HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Committees - Parks & Recreation Commission - 06/27/2017
Unless otherwise noted, the Parks and Recreation Commission meets at 6 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of
each month in Kent City Hall Campus, Centennial Building - first floor conference rooms
220 4th Ave S, Kent 98032.
For additional information, please contact Teri Petrole at 253-856-5101 or by email at
tpetrole@kentwa.gov.
Any person requiring a disability accommodation should contact the City Clerk’s Office at 253-
856-5725 in advance. For TDD relay service, call Washington Telecommunications Relay
Service at 1-800-833-6388.
Parks and Recreation Commission Agenda
Commissioners: Chair, Zandria Michaud - Co-Chair Annie Sieger
Director: Julie Parascondola, CPRP
June 27, 2017
6:00 p.m.
Item Description Action Speaker Time
1. Approve Minutes Summary dated
May 23, 2017
YES Chair Michaud 01
2. Parks Tour NO Brian Levenhagen,
Garin Lee
2.5 Hrs
COMMISSIONERS: the minutes dated May 23, 2017 must be read prior
to the park tour. There won't be time to read them during the tour.
Thanks!
Meet in the parking lot between Centennial Building and City Hall.
If you can, please arrive 5-10 minutes early.
The van will leave promptly at 6:00 p.m.
Wear comfortable clothing (appropriate to the weather) and walking shoes.
Bring any non-alcoholic beverage and a snack.
If you want to take notes, bring a pad and pen.
Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting
Minutes
May 23, 2017
Kent, Washington
Pending Approval
Date: May 23, 2017
Time: 6:00 p.m.
Place: Centennial Building, First Floor Conference Rooms
Attending: Chair Zandria Michaud, Annette Bailes, Dan Barrett, Kalika Carver-
Cox, Kari Hedrick, Richard Minutoli, Erika Overall, Jennifer Ritchie, Wayne Jensen,
Lacey Seaton, Tye Whitfield, Parks Director Julie Parascondola, Recorder Teri
Petrole
1. Call to Order: Commission Chair Zandria Michaud called the meeting to order
at 6:00 p.m.
2. Roll Call: Commissioners absent: Randy Furukawa, Kendrick Glover, Annie
Sieger, Jaleen Roberts
3. Changes to Agenda: There were no changes to the agenda.
3. Approve Minutes: The minutes dated April 20, 2017 were approved by
unanimous vote.
4. Tobacco Policy Update
On May 18, the Parks and Human Services Committee recommended that Council
adopt the ordinance that supports a smoke and tobacco-free park system. The
ordinance goes to City Council for adoption on June 6, with an effective date of
August 15, 2017, if approved.
The new ordinance, within Chapter 4.01 of the Kent City Code, establishes a $50.00
penalty, adds a definition section clarifying what "park property" encompasses, and
contains a section listing the different methods of restricted smoking and tobacco
use within park property.
Parks staff is currently working through an implementation timeline that includes
updating staff, contractors and park renters, revising programming and user forms,
and communicating the message through information cards, signage, official
publications and through web and social media.
5. "Why Parks?" Investing in Kent's Quality of Life Presentation
J. Parascondola shared the PowerPoint "Why Parks? Investing in Kent's Quality of
Life," and explained how parks and recreation has four primary functions that
create essential services for the city and the community.
1. Contributes to economic viability.
2. Fosters health and community wellness.
Pending Approval
Page | 2
3. Stewards and protects public lands.
4. Creates social equity and connection.
The city's approach to park planning was outlined by using highlights from the
award winning parks and open space plan. The plan has four core themes:
1. Quality public spaces.
2. Performance-based approach - a nontraditional approach to determining
Level of Service (LOS).
3. Transformation through reinvestment.
4. Sustainable funding.
The plan shows how intentionally investing into the park system by implementing
strategic projects creates a system that provides greater value to the community.
The parks asset analysis, completed in 2012 and updated in 2016 for the park plan,
illustrates a consistent decline in park assets and amenities. Data on investment
shows that existing funding does not support the community's current and future
needs. Sustainable funding requires the community's support. Public outreach and
education will be a huge component in that effort. The Commissioners can
participate by forming a focus group that creates a marketing plan.
Current projects for 2017/2018 from the park plan's project list include:
• Kent Memorial Park Renovation - Wiffco Ball field and new play equipment.
• West Fenwick Park Renovation - Futsal field and Chutes and Ladders play
equipment.
• Downtown Placemaking Projects - Lunar Rover replica at Kherson Park.
