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Parks Comm PKT 08-04-2005 Litli CITY OF FEDERAL WAY PARKS, RECREATION AND CULTURAL SERVICES PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION Thursday, August 4, 2005 Hylebos Conference Room 6:00 p.m. City Hall AGENDA I. Public Forum II. Approval of Minutes III. Commission Business A. Cabin/Park Design Review /Action Sanders IV. Staff Reports A. Fundraising Campaign Information Faber B. Community Center Update Information Sanders C. Camp Kilworth Infoimation Memo D. French Lake Park Information Sanders E. Downtown Park Information Sanders F. Comprehensive Park, Recreation and Open Space Plan Sanders VIII. Pending Items A. All -City Parks Clean -Up Day B. Special Use Permit Policies C. Lakota/Sacajawea Master Plans (presentation in September) D. Field Scheduling Meeting Report IX. PRHSPS Council Committee Meeting Monday, August 8, 2005 at 5:30 p.m., Hylebos Conference Room X. Next Meeting/Agenda Items /Calendar XI. Adjournment Any questions pertaining to the agenda, please call B. Sanders @253/835 -6912 PRCS Director Donna Hanson is on vacation NEXT MEETING IS SEPTEMBER 1, 2005 • CITY OF FEDERAL WAY PARKS, RECREATION AND CULTURAL SERVICES PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION Thursday, June 2, 2005 Hylebos Conference Room 6 :00 p.m. City Hall MINUTES Chair Purdom called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. Present: Chair C. T. Purdom, Vice Chair George Pfeiffer, Ade Bright, Don Dennis, Cindy Dodge, Joe Henry, Fred Konkell and Marie Sciacqua. Excused: Joel Howitt and Tom Medhurst. Unexcused: David Talcott. Staff: PRCS Director Donna Hanson, Parks Operations Superintendent Kurt Reuter, Recreation and Cultural Services Superintendent Mary Faber, Parks Planning and Development Coordinator Betty Sanders and Administrative Assistant Peggy Wright. Guest: Jeanne Burbidge, City Council member. Konkel moved: Pfeiffer seconded motion to approve the amended May meeting minutes. Motion passed unanimously. PUBLIC FORUM In Attendance: H. David Kaplan, Laureen Walker, Mary Ehlis, Barbara Reid, Bob Kellogg, Tanury Lindsley, James P. Waller, Janet Honan, Sandra Kelley, Shaun Kelley, Bethany Imke, Scott Penwell, Jerrie Loues, Harrell Hurst, Sally Hurst, James Lessler, Marylyn Gates, Nancy Chapman, Julie Seitz, Robert Wright, Mary Wright, Stephanie Spena, Mark Wolfram, Steven Comm, Rose Moor, Kevin Morris, Danina Mackenzie, Catherine Sommer, Mr. and Mrs. Don Hicks, Elaine Lessler and Sophia Wolfram. H. David Kaplan and Barbara Reid — They were pleased at having geologist Margaret Nelson in discussions with Lakehaven Utility District concerning development of French Lake Park. They are supportive of developing the park for neighborhood use rather than as the "unofficial" off -leash dog park. Kaplan reminded the people in attendance who continue to use French Lake as an off -leash dog area, that they are breaking the law in doing such. Reid stated that French Lake Park has become a private club for dog - owners. Mary Ehlis — She prepared a visual display on the amenities of Camp Kilworth. She stated that it belongs to the Boys Scouts who are looking to sell and have had one contractor offer $3.2 million. She asked that the City pursue options to purchase this site with a deadline of June 15` to respond to the Scout organization. Tammy Lindsley, Rose Moor, Harrell Hurst, Julie Seitz, Janet Honan, Sophia Wolfram, Nancy Chapman, Scott Penwell, Shaun Kelly, Linda Hickling, Sally Hurst, James Lessler, Kevn Morris, Catherine Sommer, Danina Mackenzie, Mark Wolfram, Marylyn Gates — They spoke in support of continued use of French Lake Park as the "unofficial" off -leash dog park. Ms. Lindsley distributed a letter submitted to the PRHSPS Council Committee with signatures of dog - owners supporting re- designation of French Lake Park as an off -leash pet area. Chair Purdom declared a five- minute recess due to the length of Public Forum. COMMISSION BUSINESS Pfeiffer moved: Henry seconded motion to move Staff Report, Item (B) Fundraising Campaign report ahead of Commission Business to accommodate staff time restraints. Motion approved. Fundraising Campaign — Superintendent Faber reported that City Council approved the fundraising proposal and has given authorization to move forward with the campaign. She said the committee is working with Chris Bush from the NW Parks Foundation and her services have been retained to get the campaign started. Faber discussed available dates that staff and commissioners could meet