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HomeMy WebLinkAboutNov. 2006 - MinutesJEFFERSON COUNTY PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY BOARD MEETING Quilcene Community Center November 1, 2006 OPENING BUSINESS Judith Lucia, Chair, called the meeting to order at 12:00 PM in the Quilcene Community Center, Quilcene, WA . Members Present: Steve Crosland, Joan Linderoth, Judith Lucia; Judi Mackey; Philip Siemion Members Absent: Brian Miller, Richard Stapf (resigned), Rick Tollefson Staff Present: Matt Tyler, Chris Macklin Kelli Larson (present for Road Vacation only) Guests: Tom Beckwith, Consultant 19 audience members Agenda: Changes to the agenda were postponement of the Trailhead Park topic; postponement of the Dog Park presentation; and the addition of the Regan road vacation item. A motion was made by Joan Linderoth to approve the agenda as amended; the motion was seconded by Judi Mackey and approved unanimously. Minutes: A motion was made by Judi Mackey to approve the minutes for October 4, 2006. It was seconded by Steve Crosland and approved unanimously. ROAD VACATIONS 1. Regan Petition — Kelli Larson distributed copies of the notice of petition and proposal from Michael Regan for vacating a small alley just off Prospect Avenue in Irondale, described as adjacent to Lots 5 through 9 in Block 154, Irondale division 6. A Hearing is scheduled for Friday, December 6, 2006 at 2:00 PM, Pacific Room, Jefferson County Health Department. There have been no negative comments to date, and Ms. Larson recommended that the JCPRAB consider the request. After reviewing the materials, Chair Judith Lucia noted that there was no proximity to parks, recreational facilities or waterfront. Judi Mackey moved and Joan Linderoth seconded that this vacation has no significance to Parks and Recreation, motion was approved, all in favor. 2. South Point Road area (materials e-mailed in advance) — Ms. Larson noted that property owners are seeking to develop the property and require the section of right of way in order to build. She said that the existing building envelope is very small, and the County right of way is extensive, having been acquired through the State on a turn -back agreement in the 1930s and again in the 1960s. The application is fairly new; no comments have been received to date, and the Department of Community Development has not yet issued its report. A Hearing is scheduled for December 8, 2006. Chair Lucia asked if this action would have any bearing on the South Point Ferry Terminal, and Ms. Larson confirmed that it would not. Mr. Crosland asked for confirmation that there is no beach access. Ms. Larson confirmed, noting that it was a high bluff, unstable base area, with some landslide activity. She said that she did not see trails or evidence of recreational activity in that area. Mr. Crosland moved that the right of way has no significance to Parks and Recreation and Mr. Siemion seconded. Motion was approved, all in favor. Page 1 of 10 REGULAR/OLD BUSINESS OHV Study Presentation by Tom Beckwith, Consultant Mr. Beckwith was on hand to present a progress report to the JCPRAB. There were 19 community members in attendance, as well. Packet materials were distributed to members of the Parks and Recreation Board. Mr. Beckwith referred to the current schedule at the beginning of the packet. He noted that the green dates for November are for meeting with the focus group. Key dates are: November 7 — Tour of the Tahuya facility November 14 — Open House at the school complex in Quilcene (Cafeteria) November 21 and 28 — Focus group working meetings December 6 — Progress/Final Report at the JCPRAB meeting, Port Townsend He said that if all the work has been completed by the December 6 meeting, he would then return to the BoCC. The next packet item describes the Tahuya field trip. He reminded that the focus group members had wished to show the PRAB, the BoCC and other County officials an OHV (Off Highway Vehicle) Facility. The Tahuya State Forest system site was selected because it is fairly extensive and has fire department and sheriff office involvement. The date of November 7 was selected based on availability of the three County Commissioners, and DNR, Sheriff's Department and Fire Department representatives. An RSVP is requested in order for the OHV Focus Group chairman, Neil Morgan, to know how many people plan to attend. Mr. Beckwith also reviewed the flier describing the Open House on November 14. He noted that the website www.countyrec.com is updated as the project progresses and has all the information from meetings, including questions and answers, to date. He corrected a misstatement he had made in briefing the BoCC. He had reported that some sites were not studied because they were isolated. He said he meant to say fragmented, and demonstrated on the map the lands indicated by DNR that were large enough and appropriate for the study. Mr. Beckwith discussed the next handout. He said that he had abstracted pages that pertained to ORV activity from a survey done in 2003. The survey was done with 1200 households in the area over a one year basis, asking about all recreational outdoor/indoor activities. It included all age groups, and collected data on volume, times of year, location, cost, vehicles; it identified differences in various areas of the state. It showed the percentages of the population and the age groups that participate in the activities asked about for four vehicle types: 4x4s, 4-wheel drive, ATVs, and trail bikes/motorcycles. The respondents were asked if they did these activities, not whether they owned these vehicles. He said that based on that analysis, 14 percent of all ages in the population participated in these activities combined. A good bit of it is on roads or streets, on urban, rural or mountain trails, and some at ORV(off road vehicle) sites. He said they will be using some of this information to forecast the potential market areas or service areas for this site. He said that the full report is available on the internet. For the members of the Parks and Recreation Board, he also provided copies of abstractions from a series of surveys about recreational activities that are done across the US. Different analyses are done each year. For a type of activity they examine differences in age groups, income levels, and regions. He said the difference between