• Van Doren's Landing Park Relocation - Lookout tower.
• Lake Meridian Park Dock Replacement.
6. Future Agenda Topics
The Commissioners reviewed the draft Planning Calendar for upcoming agendas
and made suggestions for additional topics.
Future topics:
• YMCA/Recreation Update
• CAPRA Gap Assessment
• Recreation Division Programming and Operation
• Park Operations Overview
• Russell Road Levy Project Update
• Policies and Procedures
• Park Tours
• Adaptive Recreation Presentation
• Commission Orientation
Pending Approval
Page | 3
• Quarterly Capital Updates
• Regular YMCA Updates - including programming
• Human Services Overview
• Marketing Multi Media Plan
• Maintenance Standards
Unrelated suggestions:
• Schedule social gatherings.
• Provide profile-raising information to the community on the Commissioners
so they can effectively market parks and recreation services.
7. Announcements
The Parks Committee recommended Council initiate the process to surplus property
at Morrill Meadows Park for construction of the YMCA facility on East Hill. If
approved by City Council on June 6, public meetings will begin in
November/December. Discussion followed on the YMCA project footprint and
property ownership.
The new Youth Initiative Coordinator Willie Seals begins his employment on June 16
on an intermittent schedule, proceeding to full-time in August.
Julie to provide the Commissioners a list of ingredients in the pesticides and
herbicides used by the city, as well as the spraying schedule.
The meeting concluded at 8:57 p.m.
Teri Petrole
Teri Petrole, Recorder
Investing in Kent’s Quality of Life.
Public recreation, parks, trails and open spaces improve our physical and
psychological health, strengthen our community, and make Kent a more
attractive place to live and work.
City Council Workshop | May 2, 2017
Kent’s Quality of Life
•Kent Parks and Recreation currently serves several million park visitors
annually and has four primary functions that make them essential
services to the city and community:
o Contribute to economic viability
o Foster health and community wellness
o Steward and protect public lands
o Create social equity and connection
•The City of Kent cannot fully pride themselves on their quality of life,
promote themselves as a desirable location for businesses and people
to relocate, or maintain that they are environmental stewards of their
natural resources, without its community having a robust, active system
of parks and recreation programs for public use and enjoyment.
Economic Contributors
•Kent parks improve the local tax base and increase property values.
It is proven across the nation that private property values increase the closer
such land is to parks. This increase in private property value due to the
proximity to parks increases property tax revenues and improves local
economies. (National Recreation and Parks Association)
•Kent parks help save the City in storm water retention facility costs.
•Quality parks and recreation are noted in a number of studies as one of
the top three reasons business cite in their relocation decisions. (National
Recreation and Parks Association)
•Parks and recreation programs generate revenue directly from fees and
charges, but more importantly, provide significant indirect revenues to
local and regional economies from sports tournaments and special
events such as arts, music, and holiday festivals.
Health and Community Wellness
•Kent parks are where Kent residents, visitors and business employees
go to get healthy and stay fit.
•Kent parks are essential partners in combating some of the most
complicated challenges our nation faces – stress, diabetes, heart
disease, obesity, etc., by providing opportunities to increase rigorous
physical activity in a variety of forms.
•Kent parks provide a connection to nature, which
studies demonstrate relieves stress levels, tightens
interpersonal relationships, and improves mental
health.
•Kent parks foster overall wellness and healthful
habits and engaging in enrichment opportunities
that add balance to life.
Stewardship of Public Lands
•Kent Parks promotes sustainable practices that address:
o the effects of climate change
o preserving wildlife
o growing a next generation of environmental stewards
o encouraging a commitment to conservation
•Kent parks help cleanse our air and water, replenish aquifers, reduce
storm water runoff, and protect wildlife habitat.
•Kent parks provide an essential connection for Kent residents and
visitors of all ages and abilities to the life‐enhancing benefits of
nature and the outdoors by providing safe access to experience and
appreciate nature.
Social Equity and Connection
•Kent parks and recreation are a tangible reflection of the quality of life
in a community. They provide identity for citizens and are often cited as one
of the most important factors in surveys of how livable communities are. (National
Recreation and Parks Association)
•Parks provide gathering places for families and social groups, as well as
for individuals of all ages and economic status, regardless of their ability
to pay for access.
•Kent parks provide places for health and well-being that are accessible
by persons of all ages and abilities.
