↗ what they want to on their on their

55:21 ↗ property with their dogs um we'll just

55:24 ↗ have to sort of see how that

55:25 ↗ conversation goes

55:26 ↗ you know to the degree that we maybe

55:28 ↗ could do some screening on the on the

55:31 ↗ city part the city side of that um

55:35 ↗ that's might be something we need to

55:36 ↗ consider um as well um and then if if it

55:40 ↗ involves a different fence um it's

55:44 ↗ probably something that both parties

55:45 ↗ would need to come to agreement with so

55:48 ↗ yeah start of the

55:50 ↗ conversation yeah okay Jeff I I'll leave

55:52 ↗ it to you guys to handle it I just if we

55:55 ↗ built a fence on our sight you just need

55:57 ↗ something that breaks the sight line you

55:59 ↗ know if it it because with just that

56:01 ↗ welded wire fence it's clear line of

56:04 ↗ sight um and dogs get all worked up and

56:07 ↗ you know they're protecting their yard

56:09 ↗ so you know I get it but just wanted to

56:13 ↗ bring it to the bring it to the table

56:15 ↗ thanks for bringing it up Y and those

56:18 ↗ are the things right as as we make

56:20 ↗ changes and updates to parks and trails

56:22 ↗ and areas there are things that are

56:24 ↗ going to come up that we need to look

56:26 ↗ address so yeah thanks for letting us

56:29 ↗ know Tim um and I think our next

56:32 ↗ pictures might be a nature path no oh

56:35 ↗ the planting plantings yeah speaking of

56:37 ↗ some screening yeah some screening

56:39 ↗ plantings going on they did quite a bit

56:41 ↗ of work um around the pathways

56:44 ↗ especially a lot of new trees coming in

56:47 ↗ um sub substantial beautiful trees along

56:50 ↗ the nature path though I was really

56:51 ↗ impressed with the quality that they

56:54 ↗ brought in there so you'll see more

56:56 ↗ screening coming up in the cemetery

56:58 ↗ hopefully in the next

56:59 ↗ year then next slide just a construction

57:03 ↗ of the nature path um you know with that

57:05 ↗ many trees that's probably one of the

57:07 ↗ most challenging paths I've done in a

57:09 ↗ while um but we work with A1 and really

57:13 ↗ protecting as many roots as we could um

57:15 ↗ and going up and over instead of cutting

57:17 ↗ through them so they did an exceptional

57:19 ↗ job added more drainage in that we

57:21 ↗ anticipated and we modified actually the

57:24 ↗ exit um on the be the north side of the

57:27 ↗ cemetery so initially we were going to

57:30 ↗ be coming through that hedge area and we

57:31 ↗ realized that that's a blind curve so we

57:34 ↗ pull that back up and you'll see two

57:36 ↗ stones there that kind of signify the

57:38 ↗ entry so that ended up being a little

57:41 ↗ little modification but a really good

57:42 ↗ one in the end yeah just I'd like to

57:45 ↗ interrupt just to give you Kudos because

57:47 ↗ many of you don't know that when the scy

57:49 ↗ the bomb Cyclone hit a bunch of trees

57:51 ↗ came down and some homeowners threw a

57:54 ↗ bunch of branches and stuff right in the

57:55 ↗ middle of the brand new Trail and Robin

57:58 ↗ got people out there and got it all

58:00 ↗ cleaned up and it's all good now so that

58:02 ↗ was a little extra bonus that uh was

58:05 ↗ thrown into the project but it was

58:06 ↗ cleaned up very

58:08 ↗ nicely Kudos operation season they were

58:10 ↗ out there like that so they did clean

58:12 ↗ that up yeah it's looking

58:15 ↗ good true nature trail yeah and the

58:18 ↗ second part of the project was over at

58:21 ↗ Park point the mitigation area so this

58:23 ↗ kind this will just walk you through the

58:25 ↗ process we did this is particularly the

58:27 ↗ Wetland area which once you're out there

58:30 ↗ you just don't realize how big it is in

58:34 ↗ in real life on the site versus what's

