Document Redmond_doc_d07a2dbdec

• • Pro Plan 2000, Extend Expiration Date ORDINANCE NO. 1800 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF REDMOND, WASHINGTON, ADOPTING PRO PLAN 2000 TO UPDATE THE PARKS, RECREATION AND OPEN SPACE PLAN AND ESTABLISHING A DATE WHEN THE SAME SHALL BECOME EFFECTIVE. WHEREAS, in 1989, the City Parks and Recreation Department, Park Board and Planning Commission formulated and recommended to the City a revised parks, recreation and open space plan, PRO Plan 2000, and WHEREAS, the citizens of Redmond had opportunities to help formulate and comment on the plan including public hearings conducted by the Planning Commission and Council, and WHEREAS the 1989 or present plan addresses current and future needs of the community for parks, recreation and open space, and assists the City in determining the necessity of establishing or improving parks, trails, and open spaces, and WHEREAS, in order to maintain eligibility for 1994 state and federal grants administered by the Interagency Committee for Outdoor Recreation (lAC), the City Council must reaffirm its commitment to this plan and extend the expiration date established by lAC, and assert that the East Lake Sammamish Waterfront Park project is still consistent with this plan, NOW THEREFORE THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF REDMOND, WASHINGTON DOES ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS: Section I. The PRO Plan 2000 for Redmond Parks and Recreation attached hereto as Exhibit A and incorporated herein is adopted by this reference as if set forth in full. ---PAGE BREAK--- • • Section 2. The East Lake Sammamish Waterfront Park project is consistent with citywide priorities for parks, recreation and open space as described in said plan, and that such policies will remain in force until adoption of the new plan. Section 3: This ordinance shall remain in effect until a new PRO Plan is completed, approved and adopted by Redmond City Council. Section 4. Severability. If any section, sentence, clause or phrase of this ordinance should be held to be invalid or unconstitutional by a court of competent jurisdiction, such invalidity or unconstitutionality shall not affect the validity or constitutionality of any other section, sentence, clause or phrase of this ordinance. Section 5. Effective Date. This ordinance, being an exercise of a power specifically delegated to the City legislative body, is not subject to referendum, and shall take effect five ( 5) days after passage and publication of an approved summary thereof consisting of the title. ATTEST/AUTHENTICATED: I.J,n,;.a_.A-Adr CITY CLERK,' DORIS SCHAIBLE APPROVED AS TO FORM: OFFICE OF THE B~Lu FILED WITH THE CITY CLERK: PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL: SIGNED BY THE MAYOR: PUBLISHED: EFFECTIVE DATE: ORDINANCE NO. 1800 08-16-94 08-23-94 08-23-94 08-31-94 09-05-94 2 OF REDMOND ---PAGE BREAK--- -j - ~ 'l ' " .I .I t I _j i i • EXHIBIT A Ordinance No. 1800 PRO PLAN 2000 • ~ ~ • PARKS. RECREATION AND OPE;N SPACE ' - ---PAGE BREAK--- I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I • • ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS PRO PLAN 2000 CONTRIBUTORS We would like to thank the following individuals without whom the Parks, Recreation and Open Space Plan would not have been possible: Mayor, City of Redmond Doreen Marchione Redmond City Council Nancy McCormick, President Rosemarie M. Ives Stephen M. Church, Jr. Margaret Doman Richard G. Cole Arnold J. Tomac John P. Vache' Redmond Park Board Ted L. Cox, Chair John Steenbakkers, Vice·Chair Lucian A. Gray II John Perugini Kris Swanson C. Thomas Falkenberg Rudi Schmidt Previous Park Board Members Jerry Peterson Clay Jackson Lawrie Robertson Chandler Pickering Redmond Planning Commission Redmond Planning Department Greg Moore, Acting Director Pruitt-Davidson, Senior Planner Redmond Trail Committee Redmond Parks and Recreation Department John Couch, Director David Wilbrecht, Parks Operation Manager /Pro Plan 2000 Project Manager Tom Trueblood, Recreation Manager Roy Lehner, Park Planner Patti Eilbert, Administrative Secretary Judy Giseburt, Management Intern Adam Marin, Management Intern Consultants David Evans and Associates, Inc. Charles A. Warsinske, ASLA Roger K. Wagoner, AlA, AICP ---PAGE BREAK--- I ( I r I I I 1 ' i l • CITY OF REDMOND PRO PLAN 2000 • Parks, Recreation and Open Space Plan Redmond Parks and Recreation Department JULY 1989 I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I ---PAGE BREAK--- I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I. PRO PLAN 2000 A Overview • TABLE OF CONTENTS B. Redmond Vision C. Concerns and Issues ll. RECOMMENDATIONS A Overview B. General Recommendations C. Specific Recommendations Illl. MISSION, GOALS AND POUCIES A Philosophy B. Mission Statement C. Goals and Policies IV. BACKGROUND A Population B. Landscape Setting C. Supply of Recreation Lands and Facilities D. Public Involvement V. DEMAND AND NEEDS ANALYSIS A Guidelines and Standards B. Demand and Needs for Recreation Facilities C. Special Facilities VI. CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM A Implementation Vll. MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION A Productive Park Management B. Risk Management C. Funding Priorities APPENDICES Appendix A Facility Inventory • Appendix B. Facility Demand and Need by Neighborhood Appendix C. Facility Demand and Need Within City limits Appendix D. References Appendix E. Policy on Parks and Recreation User Priority ---PAGE BREAK--- I I I I I i I • • PRO PlAN 2000 City of Redmond, Washington I. PRO PlAN 2000 Page 1 A. I. PRO PLAN 2000 Overview The need for an updated Parks, Recreation and Open Space Plan has been driven by the tremendous growth currently occurring in and around the City of Redmond, and by the high participation rate in the recreation programs offered by the Parks and Recreation Department. The high growth rate places a burden on the existing supply of facilities and stretches the recreation programming abilities of the City. The rapid land development associated with the growth also limits the land which is available for future park and open space acquisition. The PRO PLAN is based on the goals and objectives approved and adopted by the City Council. These goals reflect the vision for the City in the year 2000 and the level of recreational services necessary to provide the City with aesthetic and environmental quality. An inventory of the existing parks and facilities was completed along with an analysis of the and weaknesses of the existing system. Research was completed on local and national recreational trends and standards to determine appropriate levels of service. This data was combined with the population projections to forecast the demand and need for park and recreation facilities as well as for open space, now and in the future. Based on these projections, recommendations were prepared for implementation. The PRO PLAN focuses on the year 2000. It identifies the park land and facilities necessary to serve the City at that time and develops a strategy for implementation. Park and recreation planning and development has always been important to the residents to Redmond. The parks tradition in the City began in 1927 with the acquisition of what later became known as Albert Anderson Memorial Park. This was Redmond's only park until 1968 when Hartman Park was acquired. Today, the City administers 17 parks, open spaces and trails totalling 213 acres. The majority of these sites were acquired between 1968 and 1977 either through land donations or with funds from the 1966 and 1977 bond issues, Redmond's share of King County's Forward Thrust funds and grants from the Washington Inter-Agency Committee for Outdoor Recreation. Historically, the City has enjoyed the support of its citizens, private companies and service organizations in acquiring and developing park sites. Many of the parks, (Anderson, Farrel McWhirter, Fiorito, and Johnson Parks) were donated to the I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I ---PAGE BREAK--- I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I • • PRO PLAN 2000 City of Redmond, Washington I. PRO PLAN 2000 Page2 B. City by local residents. Welcome Park was donated to the City by the J. J. Welcome and Sons Company. Another local business, Polygon Corporation, donated part of Meadow Park to Redmond. The first official recreation program was launched on February 26, 1968, with three scheduled activities held two nights per week. Twenty years later, the recreation program has grown to over 200 activities servicing over 32,000 people seven days per week. The Lake Washington School District continues to play a vital role in providing indoor facilities for. the Redmond recreation program. In 1986, voters passed a bond issue to finance the Senior Activity Center which is scheduled to open in mid 1990. The Center will boast a variety of activity areas which will allow the senior program to expand its offerings and serve more participants and community uses. Since its creation in 1968, the Redmond Parks and Recreation Department has won recognition for its competence in park planning. In 1980, it earned an Honor Award for Grass Lawn Park from the Washington Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects. The Department also received an Award of Excellence in 1980 for Distinguished Environmental Treatment from the Portland Cement Association for creative use of cement in constructing the tennis courts atop the watertank at Reservoir Park. Continuing this past excellence, the PRO PLAN will be used by the City to guide park and open space acquisition and development into the future to serve the needs of its citizens. Redmond Vision The City of Redmond has benefited from regional facilities provided by King County, neighborhood facilities provided by Lake Washington School District, and contributions from the private sector. Marymoor Park, 60 Acre Park, and the elementary and junior high schools significantly contribute to the supply of recreation opportunities in the City. As growth occurs, more and more demands are put on these facilities and, as they are not solely reserved to meet the needs of the City, competition is limiting the availability of these resources. It is time to recognize these needs and to respond to the public's requests for additional athletic field, and a community center with multi-purpose and gymnasium space. These Redmond facilities could be fully programmed by the City to maximize use which is not possible currently. ---PAGE BREAK--- I 1 l I. c. • • PRO PLAN 2000 City of Redmond, Washington PRO PLAN 2000 Page 3 Redmond has also benefited from the development of regional trails traversing through the community. Using these as vital links, the City has an opportunity to truly implement its slogan of "bicycle capital of the Northwest". A comprehensive trail system will benefit not only bicycle sites but most of the population by providing alternative commuter routes and important connections between neigh- borhoods. It will also provide passive access to greenbelts and open spaces which would enhance the public's appreciation