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HomeMy WebLinkAbout05/16/2000 Adjourned Meeting 356 CITY OF YAKIMA, WASHINGTON MAY 16, 2000 ADJOURNED MEETING The City Council met in session on this date at 7:30 a.m., in the 2nd Floor Training Room, at the Police Station /Legal Center, 200 South 3rd Street, Yakima, Washington. Mayor Mary Place, presiding, Council Members Henry Beauchamp, Lynn Buchanan, Larry Mattson, John Puccinelli, and Bernard Sims were present. Council Member Clarence Barnett was absent and excused. Dick Zais, City Manager; Glenn Rice, Assistant City Manager; Chris Waarvick, Director of Public Works; Denise Nichols, Parks and Recreation Manager; Bruce Benson, Associate Planner; Lynn Quesenbury, Parks and Recreation Administrative Assistant; and City Clerk Roberts were also present. Parks and Recreation Commission Members Bob Busse and Phil Hoge were also - present. REVIEW OF DRAFT PARKS AND RECREATION COMPREHENSIVE PLAN (PLEASE BRING MATERIAL PREVIOUSLY PROVIDED) Mayor Place acknowledged the presence of the citizens present for information on the development of Kissel Park. She stated the purpose of the study session is to review the Five -year Parks and Recreation Plan and asked staff to give their presentation prior to allowing citizen comments on Kissel Park. Denise Nichols, Parks and Recreation Manager, reported that the Interagency Committee for Outdoor Recreation (IAC) requires the City to have a long -range park plan in order to apply for state funds. She recognized Lynn Quesenbury as the primary author of this plan, aided by Bruce Benson. Since this is a draft plan, Ms. Nichols asked Council to advise her of any changes they would like to see made. The plan has to be adopted by June 20 in order to be eligible for funds this year. Chris Waarvick interjected that prior to its adoption, Council will be asked to hold a public hearing on this plan. Ms. Nichols commented that the plan is a long range planning tool and provides direction for the future. In addition, it qualifies the City for IAC grants. The Plan does not provide specific designs for future park development, nor does it obligate the City to spend money. It does not limit the City's direction towards future development. Ms. Nichols reviewed the various chapters in the draft plan. Chapters 1 and 2 give information about the purpose of the plan and a description of the community relating to weather, economics and population. Chapter 3 provides an inventory of Parks and Recreation facilities. Chapter 4 talks about the Parks Department. Chapter 5 address the Parks and Recreation's goals and objectives. Chapter 6 357 MAY 16, 2000 ADJOURNED MEETING deals with census tracts data, based on adjusted data from the 1990 census. Chapter 7 outlines the community needs and desires. Chapter 8 gives information relating to the industry standards. Chapter 9 concerns recommended priorities for Parks and Recreation and is where the loss of the tennis courts and ball fields due to the sale of Larson Park is addressed. Following ..Chapter 9 is the appendices and maps. Mayor Place asked if the demographics in the report will have to be adjusted after the census is completed. Ms. Nichols responded that we have been directed to provide additional information as an appendix. Referencing the migration of elk and deer on page 8 of Chapter 2, Council Member Mattson suggested a change in the wording to indicate that the migration pattern was altered, not halted. Ms. Quesenbury responded that that change was made yesterday. Mayor Place asked if anyone in the audience would like to address the Council. Carol Masterson, 1114 South 32 Avenue, asked the Council and Parks and Recreation Commission to pay special attention to the primary purpose of the Parks and Recreation Division outlined in Ordinance 1184. She commented that the existing parks need to be better maintained, as well as Wide Hollow Creek, and pointed out that there are locked restroom facilities, parking strips that are not landscaped and vandalism and graffiti problems in the parks. She stated that the students of Eisenhower inJthe Agriculture (Ag) Program have been the caretakers of this park property since an agreement was signed in 1985. This program involves about 180 kids and is the only ag program in the Yakima School District. She submitted a May 5, 2000 letter from the principal of Lewis and Clark Middle School and a petition from the F.F.A. in support of the ag program, along with photographs of Kissel Park and Wide Hollow Creek. Ms. Nichols stated the 1987 agreement with the School District allowed students to farm the Kissel Park property for five years and stated very clearly that the intended use of that property was for a community park. Chris Waarvick stated that the School District was contacted and offered assistance to find suitable property for their land lab. Randall Park was mentioned as a possibility; however, we are not sure about the availability of water and it is in the flood plain. Students from the Eisenhower