58:36 ↗ on the plan so it's it was pretty

58:38 ↗ impressive to see um the first was the

58:41 ↗ grading of the site then they put the

58:43 ↗ mulch down which is pretty substantial

58:46 ↗ mulch um and then the last two are the

58:48 ↗ planting within the Wetland area and

58:51 ↗ then in the buffer zone as

58:54 ↗ well and then we went out there

58:56 ↗ to do a punch list on a really rainy day

58:59 ↗ which I'm glad we did because the

59:00 ↗ Wetland is already taking shape taking

59:03 ↗ shape and in effect and that we're at

59:05 ↗ the point now where we can take the

59:07 ↗ Waddles off of The Edge and combine the

59:09 ↗ two Wetlands together so really

59:11 ↗ successful I think that junk is actually

59:13 ↗ doubled in size within a couple months

59:15 ↗ so it's doing really well and Performing

59:18 ↗ really nicely true Wetland it's a

59:20 ↗ wetland we have a wetland and this

59:23 ↗ becomes again one of those balanced

59:25 ↗ goals so there's that word balance right

59:28 ↗ that we had in our Park plan uh this

59:30 ↗ project is a great example where we had

59:32 ↗ a wet Linda in a field trying to do the

59:35 ↗ same thing at the same time I hope not

59:38 ↗ neither of them are going to perform

59:39 ↗ well um but hopefully now we're going to

59:41 ↗ have a neighborhood park Playfield

59:43 ↗ that's going to perform a ton better and

59:45 ↗ we're going to have a wetland um within

59:48 ↗ the is Creek Basin so still within the

59:50 ↗ same Basin but

59:52 ↗ um ecologically and environmentally it's

59:54 ↗ going to perform so much better than it

59:56 ↗ was um really not doing much for the

1:00:00 ↗ environment um up

1:00:02 ↗ there really

1:00:06 ↗ great oh now on the veteran memorial

1:00:09 ↗ closet uh just before and after pictures

1:00:13 ↗ this is PED park with the arbor still up

1:00:16 ↗ uh the front of the senior center and

1:00:18 ↗ then that lower picture was they did

1:00:20 ↗ demo pretty much within the week with

1:00:22 ↗ the exception of the the front Cal lever

1:00:25 ↗ piece of the Center which is out off

1:00:28 ↗ now uh and this

1:00:31 ↗ is yeah this is all Senior Center

1:00:34 ↗ because they're moving really fast on

1:00:35 ↗ this one but it's a really impressive

1:00:38 ↗ beautiful you can tell it's going to be

1:00:39 ↗ a really beautiful area um speaking of a

1:00:42 ↗ drone yeah these

1:00:46 ↗ are Tim go out with the Drone and take

1:00:50 ↗ so so it's exciting I think last not

1:00:53 ↗ this past Friday but the Friday before

1:00:56 ↗ they actually poured the curb for the

1:00:59 ↗ artificial turf area on the east side um

1:01:03 ↗ and they did the footings for the

1:01:04 ↗ Pavilion area along the front and yeah

1:01:08 ↗ so storm brain is now going in um

1:01:12 ↗ nothing has been popping up that's

1:01:14 ↗ that's critical or everything's going

1:01:17 ↗ really smoothly um great contractor to

1:01:19 ↗ work with so we're excited to see it

1:01:22 ↗ being pulled together it changes day by

1:01:25 ↗ day you just got to keep watching it I

1:01:27 ↗ mean you can just see so much through

1:01:31 ↗ from Depot all the way to Veterans Park

1:01:34 ↗ now if you're standing in that area

1:01:35 ↗ because this bottom photo shows like

1:01:38 ↗ that's where the front of the senior

1:01:39 ↗ center ends now that used to extend all

1:01:41 ↗ the way out to basically this tree um

1:01:44 ↗ and that's not there anymore so like

1:01:46 ↗ we've already opened up so much here um

1:01:49 ↗ and then you know as a reminder that

1:01:51 ↗ little area that you see the footings of

1:01:53 ↗ that's where the pavilion's going to be

1:01:55 ↗ and then this is the side where the

1:01:57 ↗ artificial

1:01:58 ↗ turf

1:02:00 ↗ ball

1:02:02 ↗ cornhole any mix of activities I think

