Friends of Marymoor Park

June 25, 2014 Meeting Summary

-- see also the May 28, 2014  meeting summary 

1) Introductions: Norah Robinson, King County Parks; Jim Mackey, Friends of Lake Sammamish State Park and Lake Sammamish Yacht Club; Michael Hobbs, Eastside Audubon, FOMP Secretary; Laura Hall, Marymoor Community Gardener's Association; Herb Bone, FOMP Board and Marymoor R/C Club; Greg Helland, FOMP President, SODA representative; Ollie Oliver, birdwatcher and neighbor; Barbara Dickson, neighbor; Tim McGruder, Eastside Audubon; K.K. Soi, King County Parks Capital Improvement Projects Manager

2) Eastside Audubon Future Vision

Tim McGruder presented a prioritized list of goals that Eastside Audubon has for the BirdLoop at Marymoor Park.  The complete list contains several items that are long-term wish-list kind of things, but others are more immediate goals.  This is the list he presented:

  1. Two sections of exiting boardwalk near Lake Sammamish need replacement.  With the use of newer standards, new boardwalk sections could be ADA compliant, which is a goal by EAS for all trail improvements.  The gradient of all trails of the Audubon Bird Loop are ideal for this purpose.
    • West section along the slough which currently floats (although it is not designed to), is too narrow, and is in disrepair.
    • East section which is currently underwater for parts of every winter when lake is at its normal high water levels.
  2. Install viewing platform in the Sammamish River, south of the off-leash Dog Area.  This allows access for all park users, but curtails unregulated access and damage to the fragile edge of the river.
  3.  Rebuild the gate at the south end of the Dog Area to improve access
  4. Install an irrigation system to provide water for new native plantings in and around the East Meadow
  5. Design and construct a wetland complex at the north end of Lake Sammamish that may utilize surface water from City of Redmond.  A similar project was recently completed at Magnuson Park in Seattle
  6. Replace the remaining dirt trail along the slough south of the Dog Area gate with a new boardwalk
  7. Construct a paved path from the Lot G Kiosk to the asphalt trail near the EAS shed.  This would need to be east of the existing gravel road used for access by park staff.
  8. Construct a shelter with picnic table near the Lot G Kiosk and Viewing Mound
  9. Resurrect the Forest Trail, running south of the Dog Area connecting the paved path to the slough path.  This would require a raised boardwalk.
  10. Construct an outdoor classroom near Viewing Mound
  11. Construct a viewing platform in the northeast corner of Lake Sammamish, with access from the East Lake Sammamish Trail
  12. Construct an office and/or classroom, and restroom near kiosk at Lot G

Jim requested a boat-accessible platform, either as part of a redesigned lake platform, or as part of the design of #2.  Jim also raised the possibility whether there could be easier permitting for a boat-accessible lake platform if it were a temporary or seasonal platform.

Michael requested a larger lake viewing platform as part of Item #1.  The current platform is not ADA compliant (a wheelchair could not turn around), and is far too small for the Marymoor Bird Survey team.

Michael also made the case for Item #11 - a lake platform off the East Lake Sammamish Trail, arguing that it would be a great addition to the trail that could be done entirely within King County property, and it would make a perfect turn-around spot for a walk starting at Marymoor.  He also suggested that there could be some very interesting interpretive signs and photos there, talking about the railroad and lumber mill that were sited there.

Greg suggested a different prioritization, moving all of the boardwalk replacement and additions to the top. A new Item Zero would be repaving the existing paved portion of the path, and Item 7 would move up to join it.  Item 3 would move up, as it is simple.  Greg’s Phase 1: Repaving, #7, #1, redesigned lake platform, #3, #6, #2

K.K. Soi indicated that the list is lengthy, and there is nowhere near the money available to do all of this any time soon.  Michael referenced this as being a long-term list of goals, not an immediate set of goals. 

It was suggested that some of these could be done through ADOP or other grants, rather than through the CIP funding process.

3) CIP/Project/Facility Updates

a) King County Parks Invasive Weed Crew  Control plan will now also encompass Purple and Garden Loosestrife control. Parks will assist them, instead of the other way around. Report noxious weeds to Norah.

b) Marymoor Community Gardens:

  • Bees: Hives are healthy – no disease present.
  • ADA beds / Eagle Scout candidate: still in progress
  • ADA parking access and progress: There was some confusion about the status and design of the ADA parking space. The inspector will be back in 2-3 weeks; construction will be completed by then.

c) Marymoor West SRA Boathouse project: Barbara raised questions about the parking lot lights. Were lights included in the original project plans? What lights are being proposed? She is worried about light pollution in her neighborhood.

d) Lot B gravel removal – A meeting to devise mitigation was announced at the meeting. I am including a summary of the results here:  Michael met with Parks on Monday, 6/30, to try and come up with some mitigation for the significant spreading of gravel over the lot that was done, un-permitted, as part of the Cavalia repairs to that parking lot.  There had been a large seasonal puddle area that acted as a seasonal wetland, that was destroyed.  The probable resolution will be to remove a significant portion of the gravel (King County will use the gravel on regional trails, etc.).  The parking lot will be regraded to drain to the north and to the east, with approximately a 30 feet strip of the parking lot along the north edge given over to a shallow seasonal wet area.  The "seasonal pond" area will also extend north of the existing lot.  Cars would be kept out of that area with either a fence or rocks or some other barrier.  The east end would similarly be regraded to form a designated puddling area, and hopefully the drainage problem in the the northeast corner of the MacNair Activity Field (just to the south) would be reduced in the process.  Both the pond area along the north edge and the puddling area along the east edge might be tied into the existing drainage ditches so that excess water would spill into the ditches rather than flooding Lot B.  These new shallow seasonal ponds would be mowed a few times annually to make them somewhat suitable for shorebird foraging.  Parks will lay out the parking in Lot B in a more efficient manner that previously existed, so the capacity of the lot will not be reduced.  Parks aims to convert some of the gravel surface back to grass, though this may be a slow process done in many segments.

e) Clise Mansion – the kitchen upgrade will probably get done in 2015

4) Concert Venue roof: There is a need to replace parts of the roof over the stage, and they are also looking at possible improvements. They’re looking at a stronger support so they can hang heavier objects, and whether the roof could drain water further away from the stage. They’re also considering a permanent roof, rather than the roll-up membrane roof that currently is used. It costs about $10K per year to roll and unroll the membrane, and the membrane needs to be replaced every 5 years, at significant cost. The permanent roof would likely be a metal roof with acoustic damping material on the underside.  A metal roof would change the sound qualities of the structure, and any permanent roof would have to be constructed so that it would be good acoustically for performers on the stage, for the audience, while not causing additional noise pollution in the surrounding neighborhoods.

Laura cautioned that it might be very difficult to keep critters out of the acoustic material. 

Norah asked if there would be objections to a permanent roof; FOMP members seemed somewhat resigned to the fact that the venue is always an obvious eyesore; a permanent roof would not make it worse. Several people asked that the roof not be larger.

Next Meeting: July 23, 2014, at the Art Barn

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.

 

Home | Mission | Members | Events | News | Maps | Getting There | Contact Us | Links | Search
Meeting Summaries |
Wildlife at Marymoor | Birding at Marymoor Park

Problems, comments, suggestions?  Email the FOMP webmaster at webmaster@marymoor.org