with her to begin launching the information phase of the campaign. Special Use Permit Policies — Super tendent P endent Reuter distributed a Special Use Permit pplication to commissioners to review for discussion and amendments. Reuter would like to see the guidelines in place for the 2006 season since 2005 is in full -swing and several permits have already been issued. He discussed the various Special Use Permit applications that the Parks department receives yearly, how applications are becoming more frequent and complex in nature. He stated that neighborhood parks have not been considered in the past because they are not equipped to handle larger groups of people or parking needs. The City has four (4) community parks that Special Use Permits could utilize — Lakota, Saghalie, Sacajawea and Steel Lake. No Special Use Permits for large picnics /concerts have been issued for Celebration Park because of the high use as a sports facility and lack of large group picnic areas. Issues to address are the amount of time requested for events, size of the park, requested amenities, number of attendees at the event, noise levels, parking availability, etc. Dennis suggested that athletic fields in community parks be exempt from rental as part of the event permit unless for that specific sport to minimize field damage. Another suggestion was that staff do a "worksheet" on the four community parks defining maximum attendance, available parking, play structures, sports fields, covered picnic areas, bathroom accommodations, etc., and use this information in setting guidelines for a Special Use Permit. Superintendent Reuter will e -mail a draft document to commissioners to review and critique prior to the August 4th meeting. STAFF REPORTS Community Center Update — B. Sanders distributed the bid opening results for the Community Center. There were five bidders with Absher Construction submitting low bid. Fundraising Campaign — see report under Commission Business. Lake Killarney Gate Closure — Superintendent Reuter reported that he has not received any calls from neighborhood residents or park users since the gate was shut and locked. The gate was locked to help eliminate illegal activities, painting of graffiti, vandalism and dumping of trash. Lakota /Sacajawea Master Plan Update — Chair Purdom said this topic would be moved to the August agenda. Downtown Park — Director Donna Hanson reported that a draft scope of services is with a subcontractor of the Leland Group. A public process is suggested with public meetings or workshop to collect ideas from residents and the business community on what they would like to see in a downtown park area. Camp Kilworth — Director Hanson said she has received direction to research Camp Kilworth for funding options to purchase, development of site and legal stipulations on property use. Pfeiffer said there is limited access to the waterfront from the property plus the structures on site are in bad repair and would take major funding to meet code. Dennis moved: Bright seconded a motion to forward to Council Committee a recommendation that the Parks and Recreation Commission favors and encourages the acquisition of Camp Kilworth. Motion passed unanimously. French Lake Park — B. Sanders distributed information and reported on the chronology of events detailing the history of the City's ownership of French Lake Park. It was purchased January 15, 1991 by the City of Federal Way, Lakehaven Utility District and the Federal Way Fire District. In 1997, the Fire District sold their parcel to Lakehaven Utility District. The City of Federal Way and Lakehaven divided the property equally in to 4.68 acre parcels. Sanders said the City would need to confer with Lakehaven on any proposed development of the park . She said there are three options for French Lake Park: (1) develop site, (2) re- establish as a off -leash dog park, or (3) sell property to Lakehaven Utility District. Sanders also reminded commissioners that it is time to start meeting on the 6 -Year Comprehensive Park, Recreation and Open Space Plan. Chair Purdom will attend the PRHSPS council Committee meeting on Monday, June 13 PENDING ITEMS All -City Parks Clean -Up Day NEXT MEETING /AGENDA ITEMS Lakota /Sacajawea Master Plan Update Special Use Permit Policies (draft) Community Center Update Fundraising Campaign 6 -Year Comprehensive Plan (B. to schedule calender) French Lake Park Camp Kilworth Downtown Park Field Scheduling Meeting Report (Pfeiffer) ADJOURNMENT Chair Purdom adjourned the meeting at 8:55 p.m. • _ ' U1 n i L s JUL 28 2005 June 30, 2005 city Cii7-%3 Gri:ce City of t..:ieral 'r'V'3Y C.T. Purdom, Chairman City of Federal Way Park and Recreation Commission 33325 8 Avenue South Federal Way, WA. 98003 Dear C.T. It is with a great deal of sadness that I tender my resignation to the City of Federal Way Park and Recreation Commission. The reason for this resignation is that I am relocating outside the City limits of Federal Way. The key criterion for commission eligibility is City residence. I will truly miss our lively discussions and honest debate, especially during this very exciting time when a seemingly myriad of development opportunities is presenting themselves. Not since my military days have I seen such genuine leadership and responsible management. Rest assured the citizens of Federal Way are getting their monies worth. Thank you for the opportunity to serve. R spectfully, oe He ry • C� CM ACM O tt C -1) • • MEMO To: Parks Commission From: Donna Hanson, Director Date: 7/26/05 Subject: Camp Kilworth update City Council recently asked staff to request a time extension from the Boy Scouts so the City could conduct it's due diligence on the Camp Kilworth property with the intent on entering into good faith negotiations with the Scouts for the purchase of the property. With the agreement of the housing developer, John Norris, who had a binding purchase and sale agreement with the Boy Scouts for the property, the Scouts provided the City a three month time period to conclude our due diligence and finalize negotiations. This extension concludes on September 14, 2005. To assist the City with our due diligence, we have engaged the services of an environmental consulting firm and an appraiser. We anticipate receiving a report from the environmental firm in late July and from the appraiser in early August. Once we have this information we will engage the Boy Scouts in a negotiation of the fair market value for the property. We know that Mr. Norris has offered the Boy Scouts a purchase price of between $3.2 million and $3.8 million depending on how many buildable lots he is able to receive through a rezone of the property. As of this date no further meetings have been scheduled with the Boy Scouts. 1 t 4 A ;? IDA NI G E R t. _______________ _ ____________ • I i n the Dogpark Lack of safety concerns_ could spell peril for your dogpark pooches. By Clare Leschin -Hoar hree times a week, Joel Miller and his dog Char- roughly 10 new ones opening each month across the -!:;2- lie, a Maltese- Japanese Chin mix, would head to United States — increased park use by uninformed pet the nearby dogpark for a romp. Small, fluffy and owners could easily boost that figure in the future. k. the color of champagne, Charlie's sunny disposi- Jim Schutz, assistant city manager in Pinole, Calif., says tion made him a favorite personality among the such safety concerns prompted his community to add a park's regulars. small clog enclosure to an already existing dogpark that ;v But frequently, Miller would arrive at the PETsMART© was not previously separated. Dog Park at Washington Park in Phoenix, Ariz., and the "The safety issue was very significant to us. We didn't small dog enclosure would be vacant. Searching for a play- want problems of larger dogs harming smaller dogs at our mate for Charlie, Miller knew the large dog enclosure park," says Schutz. "[Nearby] San Ramon actually had an would guarantee a pal, so without hesitation, Miller rou- incident of a dog being killed or injured. We didn't want to tinely brought Charlie inside. be one of the cities that put in a separate dogpark because That habit proved fatal for the 1- year -old dog, when he of an accident. But it's a trend that cities are putting in playfully approached a Rottweiler being held on a leash by smaller dogpark space." a woman who was not a regular park visitor. David Urbinato, spokesman for the Phoenix Parks & "She said, 'You better move him away,' and I said 'You Recreation Department, says Miller's experience illustrates , l shouldn't have a dog in here that you can't turn loose, – why his department strongly encourages people to use says Miller. small dog areas. But despite the fact that rules are often A short time later, the Rottweiler, now off - leash, picked clearly posted at off -leash areas, parks are most often self- up Charlie by his middle and crushed his back, leaving him governed, and new users occasionally make bad choices. r dead. "Dog owners are supposed to be in constant control of _ Today, Miller is an outspoken