1:02:05 ↗ one of the big goals of this portion of

1:02:07 ↗ the project was and and I hope it's

1:02:10 ↗ going to be true in terms of feel and

1:02:12 ↗ placemaking the senior center is going

1:02:14 ↗ to feel like it's part of the park it

1:02:17 ↗ never really felt like it was part of

1:02:19 ↗ the

1:02:23 ↗ park pedestrian yeah and then pedestrian

1:02:26 ↗ Park just more of the the demolition

1:02:29 ↗ that's happening out there um talk about

1:02:31 ↗ a big space now that space is is

1:02:34 ↗ dramatically changed and looks really

1:02:36 ↗ feels a lot better now and again your

1:02:39 ↗ sight line straight through either the

1:02:41 ↗ sunset on the corner or back into the

1:02:43 ↗ depot area it's totally disconcerning

1:02:45 ↗ when you walk by because

1:02:56 ↗ yeah how much more prominent the depot

1:02:58 ↗ building

1:03:01 ↗ is I think be more of that he come check

1:03:05 ↗ it out yeah it'll just be an iconic

1:03:08 ↗ corner and last Friday the team went

1:03:10 ↗ down to Northwest preast they did um a

1:03:13 ↗ mockup of the water feature so they're

1:03:15 ↗ checking to see how the water went down

1:03:17 ↗ that so hopefully I'll have a video for

1:03:20 ↗ everybody next time go

1:03:22 ↗ yeah really good team to work with

1:03:30 ↗ exciting yeah after all the months of

1:03:31 ↗ planning and now it's actually coming a

1:03:35 ↗ months as

1:03:37 ↗ in months of Permitting

1:03:41 ↗ right that's where we're at right now

1:03:43 ↗ with

1:03:54 ↗ projects okay

1:03:56 ↗ um that's all our reg

1:04:00 ↗ business move on to reports so

1:04:05 ↗ director oh guess I'm first aren't I

1:04:10 ↗ yes all right um you know what I'm gonna

1:04:15 ↗ I guess start with Wow since we last met

1:04:18 ↗ a few oh Ryan you have a

1:04:22 ↗ question comment only so much as I was

1:04:25 ↗ was hoping and maybe you're about to do

1:04:28 ↗ this so forgive me but as you get into

1:04:30 ↗ your director's report is there some

1:04:33 ↗ type of

1:04:34 ↗ um information Direction

1:04:38 ↗ expense impact that you can provide

1:04:40 ↗ based off that bomb cyclone and how it's

1:04:42 ↗ impact our Parks it sounds like you're

1:04:44 ↗ about to roll into that so I um we'll

1:04:47 ↗ just sit back down with my hand off

1:04:50 ↗ screen perfect perfect Segway thank you

1:04:53 ↗ Ryan yeah so a lot A lot happened since

1:04:56 ↗ we last met in the middle of November

1:04:59 ↗ that next week um obviously the the bomb

1:05:02 ↗ Cyclone hit um and um yeah impacts were

1:05:06 ↗ significant I I hope all of you in your

1:05:08 ↗ homes are are okay um it's pretty clear

1:05:12 ↗ from um local news and even us making

1:05:16 ↗ the national news isqua really was the

1:05:18 ↗ epicenter in manyways of of that event

1:05:21 ↗ and so um that week was a bit of a blur

1:05:25 ↗ for us as a department I I I want to

1:05:28 ↗ give um really kudos to the entire city

1:05:32 ↗ for a response um in particular this

1:05:34 ↗ department and how it responded we

1:05:36 ↗ pretty immediately realized with the

1:05:38 ↗ power out all throughout town and the

1:05:42 ↗ likelihood that it was going to be out

1:05:43 ↗ for a long long time um activated some

1:05:46 ↗ resource hubs we we worked with the

1:05:49 ↗ fleet crew and got a generator over to

1:05:51 ↗ the senior center and converted that

1:05:53 ↗ into a resource h people could come and

1:05:56 ↗ warm up um it came with a lot of power

1:06:01 ↗ and Wi-Fi for folks be able to charge up

1:06:04 ↗ and and get connected and do work what

1:06:07 ↗ they weren't able to do at home and um

1:06:10 ↗ that was open there at the senior center

1:06:11 ↗ for four days five days um within the

1:06:15 ↗ that first day we open we had easily oh

1:06:18 ↗ my goodness I me guess 6

