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 Manager2) 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:
- 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.
- 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.
- Rebuild the gate at the south end of the Dog
Area to improve access
- Install an irrigation system to provide water for
new native plantings in and around the East Meadow
- 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
- Replace the remaining dirt trail along the slough
south of the Dog Area gate with a new boardwalk
- 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.
- Construct a shelter with picnic table near the Lot G
Kiosk and Viewing Mound
- Resurrect the Forest Trail, running south of the Dog
Area connecting the paved path to the slough path.
This would require a raised boardwalk.
- Construct an outdoor classroom near Viewing Mound
- Construct a viewing platform in the northeast corner
of Lake Sammamish, with access from the East Lake
Sammamish Trail
- 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. |