•Parks have a value to Kent that transcend the amount of dollars
invested or the revenues gained from fees. Kent parks provide a sense
of public pride and cohesion to this community, which is a valuable
return on investment.
Parks and Open Space Plan
•Four Core Themes:
•Quality Public Spaces: Provide a high quality park
system that promotes Kent as a livable city.
•Performance-based Approach: Plan and maintain
the system with the help of a performance-based
set of assessment tools.
•Transformation Through Reinvestment: Reinvest in
the existing system to successfully transform it
into a vibrant and relevant urban park system.
•Sustainable Funding: Implement a funding model
which adequately supports a Level of Service that
reflects the community's priorities.
Parks and Open Space Plan
Map of Park Asset Analysis
Parks and Open Space Plan
Map of Park Asset Analysis
Parks and Open Space Plan
Map of Park Asset Analysis
Declining Quality Public Spaces
•2012 – 32% of 240 park assets
at or near end of useful life.
•2017 – 43% of 240 park assets
at or near end of useful life.
•Since 2011, only addressed 13
total assets.
•Overall quality continues to
diminish throughout Kent’s
Park System.
2012 2017
Failure of Park Assets/Amenities
old, uninviting and uninspiring play equipment
Salt Air Vista Park Meridian Glen Park
cracked, uneven, root damaged walking paths system wide
Failure of Park Assets/Amenities
closed, damaged or eroded docks, bridges, launches, raised pathways –
limiting access to water, nature and habitat exploration
Failure of Park Assets/Amenities
Lake Fenwick Van Doren’s Lake Fenwick
Failure of Park Assets/Amenities
missing/damaged irrigation, grass …. difficult to
picnic, recreate or rest
damaged, worn, rusty, old park amenities
Failure of Park Assets/Amenities
closed, eroded, unusable trails throughout natural areas
Failure of Park Asset/Amenities
Performance Based Approach
•Traditional approach to determining Level of Service (LOS) cannot
differentiate between well-performing vs. poorly performing properties
and also cannot capture the declining condition of a park system.
•Kent’s approach to determining Level of Service (LOS) focuses on:
o maintaining high-performing recreational opportunities
o promoting responsible reinvestment into existing parks
o strategically expanding the system by first assessing current
performance, then optimum performance, and, finally, cost for
achieving optimum performance
Performance-Based Approach
LOS is assessed by geographical region to measure the
park system’s accessibility to its residents and
businesses. City regions are determined by population
density, job density and physical barriers.
Planning for the Future of Parks
Strategically investing into the park system by implementing
strategic projects creates a system that provides greater value
to the community.
Transformation Through Reinvestment
Current vs. Future Investment
•Current investment:
o $1 million annually using real estate excise tax (REET) funds
½ of the City’s REET funds goes toward parks capital; the other ½ goes
toward debt payment and streets.
o One-time funding allocated by the City Council for 2017-2018
$2 million in 2017 and $2 million in 2018 for a total investment of $3
million annually.
•Financial need:
o Capital infrastructure backlog = $60 million (in 2012)
o Every year the backlog increases due to the continuing decline of
unaddressed assets
•The City and Parks Department leverages capital investment through
grants, donations, partnerships, sponsorships and other sources.
OBJECTIVE
AVERAGE
ANNUAL
INVESTMENT
10 YEAR
COST
20 YEAR
COST
10 YEAR
PERFORMANCE
20 YEAR
PERFORMANCE
Current Level of Investment $1M $10M $20M 1.15 .75
Maintain Current LOS $3M $30M $60M 1.62 1.62
Strategic Projects in 20 years $4.5M $45M $90M 2.04 2.44
Strategic Projects + 5 Rec
Value per year $6M $60M $120M 2.42 3.16
Strategic Projects in 10 years
then maintain* $9M* $90M $120M 3.20 3.20
Current vs. Future Investment cont.
Note: Current 2012 LOS is 1.62
*Annual cost for just the first 10 years, $3,165,000 for the second 10 Years.
2017 – 2018 Reinvestment Projects
•Morrill Meadows Park Expansion / YMCA
•Hogan Park Field 1 Synthetic Turf Conversion
•Green River Trail/Van Doren’s Landing Park Design
•Kent Valley Loop Trail Implementation Phase 2
•Downtown Place-making Program Phase 1
•Lake Fenwick Park Renovation Phase 1 (Boardwalk Replacement Only)
•West Fenwick Park Renovation Phase 2 (Playground, Picnic Shelters, Parking)
•Service Club Park Loop Trail / Drainage
•Kent Memorial Park Renovation Phase 1 (Playground and Wiffleball Field)
•Kent Memorial Park Renovation Phase 2 (Restroom, Park Drive, etc)
•Neighborhood Park Reinvestment – Salt Air Vista Playground
•Springwood Park Renovation (Design Only)
Some Assets Being Addressed
Even as we talk about addressing assets, we know that our ultimate goal is not just
to build things. What we do is create places where people want to go.
