Friends of Marymoor Park
 

January 25, 2023 Meeting Summary

-- see also the November 16, 2022  meeting summary

1. Welcome and Introductions:  Greg Helland (virtual), SODA representative, FOMP President; Michael Hobbs, weekly bird survey, FOMP Secretary; Laura Hall, MCGA representative, FOMP board; Shai Hinitz - MAR/C representative; Chris Jordan, Marymoor Park Administration, King County Parks; Shane Berry, Cascade Music Collective; Angie Heyer, Cascade Music Collective; Jamie Brown – Parks employee at Marymoor; Shazaad Jarrahain (virtual), Capital Projects Manager; Heidi Kandathil (virtual), Project Manager with Directors Office, Courtney Brown (virtual), Property Management & Business Revenue Section Manager
   
   
2. Cricket Proposal – Update by Heidi Kandathil and Courtney Brown
    
   King County is still investigating the question of acquisition of the Bellevue Ball Fields.  KC Parks has wanted to acquire this for years, irrespective of any forward movement on the cricket proposal.   The acquisition process is handled outside of the group that is involved with analyzing the cricket proposal, and this process can take a long time. 
    
   Heidi then stated that since acquisition is a prerequisite for moving forward with the cricket proposal, further investigation of the appropriateness of professional cricket at Marymoor is not being pursued now, awaiting the determination of the acquisition.
    
   Greg expressed great concern that plans and agreements are potentially being developed by the cricket organization, working with Redmond, Bellevue, and King County.  These plans are actively assuming that Marymoor will be the site.  There was great concern within FOMP that the only impediment to professional cricket at Marymoor is whether the Bellevue Ball Fields can be acquired.  While Heidi says there will be an assessment process if and after the property is acquired, FOMP is very worried that others are seeing the land acquisition as the ONLY obstacle to moving forward.  FOMP has raised very serious questions about the suitability of putting a professional sports facility inside a King County park.
    
   Heidi did note that it is extremely unlikely that any future construction could be completed in the timeframe initially requested by the cricket league.
    
   Laura reiterated that FOMP does not object to cricket; we have concerns about ANY professional sports facility being placed within an existing King County park.
    
3. Gateway Trail Design – Process & Update: Presentation by Shazaad Jarrahian
   
   
   This project is to provide a new trail connection between the new Sound Transit Marymoor Village Light Rail Station, which is being built just to the east of the velodrome, with the existing Marymoor Connector Trail.  This new trail will be located within Marymoor Park, and should improve mobility for both transit and trail users.  Design has achieved the 60% complete status.
   
   It will consist of 0.3 miles of new paved trail, with pedetrian-scale lighting, and a fence to secure the boundary of the velodrome.  There will be a plaza and connection at the future NE 67th Court connection that will include benches, bike racks, trash cans, and a kiosk.
   
   The overall project will also include tree and shrub planting.
   
   
   Along with all of this, there will also be a new water main connection, providing a second source of water into Marymoor Park.
    
   Laura asked if there will be variations in trail width.  The long bike/ped trail will be 2+12+2, except in the plaza where it will be straight 16’.  The short connector piece will be just 12’ with no shoulders.  Laura also asked if there were ways to make it clear this is at least a combine ped/bike trail;  she worries about eBikes speeding.  Shazaad is aware of these concerns; one thing they are already planning is to put center striping along curves to encourage people not to cut corners.  This may avoid some head-on collisions.  There will also be some textural guides to make sure people slow as they approach intersections.  Shane suggested both explicit speed limit signs, and reminder signs to bikers to announce their presence when approaching pedestrians/slow-moving  bicyclists.
    
   Laura and Michael brought up the question of lighting, urging low height, low brightness, limited illumination area, and possibly lights off or dim with motion detection to light/bri89
   This led to a bigger discussion about whether the path and lighting will encourage unreasonable nighttime use of the park.
    
   Next steps:
   

   Permitting Design (90% milestone) - February 2023
   Construction Design (100% milestone) - April 2023
   Public Construction Contract Bid  - Q3/Q4 2023
   Construction - TBD 2024
   
    
   Park Impacts:  Minimal, except for a hopefully brief Marymoor Way closure during water main installation. 
    
4. Stormwater Treatment Facility: Presentation by Shazaad Jarrahian
   
   
   This project will provide stormwater treatment for water coming off of existing impervious surfaces in the park.  The design team evaluated ten potential sites within the park; two were selected:
   Alternative 4A: rain garden near Marymoor Office, Art Barn, Maintenance Yard
   Alternative 6A: channel improvements and culvert replacements for Lot K and upstream surfaces
    
   4A: This will involve installation of underground piping running West-to-East along north side of Maintenance Barn, sending water to a new rain garden in the west corner of the intersection of Marymoor Way and Pea Patch Rd.  Recent adjustments to the design call for longer piping along north edge of Maintenance Barn as well as the Art Barn, with a shorter exposed gulch leading to rain garden.  The rain garden shape is going to be less regular in order to protect existing trees.  It should also look a little more natural.
    
