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Home My WebLink About022724 PRTTAB Meeting Minuteslilyof TownseM. PARKS, RECREATION, TREES, & TRAILS ADVISORY BOARD Minutes February 27, 2024 1 4:30 p.m. I Virtual or In Person Meeting • Join via computer or tablet at.http://`ioinwebinar.com enter 9 digit Webinar ID 752-525-115 • Join by phone in listen -only mode: (360)390-5064 Ext. 3 access code: 699-128-175# • Submit public comment to be included in the meeting record to: https://publiccomment.fillout.com/citvofpt • If you are experiencing technical difficulties, please attempt all methods listed above before reporting any issues to: clerksupport@cityofpt.us Welcome, Introduction & Call to Order - Chair Debbie lahnke Good afternoon and welcome to this meeting of the Port Townsend Parks, Recreation, Trees & Trails Advisory Board. The role of this Board is to assist City staff and to advise the City Council on legislative matters concerning parks, recreation, trees and trails. This meeting is open to the public at the City Council Chambers, virtually via this web format, and is also being video recorded for those who could not attend the meeting today and for future reference. Given that this meeting is in virtual format, we ask that the board members raise their hands to be called on by the Chair. The public can do the some to comment during the public comment periods. We take public comment at the beginning and end of the meeting. I. Roll Call: Pam Adams, Russell Hill, Becci Kimball, Matt Miner, Jim Todd, Jennifer Rotermund, Debbie lahnke present. Council Liaison Monica MickHager, staff Steve King, Carrie Hite, Michael Todd, Robin Hill and Jeff Kostechka present, Emma Bolin and Adrian Smith virtual. II. Approval of Agenda: Becci added an update about the planned parks foundation; Russell moved to approve, Matt seconded. III. Approval of Minutes: May 23, 2023, June 27, 2023, December 19, 2023 and January 23, 2024, Jim moved to approve, Becci seconded, unanimous approval. IV. Public Comment (3 minutes per person/agenda items only): Pat Teal commented about the loss of trees in developments and code loopholes that might need to be tightened up, with both Habitat and other builders. Trees were required to be left in the past in neighborhood construction projects. Retention of trees is preferred to planting new trees. We need to talk to PCD about this problem. Bayer Bell(spelling?) made a query about initiatives focusing on native trees vs food -producing trees and is looking for volunteer opportunities. We have many volunteer opportunities for parks, recreation, trees and trails efforts. Jeff asked about who is planting the Castle Hill trees and noted that volunteers will be needed. Speaker was encouraged to apply as a volunteer. V. Old Business (20 min) A. Nonmotorized (active) plan process and feedback (Jeff): Jeff provided a recap of the active transportation effort kick-off. Council has approved stakeholder group and meetings will start soon. He discussed having a wide vision to include other efforts: stormwater - raingardens; urban forestry - tree canopy, road masterplan - define where streets go, arterial plan - priority bike-ped routes. We need to stop having roads on all four sides of blocks, with interesting ramifications for open space (see Bishop Park, Cappy's Trails). Stakeholders accept public, city staff and consultant input, moderating bodies are city advisory groups, recommending body is the planning commission which has to balance guidance, approval by City Council will incorporate into the Comprehensive Plan update. What were successes and failures of nonmotorized plan? Current plan is available on the city website. Email responses to Jeff individually. pt2045plonning.org is the Comp Plan update website. B. Update on urban forestry and stormwater (Steve and Robin): Council passed rate ordinances that established a monthly fee for urban forestry. Robin brought back the idea from a conference in Snoqualmie. Longview has also followed suit, as did Redmond. We have little structural conveyance of stormwater and use natural drainage. Emma updated the board about about the urban forestry USDA grants and subcontractor River Network. We need to expand the grant area; she suggested we should reach out individually to Emma or Robin. C. Trees+ (all levels of canopy) subcommittee update (Russ, Robin, Debbie, Jennifer): Committee is working on three lists: street, POS and understory. Availability is always a concern with tree recommendations. Robin's canopy picture needs to be sent out to board. Comments about appropriate location for fruit trees - not as street trees but could work in POS. Understory is integral to healthy forests and the draft lists need to be distributed to the board. TreeLink article about Port Angeles growing trees for their own plantings was brought up. Jeff mentioned the Portland OR website with regard to canopy layers. Robin suggested we reach out to local nurseries when we finalize our lists. D. Parks+ Foundation: Becci contacted the head of the national organization for parks foundations, with discussion about forming our own 501c3 vs engaging JCF - small communities like ours may be best served by using the services of community foundations. First step will have a steering committee of two other members plus Becci; they will start with development of a mission statement in April. VI. New Business (60 min) A. Urban street trees - Tyler and Lawrence tree issues with planned street upgrades (Steve, Robin): Part of the coming TBD funds will be used to leverage grants as match. Grant opportunity with very short timeline is available. Plan is for Lawrence from the library to Tyler. We have funding to repave Tyler, it will be an ADA compliant street. Project will include bulbouts, and to add raingardens and trees, will effectively create an ELR like downtown. Jennifer asked whether future work of trenching Lawrence for stormwater upgrades will affect current work, Steve said it will not. B. Grant application update - secured vs submitted (Steve): See VLA above - Tyler is funded, Lawrence is being submitted. C. Council approval of encampment clean-up funding (Michael): Michael discussed the efforts to provide for our new caretaker at Kah Tai, re -opening the restrooms is a plan in the next few years. Becci spoke to public concerns expressed about caretaker safety. Michael discussed efforts to relocate illegal campers. Council provided the resources to deal with the physical impacts of this human -caused issue which we need to address with some compassion. Becci talked about it as a national problem. Code restrictions and impacts on the ability to trespass were discussed. D. Original Bishop plat and ROW questions (Debbie and Steve): Bishop Park maps from city and county parcel, zoning and utility maps and the original plat were discussed to show the acquisition of parcels to include in the park, the concern of trail location and integrity in ROWS as examples of challenges for the active transportation update. VII. Staff update — (10 min) A. Master plan for Hancock and 13th (Michael): An open house at the end of March is planned for the development of this property. Michael is working with an architectural firm for design; the one -acre parcel was donated to the city for park purposes as a part of the process when SeaPort Landing (now Avamere) was developed. One of the grants Carrie and Michael are applying for at RCO will include this park property. We should soon see some press about the open house. B. Golf park playground update (Carrie): Nonprofit intends to have First Sunday of each month for non -golf use of the golf park. RFP was issued: three design submittals for the golf park play equipment were accepted, open house was well -attended. Locations for the play area are under negotiation. They hope to go to City Council next month. Development of trails is in the plan. Russell asked about the possibility of 'adult play equipment' along the trails, along the lines of parkour features. VII. Next Regularly Scheduled Meeting: March 26, 2024 Vill. Public Comment: none. Adrian Smith noted that SCJ Alliance, the Comprehensive Plan consultants, will be at our March meeting. IX. Adjourn: 5:59pm 3