of the environmental quality of the area. As years pass, the availability of routes will be diminished and the cost of land and rights-of-way will increase. Past efforts in trails acquisition and development needs to be continued and expanded now before the possibility no longer exists. Residents surveyed as to the qualities of Redmond consistently respond with the descriptions such as: Country Flavor Scenic Views Rural Atmosphere Open Space Small Community Quiet, Small, Friendly Quality Environment Open Farm Land Being on the Edge of Country Green Space Although one may argue with the accuracy of these descriptions, the perception of the community, as one person put it, is "the country and city intertwined". This perception is important because as growth occurs in and around Redmond, the reason mafly people are moving to the area is being lost. The character of .the City is changing with the loss of open space and green belts. If the rural flavor of the community is to remain, steps need to be taken to secure those elements of the environment which promote the desired characters. Wetlands, river and creek corridors, agricultural lands, wooded hillsides, mature stands of trees and other elements need recognition and protection, whether through public ownership or private initiative. Concerns and Issues As Redmond grows and matures, several issues will be of increasing concern with respect to park and recreation programming and development. This plan emphasizes needs for land and facilities rather than recreation programs which are determined on a seasonal bases by the Parks and Recreation Department. Land and facilities are of course directly linked to programs, and together must be planned in the face of: I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I ---PAGE BREAK--- I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I. • • PRO PLAN 2000 City of Redmond, Washington PRO PLAN 2006 Page4 Increasing competition for services as demand increases; Diversification of need as the population becomes more cosmopolitan; Less open space for other public and private development; and High capital and operation costs. ---PAGE BREAK--- I I I I I i l. ( I II. A. B. • • PRO PLAN 2000 City of Redmond, Washington RECOMMENDATIONS Page 5 II. RECOMMENDATIONS Overview Recommendations for the PRO PLAN are based on the analysis of the existing park facilities and the trends for the future as identified through public input and local needs. Recognizing that the recommendations exceed the ability to fund these projects, acquisition of open space and development of parks and recreation facilities must be viewed as a continuous process. Building on Redmond's award- winning park development history with the support of local recreation activity participants, the recommendations in this plan will be realized. General Recommendations 1. LAND ACQUISITION 2. The current growth trends in Redmond and the rapid land development in and around the City necessitates the primary focus of the PRO PLAN be placed on land acquisition for open space and future park development. Immediate land acquisition is necessary to meet both existing and future parks and recreation needs. Other acquisition priorities include linkage lands which connect the various neighborhoods and which will provide for pedestrian, bicycle and equestrian travel. As time goes by, land becomes increasingly expensive and lands available are less desirable for park use. An emphasis is placed on the preservation of open space and green belts which exist now along the Sammamish River, Bear and Evans Creeks and other waterways and ravines to protect natural resources and to contribute to the linkage system. Other important areas to preserve are the steep slopes which have significant vegetation. These areas contribute to the character of the City and are important to the residents of the community. These properties can be controlled in a variety of ways including acquisition, purchase of development rights, zoning or development controls. Working with the Planning Department, options for securing these lands will be studied. COMMUNITY CENTER/SPORTS FIELD DEVELOPMENT The demands and needs analysis indicates that the City is lacking active recreation facilities for organized team play. The areas of particular need are multi-purpose fields and gymnasium space for indoor sports and activities. In previous years the Lake Washington School District has helped I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I ---PAGE BREAK--- I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I II. c. • • PRO PLAN 2000 City of Redmond, Washington RECOMMENDATIONS Page 6 close the gap between existing facilities and needs. However, these facilities are experiencing increasing use by the school district and their availability is becoming limited. At the present time, the City of Redmond has no indoor facilities and relies totally on the School District to meet the needs. It is reco=ended .that the City develop a major co=unity center which would include gymnasiums, meeting and activity rooms and related support facilities. An alternative to this reco=endation is to contribute to the Lake Washington School District in their development of school facilities. Larger gymnasiums and fully developed athletic fields could be developed associated with elementary schools which will be built during the next several years. Use agreements would be prepared to allow City programming of the expanded facilities. This strategy would limit the City's options as the facilities will still only be· available on a limited schedule and will likely not be located in an area which will serve the entire City. 3. TREE PLANTINGS The Parks and Recreation Department has started a revegetation program centered around Arbor Fest (Arbor Day) held in early April every year. This year, 6000 trees were planted by the City, service organizations and the general public. This program should be continued and supported to gain back some of the forests lost over the past 50 years. The City also recently adopted an aggressive landscaping and natural screening ordinance (20C.20.090) which will help preserve the character of the area. The ordinance addresses tree restoration and removal, general landscape requirements, a street tree program and maintenance requirements. Specific Recommendations The following specific reco=endations which will help meet the demand and need for parks, recreation facilities and open space are based on the City-wide and neighborhood analysis found in the Appendices of this document. ---PAGE BREAK--- I l I I • I I II. • • PRO PLAN 2000 City of Redmond, Washington RECOMMENDATIONS Page 7 1. CITY CENTER NEIGHBORHOOD a. Anderson Park Addition Acreage: 2acres Location: Adjacent to Anderson Park Description: Acquire parcel adjacent to existing park. Justification: The area around the park is zoned for multi-density housing. Much multi-density housing exists at the present time and additional housing of this nature is quite likely. Open space existing and future conditions are highly desirable. b. Town Center Acreage: 25 Acres Location: Town Center property - approximately bounded by Bear Creek, Sanunamish River, Leary Way and the Burlington Northern Railroad. Description: The City of Redmond will receive approximately 25 acres in one parcel through the Town Center Shopping Center Development plus 35 acres of open space parcels. Flood plain land from Bear Creek and the Sanunamish River would provide almost half of this acreage. This site also provides elements and amenities of a resource park as well as the multi-service of a community park. This site will supplement and complement the existing downtown parks of Anderson, Luke McRedmond Landing and Fiorito. Justification: This park is needed to provide recreation and leisure opportunities to an existing and future City Center population mix of multi-density housing and business employees as well as citizens drawn to the shopping center. The trail connections to the Sanunarnish River Trail will provide biking, jogging, running, and equestrian recreation. I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I ---PAGE BREAK--- I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I II. • • PRO PlAN 2000 City of Redmond, Washington RECOMMENDATIONS Page 8 2. OVERLAKE NEIGHBORHOOD 3. a. Overlake Community Park Acreage: 20 acres Location: Approximate vicinity of 156th and NE 40th Description: Acquire 20+ acres of land for community park service offering active and passive recreational opportunities. Elements: softball fields, soccer fields, tennis courts, jogging path, basketball courts, restroom/storage, open space with picnic areas and shelters. Justification: This rapidly developing area of multi-density housing and high tech industry lacks the open space and active recreational service its young age group needs. There will be 17,000+ people living and working in the service radius of this park. The nearest community park is Grass Lawn which is the most used park at the present time. The Overlake Community Park would take the pressure off the Grass Lawn Park and would provide much better service to the Viewpoint neighborhood as well. b. Overlake Park North Acreage: Five to ten acres Description: Neighborhood park with open space, game court, children's play area, pathways, and landscaping. Justification: This neighborhood is residential in development with the nearest service at Grass Lawn Park. It is bounded by heavy traffic on Redmond Way and 148th. GRASS LAWN NEIGHBORHOOD. a. Grass Lawn Neighborhood North Acreage: Five to ten acres Description: Acquire a small parcel for open space in this area. A passive park is envisioned. ---PAGE BREAK--- I ' I I I IT. • • PRO PLAN 2000 City of Redmond, Washington RECOMMENDATIONS Page 9 Justification: Open Space is needed for this neighborhood type park. Grass Lawn is too far away to provide these services. 