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Parks Comm MINS 09-04-2008CITY OF FEDERAL WAY PARKS, RECREATION AND CULTURAL SERVICES PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION Thursday, September 4, 2008 Hylebos Conference Room 6:00 p.m. City Hall MINUTES Chair Konkell called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. Present: Chair Fred Konkell, Vice Chair Marie Sciacqua, Brian Ailinger, Cindy Dodge, Carol Otto and George Pfeiffer. Newly-appointed commissioners Scott Chafee and Mody Catahan were in attendance. Excused: Chris Hash. Staff: PRCS Director Donna Hanson, Parks and Facilities Manager Steve Ikerd and Administrative Assistant Peggy Wright. Guests: Lois Watt, Pete Stobart, Rebecca Watling, Marcia Person-Johnson and Matt Weinberger. Sciacqua moved: Otto seconded motion to approve August meeting minutes as written. Motion passed unanimously. PUBLIC FORUM Lois Watt – Ms. Watt is the Laurelwood Association secretary and wanted to offer support to the request to transfer the 17 acre property to the City of Federal Way. The association is not able to maintain the property nor pay the annual property taxes. The taxes are in arrears to 2006 per the King County Assessors office. Pete Stobart – Mr. Stobart wanted to “echo” Ms. Watt’s sentiments on the transfer of the park property to the City. He has lived in the development for many years with his children being active users in their youth. Rebecca Watling – Ms. Watling is the President of the Laurelwood Community Association and has lived there since 1992. She said a “volunteer” project would be beneficial for cleaning up the property and she would assist City staff with planning and getting neighborhood participation. Matt Weinberger – Mr. Weinberger mentioned security risks being an issue. He has observed drug use, underage drinking, trespass to private property and other illegal activity on the park property. COMMISSION BUSINESS Chair and Vice Chair Elections – Chair Konkell opened nominations for the commission chair and vice chair positions. Ailinger nominated Konkell with Pfeiffer seconding the motion and closing nominations. Motion passed by acclamation. Sciacqua nominated Ailinger for Vice Chair with Pfeiffer seconding the motion and closing nominations. Motion passed by acclamation. STAFF REPORTS CIP (Capital Improvement Plan) – Director Hanson said there were no changes in the CIP document from the last two meetings and in the past, has not been voted on by the commission. It will go to the City Council for funding each item, whether planning, design or construction. Dodge asked about the reallocation of some of the funding, i.e., playground replacement/improvement funding. Replacement costs have risen considerably but budgeted dollars have not increased in years. Pfeiffer asked for the CIP document to show project costs and be distributed at the October Parks and Recreation Commission meeting. He also inquired if funds would be generated for the dog park in the next budget cycle. Hanson said those monies could come out of the Community Gathering allocated funds. Celebration Park Building Update – Ikerd reported that the storage building for Celebration Park received a successful bid for supply, install and cement pad package. The hope is that it can be installed by winter. There were fourteen interested vendors with three of them submitting bids for the project. The total, with tax and upgraded insulation, is $168,000 and will go to the Council Committee next week then City Council for approval to proceed with contract. Parks and Recreation Commission, September 4, 2008 Page 2 STAFF REPORTS (CONTINUED) Laurelwood Park – Director Hanson said no recommendation would be forwarded to Council Committee on this topic yet. Staff is still compiling information on the property and researching funding/budget sources if the property were assumed. If the City did assume the property, it is estimated that clean-up costs alone would range from $300,000-$500,000. All playground equipment would need to be removed since it does not meet safety requirements. A Master Plan would need to be done before moving in to the planning/design stage. Information from the King County Assessors office states the property will go to auction in 2009 for back taxes. Ikerd reported per Planning Department information, that the property falls under the R-7200 zoning code. He distributed a site map stating the total area as 16.6 acres consisting of 11.6 acres of wetland, 3.35 acres of wetland setback area and 1.65 acres of usable acreage. Ikerd estimated an approximate cost of $50,000 yearly for basic maintenance – mowing and garbage collection. Association Secretary Lois Watt offered the balance of their treasury of $144.00 to go to the City towards the maintenance cost amid laughter. Ikerd said an official survey would need to be completed to determine accurate wetland areas. Hanson said they will work with the City Planning Department to see how much is usable and if there is sufficient land to be sold to a developer for residential homes. West Campus Trail and Tree Cutting (added to agenda by Ikerd) – Ikerd distributed a map of the areas affected by the trimming along the West Campus Trail. There are a lot of cottonwoods that need to be removed as hazardous trees which are also damaging the trail surface. Pfeiffer asked if planting would be 2 for 1 replacement because of the ratio of trees that die. Ikerd said they would probably overplant but not quite the 2 for 1 ratio. Pfeiffer moved with Ailinger seconding the motion to make a recommendation to the Council Committee to remove cottonwood trees in and around trail areas. Motion passed unanimously. NEW BUSINESS Chair Konkell introduced and welcomed two new commissioners in attendance, Scott Chaffee and Modesto “Mody” Catahan. Chaffee said he was born and raised in Federal Way, runs the BPA Trail often and is familiar with the City parks. Mody Catahan has lived in Federal Way for ten years. He is an architect and originally from the Philippines. Chair Konkell said he was in Victoria B.C. and drove by a Skate Park, decorated with “graffiti”. He inquired if that might be an option for our parks to discourage graffiti in the parks with paint we would supply. Discussion followed on a report from the Parks and Recreation magazine of a study that was done and it was not beneficial or made a difference in the long run to accommodate this type of “art” Pfeiffer said three of the cities – Phoenix, San Antonio and Houston – did note a difference in graffiti but the tagging got worse and it became territorial/gang related issues. Pfeiffer asked whether staff could investigate egress/regress on two sides or better to the Laurelwood property. The four issues associated with the property are parking, safety, maintenance and usability of less than 2 acres when the property is almost 17 acres. Pfeiffer questioned the wetland acreage with Ikerd saying an evaluation by experts would need to be done to verify it accurately. Chair Konkell thanked Cindy Dodge for her almost 6 years of service on the Parks and Recreation Commission as this will be her last meeting. PENDING ITEMS No pending items at this time. NEXT MEETING Newly-elected Vice Chair Brian Ailinger will chair the October meeting in Chair Fred Konkell’s absence. Laurelwood Park Commission Orientation CIP/Costs per Project Celebration Park Building Update Saghalie Fence Status Saghalie Field Turf Warranty ADJOURNMENT Chair Konkell adjourned the meeting at 7:35 p.m.