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Parks Comm MINS 02-05-2004CITY OF FEDERAL WAY PARKS, RECREATION AND CULTURAL SERVICES PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION Thursday, February 5, 2004 Council Chambers 6:00 p.m. City Hall MINUTES Chair Purdom called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. Present: C. T. Purdom, Chair, Ade Bright, Don Dennis and George Pfeiffer. Excused: Bill Foulkes, Vice Chair, Cindy Dodge and Joseph Henry. Staff: Jennifer Schroder, PRCS Director, Kurt Reuter, Parks Operations Superintendent and Peg Wright, Parks Operations Administrative Assistant. Guests: Darren Proctor, CFW Parks Maintenance Worker/Bonney Lake Parks and Recreation Commissioner. Dennis moved: Pfeiffer seconded motion to approve the January meeting minutes as written. Motion passed unanimously. NO Public Forum. COMMISSION BUSINESS DeVry University – Steven Pistole and Sarah Munson, students at DeVry University, presented a proposal to replace the existing playground equipment at Steel Lake Park. They have visited the site and noticed that the slide was missing and other components needed repaired or replaced and felt this would be a good “Senior” project. They had considered money-making projects to pay for the replacement structure and felt it a realistic goal to raise $175,000.00 in three (3) months for a new structure. They also did a comparison of materials available by local vendors. Staff and commission feel there is still use in the current structure if the components can be replaced. The issue is that the company, Leathers and Associates, do not have a slide to replace the one damaged yet it must be their product for warranty purposes. Commissioners asked staff if it was their recommendation that the entire structure need replaced at this time. Reuter stated that it is still functional with some repair work having been done. The individual components are expensive to replace when purchased separately per staff contact with Leathers and Associates. Pfeiffer suggested the students look at French Lake Park since it has become a point of interest for amenities and it would give the students the opportunity to work a project from the beginning instead of re-working an existing structure. Coronado Park was another suggestion because it would be a smaller project and possibly better within their scope of work. Discussion will continue next month when the entire commission is in attendance prior to responding to the students. Commission Nomination Process – Reuter reported that the City Clerk’s office will advertise for commission vacancies from March through mid-April with the selection/interviews held in early May. New appointments to the Parks and Recreation Commission would then be made in mid-May. If the commissioners whose terms expire this year wish to reapply, they must complete the application and may have to go through the interview process again, depending on council recommendation. Chair Purdom asked that an application form be sent via e-mail to current commissioners whose terms expire this year – Don Dennis, Bill Foulkes and George Pfeiffer. The question arose when election of officers is to be held for the Parks and Recreation Commission. Pfeiffer read from the commission bylaws that the election is to be held in March and this will be added to the agenda for next month’s meeting. Naming Armstrong/Thompson Properties – Reuter referred to the memorandum in the commission packet, stating that a press release would be published, soliciting names for the properties, then a public meeting held to further acquire names. The commission then reviews the parks names and submits their recommendations to the Council Committee. The press release was reviewed as well as the property description and it was suggested to include a map of the property location on the city website. It was agreed to hold a meeting to review the park name nominations to coincide with the April Parks and Recreation Commission meeting, beginning at 5:30 p.m. Capital Improvement Projects – Schroder distributed a draft calendar for 2004, listing projects in a “to-do” sequence by month, in addition to the Parks and Recreation Commission meetings. She said it looked like a lot on each month through May, but she needs the commission input and involvement for budget preparation on these projects. She must introduce a preliminary budget to the City Manager as early as June so the projects will go sequentially up to that time in the commission agendas. Additional meetings will be needed to meet this deadline and are listed in bold on the calendar. Schroder will update this draft copy and distribute to commissioners with the changes that have been discussed. The tour of parks was discussed with Pfeiffer suggesting it becoming an annual event right after the new commissioners come on board (May). This would give the new commissioners an idea of where each park is located in the city and become familiar with each when discussing play areas, trails, vandalism, etc. STAFF REPORTS Park Impact Fees – Schroder distributed a memo with information on a possible park impact