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