1:06:22 ↗ 700 plus uh people coming through

1:06:26 ↗ um it became so popular we opened a

1:06:28 ↗ second one at the pick ring Barn uh so

1:06:31 ↗ through the end of that week and into of

1:06:32 ↗ the weekend we had two resource hubs

1:06:35 ↗ going um again a community that was very

1:06:38 ↗ appreciative of that work um while that

1:06:41 ↗ was happening our park operations crew

1:06:43 ↗ was working tirelessly with public works

1:06:46 ↗ and clearing roads um and getting that

1:06:49 ↗ done but then also beginning the hard

1:06:51 ↗ work of assessment and cleanup um of the

1:06:54 ↗ park system

1:06:56 ↗ um in terms of impacts um we've been

1:07:00 ↗ working with um our Emergency Management

1:07:03 ↗ folks to um not only assess the number

1:07:07 ↗ of trees lost but put a value uh to

1:07:10 ↗ those

1:07:13 ↗ um not exact numbers but when you look

1:07:16 ↗ at our um developed areas within our

1:07:19 ↗ Park system so our community Parks our

1:07:21 ↗ neighborhood parks our our our street

1:07:23 ↗ rideway trees um we're about 300 trees

1:07:27 ↗ lost within that just that um then

1:07:30 ↗ within our open space areas and the the

1:07:33 ↗ you know thousand plus acres of open

1:07:36 ↗ space probably another, to 1200 trees

1:07:40 ↗ lost within our our open space so um

1:07:43 ↗ easily in the neighborhood of 1500 trees

1:07:46 ↗ lost um a lot of those have been cleaned

1:07:50 ↗ up are in the process of getting cleaned

1:07:52 ↗ up a lot of the trees within our open

1:07:53 ↗ space area is the park operations team

1:07:56 ↗ is assessing we'll probably leave a lot

1:07:58 ↗ of that in place for Habitat um but it's

1:08:01 ↗ really going to bring to mind what does

1:08:04 ↗ replanting begin to look like um

1:08:07 ↗ coincidentally that same evening the

1:08:09 ↗ bomb Cyclone hit November 19th uh Dan

1:08:12 ↗ hints and I were scheduled to go to the

1:08:14 ↗ city council services safety and Parks

1:08:16 ↗ committee meeting that got canceled that

1:08:18 ↗ night uh for recommendation to adopt the

1:08:20 ↗ urban Forest management plan um we're

1:08:24 ↗ going back tomorrow night

1:08:25 ↗ um to to try again uh no no heavy wind

1:08:29 ↗ is scheduled uh but um it's not going to

1:08:31 ↗ be lost on us we're going to give an

1:08:33 ↗ updates to the committee uh on the bomb

1:08:36 ↗ cyclone and really drives home the

1:08:38 ↗ importance that when we think of our

1:08:40 ↗ Urban Forest um as a system as a living

1:08:44 ↗ breathing system that it is we're going

1:08:46 ↗ to have to understand climate change and

1:08:49 ↗ what that means and uh the reality of

1:08:54 ↗ reforestation and

1:08:56 ↗ um replanting is um and succession

1:08:59 ↗ planting is really really important so

1:09:02 ↗ more to come but this spring we're going

1:09:05 ↗ to with some of our Harbor Day events

1:09:06 ↗ we're already going to start efforts in

1:09:08 ↗ doing some replanting at Confluence Park

1:09:10 ↗ and some of our other Parks um but it's

1:09:13 ↗ very much going to be multi-year effort

1:09:15 ↗ um in that valuation work uh we um took

1:09:19 ↗ a look at all those trees and even

1:09:21 ↗ different caliper sized trees where we

1:09:23 ↗ lost some of our large trees we want to

1:09:25 ↗ replace them with some large caliper

1:09:27 ↗ trees um that valuation was put into our

1:09:32 ↗ city number Citywide impact Financial

1:09:35 ↗ impact number that was given to FEMA uh

1:09:37 ↗ some of that reimbursement work is still

1:09:39 ↗ still working through but fingers cross

1:09:42 ↗ enough of the different levels of

1:09:45 ↗ government um we get clearance that um

1:09:48 ↗ the city will see some of it some of our

1:09:50 ↗ expenses recouped um and allow us some

1:09:54 ↗ Financial means to be able to do that um