advocate of using separate their animals, but that only gets them half way," says - enclosures for large and small dog breeds, but at the time of Urbinato. __ r = Charlie's death, he says he simply was naive. When trouble occurs between clogs and /or their owners, "We never thought of things like that," says Miller. "Now it can be confusing for park users and officials to •1 < :now we go exclusively to the little dogpark, and we have taught who's ultimately in charge. ' many people over at the big dogpark ... convincing them to Urbinato says his department is currently working with z- bring their clogs over." animal care and control officials, park and recreation staff Charlie was just one of nearly two dozen known similar and park rangers to clarify who has authority of the off= `i incidents at off -leash parks nationwide since .January 2004. leash area; when it is appropriate to call on the different a, With an estimated 2,000 existing dogparks, plus the officials; and clarification of what resources are out there , �„ = w w w . n r p a . o r g PARKS&RECREATION A J U L Y 2 0 0 5 5 7 • • for the dog owners should trouble occur. His department Another badly needed safety improvement revolves currently oversees four off - leash areas, with a fifth one open- around well- thought entrances and exits, says Zardus. ing soon. "One of the most useful things a parks official can do to "Talk amongst yourselves," Urbinato advises park man- make the dogpark safer is to have a separate, double -gated agers. "We continue to do that now and share experiences entrance and exit," he says. within our system. Identify Problem areas and potential Dogs routinely charge the entrance to greet the newest problem areas. Just talk." pooch. For a newcomer, clogs packing up around them can Word of pet fatalities or injuries to humans, combined trigger fear or chaos. "If you can take dogs out the separate with more experience with dogpark operations, has gate, it makes Less congestion," says Zardus. "Parks doing prompted parks officials to embrace several new trends in that are making it a lot safer for dogs and owners." park safety. Marcia Barkley, president of the Fair Oaks Responsible William Zardus, moderator of Dog Park National News, Dog Owners Group (FORDOG) in Fair Oaks, Calif., agrees. an Internet group tracking dogpark trends, says the hottest "Too many dogparks have a very small entrance area. It's safety trend today is the development of off -leash areas with too small and the dogs feel trapped and confined. They're three separate enclosures —one area for small dogs and two getting charged when they come into the park," she says. for large breeds. While the entrance's physical size is important, Tom The benefits include less crowding in the large dog sec- Swigart, parks and recreation commissioner for Northville, tions, the ability to rotate enclosu+es (giving the land a_ - Mich., says his departtuaat -uae -the- entrance as a way to chance to recover if overused or if the area has erosion control park use, and issues electronic access keys to paid issues), and an extra enclosure allows park users a place to park users. retreat should an aggressive dog be brought to the park, or Annual passes cost $35 per year for the first dog and $10 a place for a problem dog to be placed if the owner refuses , per additional dog. Users must attend an information ses- to leave. sion where park rules and procedures are reviewed. But the biggest benefit, says Swigart, is that each electronic key is coded individually. A QUICK, EASY WAY TO KEEP YOUR PARKS AND "So if there was an issue with a particular user, you can PATHWAYS CLEAN.....AND FREE OF PET WASTE deactivate that key," Swigart says. "We did it mostly for con - trol. We want to know that everyone in the park is up to s t or date with shots and that [pet] behavior is controlled. It ® makes the users and the neighbors feel more comfortable." Since ' • s ° According to Zardus, there are only about 15 dogparks in 4 f FOR PEO eu 1993 PORPEOPIE the country currently using electronic access cards to regu- AND PLANET late entry into a dogpark. Half of those are installed at pri- "The Responsible Thing To Doe vate dogparks, whose owners have more concern about Parks, cities and homeowners associations across safety and legal issues than public parks. Electronic cards the country provide Pet Pick as an easy and are also the easiest way to enforce user fees, for communities inexpensive way to enourage dog owners to pick up after that collect them. their pets. The