   6A:Channel improvements along the south edge of Lot K.  This improvement includes the culverts at the two entrances to Lot K, and widening of the channels between and on either side of the parking lot entrances. The widened channels will adding bioremediation soil media mix and will be vegetated with water tolerant plants for increased stormwater storage, infiltration, and treatment.  The existing culverts will large pre-cast concrete box culverts.  The stream slope will also be corrected for better drainage.
    
   Although design work will be finished sooner, construction will be delayed until the dry season during  Summer 2024.
    
   Park impacts and constraints:  Two existing trees will be removed in order to build the rain garden.  Although they are too young and small to require landmarks commission review, they are considered “significant” trees.  The rain garden itself will require landmarks commission review.
    
   Shane expressed concerns about whether steel plates covering roadway will be able to handle large trucks needed to bring in concert gear, and also whether there will be limited access for park users; concert scheduling may need to work around lane closures since concert goers might be delayed trying to get to the shows.  He was assured that they will be fully capable of supporting traffic.
   
   
5. Cascade Music Collective – Update on Venue Layout & Updates:  Presentation by Shane Berry and Angie Heyer
   
   
   The newly-created Cascade Music Collective has won the contract to operate the concert series at Marymoor.  CMC is an offshoot of Seattle Event Solutions, and the organization is run by people very familiar with the venue and the way it has been run.  Their aim is to make the concert venue and the concert experience better for all involved.
   
   Shane showed a diagram of the concert venue, and showed us where they will be adjusting the venue.  These changes are based on discussions with ALL of the vendors, volunteers, crew, staff, etc.  Maximizing profits was not the most important consideration.  Security, liability, and logistics were bigger priorities.  Here are a few of the changes/adjustments he mentioned:
   • The number of entrance chutes will be increased to 8 from 5.  But the security at the gate will be more rigorous, and the list of acceptable items to bring in will be much smaller.   Some of these are Fast Pass lanes, and there are incentives that will get guests into the Fast Pass lanes.  Money from those who pay for Fast Pass will partly go to charities.
   • They will construct a new ADA ramp and viewing platform will be adjacent to the sound/light booth, which will greatly enhance ADA experience.
   • The VIP area is moving to the east side of the venue.  VIP parking will be in Lot D.  The VIP area will be improved, including a 5-stall restroom trailer in the SE corner of the venue area.  ADA portapotties will also be provided.  There will be a better VIP smoking area.
   • Instead of using the Clise Mansion as green room, a new area for the artists will be in the space between Lot D the stage.
   • Most of the backstage infrastructure will be hauled out soon after the season ends.
   • To the west of the stage will be additional portapotties (venue total will be 85 + 8 ADA potties).  They will be using Green Latrine; they use a biodegradable liquid, etc., and are much “cleaner” than the typical portapotty.
   • There will be three hydration stations, instead of just the one in the food booth area.  They will be triple filtered and UV sanitized.
   • Pathway  lighting will be ground lighting; trash bin lighting will be very discrete lights mounted on the bins.  VERY low profile stuff.
   • Lots of small improvements will be made to the food vendor and merch areas in terms of layout, to facilitate line management, safety, and appearance. 
   • Etc., etc., etc.   
   
   Jamie lauded the one or two acts last year that had on-line presale of merch with at-the-show pick-up.  It cut down dramatically on how long guests had to stand in line for merch.
    
   Everything Shane said appears to indicate a very strong commitment to making the shows better for guests, vendors, staff, the park, the environment, etc.
   
6. CIP/Project/Facility Updates:
   
   
• Eastside Audubon:  First Saturday work projects are continuing.
  Community Garden (MCGA):  Shai has made a great Barn Owl nest box.  (There was some concern about the kind of particle board he used – Shane suggested a non-toxic paint sealant to prevent off-gassing into the box)
• R/C Field (MAR/C):  MAR/C’s  CIP agreement has been finalized
• SODA Off-leash area:  Usual maintenance continuing.  Several stories of lost dogs, some successfully found
  
• Maintenance Items:  Internet/Fiber improvements have gotten approval and will be implemented soon.
  
• Events Update:  There is no big-top event planned for 2023; tentative for 2024.  A few concerts and sports events have been scheduled and the Events page will be updated next month.

1. FYI:

• Lake Hills/NW Lk Sammamish Sewer Upgrade Project: - See updates at: https://kingcounty.gov/depts/dnrp/wtd/capital-projects/active/lake-hills-nw-lake-sammamish.aspx

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