August 23, 2023 Meeting Summary
-- see also the May 24, 2023 meeting summary
- Welcome and Introductions: Greg Helland, FOMP President; Laura Hall, Marymoor Community Gardens, FOMP Board; Chris Jordan, Marymoor Park Administration, King County Parks; Angie Heyer, Seattle Event Solutions; Glenn Eades, Eastside Audubon Bird Loop, neighbor; Shai Hinitz, MAR/C; Kevin Killeen; Marian - neighbor
- King County Councilmember Claudia Balducci: Councilmember Balducci cancelled shortly before the meeting.
- CIP/Project/Facility Updates:
a. Eastside Audubon Birdloop: Tansy Ragwort has been pulled. The European Hawthorn has been spreading out from the areas where they have been being managed. Glenn described hundreds or thousands of small sprouts. Work parties continue the first Saturday of every month.
b. Community Garden (MCGA): Great participation. Each plot requires 8 hours of community support in the garden – this can be gardening demonstrations, efforts supporting the HopeLink plots growing food for foodbanks, weed removal, etc. Plots are expected to sell out again next year.
c. R/C Field (MAR/C): Last weekend was Annual Fun Fly and Barbecue. Attendance over 100. The MAR/C youth group actively participated. September 9th is the annual fall swap meet, which is always a busy morning. Flight classes have been very successful, with over 500 flights, and 20 students getting their wings. MAR/C still is waiting for the permit on their storage shed project after two years, and are very frustrated with King County. Their requirements keep changing, including adding ADA requirements on their whole facility.
d. Off-leash area (SODA): SODA has been doing weed maintenance, hog fuel is being delivered this weekend, a rebuild of the the southernmost dog swim area, etc. The heronry fencing was taken down once nesting finished up. The Great Blue Herons have largely cleared out of the park, but will start returning in late fall.
e. Cascade Mountain Collective (Concert venue): Three more concerts, with the last one mid-September. For the Beach Boys concert this weekend, they are planning to do fundraising for Maui recovery. Feedback from concert-goers has been quite positive. Angie is brainstorming for some kind of Christmas season event at Clise Mansion.
f. Maintenance: Plan is to mow the huge Scotts Broom stand between the Viewing Mound and the model airplane field. Laura asked for help with a morning glory infestation in Snag Row in an area not maintained by Eastside Audubon. Michael mentioned that last Thursday morning, a water faucet was turned on full blast, both spigots spewing, and it had been running for a long time. This faucet is just at the south end of the MacNair Activity Field and probably was turned on by a park visitor. Michael suggested some kind of locked access to this faucet. Chris discussed other issues that are being addressed or will be soon, including kiosk hinges, water fountains, Clise Mansion issues, etc. Vandalism continues to be a problem, including a case of a large flash mob showing up and an attempt to drive a stolen car around on the fields. This was broken up by police. That incident has not recurred, but there have been other minor issues.
g. Events Update: Many upcoming running events. See Events Calendar.
h. Sound Transit Update: On schedule for a 2025 opening to Redmond.
Other: Shai brought up the subject of Drone Shows. Currently, drones are not to be flown in the park except for within the MAR/C airfield, and the MAR/C airfield is not open for commercial use. But questions remain as to any official park rules and guidelines.
There was also a long discussion about why FOMP would like an actual Master Plan for Marymoor Park. Michael pointed out that the 1995 Master Plan was partially replaced with major policy changes during the major budget crunch in the early 2000's. Coincident with the first Parks Levy, and continuing with the second Parks Levy, King County Parks put a large focus on revenue generation at Marymoor Park. Much that has happened at the park in the last two decades has been at least somewhat contrary to the 1995 Master Plan. However, the revenue focus was never integrated into the Master Plan, which leads to a lack of clarity about the decision criteria for events and plans related to Marymoor Park. Given that there are many, many more possible uses and users for Marymoor Park, it is unclear to FOMP on what basis decisions are and should be made about which projects move forward. And Michael pointed out that, given the overwhelming support voters have given Parks Levies, perhaps the revenue generating focus is no longer necessary.
Next meeting Wednesday, September 28th 2023 in the Art Barn
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These notes do not constitute an official record of the meeting. They may have inaccuracies and omissions. If anyone has any complaints about the content of these notes, they should direct them to Michael Hobbs at fomp@marymoor.org, and he will endeavor to correct them.
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