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PARKS, RECREATION, TREES, & TRAILS ADVISORY BOARD
Minutes
June 25, 2024 1 4:30 p.m. I Virtual or In Person Meeting
City Council Chambers, City Hall
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Welcome, Introduction & Call to Order - Chair Debbie Jahnke
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 same to comment during the public
comment periods. We take public comment at the beginning and end of the meeting.
I. Roll Call: Pam Adams absent excused, Matt Miner, Russell Hill, Becci Kimball, Jim Todd, Richard
Hefley, Debbie Jahnke present. Staff present include Steve King, Carrie Hite and Michael Todd
II. Approval of Agenda/Changes to Agenda: approved by consensus
III. Approval of Minutes: approved by consensus
IV. Public Comment (3 minutes per person/agenda items only): chair noted that Brenda McMillan,
former board member, died recently at the age of 90. Jolly Wohlstrom commented about the need to
re-establish trail workporties.
V. Old Business (40 min)
A. PROS Plan update — 6 year update or Comp Plan (Carrie Hite) - Update was taken to Council,
and RCO acknowledged update. Two avenues available for other updates -full update by
2026 or add to current Comprehensive Plan process; if the latter, city would then request an
extension of four years to a full ten years which will be RCO's new timing. We would be
putting parks etc. into the open space element; Steve mentioned open space/land analysis
and trails additions and that master plans are needed for our parks. Presence in the new
climate element is also relevant.
B. Lawrence and Tyler Streets - Steve - we are improving our raingarden design to include soil
volume; consultants recommend other species but city arborist did expressed concern about
the changes. Monica MickHager pointed out that precipitation differences should be
considered between consultants in Olympia and conditions in PT; Richard Hefley and Robin
Hill will meet with Steve to determine choices.
C. Tree subcommittee update — postponed for next meeting
D. Landmark Tree Application Review — Proposed addition provides a more comprehensive list of
other considerations, similar to a tree risk analysis; not planning to extend the code but better
define it. List would be included in applications. Add to #11 for climate considerations, add
evaluation of how the tree fits in with housing and urban forestry goals in terms of
'maintaining canopy cover'. We can develop around trees that merit it when possible.
VI. New Business (40 min)
A. 2025 Work Plan —(see workplan response for full descriptions).
i. What is the status of your work in 2024 to date (i.e., highlights, accomplishments,
future milestones)? What work from this year is likely to continue into 2025? tree
lists, open space/buildable lands inventory, and a parks foundation were our priorities
for 2024: the first is nearly complete, the second awaits Comprehensive Plan efforts
and the third is in progress
ii. What 2-3 priorities do you and your board believe are most important to consider as
part of the overall City workplan and related to your purpose and role as an advisory
body? we need a capital plan for parks and trails, stablize funding for parks, increase
permanent and seasonal staff, distribute parks equitably, reclaim street ends, re-
establish volunteer trails workparties
iii. What has gone well this year that we should learn from or consider more broadly?
two new parks/features were submitted for funding to RCO; two USDA/IRA and one
DNR grant proposal were funded for tree equity and urban forestry; update to active
transportation plan underway; Discovery Road planting plan complete; Mountain
View dog park adopt a park group is a model for future adopt a park groups;
caretaker at Koh Tai is a phenomenal success
iv. Are there things we should stop doing or do differently, both at strategic and
operational levels? promote parks; more outreach to the community in newsletters,
newspaper inserts to focus on parks, memorial benches; memorial tree program with
a plaque somewhere in City buildings with small plaques for each of the donations
and a memorial tree map; brochures about leash law and dog park would be helpful;
more information about donations are in park kiosks; Matt Miner volunteered to
write content (Richard Hefley volunteered to write as well after the meeting); catalog
of memorial features would be useful, brochures in the city hall foyer and other
locations for public access
V. What else should we be considering? upgrade existing Loop Trail; categorize trails
citywide as to what can be maintained by individuals, what can be mowed, what
needs workparties, we need to write letters to the adjacent neighbors of street ends
to let them know that 'a street end is coming to you'
B. Set date and time for next meeting since there is a meeting conflict - special meeting is
scheduled for 30 July 2024 at 4:30pm in chambers
VII. Staff update — (10 min)
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A. Urban Forestry Update - Steve and Michael - gratitude expressed for Bre Ganne's service;
parks tree/forestry grant agreement from DNR running behind but will be received soon;
two grants from USDA/IRA were separated because the citywide work proposed required a
match while the CEJST tree planting did not. Post -receipt, the pass -through entity advised
that we didn't need to match the citywide grant so staff received permission to re -combine
the work efforts into one grant. WSU will participate for outreach and other efforts.
B. Operations - Michael - staff and volunteers working at the dog park to install new tire toys
with tires donated by Tail Waggers; staff is working on trails, Russell volunteered to assist;
parts ordered for the pool repair, reopening planned in late July
C. Pool process update - Carrie -sixth of eight meetings underway for the county effort;
taskforce will visit Boise ID to see a Sprung structure and visit Whidbey facility as well
VII. Next Regularly Scheduled Meeting: July 30, 2024 at 4:30pm (special meeting)
Vill. Public Comment: Jolly Wahlstrom noted that members of the public continue to block trail
heads or even park on the path near Fort Worden; sign says 'parallel parking' without defining
parallel to what. Richard recommended using boulders to encourage correct parking. Jolly and
Michael will meet offliine. Jolly also talked about which trails can be mowed, which are adopted, and
which need trail workparties.
IX. Adjourn: meeting adjourned at 5:55 pm
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