Parks Comm MINS 01-05-2012g:\parks comm mtg notes\2012\agenda & minutes\010512 minutes.doc
CITY OF FEDERAL WAY
PARKS, RECREATION AND CULTURAL SERVICES
PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION
Thursday, January 5, 2012 Hylebos Conference Room
6:30 p.m. City Hall
MEETING MINUTES
Chair Ailinger called the meeting to order at 6:32 pm.
Present: Chair Brian Ailinger, Louise Wessel, Jack Sharlock, George Pfeiffer, Martin Moore, Carol Otto,
Dwight Otto and Marie Sciacqua.
Staff: Director of Parks, Public Works and Emergency Management Cary Roe, Parks and Facilities
Supervisor Jason Gerwen and Parks and Public Works Administrative Assistant Shawna Upton.
Guests: Councilmember Jeanne Burbidge, a boy scout from Troop 361 and several members of Park
Pals.
The December Parks and Recreation Commission regular meeting minutes were approved as written.
Motion by Sharlock, Second by Sciacqua. Motion passes.
PUBLIC FORUM
Anne Heinz-Ryan, Secretary for Parks Pals, wanted to thank the Commission and city staff members for
all the hard work that went into making French Lake Park what it is now and hopes it will be the best dog
park in the area.
Sally Hurst, from Park Pals, also extended a thank you to everyone for the hard work that’s gone into the
park.
Marin Moore recognized Michael, a boy scout from Troop 361, who is visiting today.
COMMISSION BUSINESS
MOTION TO AMEND THE AGENDA
Chair Ailinger made a motion to amend the agenda as follows:
• Cancel the Public Hearing regarding the Park Plan Revision Presentation (Item B)
• Add Item F to amend the FWRC 7.030.010 and 7.030.040 Regarding Prohibition of Internal
Combustion Engines on Steel Lake and North Lake
• Add Item G to Update the 2012 Work Plan to include the Park Plan Revision
Motion by Ailinger to amend the agenda, Second by Moore. Motion passes.
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NOMINATE & ELECT VICE CHAIR
Ailinger nominated Louise Wessel to serve as the vice-chair position and asked if there were any other
nominations. Hearing none, a call for vote was requested to confirm Louise Wessel as the new Vice-
Chair for the Commission. Passed Unanimously.
PUBLIC HEARING – PARK PLAN REVISION PRESENTATION
The Public Hearing was cancelled.
PARK PLAN DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Roe stated that due to several months of software conversion challenges, the Park Plan wasn’t ready at
this time and that was the cause for the public hearing cancellation. He further stated that the purpose of
the park plan is to make minor updates; acreages of parks, text changes, additions of new parks, linear feet
of park trails and other minor revisions. Roe stated he is exploring some timing issues regarding the due
date of the plan. There was a request from the granting agency to have the Park Plan update completed by
March. The current comp plan, of which the park plan is an element, does not expire until June of 2012.
There is a grant opportunity in early March and Roe hopes that we will still be able to apply for the grant
since our plan is still valid. The other path being pursued is a State Statute that was passed to relax the
comprehensive plan five-year update requirement to a time period of eight-years. Staff will still continue
to work on the update of the park plan. The hope is to bring this item back in February.
PRESENTATION ON PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT
Wessel presented a slideshow showing an overview of playground equipment at Fort Steilacoom Park that
was done by Leathers in 2005. There are three different elements to that play area: a small toddler area, a
children’s area and an open field area with rock climbing and swings. Colored materials are made from a
composite material. The small toddler area is fenced off and benches have been placed along the fence
area for supervising parents. Gerwen pointed out that the footprint for the park is about three times that of
Funland. Moore stated his focus is still on making sure there are ample ADA elements for special needs
children or adults. He is having a hard time visualizing what types of toys would be incorporated.
Discussion continued addressing standard ADA requirements. The standards will be met and then extra
elements can be addressed at a later date. Fort Steilacoom is a wonderful example of a regional park.
BICYCLE & PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE DRAFT PLAN FEEDBACK
There were no questions or comments from the Commission about the Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory
Committee draft plan.
AMEND FWRC 7.030.010 AND 7.030.040 REGARDING PROHIBITION OF INTERNAL COMBUSTION
ENGINES ON STEEL LAKE AND NORTH LAKE
Roe provided a summary to the Commission highlighting the proposed changes to the current ordinance.
