Re: Park Pointe Preservation Plan

[Tony Cowan]

Thanks Jeff!
Bryan, I assume this call to action will appear on the appropriate EMBA web site by your hand.
All others, please do what you can to attend the Parks Board meeting next Monday (23rd) at 7pm in the "Eagle room" which is attached to the Police Station in Issaquah.
Please also spread the word.

Unfortunately, I will be in Canada and unable to attend personally. I will do what I can to get others there.

I had the most awesome ride ever on Tiger yesterday.

Thanks,
tc.

On Fri, Jul 20, 2012 at 2:19 PM, Jeff Tanka <jeff...@comcast.net> wrote:

Hi Everyone,

I just wanted to provide a brief update as to my understanding of what is happening with the Park Pointe, and possible opportunities for mtb activities. 

 

I attended the July 9th City of Issaquah Council Services and Safety Committee (CS&S) Meeting.  Committee members include Councilmembers Winterstein, Goodman, and Barber.  The topic that I was most interested in was the presentation by Parks Board Representative (Matt Mechler / Open Space Steward) regarding the Park Pointe Preservation Plan.  Mechler provided a routine synopsis that included the parcel boundaries, and site survey info such as invasive plants, and historic debris that require removal.  Mechler went on to state that illegal mtb trails have been decommissioned.  The next big initiative is the Stewardship Plan, and determining appropriate future recreational uses.  It is interesting to note that a 30-page Draft is presently complete (including a proposed Trails Plan), but will not be released to the public until the July 23rd Parks Board Meeting (more on this in a moment).  Park Pointe has been classified as a Community Facilities Open Open Space (I could not easily find a clear definition of this classification).

 

Council Member Winterstein challenged Mechler on the Trail Plan and asked if it included mtb opportunities - Mechler reluctantly stated that there is the potential for shared use trails if supported by the community. When Council Members Winterstein and Goodman probed on this further,  Park's Planner Margaret McCloud stated that the potential use is governed by the Park Pointe Conservation Easement which does have a provision for a non-motorized trails.  Council Members again asked if the trails would be shared use, and Anne McGill, Issaquah Parks Director, immediately echoed Mechlers previous statement 'if supported by the community'. Parks representatives did state that the WTA provided input regarding the Trails Plan.  It appears that all 3 Council Members are supportive of a plan that includes shared use trails.

 

This all brings us to the July 23rd Parks Board Meeting.  At this meeting, the Draft Plan will be released to Board Members and Public for the first time.  The Meeting will have the normal Public Comment Period at the beginning of the meeting, and then a 2nd Public Comment Period after the Draft Plan has been introduced.  The key here is that during the CS&S Meeting, Parks personnel were not very enthusiastic regarding potential mtb opportunities at Park Pointe and stressed twice that the established of shared use trails verse presumed hiker only trails would be determined by community support.  Therefore, it will be very important for interested community members to attend this meeting and voice their support for shared use trails, to provide input on the proposed trails plan, and make recommendations regarding the future recreational opportunities for Park Pointe.  The meeting will be held at City Hall in the Eagle Room at 7PM (a larger venue than the Trails Central House with anticipation of drawing a greater than normal amount of public interest).

 

Anne McGill did state that future opportunities to provide comment will be available at the August Parks Board Meeting, and possibly the September Parks Board Meeting. 

 

It would be great if you can attend the meeting.  Please share this information with interested parties.

 

Thanks. 

Jeff Tanka
425.391.4326
jeff...@comcast.net

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Tony Cowan - 206 280 6942