4. WILLOWS NEIGHBORHOOD a. WJ.J.Iows Park South b. Acreage: Location: Ten acres Approximately west of 148th extension and south of 87th. Description: Acquire ten acres of land to provide recreation service for a young, multi-density housing and high tech industrial area in the south part of this neighborhood. This park should provide open space, multi-use ballfields, sport courts, childrens play areas, picnic areas, paved paths and should be within an accessible walking distance. Justification: This park is needed to provide services to the southern part of this growing neighborhood. Presently, there are no recreational opportunities in this area, which is bounded by heavily traveled streets and hilly topography. This is an area which employs a large number of people during the day. Open space is rapidly being consumed by development in this area. This is a case where an opportunity could be lost forever. Willows Power Trail Location: Sammamish River to Willows Description: Continue the trail from the Sammamish River to Willows Road. I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I Justification: This trail will provide a connection to and through the Willows Industrial area and complete an important link I to the neighborhood. I I I I ---PAGE BREAK--- I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I II. • • PRO PLAN 2000 City of Redmond, Washington RECOMMENDATIONS Page 10 s. 6. SAMMAMISH VALLEY NEIGHBORHOOD a. Sammamish Valley Community Park Acreage: 20 acres Location: Immediately north of the intersection of Puget Power/City of Redmond trail and Sammamish River Trail. Description: The City of Redmond has preliminary been offered 20 acres of valley floor land for use as a park. This is part of a proposed new plat, Sander's Farm Property. This land is located at the edge of the Education Hill neigh- borhood which it can serve. The park can supplement the Hartman Park service area and replace the loss of 85-CIP-(P)-50 Sammamish Park Central Project sold by King County Park. Justification: This park can be used to supplement Hartman Park's active and passive recreational opportunities. It will serve residential, multi-family housing, office, ware- house/professional population, and is at the trail junction of the aforementioned major trails. HOLLYWOOD HILLS NEIGHBORHOOD a. Hollywood Hills Community Park Acreage: 30 acres Location: Approximate vicinity of N.E. 122nd Street and 172nd N.E. Description: The City of Redmond would acquire 30 acres of land to service its park needs in the South Hollywood Hills neighborhood. This site will provide the same type of multi-use park service as Hartman Community Park. The present and future population served will be residential. Justification: This park will be needed to provide active and passive recreational opportunities to an existing and future, young residential population. ---PAGE BREAK--- I t f I ! \ II. • • PRO PLAN 2000 City of Redmond, Washington RECOMMENDATIONS Page 11 b. Southwest Hollywood Hills Neighborhood park Acreage: Five to ten acres Location: In vicinity of 116th and Redmond-Woodinville Road Description: Acquire land on the southwest comer of this neighborhood for use as a neighborhood park. Justification: A neighborhood park will be needed in this area to provide for future development. 7. EDUCATION HILL NEIGHBORHOOD a. East Education Hill Park Acreage: Ten acres Description: Existing land parcel presently owned by Lake Washington School District. Acquire this land for neighborhood park. Justification: This would be beneficial in meeting the open space need for the people in this area. The park would also have a good service radius and would provide for future residential housing population. b. Nike Park Addition Acreage: Five acres Location: Adjacent to Nike Park to the north Description: Obtain the existing private land adjacent to Nike Park I I I I I I I I I I I I I I on the north. In the future plan, obtain the National I Guard Site north of this parcel. Justification: This site would provide additional facilities for the I neighborhoods future needs. I I I ---PAGE BREAK--- II II I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I II. • • PRO PLAN 2000 City of Redmond, Washington RECOMMENDATIONS Page 12 8. NORTH UNION HILL NEIGHBORHOOD a. Union Hill Community Park b. c. Acreage: 25 acres Location: Union Hill Neighborhood Description: This would be a park designed to meet the needs of the community with such facilities as a softball field, soccer fields, tennis courts, jogging paths, basketball courts, restroom/storage and open space for picnicking and outdoor leisure activities. Justification: A community type park is needed in this portion of the City to provide for the recreational needs of this area. Union Hill Neighborhood Park Acreage: Five to ten acres Location: Near N.E. 95th 196th N.E. Description: This parcel would provide open space as well as active and passive recreational opportunities for the needs of this neighborhood. Justification: This is needed to provide for the future recreational needs of this neighborhood. Union Hill Neighborhood Park South Acreage: Ten acres Description: Provide typical neighborhood park in the form of multi- use fields, picnic facilities and other recreational facilities. Justification: To meet the recreational needs of the southern part of the Union Hill neighborhood. ---PAGE BREAK--- I t I t l • II. • • PRO PLAN 2000 City of Redmond, Washington RECOMMENDATIONS Page 13 9. BEAR CREEK NEIGHBORHOOD a. b. Bear Creek Park North Acreage: Seven acres Location: North Bear Creek neighborhood Description: Acquire land in the north portion of this neighborhood, possibly on Bear Creek. Justification: Existing area has no recreational opportunities. New developments indicate needs for neighborhood parks. Possible creek front opportunities. Johnson Park Addition Acreage: 15 acres Location: Union Hill Road and 196th N.E. (Old Brick Road) Description: Acquire 15 adjacent acres to add to existing 15 acres of undeveloped park land. Existing parcel has Evans Creek running north to south, almost in the middle of the site. Evans Creek is a salmon and steelhead spawning stream. Evans Creek is also a very important alignment for a trail as per the City Development Guide. This park also would provide for active and passive recreational opportunities such as ballfields, children's play areas, restrooms, picnic areas, rhododendron arboretum, tennis, basketball, and general open space. Justification: This park is envisioned to be a co=unity park for this neighborhood of the City. The additional acreage is needed to provide the elements and services of this type of park. The growth of Redmond is rapidly developing in Johnson Park's direction. This park can take some of the pressures off of Hartman and Grass Lawn Park. I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I ---PAGE BREAK--- I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I II. • • PRO PLAN 2000 City of Redmond, Washington RECOMMENDATIONS Page 14 c. d. e. Lake Sammamish Waterfront East Acreage: Ten acres Location: Approximately east of Lake Sammamish Parkway and N.E. 40th Description: Acquire ten acres+ of land to service all citizens' water- oriented recreational needs on Lake Sammamish. This park will provide water access for swimming, canoes, kayaks, small sail boats, fishing pier, sunbathing beach, picnic facilities and parking. Justification: This park is needed to provide an unfulfilled recreational service to the citizens of Redmond. Water- oriented recreation programs are limited to King County's offering. This resource park would be situated on the edge of a residential neighborhood. Puget Power/City of Redmond Trail Location: Farrel-McWhirter to Watershed Description: This trail would be a continuation of the Puget Sound Trail which would connect Farrel-McWhirter Park to the City watershed. Justification: Provide for the recreational needs of this area with a multi-use trail for walking, jogging and horseback riding. Bear/Evans Creek Multi-Use Trail Location: Union Hi11/Novelity Hill Road/Farrel-McWhirter Park area. Description: This trail wi11 complete the loop system in the community, linking connection many of the existing parks and public facilities in the area. With this completed segment, recreationalists will be able to easily tour around the City. Justification: Provide for the recreational needs of the City with a multi-use trail for walking, jogging, bicycling and horseback riding. ---PAGE BREAK--- I • I II. • • PRO PLAN 2000 City of Redmond, Washington RECOMMENDATIONS Page 15 10. CITY/PLANNING AREA WIDE I I I I Multi-Use Trails and linkages Location: Throughout the city and the Planning Area I Description: The Pro Plan identifies trails and linkages for the exten- sion of the trail system in Redmond and connection to I the regional system. These should be developed as funds are available and as properties adjacent to the trail routes are developed. I Justification: Provide for the recreational needs of the co=unity with multi-use trails for walking, bicycling, jogging and I horseback riding. I I I I I I I I I I I ---PAGE BREAK--- sa-UA PRO PLAN 2000 PARKS, RECREATION AND OPEN SPACE PLAN CITY OF REDMOND, WASHINGTON PROPOSED PLAN 4t FIGURE 1 LEGEND II CITY OF REDMOND pARKS Ill m Nll f0ll • • ll!l KING COUNTY PARKS LAKE WASIDNGTOI/ SCHOOL DISTRICT SCHOOLS REDMOND WATERSHED PRIVATE PROPOSED PARKS PROPOSED COMMUNITY PARKS QUAS!-PUBUC • 0 0 ZoOO 5000 1000'11 NORTH SCALEo 1"~5000' ---PAGE BREAK--- l • • I ( PRO PLAN 2000 I City of Redmond, Washington II. RECOMMENDATIONS p~ 16 I Figure 1 I 1 I ! I I I I I I I I I I I I I f I l I I ' ---PAGE BREAK--- I tt • I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I PRO PLAN 2000 City of Redmond, Washington III. MISSION, GOALS, AND POLICIES A. Philosophy Ill. MISSION, GOALS, AND POLICIES "Establish and maintain a hannonious relationship between the manmade community and its natural environments. ''Preserve Redmond's semi-rural and open space characteristics. " Page 17 These statements are adopted goals in the City's Comprehensive Plan.* They point the way for the PRO PLAN 2000 in that they articulate the sense of the community which is to protect and preserve the natural setting so important to the citizens. The Mission of this Plan, therefore, is to establish a reasoned process for acquiring and maintaining parks, recreation facilities, and open space which retains the balance of green space consistent with the City's foundings. This balance will evolve to follow the urban development that will continue during the planning period. The following mission statement, goals, policies, and guidelines have been adopted by the City Council to direct the planning and implementation decisions which will see the parks and recreation system into the next century. · B. Mission Statement Your Parks and Recreation Department is committed to PROTECT Redmond's natural beauty through a vibrant system of Parks and Open Space; PROVIDE citizens of all ages wholesome recreational and cultural opportunities in clean, safe, and accessible facilities; and PRESERVE our quality living environment for future generations. * Community Goals 20B.10.020 and 20B.15.040 ---PAGE BREAK--- I ( I I I • l I I l • • PRO PLAN 2000 City of Redmond, W III. MISSION, GOALS, AND POUCIES Page 18 c. Goals and Policies Goal 1: "PROTEcr Redmond's natural beauty through a vibrant system of Parks and Open Space;• POUCY 1. Encourage the acquisition of greenbelts and park land to maintain the sense of open space, protect environmental resources, provide circulation linkages, and ensure adequate separation and buffers between various land uses. POUCY 2. Reduce the impacts of development and ensure provisions for open space by encouraging private developments to provide land for parks, trails, walkways, and open space. POUCY 3. Coordinate Park planning and land acquisition with other city plans for roads, utilities, and buildings, therefore maximizing the benefits available from public lands for parks, programs and recreational activities. POUCY 4. Encourage parks, beautification areas, and open space throughout the Central Business District by coordinating planning efforts with other City departments and private businesses. POLICY 5. Promote a street tree program throughout the City. POLICY 6. Actively pursue private dedication of land through a variety of methods to facilitate public access to parks and