1:09:57 ↗ that replanting so great work by the

1:10:00 ↗ recreation staff again on those resource

1:10:02 ↗ hubs great work by our park operations

1:10:05 ↗ natural resource folks on the cleanup

1:10:07 ↗ and debris removal and continued work so

1:10:11 ↗ Ryan thank you for

1:10:14 ↗ asking great work by anybody I'll stop

1:10:16 ↗ there any questions

1:10:19 ↗ about that event you right

1:10:23 ↗ yeah m

1:10:26 ↗ um I know I just say I the day after I

1:10:28 ↗ was driving around kind of looking at

1:10:30 ↗ the city and I saw Dan down at

1:10:33 ↗ Confluence um and I we didn't I didn't

1:10:36 ↗ talk to him I was kind of driving by

1:10:37 ↗ with one of my kids but um I was just I

1:10:40 ↗ was thinking about how ju at our

1:10:44 ↗ previous meeting um You' kind of

1:10:47 ↗ presented the budget and how uh things

1:10:49 ↗ are

1:10:51 ↗ getting uh things are going to be

1:10:54 ↗ challenging upcoming with a budget and

1:10:55 ↗ then I was also thinking about Dan and

1:10:57 ↗ his tree canopy study um and just how

1:11:02 ↗ how that was impacted so um I know a lot

1:11:05 ↗ of us all felt it in a different way um

1:11:08 ↗ in this city and so it was thanks for

1:11:11 ↗ the update I I appreciate that thank

1:11:15 ↗ you okay

1:11:18 ↗ Tim yeah you know kudos to Jeff to you

1:11:22 ↗ and everyone that was involved with that

1:11:23 ↗ you know we came down to the senior

1:11:25 ↗ Center I saw you there we were over at

1:11:26 ↗ Pickering Barn great resource you didn't

1:11:29 ↗ even mention that you opened up the the

1:11:31 ↗ pool so people could go and take showers

1:11:33 ↗ they didn't have hot water so I mean it

1:11:36 ↗ overall it was an A+ effort uh exceeded

1:11:40 ↗ expectation so wanted to just definitely

1:11:43 ↗ put that out there and I do have one

1:11:46 ↗ question though you you mentioned just

1:11:47 ↗ briefly about leaving a lot of the trees

1:11:50 ↗ that have fallen down to create habitat

1:11:52 ↗ and what comes to mind especially

1:11:55 ↗ especially with recent events is it's

1:11:57 ↗ leaving fuel um down and so is there a

1:12:02 ↗ effort to sort of balance creating

1:12:05 ↗ habitat without creating uh fire

1:12:09 ↗ hazards Absol absolutely yes so as we're

1:12:13 ↗ looking at all elements of climate

1:12:16 ↗ change certainly you know the threat of

1:12:18 ↗ wildfire is very much top of mind uh for

1:12:22 ↗ us um as well so um yeah there's work

1:12:26 ↗ happening right now with East Side Fire

1:12:28 ↗ and Rescue and um our our Park staff as

1:12:32 ↗ well as other other departments within

1:12:35 ↗ the the city that are are looking at

1:12:37 ↗ Wildfire planning much more ahead on on

1:12:41 ↗ that one but um yeah any decisions of

1:12:45 ↗ leaving

1:12:47 ↗ um leaving trees will uh certainly be

1:12:51 ↗ one of those criteria will be um its

1:12:54 ↗ proximity to houses or proximity to

1:12:58 ↗ other things that that we really need to

1:13:01 ↗ to keep in mind with thread of wildfire

1:13:05 ↗ so okay that's great thank

1:13:08 ↗ you yeah great point so

1:13:12 ↗ um heading into December so that was

1:13:15 ↗ November bomb Cyclone um again Ryan

1:13:19 ↗ again for thanks for teeing this up the

1:13:21 ↗ budget was adopted I shared with you in

1:13:23 ↗ November some of the budget chall that

1:13:25 ↗ Council was looking at budget was

1:13:27 ↗ adopted uh there the beginning of

1:13:29 ↗ December um it did mean some some

1:13:32 ↗ significant reductions for us as as a

1:13:34 ↗ department Five full-time positions were

1:13:37 ↗ were lost three of those were vacant two

1:13:40 ↗ of those were were staffed um we're

1:13:44 ↗ certainly as we're rolling up our

1:13:46 ↗ sleeves for 25 26 um like heading into

1:13:49 ↗ the year with a lot of a lot of really

