2) Park Levy - Heidi and Doug

The existing Park Levies run 2014-2019, so it's time to start addressing Park Levies covering 2020-2025.  Heidi showed a video of Parks accomplishments from the 2014-2019 funding.

Old Levy Highlights: Average tax per home: $56. Funded Open Space, Parks, Zoo. Rehabilitated 13 play areas, did lots of maintenance. Worked on, and expanded trail system. Linked open spaces. New access points to open space. $58 million went for various city parks, and the zoo.   There is an Independent Levy Oversight Board – reports are made to them, and they make sure money is well-spent.

Parks is now at the beginning of the out-reach phase for the new levy or levies: 6 year tax – 2020 through 2025.  Goals: Take care of existing system Improve trail system, Open Space acquisition, CPG / Equity Grants, Make Parks and Rec more accessible .

Population growth, an aging park system; plus inflation, are driving a need for more money. Acquisition costs are also increasing with population pressures.

A Status Quo levy replacement would raise $559M. Half of levy funds go to maintenance and operations. Regional Trails about 1/4. Open Space ~12%. (13.10 cents/$1000)

They are proposing some Enhancement Options – looking to add $211M, with $124M for the Land Conservation Initiative, Infrastructure $30M, Trails $43M, Aquarium $8M, Equity Grants $6M (4.95 cents/$1000).  The Equity Grants would go to cities with lower median incomes to help them provide parks and sports.

Combined: $770M, 18.05 cents/$1000. Estimated median impact $66 per home for Status Quo, $92 with enhancements.

Looking to put the Levy on the August 2019 ballot.

We raised many issues with the Levy team: Michael raised the issue of the desperate need to rebuild the boardwalk.  Also addressed were overuse of Marymoor, and a need to cap expectations of revenue generation; a need for other parks to be used for revenue generation in lieu of Marymoor, and as well as Marymoor; and the likelihood that Marymoor usage will increase dramatically with Light Rail, and therefore will need more maintenance.

3 & 4) Dudley Carter Sculpture Locations and Stone Sculpture Proposal

The Dudley Carter sculpture restorations will be done in September. Ones in the Memorial Garden will stay there, but Parks need homes for two additional sculptures.

Additionally, the NorthWest Stone Sculptors Association would like to place stone sculptures within the park. These would be for sale. Shane asked if KC would get a cut on any sales; Norah indicated that Parks would probably not get revenue, but would get art in the park. NWSSA would do all of the installations.

NWSSA proposed quite a number of sites, mostly along the Marymoor Connector Trail. Shane expressed support for a series of sculptures on the trail. Michael seconded the motion. We did discuss that sculptures need to be free from controversy; nudes would probably not be appropriate.

Michael suggested that Condor be located at the site near the Climbing Rock where the main pedestrian entrance from the Light Rail will be. He suggested the other Carter sculpture pair to go on the east portion of the Connector Trail. Both Tim and Michael were skeptical of a Birdloop Meadow sculpture, though with careful siting it might be possible.

5) CIP/Project/Facilities Updates

a) Birdloop – planting ~1200 plants in Snag Row and along the fence between the East Meadow and the Dog Meadow.

b) Sound Transit Tree Replacement – In a search for sites for tree replacement, Norah came up with the idea of in-planting the row of cottonwoods along the east edge of the model airplane field and north of the MCT. Steve and Michael both supported this. Tim asked about selection of tree species that will be more successful given the presumed climate changes. Norah has made inquiries in this area, but has not heard back yet.

c) New parking fee collection machines – Pay-by-plate may take a while, so parking will remain pay-and-display at least for a while.  The new machines will all take plastic, and can do accounting on-line.  There will be a few new locations.

d) Sammamish River Transition Zone (re-boot) – Test well drilling at Marymoor West parking lot - water found much further down than anticipated.

e) Lake Hills/NW Lk Sammamish Sewer Upgrade Project – Detour routes during construction:  SRT will be closed in 2020 for sewer upgrade.  There are no good alternative routes, but detours of some variety will be provided.  Part of this work may result in a sidewalk on the north side of Marymoor Way east from WLSP and across the bridge, with path connecting to the Connector Trail.  Very much at a conceptual stage now.

Our next meeting will be on Wednesday, September 26th, 2018 at 7:00 p.m. in CLISE MANSION