provide a continuous system of parks and open space. POLICY 7. Seek funding opportunities from a variety of sources (Federal, State, and private) for the acquisition and development of parks and open space. I I I I I I I I I I I I POLICY 8. Develop a Park Plan which is financially feasible and can be funded at a I level which allows for a reasonable implementation schedule. POUCY 9. Utilize quasi-public land, where possible, and dual-use facilities (e.g. Puget I Power lines, water department land). POLICY 10. Encourage a more formal urban park on the Sammamish River Trail I between the Municipal Campus and Marymoor Park. I I I I ---PAGE BREAK--- I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I • • PRO PIAN 2000 City of Redmond, Washington ilL MISSION, GOALS, AND POUCIES Page 19 Goal II: "PROVIDE citizens of all ages wholesome recreational and cultural opportunities in clean, properly maintained, safe and accessible facilities. POUCY 1. Provide recreation and leisure programs that are comprehensive, enriching, and affordable for all citizens. POUCY 2. Encourage citizen involvement in the development of policies and guidelines for the Parks and Recreation Open Space Plan. POUCY 3. Create a balanced system of active and passive recreation opportunities for all ages by providing: A A community center for indoor recreation programs (e.g. athletics, gymnasiums, recreation classes, meeting rooms, social services, and special populations). B. Athletic facilities (e.g. multi-use ball fields, tennis courts, lighted play fields, and tournament facilities). C. Facilities to support the cultural arts (e.g. program rooms, performing arts theatre, and outdoor concert space.). D. E. Facilities and land for passive recreation, environmental education, and outdoor recreation programs. A linkage system (e.g. bicycle lanes and multi-use trails which connect the park system, schools, and other important public facilities in the City). POUCY 4. Monitor existing parks and facilities to ensure that they meet acceptable standards for safety and performance. POUCY 5. Renovate all parks and facilities in a manner that will, where feasible, provide safe and accessible use by the physically impaired. POUCY 6. Establish funding to permit the orderly ongoing repair and rehabilitation of existing parks and facilities. · · POUCY 7. Reduce maintenance and operation costs by upgrading exiSting park facilities in a manner which will maximize efficient maintenance practices and conserve resources. ---PAGE BREAK--- I I I f I • • PRO PLAN 2000 City of Redmond, Washington m. MISSION, GOALS, AND POLICIES Page 20 POUCY 8. Develop policies that give City residents priority or preference in registration. POUCY 9. Maintain a Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Plan which is flexible and can respond to changes in user population or recreational preference. POUCY 10. Develop planning guidelines which address diverse recreational needs, accessibility, service radius, and requirements for open space acreage. POUCY 11. Focus planning efforts on portions of the City which are experiencing rapid growth or currently lack recreational service. POUCY 12. Distribute parks and recreation facilities throughout the City in a manner which provides an equitable service radius. POUCY 13. Encourage the acquisition and development of property which will provide access to water resources such as Lake Sammamish, the Sammamish River, and local streams. Promote the creation of open space corridors along these water resources to provide for recreation and wildlife. POUCY 14. Work in cooperation with the Lake Washington School District to fully utilize existing recreational facilities and surplus school facilities as they are available. POUCY 15. Encourage acquisition and development of a multi-use trail system which will provide for several trail uses in one linear space or right-of-way. These primary trails are incorporated into the equestrian trails plan. The multi- use trail system is not only part of the transportation system but a vital part of the recreational equestrian trails plan [see 60.060(15) Multi-Use Trail Plan, page B-48a]. POUCY 16. Provide an equestrian trail system which links parks, schools, and public facilities, including connections to trails developed by other agencies in the region. POUCY 17. Coordinate Planning of bikeways with the planning of the multi-use trails plan and the Equestrian Trails Plan. POUCY 18. Coordinate development of a bikeway plan with other departments and other jurisdictions. The bikeway plan is located in the Transportation Chapter 20B.60, Section 60.060.(10). I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I ---PAGE BREAK--- il !I !I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I • • PRO PlAN 2000 City of Redmond, Washington III. MISSION, GOALS, AND POUCIES Page 21 POLICY 19. Work with private organizations and service clubs to encourage the development of special purpose recreation facilities (e.g. ice arenas, swimming pools, golf courses, theaters, etc.) . Goal III: "PRESERVE our quality living environment for future generations. • POLICY 1. Conserve existing public lands currently in a natural state through careful planning and cooperative agreements betWeen appropriate government agencies and private enterprise. POLICY 2. Designate appropriate uses within the capability of the parks, natural areas and greenbelts (e.g. trails and outdoor education, as determined by site analysis). POLICY 3. Use of appropriate acquisition methods to protect natural areas which are sensitive to urban development or represent a significant natural and visual asset. POLICY 4. Design and construct park facilities in a manner which is compatible with the neighborhood and is sensitive to the environment. POLICY 5. Work with other governmental agencies and private organizations to provide a complete Parks and Recreation Open Space System for the City and surrounding region. GOAL IV: ENCOURAGE the retention or open space as an important component of Redmond's character. POLICY 1. The City should provide for an open space system within and between neighborhoods. An open space system includes the following: A B. c. D. Fragile and valuable elements such as natural drainage features and areas unsuitable for development due to natural hazards; Forest, agricultural, and fisheries resources; Physical and/or visual buffers within and between areas of urban development; Outdoor recreation areas, including passive and resource parks and trails. ---PAGE BREAK--- I I I I I I • • PRO PLAN 2000 City of Redmond, Washington III. MISSION, GOALS, AND POUCIES Page 22 POUCY 2. Encourage the retention of wetlands, steep slopes, hazardous and other sensitive areas as open space. · POUCY 3. Encourage the joint use of open space for compatible recreation purposes. POUCY 4. Encourage the don~tion to the public of those parcels of land that are not buildable and would enhance the open space or protect sensitive areas. POUCY 5. The City should obtain open space throughout the community. POUCY 6. Develop and implement a long-term and comprehensive acquisition, dedication, and management program for open spaces. POUCY 7. Preserve Redmond's semi-rural characteristics, such as abundant open space, by allowing clustered residential development that provides a significant percentage of usable open space where compatible in style and function with surrounding neighborhoods. I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I ---PAGE BREAK--- II r, It r, 'I I I I I I I I I I I I I I - IV. A. • • PRO PLAN 2000 City of Redmond, Washington BACKGROUND Page 23 IV. BACKGROUND Population 1. PRESENT AND FUfURE USERS Redmond's parks are for people. As simple as this statement is, it means a great deal. The people who use the parks and open space include children, adults, the elderly, residents, visitors, and the handicapped. They live in urban, suburban, and rural neighborhoods. _ They are singles, empty- nesters, and families with children. They both live and work in Redmond and its surrounding area. This section of the Plan descnoes these present and future users of the park system and establishes the basis for determining demand for the next 10 years. a. The Present Recent growth in the Redmond Planning Area has been just short of explosive. There are about half again as many people as there were in 1980. The same is true for growth in jobs. This is due to new development as well as to City annexations. The estimated resident population of the Planning Area today is 59,000 people. Local businesses employ about 26,000 people. These two user groups combine to make an effective current recreation demand population of 63,000'. Some other information describing these people is listed below:' The median age of residents is below 30 years. About 20 percent of the resident population are school- age children. 'See population sources in Appendix D, References 'Information derived from Redmond Parks and Recreation Department, school district and Chamber of commerce publications About 80 percent of Redmond employees live outside the Planning Area. ---PAGE BREAK--- I I I t ! r • IV. • • PRO PLAN 2000 City of Redmond, Washington BACKGROUND b. The Future Page 24 The incidence of both single-parent and two-wage-earner households has increased significantly in the past few years. Average household size is about 2.5 persons. Growth within the Planning Area during the next 10 years will be even more dramatic than in the past. King County has approved the Bear Creek Community Plan for the 48 square miles to the east. That Plan includes two master planned developments North Ridge and Blakely Ridge --which are within the Planning Area and have the potential for 7,500 new homes and 280 acres of business development. South of the Bear Creek Area is the East Sammamish Community Planning Area which is also undergoing intensive development. West of Redmond, Kirkland has recently annexed the Rose Hill Area and is planning for growth there. Closer to the heart of Redmond, new housing is springing up on undeveloped sites and more and more businesses are locating in the City. Development of the town center will bring a much higher level of retail opportunities and amenities along with jobs to Redmond. Within this context, city parks and recreation space and facilities must be expanded to meet the needs of new residents, workers, and users. The following discussion establishes the ."target" for the extent of these needs at the birth of the new century. 