1:13:51 ↗ important work to still do uh We've

1:13:54 ↗ reorganized our a little bit um stay

1:13:57 ↗ tuned we don't have it now but I'd say

1:13:59 ↗ in the next maybe the next meeting or

1:14:01 ↗ the March meeting uh we'll be able to

1:14:03 ↗ share an organization chart that sort of

1:14:05 ↗ show some of our how we're positioning

1:14:08 ↗ ourselves as the department to still get

1:14:10 ↗ a lot of really important work done

1:14:14 ↗ um don't want to spend a lot of time

1:14:16 ↗ going into all those reductions I just I

1:14:18 ↗ point out as I've done in in Prior years

1:14:21 ↗ um in January I included our this isn't

1:14:25 ↗ our full Department work plan uh but

1:14:27 ↗ you'll see this in the agenda this are

1:14:29 ↗ really our work plan priorities those

1:14:32 ↗ major items that will have probably some

1:14:35 ↗ type of touch with Park board and or

1:14:38 ↗ pretty heavy Community touch um if you

1:14:40 ↗ have any questions on those you know

1:14:43 ↗ don't hesitate to reach out um I don't

1:14:46 ↗ know if you got a chance to take a look

1:14:47 ↗ at that a lot of that work you'll see is

1:14:50 ↗ very familiar I break it out by the the

1:14:53 ↗ really key divisions with in uh the

1:14:56 ↗ department from you know Park Ops human

1:14:58 ↗ services Arts uh

1:15:00 ↗ Recreation then Parks Administration and

1:15:03 ↗ park planning are are combined um a

1:15:06 ↗ number of those divisions have other

1:15:07 ↗ boards and commissions but want to make

1:15:10 ↗ sure you're sort of aware of of some

1:15:13 ↗ really really important work that's

1:15:14 ↗ going to be happening in the department

1:15:16 ↗ um we're um uh not sitting around moping

1:15:21 ↗ and playing eore U we we have um again a

1:15:25 ↗ lot of work to do and a very dedicated

1:15:27 ↗ hardworking staff um want to make sure

1:15:30 ↗ though that we

1:15:31 ↗ are understanding that we have less

1:15:34 ↗ resources to to do things with and um

1:15:38 ↗ the the the adage more with less is is a

1:15:41 ↗ myth um and we're not going to try and

1:15:44 ↗ and just crank it up and do more with

1:15:47 ↗ less we're going to continue to grow and

1:15:48 ↗ be really productive but with um again

1:15:52 ↗ the size and scale of resources that we

1:15:53 ↗ have

1:15:55 ↗ I think what that means primarily for

1:15:58 ↗ what you're going to notice with Park

1:15:59 ↗ Board and really our our Park Capital

1:16:02 ↗ programs we are uh now down to One Park

1:16:06 ↗ planner um Robin our Park planning and

1:16:09 ↗ development manager um whereas last year

1:16:12 ↗ we started January with two um two staff

1:16:16 ↗ in our our Park Planning Group so we're

1:16:18 ↗ going to certainly calibrate and resize

1:16:21 ↗ our capital projects and some of the

1:16:23 ↗ capital planning that we're doing

1:16:25 ↗ um to again do it with quality and do it

1:16:29 ↗ really really well

1:16:32 ↗ so that's it for me um throw in a very

1:16:36 ↗ exciting um maternity leave and um as

1:16:40 ↗ we're working around what that'll look

1:16:42 ↗ like uh for a number of months heading

1:16:45 ↗ into the year

1:16:46 ↗ too exciting 2025

1:16:50 ↗ add thank you

1:16:55 ↗ to my report be a couple sentences but

1:16:59 ↗ um we

1:17:02 ↗ uh um Brenda Spears has resigned from

1:17:08 ↗ her position and so uh we'll be looking

1:17:12 ↗ to fill that I guess when this spring

1:17:14 ↗ when

1:17:15 ↗ we typically recruit people but uh point

1:17:20 ↗ there is it's not too early to start

1:17:22 ↗ thinking about people you might reach

1:17:23 ↗ out to if you know them

1:17:25 ↗ and uh go from there and I don't know if

1:17:28 ↗ there's anything you would like to add

1:17:29 ↗ to that yeah I can add Brenda really

1:17:32 ↗ enjoyed her time with the board wanted