Agriculture Program speaking in support of retaining the land lab at Kissel Park were: Anthony Butler, Daniel Davis, Brandon Dean, Andrew Blanchard, Pattie Wilkinson, Kim Garcia, Nick Hunter, Trisha Wilkens, and Joshua Lovelass. There were many other students present in support of the Ag Program who did not speak, but indicated by a show of hands that they support what the other students said. Mayor Place commented that Council is aware, of the value of this class, not just to the students, but to the community as well. She suggested the students take this issue to the School Board and tell them how important it is to find another location to retain this program. Council Member Puccinelli asked staff to look at the airport property as a possibility to relocate this program to. Denise Nichols 2 358 MAY 16, 2000 ADJOURNED MEETING stated that staff looked at other locations for the tennis courts including Gallion Park, but at 4.5 acres it does not have enough property; at least five acres is needed for the tennis courts. Sheila Kissel commented that the Kissel family would address the Council at its business meeting this afternoon. Larry Dean, 1410 South 34 Avenue, suggested that the land lab experience could be replaced by field trips to various valley farms. He stated he worked with Emil Kissel and it is time to develop this park in his honor. He suggested that the acreage at Kissel Park is sufficient to allow for the tennis courts and a walking /jogging path along the border of the park and leave plenty of green area. Pat Byers, 1530 Suncrest Way, expressed concern about the change in environment and the increased traffic that a developed park would bring, particularly if it is developed into a sports complex. Mayor Place reported that during the planning of this park there will be neighborhood meetings with the architect in order to understand what the neighbors would like to see in the park. The City made a promise to move the twelve tennis courts to another location and Kissel Park is the recommended location. Chris Waarvick stated that staff is already studying the traffic in that area. He commented that the tennis courts would probably generate about 12 vehicles and if the property were developed as R -1 property it would generate more than 12 vehicles. Ms. Nichols reported that the next meeting with the architect is tentatively scheduled for May 31 at 6:30 p.m. in the Eisenhower Cafeteria. Allen Akin, 1413 South 31 Avenue, expressed concern about access to the park because Mead, in his opinion, is a disaster. He also has concerns about maintenance of the park. He suggested working together to develop a park that is neighborhood friendly and to find property to move the land lab to or set aside an acre or so at the park for them to continue farming. Cindy Bixler, 1512 South 28 Avenue, spoke in opposition to locating tennis courts at the park. Ms. Nichols responded that when the City sold the property at Larson Park, a commitment was made to replace the twelve tennis courts and Kissel Park was the preferred site for the relocation of those courts. Council Member Buchanan commented that Council is responsible to all of the 65,000 citizens in the City of Yakima for the location of public facilities and it is always an emotional issue for the affected neighborhood. Sherry Durbin, 1514 South 28 Avenue, also spoke in opposition to locating tennis courts at the park. She asked if the decision was final. Ms. Nichols stated that the preferred site is Kissel Park, however, the final decision would be made by the City Council. Mayor Place reiterated the fact that a commitment was made to relocate the twelve tennis courts somewhere. The Parks & Recreation Commission identified Kissel Park as the preferred site. The City hired an architect to develop the park and they will conduct a public meeting on May 31 at 6:30 p.m. at I/ the Eisenhower Cafeteria to get citizen input on what is wanted at the park. She stated that there are no plans to widen 32 °d Avenue as one citizen alluded to in a letter she received. She also commented that no decisions have been made relating to lighting or concession stands 3 359 MAY 16, 2000 ADJOURNED MEETING at the park. The baseball fields also need to be relocated, but we have not talked about putting them at. Kissel Park. Council Member Beauchamp opined that Council has never heard from the neighbors around the other tennis courts that the courts were creating traffic or attracting a bad element of the population. He believes the neighbors don't need to be concerned about the courts bring negative influences into the neighborhood, wherever the courts are located. It was MOVED BY BUCHANAN, SECONDED BY BEAUCHAMP, TO ADJOURN THE MEETING AT 9:00 A.M. The motion carried by unanimous voice vote; Barnett absent. READ AND CERTIFIED ACCURATE BY: ( + 14 AO A-27-00 CIUNCIL I nhR DATE f i • NCIL 'EMBER Dr E ATTEST: '6)19-1/L- ,2 ffil/\%( CITY CLERK ARY PLACE, MAYOR • An audio tape of this meeting is available in the City Clerk's Office 1 4