2. PLANNING AREA This Plan is for a 56 square-mile area shown by Figure 2. The area contains the 14 square miles currently within the city limits plus area to the north, east, and south which is currently in unincorporated King County. Redmond may annex some of this in the future. While the County is responsible for providing parks and recreation services to these unincorporated communities, there is considerable overlapping of space, facilities, and programs between the County and Redmond. In fact, the County is considering the following polices: I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I ---PAGE BREAK--- DUVAlL '11\Ulii' PRO PLAN 2000 PARKS, RECREATION AND OPEN SPACE PLAN CITY OF REDMOND, WASHINGTON NEIGHBORHOODS • FIGURE 2 LEGEND CITY IJIII'!S - NEIGHBORHOODS • 6 ~ D 2500 5000 100<:11 NORTH SCALE: 1"=5000' - . ---PAGE BREAK--- t I i • • PRO PlAN 2000 City of Redmond, Washington IV. BACKGROUND Figure 2 - PLANNING AREA & NEIGHBORHOODS I I Page 25 I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I ---PAGE BREAK--- II I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I IV. • • PRO PLAN 2000 City of Redmond, Washington BACKGROUND ''King County will seek to acquire natural resources based sites, particularly sites of regional significance, that provide unique or desirable natural features. This acknowledges some of the defacto County Coundl shifts of emphasis toward natural resources based and regional parks. King County will seek to acquire and develop, in cooperation with affected municipalities, trail corridors of significance. Page 26 Other reconunendations in this County analysis affirm its obligation to provide neighborhood and conununity parks. However, the emphasis on rejiionalism is clearly pointing towards municipalities for leadership in providing conununity facilities and services. The PRO PLAN Area contains highly developed, "mature" residential neighborhoods, mixed-use, urban centers, future development, and rural areas. Demographic forecasting within this area is done by the City, County, Puget Sound Council of Governments (PSCOG) and the Lake Washington School District. The geographic boundaries used by these agencies are not consistent with each other, however, so that the analysis contained here is a professional judgement derived from comparing and evaluating these sources. Current population data as of 1986 for neighborhoods within the current city limits is available. Data for the rest of the Planning Area is less reliable. This is reflected in the range shown on Table 1. Population forecasts relying on this current base plus City and PSCOG estimates of vacant developable land and growth rates will be re-evaluated when the 1990 Census is completed. a. Resident Population By 2000 there will be about 98,000 people living within the Planning Area in 38,000 - 40,000 households. Of these, 50,000 people will reside within the neighborhoods currently in the city limits. Almost as many people will reside in the neighborhoods immediately to the north, east, and south of the current city limits. Portions of these neighborhoods may be annexed to the City by 2000. The Plan must, therefore, acknowledge this significant population. Table 1 Usts the forecasted distribution of the year 2000 population compared to the current (1989 population). 'King County Parks Department, Interim Assessment, 1989 ---PAGE BREAK--- l I ( I f • • PRO PLAN 2000 City of Redmond, Washington IV. BACKGROUND . Page 27 Table 1 PRO PLAN AREA RESIDENT POPULATION YEARS 1989-2000 NEIGHBORHOOD Willows Grass Lawn Sammamish Valley City Center Over lake Education Hill Bear Creek Viewpoint SUBTOTAL South Hollywood Hills North Union Hill South Union Hill Sahalee/Inglewood SUBTOTAL PRO PLAN AREA POPULATION 1989 2,312 5,814 476 850 6,086 11,084 1,127 6,256 34,000 3, 700 - 4,400 5,400 - 6,400 5,600 - 6,700 10,400 - 12,400 25,100 - 29,900 59,110 - 63,910 2000 4,700 7,000 1,800 1,800 10,200 14,700 2,300 7,500 50,000 7,000 - 11,000* 9,000 - 14,000* 11,000 - 17,000* 10,000 - 17,000* 37,000 - 59,000 87,000 - 109,000* * Range depending upon timing of development within the Master Planned Developments and provision of utilities to South Hollywood Hills. For the purposes of this plan, the 1989 population is assumed to be 59,000. This is the bottom of the range shown above and has been used to establish a conservative baseline for current facility needs. Completion of the 1990 U.S. Census will permit this figure to be confirmed. For 2000, the Pro Plan is based on a resident population of 98,000. This is the middle of the forecasted range and assumes that substantial development will have occurred in the Union Hill area by them. Source: David Evans and Associates, Inc. 1989 I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I ---PAGE BREAK--- It !t :I ;I I I I I I I I I I I I IV. • • PRO PLAN 2000 City of Redmond, Washington BACKGROUND Page 28 Population densities within the Planning Area currently varies from about 0.5 person per acre (Sammamish Valley and Bear Creek) to nearly nine persons per acre (Grass Lawn). The average density is about 1.5 persons per acre. By 2000, the average will be 2.7 persons. The broad diversity of population density will continue to exist as portions of the Area remain or become very urban while others remain rural. b. Employment By 2000, there will be an estimated 40,000 - 50,000 jobs within the Planning Area. Assuming that as today, about 20 percent of these employees will live in the Planning Area and that about 20 percent of the non-resident employees will use City parks and recreation facilities, then the effective recreation demand population of these persons will be about 7,000. This demand will be focused on facilities near the major employment centers primarily in the City Center, Sammamish Valley (south), Willows, Bear Creek and Overlake neighborhoods. Since much of this demand is typically for organized sports activities, the geographic relationship of job location to recreation facility location will be less critical than is the relationship of neighborhood-scale facilities to residents where children deserve to walk or bike to parks and playgrounds. c. Total Demand In 1990, the effective demand population is estimated to be 63,000. By 2000 there will be 105,000 park and recreation-users who will rely on the City of Redmond for space, facilities, and/or programs. Most of these will live or work within the city limits which will likely have been expanded. Some will still be located in unincorporated King County, although the provision for community parks and recreation services may very likely be shifted from the County to municipalities or recreation service districts. King County will continue to provide large resource and regional parks in the future. For Redmond citizens, this means continued space and facility support provided at Marymoor Park and other existing and proposed county parks. After data from the 1990 Census is available, new population projections will be developed by the agencies responsible. Local land use and economic planning will also provide better snapshots of the future as well. There are many variables which can affect growth in Redmond as well as the nature of recreation demand. Annual review of this plan will enable the City to refine these forecasts in terms of on-going needs, characteristics of park uses, and public expressions of need. ---PAGE BREAK--- I I I ! ' I I I I • • PRO PLAN 2000 City of Redmond, Washington IV. BACKGROUND Page 29 3. PLAN CONCEPT The community development characteristics of the Planning Area are very different. The environmental aspect of this is discussed in Section IVB. The topographic features have had much to do with the way in which the City has grown and will continue to grow. Redmond's stewardship of the natural environment is a direct outgrowth of the citizens' desire to retain the setting that is. Redmond. Figure 3 illustrates this idea in another way. This figure depicts "build-out" population density within the Planning Area based on the comprehensive land use plan. The purpose for doing this is to develop a concept for locating parks equitably within reasonable proximity of the population. There are two sides to Redmond depicted as defined by Avondale Road, Marymoor Park, and Lake Sammamish. The west side will be the most highly developed, containing the densest residential population, and the bulk of the commercial and industrial uses. The east side will be much less intensively developed. Overall, this analysis of future development trends points to a concept for park distribution in which Redmond should manage its capital improvement program to match the location, site and design of parks with the population density and life style of its neighborhoods. a. West Side This portion of the Planning Area is comprised of the Willows, Grass Lawn, Sammamish Valley, City Center, Overlake, View Point, South Hollywood Hills, and Education Hill Neighborhoods. This contains 36 percent of the land area and about 63 percent of the existing population. By 2000, the population proportion will drop somewhat as the Union Hill Master Planned Developments take shape. The West Side also contains more than half of the area's employment land. Density of parks and recreation facilities in the West Side should be consistent with the density of residential development. Neighborhood parks should therefore be much closer to each other here since the character of this area will be more urban. There will be more community parks offering a wider range of programs. The current land area devoted to parks within the West Side is , or percent of the total within the Planning Area. Of this, _ acres or _ percent is owned by the City and the balance is controlled by other agencies or private organizations. There are nine neighborhood parks and two community parks. To meet PRO PLAN criteria, there should be four acres of neighborhood parks and 46 acres of community parks. By 2000, the number of neighborhood parks should be 246 acres, along with 519 I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I ---PAGE BREAK--- PRO PLAN 2000 PARKS, RECREATION AND OPEN SPACE PLAN CITY OF REDMOND, WASHINGTON DEVELOPMENT CHARAC. FIGURE 3 !Dlr (RURAL) f3lZa RURAL/SUBURBAN ~ SUBURBAN Elmj URBAN ~ WGH URBAII • 0 ~ 0 2500 5000 10000 1/0RTII SCALE: I" =5000' ---PAGE BREAK--- J ! f • IV. BACKGROUND 1 FIGURE 3 - CONCEPT MAP • PRO PIAN 2000 City of Redmond, Washington ---PAGE BREAK--- ' ~I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I IV. • • PRO PLAN 2000 City of Redmond, Washington BACKGROUND Page 31 b. the number of neighborhood parks should be 246 acres, along with 519 acres of co=unity parks. Section V discusses these conclusions in more detail. East Side This portion contains the evolving neighborhoods of North and South Union Hill, Bear Creek, and Sahalee/Inglewood. Except for Bear Creek, this area is currently in unincorporated King County. The area contains 64 percent of the land area and 37 percent of the current population. By 2000, as the North Ridge and Blakely Ridge Master Planned Developments (MPD's) are underway, the East Side will increase in density somewhat both in residents as well as in jobs. During the planning period, however, the East Side will remain much more rural that the West Side. Park and recreation demand will thus be much different there. Neighborhood parks will serve much more dispersed co=unities except for those located within the MPD's. Community parks will be more applicable to this level of population density and should be closely aligned with elementary schools which will be the primary focuses for the area. Resource parks owned and developed by Redmond and King County will play somewhat hybrid roles serving otherwise neighborhood- and community-level demands. There currently is one (Redmond) neighborhood park as well as several King County Parks in the East Side. There should be two neighborhood parks and five community parks, recognizing that the existing resource parks and the City Watershed can and will continue to offset these shortfalls. 4. DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS The characteristics of the Redmond user population (age, household size, income, etc.) has much to do with the demand for parks and recreation facilities. These characteristics change over time. The Planning Area is undergoing considerable growth today and this is expected to continue through the PRO PLAN period. Two recent telephone surveys provide an excellent basis for establishing the demographic characteristics of todays users. In June of 1988, a survey of over 300 residents of the city was conducted for the Parks and Recreation Department. In December of that year, the City commissioned a survey of 300 residents of Kin2 County east of the city limits to seek information pertaining to their attitudes about possible annexation. The following information describes these respondents. ---PAGE BREAK--- { { t I I l i I { • • PRO PLAN 2000 City of Redmond, Washington IV. BACKGROUND TABLE 2 REDMOND DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE CITY RESIDENTS Household Size 2.07 Households with Children 53% Household Income $38,300 Length of Stay in 8 Years Present Residence Type of Housing 82% Single Family 17% Multi Family Horne Ownership N/A Family Member W / Disability 7% Participation in Redmond Programs 28% CQUNTY RESIDENTS 3.46 60% $42,300 6 Years 99% Single Family 95% N/A 27% Page 32 The Plarming Area population is thus currently very homogenous although current City residents tend to be older, have fewer children, lower incomes and more live in apartments or condominiums. Interestingly, both city and county respondents use Redmond parks and recreation programs at similar rates. In the next 10 years, the U.S. and State population will age. Movement of new families into the Planning Area will likely moderate this trend somewhat. The Lake Washington School District estimates that there will be a continued rapid growth in the school age population. Area realtors report that young families are buying older homes in the City. Construction of multi-family housing is also occurring rapidly, and this housing type will continue to bring single persons, "empty nesters" and families with few children to the neighborhoods in which it is built. Larger families with higher incomes are likely to favor the outlying portions of the Planning Area in the next 10 years. Within the MPD's, families with lower incomes will have some opportunities in horne selection in projects built to meet the MPD approval requirements for moderate-income housing. I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I ---PAGE BREAK--- I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I • • PRO PLAN 2000 City of Redmond, Washington IV. BACKGROUND Page 33 There are very few data or predictions regarding future recreation demands or trends. The State Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Pro~am deals only with current demand. Similarly, King County's park planning is focused at needs based on present demographics. The PRO PLAN therefore should be flexible in planning for facilities which can support changing recreation demands over the years. As new information comes available from the 1990 Census and City-sponsored surveys; the Plan can be amended accordingly. In the next 10 years, Redmond will clearly be faced with a difficult task in providing sufficient space and programs to meet overall demand. Special needs for special populations such as the handicapped, the elderly, and the disadvantaged will likely increase at a greater rate than total population growth. B. Landscape Setting Many factors contributed to the landscape of Redmond. The Pliocene era provided the underlying "canvas; uplifting the Cascade and Olympic Mountains. As the Puget Basin uplifted, the valleys where Lake Washington and Lake Sanunarnish lie were formed. The glacial period widened and deepened the valleys, creating steep side slopes and depositing a mixture of a clay, sand, and gravel. The climatic conditions which provide 45 inches of precipitation annually, coupled with the surface and groundwater in the area promote a native vegetation cover of Douglas fir, Western hemlock, Western red cedar with associated understory plants. The Sammamish River, Lake Sanunamish, Bear Creek, and Evans Creek not only have contributed to the wetlands vegetation but also to the very shaping of the landscape of Redmond. Excluding human development, the river and creek valleys with the associated walls and vegetation provide the natural identity of the area. The public perception that Redmond is "on the edge of the country" or has a "rural atmosphere" is enhanced by the topography of the area. Generally, the city is built in and around the steep slopes of the valley walls and the wetlands of the lower Sanunamish River. First, through the annual occurrence of flooding and now through zoning and the purchase of development rights, the Sanunamish River valley has generally remained free from development, contributing to the 'country feel' of the area. Human activities have modified the natural environment of Redmond. Channeli- zation has changed the character of the Sanunamish River and adjacent lands. Clearing and grading for single and multi-family housing have begun to reduce the definition of the valley walls. Stands of native fir, hemlock and cedars are being reduced to ribbons of vegetation forming a backdrop for development. Transport- ation corridors are beginning to shape the perception of the landscape. ---PAGE BREAK--- 1 I \ l ! I l l ' I I I • PRO PLAN 2000 PARKS. RECREAnON AND OPEN SPACE PLAN City of Rectnond. LANDSCAPE FIGURE 4 I I I I I e~ I \ l I ' I LEGEND 0 ~ STDP IL.O'U S'tNAMS I ,.VIJIIS D~ I I I I I I I I I I I I I ---PAGE BREAK--- ·I ;I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I IV. c. • • PRO PLAN 2000 City of Redmond, Washington BACKGROUND Page 35 The native landscape is important to the residents of the city. When asked what they like about Redmond, many responded with terms such as "open space"; "quiet, small, friendly"; "scenic views"; and "country and city" intertwined. It is this "intertwining" which brought many residents to the area. Acknowledgement of the importance of the native landscape and the fact that much of it is being lost to development and city growth, points to a need to acquire and protect some of these lands to preserve this landscape setting for future residents. Supply of Recreation Lands and Facilities An inventory of parks and recreation facilities by neighborhoods was completed and forms the basis for the demands and needs analysis. The inventory is summarized in Table 3. The complete inventory is found in Appendix A of this document. Figure 5, Existing Conditions, locates the facilities in the planning area. The supply of recreation facilities is provided by the City of Redmond, Lake Washington School District and King County, with the private sector contributing a significant number of soccer fields. King County, through Marymoor Park, supplies a number of high quality baseball and soccer fields as well as several tennis courts. In addition, the County provides the only public swimming pool in the area, located at Hartman Park. Lake Washington School District provides the majority of gymnasiums as well as tennis courts in the City. The District also contributes to the soccer and baseball fields. The City of Redmond, primarily through Grass Lawn and Hartman Parks, provides baseball and softball fields, children's play areas, and tennis courts. The Lake Washington Youth Soccer Association provides 19 high quality soccer fields at 60-Acres Park. Leased from King County, the facility serves as a soccer center for the region. With large regional facilities like Marymoor Park and 60-Acres Soccer Fields, there is a perception that Redmond has an abundance of park land, open space, and recreation facilities. However, the opposite is true. ---PAGE BREAK--- I 1 ! • • PRO PLAN 2000 City of Redmond, Washington IV. BACKGROUND Page 36 Table 3 SUMMARY OF SUPPLY OF RECREATION LANDS AND FACILITIES "0 "0 u u ~ ~ C) 8 - < - C) "fj 0 i! "0 -a C) .0 "0 C) 0 -o"O iS: 8 0 rSSo ~ -uo Vl'- C) 1>0 p:O ~8 .E ~ c c 8 C) ::lu co C) ~ ·e - C) e et> = e .oe e C) u c ~s g E 0 Supplier ~ ::lo a "li Vle::. oS Vl E-6 0 City of Redmond 11 2 0 0 10 0 11 0 Lake Washington School District 13 1 8 13 5 15 5 0 King County 4 9 0 0 4 1 3 1 Private 6 19 0 1 2 0 1 2 3.5 Combination 17.6 Source: David Evans and Associates, Inc. 1989 The supply of parks and recreation facilities in Redmond is primarily provided by the City, King County, and the Lake Washington School District. The City relies heavily on the other providers for sports fields and all of the indoor facilities. As such, the City competes for the use of these facilities and often programming conflicts occur. The primary issue in the supply of recreation opportunity to the citizens of Redmond is the relatively few facilities which the City owns and controls. The following table illustrates the current situation. I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I ---PAGE BREAK--- PRO PLAN 2000 PARKS, RECREATION AND OPEN SPACE PLAN CITY OF REDMOND, WASHINGTON EXISTING CONDITION. FIGURE 5 LEGEND • CITY OF REDIIOND PARKS IIIII KING COUNTY PARKS IIIII LAKE WASHINGTON SCHOOL DISTRICT SCHOOL'l fl!!j REDIIOND WATERSHED ~ PRIVATE EXI5TING TIUJIB • 0 NORTH ~ 0 2500 5000 10000 scALE: t"~sooo· ---PAGE BREAK--- t I I I l • IV. BACKGROUND Figure 5 - Existing Conditions PRO PLAN 2000 City of Redmond, Washington • I I Page 37 I J I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I ---PAGE BREAK--- I I I I 1- 1 I I :a I ·t ;I I I I I • • PRO PLAN 2000 City of Redmond, Washington IV. BACKGROUND Page 38 Table 4 PERCENT OF FACILITIES PROVIDED BY THE CITY OF REDMOND FACILID PERCENTAQE FACILITY PERCENTAGE Tennis Courts 32% Soccer Fields 7% (game grade) Gymnasiums 0% Soccer Fields 0% (practice grade) Baseball/Softball Fields 53% Children's Play Areas 61% (game grade) Baseball/Softball Fields 0% Swimming Pools 0% (practice grade) Source: David Evans and Associates, Inc. 1989 The significance of this table is that with few facilities to offer, the effective supply of recreation facilities is reduced. The availability of indoor recreation space is particularly impacted. Approximately half of all recreation programs offered by the Redmond Parks Department occur indoors. During 1988, 5,500 hours of indoor programming were offered; the majority took place in gymnasiums and multipurpose rooms. With no such facilities, the City relies on the Lake Washington School District to satisfy this demand. The District is very cooperative in making facilities available to the Parks Depart- ment and other community groups. However, in terms of providing municipal recreation, sole use of school facilities presents many programming problems for the Department. Most school gymnasiums and multi-purpose areas are not available on a year- round basis. Use