Recreational Value Project Sheet
West Fenwick Park Renovation Phase 2
Recreational Value Project Summary
Current Recreational Value 7.35 Projected Recreational Value 17
Current Tier 4 Projected Tier 6
Current Average Asset Rating 2.5 Projected Asset Rating 4.6
Projected Added Recreational Value 9.65
Project Components Asset Current Asset Rating Projected Asset Ratings Projected Recreational Value
Large Playfield 2
Drainage 1 5
Irrigation 1 5
Loop Trail
Pathways 2 4 1
Lighting 1 5 1
Parking Lot
Parking Lot 3 3 0.5
Expanded Parking NA 5 0.5
Play Equipment Play Equipment 1 5 3
Handball Court Handball Court 1 0
Tennis Court Tennis Court 3 3 1
Basketball Court Basketball Court 4 4 1
Restrooms Restrooms 5 5 1
Adult exercise equipment Adult exercise equipment 5 5 1
Futsol Futsol NA 5 1
Picnic Shelters Picnic Shelters NA 5 2
Place-Making Place-Making NA 5 1
View NA NA 1
Average Asset Rating Projected Asset Rating Total Projected Rec Value
Added
Recreational
Value
2.5 4.6 17 9.65
Adding Recreational Value
Future Kent Residents?
•Seattle Weekly, March 2017. “Priced Out of Seattle, a New Generation
Looks to the ‘Burbs.” Seattle Times, February 2017, “Nearly half of
local millennials consider moving as Seattle-area home costs soar
again.”
•The Livability Survey for Puget Sound Millennials (between the ages of
18 and 35), April 2017. 240,000 millennials in King County, 2nd in the
United States (Brooklyn, NY first). 1,168 Puget Sound millennials were
surveyed by EMC Research/Forterra. Following are some responses
when asked what influenced where they live:
•Like it in Puget Sound, but are worried about the high cost of living
•Want more green, are concerned about equity, want to live in a diverse
community, are more optimistic about effecting change at the local level
•Point to the outdoors and nature as most-favored destinations
•Love greenspace and open space both close at hand and farther afield
•65% of millennials say we need more parks and greenspace
Health of Kent Residents
•Public Health of Seattle and King County, March 2016. Measures health
indicators and their determinants of the population health within the
City of Kent, Wa. 25 King County areas/cities measured:
•Kent ranks 7th worst where citizens rank their health as fair or poor.
•Kent’s top two causes of death are cancer and heart disease.
•Kent’s top three health risk factors are high cholesterol, obesity and
lack of physical activity.
•As Kent’s residents continue to face serious health issues including
rising rates of chronic disease, an increased prevalence of sedentary
lifestyles and poor nutrition habits, parks and recreation offer an
affordable and accessible solution.
Policy Questions
In the 80s and 90s, Kent Parks was an award winning parks and recreation
system, winning six (6) highly coveted national gold medals by demonstrating
excellence in long-range planning, resource management and innovative
approaches to delivering superb park and recreation services with fiscally sound
business practices.
Re-investing in Kent’s park system by increasing accessibility, relevance and
quality of its outdoor spaces and recreational amenities, Kent can become the
top desirable city to live, start a business or work in South King County.
Decisions made today will greatly impact generations to come. We must ask
ourselves …..
•How much are we, as a city and community, willing to re-invest in the
livability, health and quality of life for our residents, both current and
those yet to arrive?
Questions / Discussion
Julie Parascondola, CPRP Director
Parks , Recreation and Community Services Department
400 West Gowe Street, Kent, WA 98032
Phone 253-856-5007 | jparascondola@KentWA.gov
Hope Gibson, Park Planning and Development Manager
Parks , Recreation and Community Services Department
400 West Gowe Street, Kent, WA 98032
Phone 253-856-5112 | hgibson@KentWA.gov
Brian Levenhagen, Park Planning and Development Senior Planner
Parks , Recreation and Community Services Department
400 West Gowe Street, Kent, WA 98032
Phone 253-856-5116 | bjlevenhagen@KentWA.gov