1:17:33 ↗ to say thank you was not looking forward

1:17:37 ↗ to leaving but made it this decision to

1:17:39 ↗ to resign at the end of last year um and

1:17:43 ↗ we'll you know still be involved in park

1:17:46 ↗ things obviously um but just needed to

1:17:50 ↗ make that change um so we will be

1:17:52 ↗ recruiting for her position

1:17:55 ↗ as well as Nicholas's position that was

1:17:57 ↗ vacated earlier um within this next sort

1:18:01 ↗ of recruitment cycle so I have a couple

1:18:03 ↗ of things in other business if you have

1:18:05 ↗ more for your report that I can that's

1:18:08 ↗ it for me oh um uh going other business

1:18:12 ↗ anyone anything okay so I have two um uh

1:18:17 ↗ recruitment cycle is going to be

1:18:19 ↗ starting for this next group of

1:18:22 ↗ positions so we will will potentially

1:18:26 ↗ have a few positions that are up for um

1:18:31 ↗ uh either if the the person wants to

1:18:35 ↗ reapply um or we have these other two

1:18:37 ↗ positions that are already currently

1:18:40 ↗ vacated that we'll be recruiting for um

1:18:43 ↗ that process will start I believe at the

1:18:47 ↗ or already at the end of January so I'm

1:18:49 ↗ going to say beginning of February um

1:18:51 ↗ the application will be available for

1:18:54 ↗ folks that are interested in joining to

1:18:57 ↗ apply you all have been through that

1:18:59 ↗ process so you know what that looks and

1:19:01 ↗ feels like um and as Chris mentioned if

1:19:04 ↗ you have neighbors or friends or folks

1:19:06 ↗ that you've been connecting with that

1:19:08 ↗ you think might be good fits for the

1:19:09 ↗ board by all means please do direct them

1:19:12 ↗ to that or if they have questions you

1:19:14 ↗ can direct them to myself and Jeff and

1:19:16 ↗ we can have a a really you know informal

1:19:18 ↗ conversation with them ahead of time if

1:19:20 ↗ they have questions before applying um

1:19:22 ↗ but that process will kick off in

1:19:24 ↗ February

1:19:25 ↗ the application is usually open for

1:19:27 ↗ about a month and then in March um we

1:19:30 ↗ will sort of review those applications

1:19:33 ↗ and who put parkboard first second or

1:19:36 ↗ third as their options and sort of go

1:19:38 ↗ through that and reach out to have um

1:19:40 ↗ conversations and what we call

1:19:43 ↗ interviews but I like to think of them

1:19:44 ↗ as just conversations with folks to

1:19:47 ↗ gauge their interest um with that

1:19:51 ↗ happening in March typically we have

1:19:54 ↗ panel of parkboard members that are part

1:19:57 ↗ of that

1:19:58 ↗ conversation um it's usually our chair

1:20:02 ↗ Chris and vice chair Marlene um and then

1:20:05 ↗ one other parkboard member um so if

1:20:09 ↗ there's anyone that is interested in

1:20:11 ↗ serving that role has some flexibility

1:20:13 ↗ those meetings

1:20:15 ↗ typically we probably have four or five

1:20:18 ↗ of those conversations I would say in

1:20:20 ↗ each recruitment cycle um and they can

1:20:23 ↗ range from you know try not to make too

1:20:25 ↗ many of them during the work day if we

1:20:27 ↗ can sort of put them in the evening

1:20:29 ↗ because these are mostly evening

1:20:31 ↗ commitments anyway um but just something

1:20:34 ↗ to to think about in your schedules if

1:20:36 ↗ you're interested in participating in

1:20:38 ↗ that panel let me know you can reach out

1:20:40 ↗ by email I'm not soliciting right now in

1:20:42 ↗ this meeting um and then yeah come April

1:20:48 ↗ those positions that are ending will end

1:20:51 ↗ so April will be sort of the the last

1:20:53 ↗ meeting of this whole group um

1:20:57 ↗ potentially and then in May is when new

1:21:00 ↗ members will start so fingers crossed

1:21:03 ↗ I'll be here for that first meeting and

1:21:06 ↗ the new members but also maybe not um so