is restricted or not allowed during the summer months and during school vacations. The school facilities are not available at all during the school day; many not available for community use until after 6:30 p.m. This is due to expanded school athletic and day care programs. Several trends in school facility use have affected their availability for City programming and use. Expanding school programs translates into less space for recreation programs. While the demand for indoor recreation is increasing an ---PAGE BREAK--- t I I I IV. • • PRO PLAN 2000 City of Redmond, Washington BACKGROUND Page 39 estimated eight percent per year, actual gymnasium space for programs has decreased. During 1985, 60 percent of total gymnasium time was on weekday evenings. In 1988, the percentage dropped to 55 percent. At the larger and, therefore, more critical gymnasiums (junior high schools), the drop was from 44 percent in 1985 to 32 percent in 1988. Finally, cancellation of previously scheduled parks and recreation programs in school facilities is causing much frustration among City recreation staff and, more importantly, among the public. During the 1985 winter quarter, an estimated 61 hours of previously approved time was cancelled. In the same time period in 1988, the cancelled time increased over 100 percent to 102 hours. During the 1988-89 youth basketball season, 83 previously confirmed practice dates were cancelled at elementary school sites. The above trends directly affect the quality of the City's recreation program and the goodwill toward our citizens whom we are trying to serve. I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I ---PAGE BREAK--- l I I I I I I I I I I I I I 1 I I I • • PRO PIAN 2000 City of Redmond, Washington IV. BACKGROUND Page 40 Table 5 GYMNASIUM USE COMPARISON BETWEEN 1985 and 1988 _ (Fall and Wznter Quarters only) High School Gymnasium Use Hours Fall Fall Total Cancelled Winter Winter Total Cancelled ~M-Th E:S!J. .Eall. .Eall. M-Th E:S!J. Winter Winter 1985 0 56 56 0 0 52 52 0 1988 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Junior High School Gymnasium Use Hours Fall Fall Total Cancelled Winter Winter Total Cancelled ~M-Th E:Su. E.rul. &ll. M-Th E:S!J. Winter Winter 1985 848 210. 1106 60 [PHONE REDACTED] 26 1988 430 195 625 46 [PHONE REDACTED] 38 Elementary School Gymnasium Use Hours Fall Fall Total Cancelled Winter Winter Total Cancelled ~M-Th .E:.SJJ.. E.rul. Eal.!. M-Th E:S.u. Winter Winter 1985 160 30 190 0 1027 215 1242 35 1988 144 0 144 0 [PHONE REDACTED] 85 Summary Total Use Total ~ Hours Percent Cancelled Percent 1985 4226 121 1988 2923 -31% 177 +46% Source: Redmond Parks and Recreation Department, 1989 ---PAGE BREAK--- l l I • • PRO PLAN 2000 City of Redmond, W asbington IV. BACKGROUND Table 6 SPORTS AND FITNESS PROGRAMS HOURS (GREATEST USER OF GYMNASIUM/MULTIPURPOSE SPACE) 1985 1988 Indoor 2616 2391 8% decrease Percent 43% 41% Outdoor 2541 3416 Percent 57% 59% 34% increase Source: Redmond Parks and Recreation Department, 1989 Table 7 5157 5807 13% increase ALL PROGRAMMED RECREATION HOURS* ~ 1985 1988 Indoor 4226 5467 %increase Percent 53% 49% 17% Outdoor 4103 5611 Percent 47% 51% 37% Source: Redmond Parks and Recreation Department, 1989 *Does not include Senior Citizens Human Service Programs D. Public Involvement 8782 11078 26% Page 41 Public input regarding the demands and needs for parks, recreation and open space was obtained through public participation and a variety of resources including: · Telephone Recreation Survey Ongoing meetings with Redmond Park Board Sports Facility Task Force Redmond Task Force Planning Corrimission Public Meetings Individual inquired and requests Registration/Participation information I I I I I I I i I I I I I I I I I I I ---PAGE BREAK--- I I I' I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I IV. • • PRO PLAN 2000 City of Redmond, Washington BACKGROUND Page 42 For example, in March of 1988, Redmond Mayor Doreen Marchione created the Redmond Team Sports Facility Task Force. This group was directed to determine how well existing athletic facilities meet the demand for sports programmed in the Redmond service area. The group collected data on all existing and planned fields and gymnasiums, profiled major sports programs provided, analyzed the demand for sports programs, estimated facility needs to 1991 and made reco=endations on how to best address athletic facility needs. Fourteen providers of co=unity youth and adult team sports programs and several involved citizens were represented on the task force. The group incl'!lded: Redmond Football Association Redmond Little League Lake Washington Youth Soccer Association King County Softball Redmond Baseball Association Kirkland-Redmond Boys and Girls Club Greater Seattle Soccer League Lake Washington School District Adult Coed Softball Men's Slowpitch Peppermint Patty Girl's Softball Women's Slowpitch Men's Baseball Coed Adult Soccer The Task Force provided recommendations for short- and long-term improvements to City, County, and Lake Washington School District facilities. Of particular interest, in the spring of 1988, Redmond residents participated in a telephone survey sponsored by the Parks and Recreation Department and conducted by Market Trends Inc. of Bellevue. The purpose of the survey was to gauge the level of awareness and user satisfaction with the City's recreation programs and facilities and to reveal trends in local leisure demands. The survey also included questions about satisfaction with the general City of Redmond services. Respondents, in general, supported the recreation programs offered by the City and placed a high value on protecting open space and preserving the visual character of the City. The survey provided specific information on the recreation performances voiced by those responding. The activities most frequently mentioned by the citizens responding to the survey were fitness programs and individual sports such as aerobic dance, swi=ing, weight training, and racquet sports. Volleyball was expressed as a desire for team sports. ---PAGE BREAK--- I I I I ; t IV. • • PRO PLAN 2000 City of Redmond, Washington BACKGROUND Page 43 Cultural arts programs and classes were also identified as important indoor recreation programs. Indoor recreation demands were identified through the Recreation Survey as follows: The indoor physical activities most frequently engaged in by the adult respondents who exercise regularly are: Aerobic dance Swimming Weight training Racquet sports 29% 16% 16% 15% When asked which programs they would be interested in if offered in the Redmond area, respondents identified the following indoor activities. 20% Racquet Sports 14% Aerobic Dance/Fitness 14% Arts and Crafts 8% Volleyball 7% Indoor programs that would be of interest to children were: Racquet Sports Arts and Crafts Dancing 37% 12% 10% 10% Citizens over 55 indicated a demand for the following indoor programs: Exercise Class Painting/Dravnng Aerobic Exercise Ceramic/Pottery Card Groups Dance Classes Wood Crafts Volleyball 36% 36% 29% 23% 20% 18% 18% 12% 12% Respondents were also read a list of activities and asked if they or a member of their family would be willing to pay a reasonable fee to participate in the I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I ---PAGE BREAK--- I I I ' I I I I I I I I I I I I I I. I IV. • PRO PLAN 2000 City of Redmond, Washington BACKGROUND program. The indoor activities surveyed were: Year Round Concerts Computer Classes Art Classes Dance Classes Cooking Classes 60% 49% 36% 35% 32% • Page 44 Seventy-nine percent surveyed in the 1988 Recreation Survey indicated the need for a community center in Redmond that would provide facilities for a variety of indoor activities. Thirty-six percent of these respondents indicate a very high need for such a facility. When asked what should be included in such a facility, the five top were: Special Facilities for Teens 81% Dance/Exercise Room 76% Gymnasium 75% Fitness Room 68% Swimming Pool 66% ---PAGE BREAK--- 1 I I I ' • • PRO PLAN 2000 City of Redmond, Washington V. DEMAND AND NEEDS ANALYSIS Page 45 A. V. DEMAND AND NEEDS ANALYSIS Guidelines and Standards 1. SERVICE RADIUS AND ACCESSIBILITY Recreation facilities and parks serve a certain population depending on the size and type of recreation opportunity offered. To provide an accessible park system to all neighborhoods, guidelines have been established for park service radius. Three separate types of parks are identified in these guidelines: neighborhood parks, community parks, and resource parks. a. Neighborhood Parks Uses-- Space for passive and active uses: picnicking, informal areas for outdoor sports, trails, children's play areas, court and field sports. Service Area Guideline Desired size b. Community Parks .25 to .5 mile radius. 1.0 to 2.0 acres per 1000 population 7 to 10 acres. Uses- Diversified active and some passive uses: baseball/softball complexes, tennis, basketball and pickleball courts. Use may be extended with lighting. Areas are provided for children's play equipment, jogging and walking paths with natural wooded areas for outdoor enjoyment. Service Area Guideline Desired size c. Resource Parks One to three mile radius. 5.0 to 8.0 acres per 1000 population. 25 to 40 acres. Uses-- Special use facilities, open space, variable environmental qualities. Provide outdoor recreational opportunities such as walking, hiking, jogging, cycling, equestrian, camping, bird watching, interpretive trails, picnicking and water-oriented recreation. Service Area No applied guideline. I I I I I I I I I I I. I ·J I I I I I I ---PAGE BREAK--- I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I V. • • PRO PlAN 2000 City of Redmond, Washington DEMAND AND NEEDS ANALYSIS Page 46 Variable. Guideline Desired size Large enough to protect natural resources and provide maximum public benefit; variable depending desired use. Each type of park provides a function in serving the residents of the community. However, these guidelines must be tempered by the type and style of residential development which will take place in the planning area and the supply of regional facilities provided by King County and others. As the eastern neighborhoods are developed, with the population densities and open space and park amenities proposed in the development plans, the need for neighborhood parks is reduced. Community parks will be more appropriate in these neighborhoods, assuming the planned development takes place. 