PRHSPSC MINS 01-08-2001
City of Federal Way
City Council
PARKS, RECREATION, HUMAN SERVICES & PUBLIC SAFETY COUNCIL COMMITTEE
Monday, January 8, 2001
12:00 p.m.
SUMMARY
In attendance: Council Committee members Jeanne Burbidge, Dean McColgan, Mary Gates; Deputy Mayor Linda
Kochmar; David Moseley, City Manager; Pat Richardson, Assistant City Attorney; Ann Guenther, Human Services
Manager; Dan Coulombe, Public Safety; Greg Fewins, Principal Planner; Jennifer Schroder, Director of Parks,
Recreation and Cultural Services; Mary Faber, Recreation & Cultural Services Superintendent; Kurt Reuter, Parks
Maintenance and Operations Superintendent; Steve Ikerd, Property Services Manager; Marj Currie-Hicks,
Administrative Assistant.
Guests: David Kaplan, Bob Kellogg, Kevin King, Eric Olsen, Joanne Piquette, Barbara Reid.
Chair Burbidge called the meeting to order at 12:03 p.m.
PUBLIC FORUM
Joann Piquette reported that the Arts Commission is in the process of finalizing their 2001 Arts Commission Work
Plan.
APPROVAL OF SUMMARY
MARY GATES AND DEAN MCCOLGAN MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE THE
DECEMBER 11, 2000 MEETING SUMMARY AS WRITTEN. MOTION PASSED.
BUSINESS ITEMS
Volunteer Use Agreement/Banner:
Jennifer Schroder presented the Volunteer Use Agreement for the Celebration Park Banners. This included an
exhibit with dimensions, themes, and where donor recognition name would be. The Friends of Federal Way would
obtain donors to fund the banners. The City would contract with a vendor to design five banners as described in the
exhibit and bring these designs forward to Council for approval.
Council Member McColgan asked if the money raised would go towards items in Celebration Park. Schroder replied
that the funds would go into an account to go towards enhancement of the play area. Staff would work with the
community and Parks Council Committee. The agreement has been reviewed by Legal. McColgan asked if this
playground equipment was in the original Master Plan for Celebration Park. Schroder responded the additional
playground equipment was included in the original architectural design. Reid said the letters for the volunteer names
on the banner were originally shown as 3” high, but now need to be reduced to 2” due to space limitations.
MCCOLGAN AND GATES MOVED AND SECONDED A MOTION TO FORWARD THE VOLUNTEER
USE AGREEMENT FOR THE CELEBRATION PARK BANNERS TO FULL COUNCIL FOR CONSENT
ON JANUARY 16, 2001. MOTION PASSED.
Celebration Park Master Plan Review:
Jennifer Schroder mentioned that Jon Jainga gave a presentation to the Parks Commission on January 4, 2001 on the
Celebration Park Master Plan including the development of the Master Plan. Schroder said the initial plan included
five acres for a future performance center and provided for a connection to South 333rd Street. The Bond initiative
to fund this project failed; however, the Utility Tax was approved and provides for funding of this project. The
1995 plan provided a connection to downtown. When the Master Plan was submitted to the US Army Corps of
Engineers for review, there were constraints set for the 83.5 acres which has seven wetlands and four streams. To fill
.78 acres of wetlands in order to develop the property, five acres of wetlands needed to be replaced at a 3 to 1 ratio.
This left 48 acres as a key piece of preserved native wetlands. It was mandated that 80% of plants would need to
PARKS, RECREATION, HUMAN SERVICES
& PUBLIC SAFETY COUNCIL COMMITTEE
Monday, January 8, 2001 Summary
Page 2
still be there at end of a five-year period. No new structures may be built at this point as any new proposals would
need to go through the US Army Corps of Engineers’ review process as well as the ESA. The proposed batting cage
does not add to the building process as it replaces the maintenance yard. The children’s play area has a soft surface
that is environmentally acceptable. Any new development, such as development of the area south of 333rd, would be
required to go through a review process. Any proposed new development would add a risk factor of time and
review. Greg Fewins, Principal Planner, stated that existing development is not at risk.
Council Member Gates said timing is critical. Any planned project must be functional within the five-year time
period. Items that would require minimal review may be items that could be done within the next three-year period.
Gates suggested optimal calendaring should be looked at, for example, the success of the wetlands. She suggested a
strategy be developed for the long term.
Schroder stated the initial grant excluded the five acres south of 333rd. Kaplan asked if those five acres are to remain
undeveloped. Schroder responded that those five acres would be treated separately.
Committee 2001 Calendar: The meeting regularly scheduled for November 12 will need to be rescheduled at some
time due to the Veteran’s Day holiday.
New Horizon Update: Dan Coulombe, Public Safety, reported that the City of Federal Way is divided into 146
reporting districts and his report today would focus on District 143, which is on the east side of Pacific Highway
South north of 336th. During the year 2000, Public Safety provided 2,649 responses to this area. Of those, 33
incidents generated a police report and these were for prostitution problems in the area of the New Horizon Motel.
Public Safety is boosting their patrols in the parking lots in this area.
McColgan asked if crime activity has decreased since the implementation of the Soap Ordinance.
Coulombe said crime would appear to increase due to tracking, but that crime would either be eliminated or move on
to other locations. Gates asked what is a reasonable timespan for elimination of problems in this area. She stated
too much emphasis could force the problem to relocate elsewhere or to go underground. Coulombe responded the
goal is to remove the problem totally from this city. A timeline cannot be placed at this time. A signal light has
been installed at 330th Street and Pacific Highway to provide a pedestrian crosswalk to eliminate dangerous street
crossings in this area. McColgan asked if the crime problem has been addressed fully enough to satisfy citizen
comments and would alternate methods such as surveillance cameras be helpful. Coulombe responded that thefts
have diminished and surveillance cameras are an option.
Reid stated it appears the problem is the motel and its ownership. She suggested no more vouchers be given to New
Horizon Motel. She mentioned that the graffiti problem is also part of the crime package and that the extension of
330th Street heading toward Celebration Park is a dark area. Coulombe responded to Bob Kellogg’s inquiry that the
New Horizon Motel generates a lot of the problem. Council Member Gates asked if this problem activity could be
monitored over the next couple of months and then dealt with on a business basis. She wants to make sure Public
Safety has all tools needed to ensure that any business that generates crime is addressed. Council Member
McColgan asked for a review and stated Council is here to support Public Safety. Chair Burbidge suggested there
may be some code violations.
NEXT MEETING
February 12, 2001.
ADJOURNMENT
Meeting adjourned at 1:50 p.m.
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