HomeMy WebLinkAbout12/05/2017 15 Naches Parkway Evaluation and DiscussionITEM TITLE:
SUBMITTED BY:
BUSINESS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
YAKIMA, WASHINGTON
AGENDASTATEMENT
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Item No. 15.
For Meeting of: December 5, 2017
Naches Parkway Evaluation and Discussion
Ken Wilkinson, Parks and Recreation Manager -576-6416
Scott Schafer, Director of Public Works
SUMMARY EXPLANATION:
The Parks and Recreation staff have been asked to put together information and costs for
discussion of converting Naches Avenue Parkway to Naches Park. We have researched the
cost for adding amenities; picnic tables, benches, trash cans and rules and regulation signs as
well as the additional labor needed to maintain the park. The City Legal Division has been
working on amending the current ordinance to ensure that parks, parkways, pathways and park
properties are clearly defined.
ITEM BUDGETED:
No
STRATEGIC PRIORITY: Neighborhood and Community Building
APPROVED FOR
SUBMITTAL:
City Manager
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
BOARD/COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION:
The Parks and Recreation Commission recommends moving forward with this proposed
conversion on a smaller scale as long as there will be additional funds allocated. They
recommend no picnic tables for safety reasons and only adding a few benches and trash cans to
three or four blocks of the parkway closest to downtown. They also recommend the rules and
regulation signs be added.
ATTACHMENTS:
Description Upload Date
0 Naches Parkway Improvement Costs 11/9/2017
0 Naches Parkway sion Memo 11%13/2017
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Type
Backup Material
Coyer Memo
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Naches Park Improvement Costs
Identified below is an itemized list of costs for the improvements to Naches Park. Naches
Parkway is 15 blocks long and stretches from Race Street north to H Street. Each block is
approximately 40 feet wide and 435 feet long.
ONE TIME COSTS
Durable park benches start at $600 each including shipping. Total cost for 10 benches is
$6,000.
Durable picnic Tables start at $1,000 each including shipping. Total Cost for 6 picnic tables is
$6,000.
Trash receptacles are inexpensive and cost only $25 each. Decorative trash receptacles are
$500 or more. Total cost for 10 decorative and 10 inexpensive trash cans would cost $5,250.
Signage - $80 per sign. At least one sign per block would be needed. Two signs per block
would be preferred. Total cost for 30 signs is $2,400.
The total cost for the amenities identified are estimated at $19,650.
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ESTIMATED YEARLY MAINTENANCE COSTS
One employee — empty 20 trash cans 3 X per week X 2 hours per day @ $25 p/h X 36 weeks =
$5,400 (March through October)
One employee - empty 20 trash cans — 2 X per week X 2 hours per day @ $25 p/h X 16 weeks
= $1,600 (November through February)
Estimate additional labor cost = $7,000
Estimated additional Refuse charges = $1,000 — $1,500 per year
Total estimated additional yearly maintenance costs = $8,500.
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MEMORANDUM
TO: Chair Dulce Gutierrez and Members Avina Gutierrez and Carmen
Mendez, Neighborhood and Community Building Committee
FROM: Sara Watkins, Senior Assistant City Attorney
DATE: October 16, 2017
SUBJ: Naches Parkway
Dear Chairwoman Gutierrez and NCBC Members:
This memorandum addresses a number of options regarding Naches Parkway
and its regulations and status for your discussion at your meeting on Thursday,
October 19, 2017.
1. Naches Parkway
Currently Naches Parkway is designated not as a park but a "parkway." Such
term is not defined in the municipal code. Neither is the term "park" in Title 13.
However, the parkway acts in part as a median strip between the northerly and
southerly lanes of travel along North and South Naches Avenue. It is not really a
park, and there is no trail or other pathway through the entire parkway. On some
sections there is a sidewalk.
2. Amendments to Chapter 13.20
YMC 13.20 addresses the curfew for parks. If the goal is to ensure that the
parkway is not being between 10:OOpm and 6:OOam, a solution would be to add,
by specific name, the Naches Parkway (and the other pathways if desired) to the
Park Curfew ordinance. That way, YPD could enforce the park curfew along the
Naches Parkway as well as in the other parks.
There are specific requirements in the parks curfew ordinance that must be met
before someone can be cited for a violation, including that the park has
conspicuously posted signs warning against entry into or remaining in the park
during prohibited hours. YMC 13.20.030(B). Further, a person can't be
convicted for violating the curfew unless a police officer warns them of the curfew
beforehand. YMC 13.20.030(C). A violation of the ordinance is a misdemeanor.
3. Amendments to Chapter 13.16
Similarly, the Parks Rules and Regulations can be amended in a number of
different ways to address the specific matters pertaining to Naches Parkway.
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There already are some rules and regulations that mention "parkways" or
"boulevards" specifically which apply to the Naches Parkway, or otherwise refer
to all parks properties. For example, trash is not to be thrown on the "grass,
walks or driveways" but must be placed in trash cans provided. YMC 13.16.080.
Further, there can be no posting of signs or circulars in any "parkway." YMC
13.16.060. No horses, mules or ponies are allowed "on any city boulevard."
YMC 13.16.095. Animals are not allowed to run at large in any "parkway." YMC
13.16.110.
Therefore, the Naches Parkway already has rules and regulations outlined in the
parks code provisions. If there are additional rules and regulations in the code
that the Council would like the parkways to be specifically subject to, staff could
add the word "parkway" or "boulevard" or "trail" (for the two other trail facilities) to
those specific provisions. It would be relatively easy to go through the ordinance
and add the words "parkway, pathways and trails" to the ordinance sections that
have relevant regulations that pertain to these properties and could aid YPD
and/or codes in enforcement of the park rules and regulations on the parkway,
pathway and trail properties.
4. Defining "parks," "parkways," and "trails."
There are no definitions in the Parks Rules and Regulations ordinances. This
creates a situation where it may be confusing or ambiguous as to what the terms
mean. A section could be added defining these, and other park terms in the
ordinance. Staff would need to go through the ordinance and determine what
terms should be added to a definition section.
In so doing, staff would still need to determine, if desired by the Council, where
to insert additional language consistent with the definitions section. It will require
an analysis of the entire code section and re -drafting for consistency.
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