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Home My WebLink About012825 PRTTAB Meeting Minutesn, City ort �� of Townsen"d PARKS, RECREATION, TREES, & TRAILS ADVISORY BOARD Minutes - Council Chambers January 28, 2025 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 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 some to comment during the public comment periods. We take public comment at the beginning and end of the meeting. I. Roll Call: Becci Kimball, Richard Hefley, Pam Adams, Russell Hill, Jim Todd and Debbie Jahnke present, Matt Miner absent excused. Staff present included Melody Sky Weaver, Shelly Leavens, Adrian Smith, Steve King. Council liaison Monica MickHager present. 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): Public comment was taken on the third agenda item under New Business: Hilina Taylor -Lenz - Cappy's Trails - expressed support for protection of the area; she advocated that the trails be preserved on behalf of youth and all the wildlife who benefit. Jason Victor Serinus - lives in the Bell Street neighborhood; noted land is for sale off Willamette. Cappy's is important to many and he urged protection. V. Old Business A. none VI. New Business A. Discussion and writing assignments for parks/recreation/trees/trails quarterly insert (Shelly Leavens) Suggestions for topics include featuring trees and trails, trail maintenance, urban canopy/urban forestry, a runner's perspective, landmark/heritage trees including the hanging tree at the golf park, history and origin of the trail system, trees in the ROW, walking and biking map, volunteer opportunities, numbers are welcome - volunteers and work parties, miles of trails, urban fauna in the canopy, history of the urban landscape including the map for the cicmahan Trail. What paradoxes exist? Work related to Comprehensive Plan update is welcome. What is urban forestry? Financial support for parks; story of the Raccoon House, updating PROS Plan, interviews with staff and volunteers were all suggestions. B. cicmahan Trail Board presentation of some serious safety deficiencies along 14 intersections for the Trail and discussion of historically and tribally appropriate signage to mark these intersections (Lys Burden): A design for crosswalks and signage that utilizes the salmon egg trail logo was presented (KPFF Engineering Consultants). Approval will be needed from HPC and the Arts Commission for the uptown crossings. Lys provided information about all the intended crosswalk and other safety improvements for the three sections, with raised crosswalks in some locations for areas where drivers speed. Joint project with tribe, city, county and others. Some intersections are recommended for crosswalks. Pam asked for warning signage for crosswalks, in particular on 19th and other areas, and noted the importance of the red color as a common alert color. Steve noted that timing is perfect as the transportation plan is being updated, and greenways are being discussed to help connectivity. Funding has been received for enhanced crosswalks for 19th, at Landes and at San Juan. C. Preliminary Open Space Analysis (Steve/staff, 20') Our city was pre -platted for-30,000 people. Land Capacity Analysis is described in a white paper in process. PRTTAB subcommittee is Becci, Pam and Jim. Cappy's is a focus of the presentation. Steve provided background information for analysis - a tool to determine whether enough property exists to accomodate required growth projections, pointing out that many parcels in Cappy's are privately owned and zoned for housing. Table of metrics showing how much belongs to what entity. About 2300 acres in the city is some sort of open space, these need to be catalogued, they represent about 50% of our city. We want to recognize other open space in the city, not just what is city - owned. Types of open space are varied. In 2009, Council took action to preserve open space at Cappy's. Council identified parts of the Levinski property for affordable housing. Three options -1) follow 2009 resolution; 2) modify to increase Cappy's and eliminate housing properties, 3) propose hybrid. Subcommittee considered expanding the boundary to follow the topography, this would protect the 39th Street trail. Right tree right place for developed areas, and leave the natural areas as they are. Open Space white paper coming; next steps are to include a park within a 10 minute walk of everywhere in the city. VII. Public comment (took public comment before the end of the meeting so that attendees would not have to sit through the workplan discussion): Emma Glass - from Dallas - she finds PT a safer place where pedestrians are protected and priortized. Van Buren and Blaine crosswalk and stop sign described by the Trail presentation are very important, San Juan to Blaine super important. She works in childcare at the Y. Kearney is already a problem with crossings, drivers can also go too slow, and she recommends more signage at the new locations. Laura Tucker - appreciates partnership with the Jefferson Land Trust for Cappy's effort. It is ideal for outdoor classroom purposes, please give consideration for youth activities as we have lost many of the youth activities here. Carrie Clendaniel - preserve manager at Jefferson Land Trust, thanked staff for bringing the issue to the forefront for discussion. Mary McCurdy - asked for Camas Prairie Park protection from housing and spoke to the GMA language about open space. Cameron Jones - supported more of a hybrid concept that accomodates housing while protecting open space, recognizing that it is a difficult balancing act. Cyndy Bratz - much experience with climate -related work so concern is also about avoiding increase in vehicle miles traveled. She advocated that affordable housing needs to be near commercial areas to limit the need for adding to VMT- produced CO2. Vill. Review and discussion of draft proposed 2025 workplan and 2024 accomplishment documents for retreat: Draft accomplishments for 2024 and workplan for 2025 were recommended unanimously by board members to be forwarded to City Council for consideration. IX. Next Regularly Scheduled Meeting: 25 February 2025 X. Adjourn: 6:03pm Future agenda items: • Master plan for future westside park • Tree subcommittee update — final drafts of POS trees, understory lists • PROS Plan update 3