2. FACILITY GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS The focus of this Plan is to determine the facilities and acreage necessary to meet the current and future recreational needs of the community. This task is accomplished by projecting the population of the Planning Area and reviewing the use of existing recreation facilities and trends in future needs. Guidelines are tools to identify the requirement for recreation facilities compared to the existing and future population. The preparation of the guidelines were derived from a review of the following information: Guidelines from surrounding communities The actual number of facilities in Redmond per 1000 population Participation rates for programmed activities Accepted national facility guidelines. The guidelines for recreation facilities utilized by the Cities of Bellevue and Kirkland are influencing in that they are serving similar populations with similar lifestyles. Also, their supply or lack of supply of facilities can impact the use of Redmond's recreation facilities due to the transient nature of some users, especially adult sports teams. The actual number of facilities provided by Redmond per 1000 population also helps in this analysis. This number may not be desirable but it does indicate what the residents are accustomed to using. This, coupled with the participa- tion rates for programmed activities provides a picture of the current situation. ---PAGE BREAK--- v. l t • • PRO PLAN 2000 City of Redmond, Washington DEMAND AND NEEDS ANALYSIS Page 47 Utilizing national standards as a check, a professional judgement is made concerning the appropriate guidelines for the community. a. Facility Guidelines Table 8 presents the guidelines prepared from the above analysis. The list of facilities focuses on the major elements of a park and recreation system. Many other types of facilities are essential to a quality system to meet the needs of the public. Requests from the public and user groups should be considered in allocating funds for activities and facilities which are not listed. Facility Tennis Courts Soccer Fields (Game Grade) Soccer Fields (Practice Grade) Gymnasiums Baseball/Softball Fields (Game Grade) Baseball/Softball Fields (Practice Grade) Children's Play Areas Swimming Pools Trails Golf Courses Table 8 FACILI1Y GUIDEUNES Guideline 1 per 2500 of population 1 per 3000 of population 1 per 3000 of population 1 per 10000 of population 1 per 3000 of population 1 per 3000 of population 1 per 3000 of population 1 per 15000 of population 1.1 miles per 1000 of population 1 per 50000 of population I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I ---PAGE BREAK--- II II II II !I il 'I I I I I I I I I I I I I • • PRO PLAN 2000 City of Redmond, Washington V. DEMAND AND NEEDS ANALYSIS Table 9 PARK CLASSIFICATION GUIDEUNES Neighborhood Parks Community Parks Open Space One to two acres per 1000 population Five to eight acres per 1000 population 10% of the total planning area* Page 48 * The open space guideline inCludes public and private lands which are considered free from development. This includes parks, school property, lands from which the development rights have been purchased, and lands zones and/or designated as unbuildable. B. Demand and Need for Recreational Facilities Using the existing population data and projections, with the application of the facility guidelines, the demand for recreation facilities is determined. The existing supply of recreation facilities is then subtracted from the demand to determine the need for new facilities. In performing these calculations, many assumptions and factors are applied to tailor the findings to the existing situation. The existing supply of recreation facilities is provided by the City of . Redmond, King County, Lake Washington School District, and the private sector. The availability of these facilities to residents of Redmond varies with each supplier. School functions and activities have priority for use of District facilities. Therefore, the availability of the District's facilities is reduced for City programming. A similar situation is experienced with King County facilities. For example, Marymoor Park is a regional facility and serves many surrounding communities. Only about 25 percent of those using the park are residents of the Redmond Planning Area. Therefore, these facilities must be discounted by three-quarters to attain a true picture of the available supply of recreational facilities. To arrive at these availability factors, recreation facility suppliers were contacted and the origin of the users identified. These figures were translated into percentages and applied to the calculations. As with studies of this kind, the numbers generated are indicators of demand and need and should not be thought of as definitive. The results ---PAGE BREAK--- I I I I I I I i j ) I • • • PRO PLAN 2000 City of Redmond, Washington V. DEMAND AND NEEDS ANALYSIS Page 49 Existing SU££1l: Redmond LWSD King Co. Private Total identify the demand and need based on a number of assumptions described above. Judgement must be used when applying these figures to the preparation of recommendations and the capital improvement plan. The following tables provide the demand and need for the planning area for selected facilities. The breakdown of demand and need by neighborhood is located in Appendix B. The calculations are based on population figures of 59,000 for 1989 and 98,000 for 2000. Park classifications are also provided with guidelines to act as a measure of adequacy of supply. Again, these are only guidelines and are tempered by the density of development and the capability of the land. Table 10 TENNIS COURTS Availability Effective Factor SU££ll: 11 X LOO 11.0 13 X .50* = 6.5 4 X .25** = 1.0 6 X .10 = .6 34 19 (rounded) Fa! ACQUISmON Avondale CP Bear Creek South NP Bear/Evans Creek Trail King County Shop Site Open Space Overlake NP Willows NP Johnson NP Addition North Ed Hill CP Overlake OS Sam Valley East CP Waterfront West Avondale NP Willows Ridge NP Anderson NP Addition Downtown East OS Golf Course Nike NP Addition North Ed Hill NP PugetTrail NWM'IIIows Town Center OS Viewpoint Wetlands CRITERIA Urgency Needs & Demands Level of Service Growth Trends Financial GOALS & POLICIES G·1/P·1·3-4 G-21?·1·1 1-12 G-2/P·:l-9 DEVELOPMENT Atl11etic Complex Avondale CP Community Center Hartman CP McWhirter CP Overtake NP Puget Power Trail/Eo Hill I Aquatic Center Bear Creek Soutl1 NP Sear/Evans Creek Trail Johnson CP Puget Power Trair/VViUows Puget PowerTraii/Ed Hill II Signature St./Beautification West Avondale NP Willows NP 1 48th Beautiflcatlon 1 Cultural Center Golf Course North Ed Hill CP Sam River Trail/Park Sam Valley E. CP Tennis/Racquet Center VIewpoint Wetiands Watershed OS CRITERIA Comm/Neigl1 Needs Urgency Growth Trends Financial Maximize Facilities GOALS & POUCIES G· 1 /P-3-4·5 G·2/P+:J.1 5·16·1 7·18 G·:l/P-4-5 RENOVATION Grass Lawn CP Hartman CP McWhirter CP Spiritbrook NP Urban Forest Westside NP 172nd Trail Anderson NP Luke's Landing NP Meadow NP Nike NP VIewpoint NP Grounds Systems Pavement Systems Tennis Courts Trails System Turf/Sportslighting Urban Forest CRITERIA Comm/Nelgh Needs Protection of Assets Safety Level of Service Urgency Reduce Maintenance GOALS & POUCIES G-21?+5-6-7 G·3/P·1·5 CP - Community Park NP - Neighborhood Park OS - Open Space I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I ---PAGE BREAK--- I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I • • PRO PLAN 2000 City of Redmond, Washington VII. MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION Page 69 VII. MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION Quality maintenance and operation of a park system provides clean, safe, and ready-to- use facilities for the public to enjoy. Competent and efficient maintenance and operation of these facilities also protects the investment which the public has made over the years. Beautiful and well maintained facilities promotes their responsible use by the public and reduces the incidence of vandalism. Maintenance, renovation and security are and will continue to be priorities of the Parks and Recreation Department. A. Productive Park Management The Parks and Recreation Department has estimated and programmed the tasks necessary to maintain and operate the existing park system in Redmond. These tasks include all aspects of maintenance including lawn mowing, fertilization, tree trimming, irrigation and planting. Currently, the Department is able to provide only 40 percent of the programmed activities due to the Jack of funding. This is with the exception of maintenance activities associated with safety, ballfields and lawn mowing. As more facilities are added to the park system, the percentage of programmed maintenance activities will decrease without an increase in funding specifically for maintenance and operation. Facility upkeep is accomplished through routine maintenance and renovation. Renovation includes the repair, stabilization and improvement of park property and buildings. Preventive maintenance and renovation can stabilize or reduce maintenance and operating costs. The maintenance and operation program includes the use of recent technological advances and volunteers to increase the effectiveness of the City staff. Computerized technology in irrigation and other aspects of park maintenance applied by the City of Redmond has allowed the conservation of natural resources. It has also improved the efficiency of City maintenance staff, allowing more tasks to be accomplished in a given period of time. Volunteers and seasonal staff, supplements the City maintenance staff. Maintenance partnerships with private citizens and owners of facilities such as schools and private clubs extends the available resources. Use of contract labor to meet peak demands and help regular work crews respond to more specialized or urgent needs. Only in this way we can meet the peak demand for maintained facilities. The Department strives to coordinate the park maintenance schedule which park facility programming. This coordination ensures that facilities are in prime condition when needed by the public. ---PAGE BREAK--- I I I I I I I VII. B. c. • • PRO PLAN 2000 City of Redmond, Washington MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION Page 70 Risk Management The management of risk in parks and their related facilities requires a partnership between the Police, Fire and the Parks Departments to promote public safety. The staff of the Parks and Recreation Department are trained to identify and respond to hazardous conditions and activities. Inspections are made on a routine basis and followed up by a coordinated response. As a provider of facilities, the Department is expected to keep parks, ball fields, playgrounds and buildings in good repair. Liability for unsafe conditions is recognized in all aspects of operations. At the same time, we promote enjoyment and use of our facilities. Funding Priorities With limited resources and budgets, facilities which receive the highest use will receive the majority of maintenance, renovation and security funding. Funding is also directed to facilities which serve priority recreation programs. A quality park and recreation system requires an ongoing and long-term funding level which responds to the maintenance and operation needs. With support for maintenance, renovation and security programs, park facilities have an increased life and expanded function. An adequate and stable maintenance program also reduces the exposure to liability. The City of Redmond should strive to increase the funding level of maintenance and operations well beyond the 40 percent level. This will allow the full utilization of existing facilities and secure the investment which the public has made in the City. I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I