fee for the City of Federal Way. Randy Young of Henderson, Young and Company has assisted several cities in King County and Washington to develop their park impact fees and is available to provide a cursory look at the City’s potential. Staff recommends the commission conduct a workshop, facilitated by a consultant to review and discuss myths/realities of impact fees, alternate methods for obtaining mitigation on parks and recreation resources, park impact fees in other Washington jurisdictions, potential revenue from a impact fee in the City of Federal Way, availability of other revenue for parks, alternate level of service methods, service areas for park impact fees, City growth vis-à-vis Potential Annexation Area and Park Impact Fees vis-à-vis impact fees for transportation and schools. The commission, utilizing the information from the workshop and public comment received, would decide whether to recommend City Council include in their 2005/2006 budget, a request for funding to complete the necessary research, data collection, and analysis to draft a park impact fee ordinance. Schroder said that there are fees associated with this process which would need to be funded and approved by City Council. The workshop with a consultant facilitating would cost about $3,000, which the current budget could absorb as professional services. Pfeiffer suggested that an invitation to the workshop be extended to the mayor and three council members who are on the Council Committee. Schroder suggested that the commission wait until the newly appointed commissioners are on board in May to schedule the workshop. Pfeiffer moved: Dennis seconded motion to have staff schedule a workshop with the consultant as facilitator, concerning park impact fees. Motion passed unanimously. Community Center Update - Schroder said that the agreement with the consultants is being finalized to go forward. The next public meeting will be scheduled for the end of February or early March and she will e-mail commissioners with the meeting schedule. There are architectural design drawings on the proposed community center on the city website with updated information. West Hylebos State Park – Schroder said she attended a meeting with the State Parks Commission last week and nothing had progressed on the Hylebos Park since the October, 2003 meeting she attended. She and Karen Jorgenson, Assistant City Attorney, met with two gentlemen who have been assigned to the transfer of property. In their timeline, they are required to hold a public meeting to notify public of the transfer and answer any questions they may have at that time. They are required to notify property owners within 1000 feet of the park on the changes. Also, Schroder said they would be contacting the children of the Marckx family on the change from State to City ownership and have them sign off on the documentation. The next meeting of the State Parks Commission is scheduled for June 17th where this will be an “action” item on the agenda. Once it has been transferred by the State Parks Commission, the paperwork goes to Governor Locke for his signature then recorded. Schroder stated it could be October, 2004 before finalized and ownership completely transferred to the City. Friends of the Hylebos are active participants on this property and would like to use some of the area as a interpretative center. Clerget Property Acquisition – Schroder reported that the City Council received a letter from the Clerget family offering their property for sale. She has called and left several messages but no messages have been returned to date. Chair Purdom will be attending the Council Committee meeting scheduled for Monday, February 9, 2004 in the Mt. Baker Conference Room. NEW BUSINESS Chair Purdom said there is “heightened attractiveness” with the removal of the trees and stumps along 28th Avenue/Grosch Field. He saw Karl Grosch walking his dog out along the perimeter of the field looking over the improvements. Reuter said that the bullrail and gates are being installed in the Steel Lake Annex parking lot area also. Chair Purdom said he noticed that staff had been spending a lot of time in Skate Park removing graffiti. Reuter stated that the park has been hit heavily twice within the last month, requiring staff to spend several days removing the graffiti. One staff concern is the materials the vandals are using are markers that make it difficult to remove without chemicals. Only specific chemicals can be used so it does not hurt the skating surface. Pfeiffer suggested contacting the court and having persons required to do community service be assigned to graffiti removal. The rock wall along the BPA Trail across from the King County Aquatic Center has been tagged with graffiti and it is an uneven, rough surface making it very difficult to clean as well as a safety hazard to staff cleaning along the street. AGENDA ITEMS/NEXT MEETING Recreation Class Update DeVry University Presentation Election of Officers Naming of Armstrong/Thompson Properties Park Impact Fees Monthly Meeting 2004 Calendar (Jenny) ADJOURNMENT Chair Purdom adjourned the meeting at 8:15 p.m.