Pfeiffer asked about including Lake Kilarney in the ordinance update. The two lakes that are highlighted
in the ordinance are Steel Lake and North Lake. These two lakes are Lake Management Districts. This
means residents who reside around the lake have organized themselves and assessed themselves to be able
to care for the lakes. Roe stated that if Kilarney is similar enough, it should be included but there is no
public boat launch area at Kilarney. Roe also pointed out that the restrictions in the ordinance would not
pertain to authorized law enforcement or emergency vessels or watercraft, or to authorized vessels or
watercraft which are actually engaged in, or being prepared for, duties such as maintenance, scientific
study, or protection of lakes or wetlands. Currently, King County has an ordinance that restricts internal
combustion engines on those lakes, but it was later realized that Federal Way didn’t have an ordinance, so
this house-keeping measure would update our code.
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UPDATE THE 2012 WORK PLAN
Roe stated that the work plan is going to the PRHSPS Committee January 10th and felt it was appropriate
to insert the Park Plan Update into the work plan. Sharlock asked for clarification as to what items were
on the final version of the work plan and asked if the turf fields were added. Gerwen stated that care of
turf fields is a staff maintenance issue that they are currently working on but there is no action for the
Commission to take on this topic. Roe indicated that because action from the Commission was not
needed, the City would merely replace one turf field with another, as the approved budget allows.
Discussion continued around educating the Commission about how and when fields get repaired or
replaced. Gerwen stated those items would come forward in the form of a staff report to the Commission.
Motion by Sharlock to include the Park Plan Update as an additional item in the 2012 Work Plan during
the 1st and 2nd quarter. Second by Sciacqua. Motion passes.
STAFF REPORTS
LEATHERS REPORT UPDATE
Gerwen provided an update with the actual costs for bringing Leathers out to perform a full safety
inspection audit on Funland. A representative will be here on February 21st and the inspection will most
likely be performed on the 22nd. Actual costs for those services are $2,050.99, including a full report in a
hard copy version. The City will provide a rental car for transportation and the representative will be
housed at Dumas Bay Centre. Gerwen stated he is in the process for creating a Professional Services
Agreement to detail the type of services we require and the costs associated with that service. Roe stated
there are at least three objectives he’d like to see moving forward. First, from a safety perspective what is
the integrity of the current structure as it is now? Second, what can we do to improve upon what we have
in regards to adding new components while keeping the same ‘character’ of the equipment? Third, how
can we expand or improve upon the ADA components that we have today? Discussion continued
regarding what to expect from the study and how the current equipment can be best updated. When the
study has been completed, it will be brought back to the Commission so more detailed discussions can
take place. Gerwen stated he thinks the report will be ready to present to the Commission at the April
meeting.
PANTHER LAKE MASTER PLAN UPDATE
Roe provided an update about the discussions held at the last meeting. Roe stated that everyone was
pleased with the work that Huitt-Zollars has provided. Particularly, how to get from West Hylebos
Wetland Park to the BPA Panther Lake area. The other item addressed by Huitt-Zollars was how the
Panther Lake area can be enhanced. The City has worked with Huitt-Zollars to prepare a scope of work
and they are getting close to being able to produce a proposal for us. There are several pieces of
information that the City has found that will aid in keeping costs down. Some records found include
surveying, asbuilt drawings of the dam itself, geotechnical information, elevation of the lake and other
information. That information will be sent to Huitt-Zollars to aid in preparation of their proposal. Roe
expects to have a scope for staff review in February sometime and the hope it to have something to bring
forward to the Commission in March and further discussions can be held.
OTHER BUSINESS
Sharlock stated he would like to look at other fields and parks and see what schools are doing to fund
their use of the area parks and fields. He would like to figure out how we can secure support from the
schools to better leverage funds. Roe indicated the challenge is everyone is facing budget challenges right
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now. A recent survey showed that students that are physically active perform better in school. Roe finds
it interesting that schools are choosing to cut Physical Education programs to help control costs. The City
will be exploring opportunities to gain funding support from the School District. Sharlock stated that he’d
like to see schools contributing because they are using the fields quite heavily and should be contributing
like everyone else. The funding challenge remains and the choice between education and physical
activity is a tough one. The City has a relationship with the School District and will continue to explore
available options.
Ailinger inquired about the status of the Alternate Commission members. Upton stated the last report
from the Clerk’s office indicated there was one application received but that a second advertisement was
placed in the paper. Interviews are scheduled at the City Council meeting on January 17th.
NEXT MEETING/AGENDA ITEMS
Park Plan Public Hearing
Park Plan Review
Presentation on Les Grove Park
ADJOURNMENT
Chair Ailinger adjourned the meeting at 7:48 p.m.
NEXT MEETING IS FEBRUARY 2, 2012