1:21:10 ↗ um Jeff might be welcoming our new

1:21:13 ↗ members um this summer but yeah that

1:21:17 ↗ that is happening um so that's my first

1:21:20 ↗ one so just be thinking about that who

1:21:23 ↗ you might want to tap in your networks

1:21:26 ↗ um and if you yourself are are in one of

1:21:29 ↗ those positions that's reoccurring I

1:21:30 ↗ think I've already reached out to

1:21:31 ↗ everybody and heard from I think we're

1:21:33 ↗ good um and then the other item that I

1:21:37 ↗ wanted to share with everybody and I I

1:21:39 ↗ haven't sent an email yet because I

1:21:40 ↗ don't like to send you too many emails

1:21:42 ↗ but I will send one tomorrow um there is

1:21:46 ↗ a strategic task force that the mayor is

1:21:48 ↗ putting together um regarding facility

1:21:52 ↗ um usage and needs and so there's an

1:21:55 ↗ opportunity for you all as parkboard

1:21:58 ↗ members to serve on that strategic task

1:22:01 ↗ force there have been a few strategic

1:22:03 ↗ task force here at the city um and

1:22:07 ↗ sometimes we have parkboard

1:22:09 ↗ representation sometimes we don't so I

1:22:11 ↗ will say that I think it's always good

1:22:13 ↗ to have that perspective from this board

1:22:17 ↗ um if anyone has that ability and time

1:22:21 ↗ to um serve on that

1:22:25 ↗ particular item um I will send an email

1:22:29 ↗ that has all the details sort of how

1:22:31 ↗ much more of a time commitment it is how

1:22:34 ↗ many times they're thinking of meeting

1:22:35 ↗ and sort of the scope of what they're

1:22:37 ↗ they're looking at but I did want to

1:22:39 ↗ make mention of

1:22:42 ↗ that just to add a note to thank you for

1:22:44 ↗ mentioning out something and yeah the

1:22:46 ↗ email will will spill it out but just

1:22:48 ↗ finer Point uh the mayor is really

1:22:51 ↗ wanting a a significant Siz community

1:22:54 ↗ group

1:22:55 ↗ um of of you know resident

1:22:58 ↗ Representatives uh to help really look

1:23:00 ↗ specifically at not just facilities in

1:23:02 ↗ general but a general government

1:23:04 ↗ facility City Hall what do we as a city

1:23:06 ↗ want to

1:23:07 ↗ do about a city hall um it's it's been a

1:23:12 ↗ significant question mark in this town

1:23:15 ↗ for a long long

1:23:17 ↗ time very important question that needs

1:23:20 ↗ to be

1:23:21 ↗ answered actually already applied to

1:23:23 ↗ that

1:23:27 ↗ great look at that great that's

1:23:31 ↗ fantastic right well for others I will

1:23:34 ↗ send it if there's more that are

1:23:36 ↗ interested

1:23:42 ↗ absolutely those are my two

1:23:46 ↗ items

1:23:48 ↗ yeah big thank youti I'm sorry Chris uh

1:23:52 ↗ the park board I did mention on my the

1:23:55 ↗ director's report uh Park Board work

1:23:58 ↗ plan um is also in the agenda packet as

1:24:01 ↗ we've did uh last year uh that'll be

1:24:04 ↗ something that'll just be we might not

1:24:06 ↗ reference it every meeting but it's

1:24:08 ↗ there for you to take a look um sort of

1:24:10 ↗ what we've been covering if you want to

1:24:12 ↗ do a look ahead as well thank you Chris

1:24:15 ↗ and Marlene we meet monthly with Chris

1:24:17 ↗ and Marlene to sort of fill agenda and

1:24:20 ↗ try to look not only at that that

1:24:21 ↗ upcoming meeting but a couple meetings

1:24:23 ↗ ahead um buty thank you for putting that

1:24:27 ↗ work plan together it's really

1:24:31 ↗ good just real quick I will be absent

1:24:34 ↗ the next

1:24:35 ↗ meeting so we'll need a substitute chair

1:24:39 ↗ that hard to do but

1:24:41 ↗ somebody and we have any other business

1:24:45 ↗ or

1:24:47 ↗ announcements okay next meeting is

1:24:49 ↗ February 24th and with that we adjourned

1:24:53 ↗ at 8:2

1:25:07 ↗ thanks everybody

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