dark green, mitt - like bags, "The parks that have taken this extra step for safety, usu- made of reprocessed plastic and cornstarch are available ally have a policy in place that clearly defines unacceptable in wickets of 50 , Fa.Sy to install in lockable dispenser behavior and how it will be dealt with," explains Zardus. boxes that are made of recycled plastic lumber.... "Those two things together make it much safer for the vast attractive and suitable to any park setting. majority of dog owners with nice dogs." DISPOSABLE, DEGRADABLE MITTS The presence of children at the dogpark is another safety WITH HANDY FOLD - LOCK TOPS... hot- button, and rules vary drastically across the country — For information please contact us at: from no mention of age requirements to strict enforcement (30343.8914 FAX (303) 443 -0414 and possible fines should young children be present inside wwwpetpick ups,com e jiIlepetpick ups.com the off - leash area. "We do not have an age limit," says LaVonne LaFave, � 0 dsi , dogpark coordinator for the parks division in Madison, Wis. f � ' I TR ■ f ' i ,, e "We ask people to use their common sense, and we have not Colorado 80306 had any incidence where children have been injured because P.O. Box 1035, Boulder, of a dog." PLEASE CIRCLE READER SERVICE CARD No. 26 Dave McDowell, assistant director for Community w ww. n rPa. o'rg 58 PARKS &RECREATION 46 JULY 2005 ' , Y ,. _ ' { �r - X 14 ' -f y .i c^ .. � ..�15 s Services in Chandler, Ariz., says hi K i -i . r WR-A: _ community adopted i regulation ; January that prohibits children from ' r under the age of 12 to be inside the � r ` off-leash area entirely. While no one �, " " V i 4 2 g x has been cited since the law went into u = 3 effect, the fine can reach up to $500 �' < per violation. - i i As much as we like to think that - -- parents watch their children, they get r <'�$ :,� talking with other people, or get in- t �� volved in what the dogs are doing, and -4 ' 3 , �° r they're not watching the children," f says McDowell. We had a lot of trou- , `: ble [determining] the age ... 10 or 15, ,�,' i , . 1 i t 1 1 1 1 H i , we didn't know. But we had some inci- q , q ,p:? 1t1 a {,�.::, 'ii�,� a \ =� i , :.; dents where kids were knocked down !Ark t or bitten, or had gotten in the tniddle �. of a dog fight. -g, mili "Like any specialized area in a park, - I `' you have to go with what's best for the { " "" "' predominate users for that area, and "' we felt like that's what we did," he says. Improving dogpark safety can also Are you searching for a Order your copy of mean attention to a variety of details. If you're creating a new dogpark, make it - as large as you possibly can. Many offi- go-to g u' d e �i cials recommend two or more acres if possible. that speaks to the overall "Anything smaller than an acre al- management of park and most becomes a built -in problem," says Barkley. "Dogs need space to get away recreation agencies and from each other when they feel trapped the issues that they face? today. or cornered." Place watering stations, wading pools and shade structures opposite the dogpark's entrance. This helps re- duce the rush to greet new dogs, and This enhanced second edition pro- Visit the NRPA Store at www.nrpa.org vides expanded chapters, new sec- or call 866.538.1926 to reserve your can help with erosion issues. tions and a two -part compendium copy today. Consider adding lighting for ex- with CD -ROM featuring sample mas- tended evening hours—particularly for Management text only: P Y Y ter plans, budgets and case studies wint p g es. er months, when daylight hours Retail $95, NRPA member $7o are short. Management of Park and Recreation Agencies is an essential addition to Compendium text and CD-ROM only: Another boost to park safety is part- Retail $8o, NRPA member $55 Hering with community dogpark advo- a professional's desk, student's refer- Cates. ence collection or agency library, and Two - volume set with CD -ROM is hailed as a proficient classroom (1o% discount): Retail $ "Having a community group, such training tool as well as a great re- g g NRPA member $112.5o as ours, there on a regular basis, makes source for agencies looking to be- people feel welcome," says Barkley. come accredited via the Commission "One thing we've noticed, is that once for Accreditation of Park and Recrea- - people feel like it is their dogpark, they tion Agencies. • take responsibility for what happens and they watch their dogs." w w w. n r p a. o r g - - P A R F S& R E C R E A r l 0 h' -_ J U L Y ? 0 0 5 5 9