OHV (off highway vehicle) and ORV (off road vehicle) is recent. Much of this type of activity occurs on logging and forest roads. OHV distinguishes recreational activity from that Page 2 of 10 activity that is done on county or city roads. The report was published in 2005 and Mr. Beckwith abstracted pages that deal with this region and Washington state. He said it focused on who engages in this activity and does not focus on who owns a four-wheel drive. In this state, they surveyed 1200 households, specifically individuals who were 16 years of age or older with drivers licenses. Their key findings were that 18.6 percent of that population engages in OHV activity for an average of 26 days per year. He said that the age bracket of 30 to 44 was the most common, in a middle to upper income bracket, and that it was more of a rural activity. There were differences by region; some of the eastern states have more participation than the west. For Washington, they estimated 22.5 percent, but this is not one of the top ten states. He said he would use this and the earlier survey to forecast potential numbers of O14V participants and where they would tend to do it. Chair Lucia questioned the interpretation and applicability of the information, saying that she and her family are extensive OHV users and had replied to such surveys. She said they and others she knows camp often, may hunt and fish, and do use Forest Service roads, but they are definitely not "off road" users. She did not believe that the figures would truly reflect, therefore, the number of people who would engage in off road activities. Mr. Beckwith replied, "The Forest Service and the National Parks Service, to some extent, allows this use, and they are trying to anticipate what the demand is, not only for what we are looking at here, for an ORV/OHV Park, but access to logging and trail roads." He next discussed two surveys that were done within the County. These self-selected surveys were designed to collect information from County residents or those who use County facilities. Seventy-four (74) surveys for Survey # 1 were returned. Survey #2 was targeted at the users of Skidder Hill and Penny Creek, asking what the behavior would be if they used such a facility often. This may or may not be representative of all who engage in this activity, and is not intended as a statistical survey. He read the profile that emerged: 20 percent came from Port Townsend, 34 percent from elsewhere in the County, 11 percent from Clallam, 8 percent from Kitsap, 16 percent from other locations, including Island County. From two to four people in the household use this type of vehicle. Some households use more than one type of vehicle. They have engaged in this activity for an average of 15 years. Eighty-one (81) percent were males. Mr. Beckwith read numerous other statistics indicating amount of time engaged in the activity per visit, per year, how they traveled, overnight accommodations, how much money they spent, facility preferences/priorities, and sources of information. Survey #2 asked what if questions about any potential Jefferson County site. If there were such a site, how would they use it and would this modify their behavior in other things? He said he had been asked for information on other facilities in the area. The information is available from the Northwest Motorcycle Association website, extracted from a 1993 DNR Guide. He noted that there are facilities in Clallam, Grey's Harbor, Kitsap, Thurston County, and most have user participation, as well as DNR involvement, in some way. He said that he would try to pull data from these sites as work is done on the SEPA checklist, to predict conditions. Noise — Mr. Beckwith has queried the State, and found that the State has two studies going on, a major study and a sub -study. The legislature has asked the IAC (Interagency Committee for Outdoor Recreation) to report back on the noise impact of these types of activities, for the purposes of establishing standards and regulating the operation of these vehicles. Field tests, which grew out of a law suit, are going on at Burnt Hill in Clallam County. That information will be folded into the larger study. He said there have been two public workshops to take public comment. The Burnt Hill test results will not be available until the first part of December, and he believes that the report will not be released in time to be quoted in this (Jefferson County) feasibility study. He said that the State of California, the Forest Service and the State of Oregon have all done noise studies, and that information will be included. He cited two important points from his research: 1. that noise is best mitigated if there are adequate buffers on site, pulling the activity deep down into the site, away from ridges, and 2. the biggest predictor of noise is line Page 3 of 10 of sight, i.e. if you can see it, you can hear it. Most of the mitigation action that has been effective is to move the activity down and into the center in ways that the noise doesn't travel. Some states have regulated the maximum noise that that a vehicle can make on the street and off road. The current maximum dBA (relative decibel/loudness measurement) in Washington is 105. Most street legal vehicles are below 96, but if modified, the maximum allowed is 105. A member of the audience interjected that OSHA limits exposure to 105 dBA to one hour per day. Mr. Crosland asked if the vehicles must have spark arresters on them. Mr. Beckwith said that was the case for the sites listed, and mufflers were also required, but he was uncertain about Washington State requirements. Mr. Siemion asked for clarification on the OSHA regulations, the studies, and the health effects of this level of noise; he said he assumed that the presence of noise at 105 dBA was not harmful physically, although it may disturb one's peace of mind. Mr. Beckwith noted that the measurement is done at the vehicle itself. The Forest Service has also done studies on the health effects for employees/operators who regularly use snow mobiles and ATVs necessary for their work. He said that confirms the OSHA findings for those in immediate proximity to this level of noise. Mr. Beckwith said he would include as much of both types of data as possible in his report. Mr. Beckwith explained that all of the above concerned background noise studies, and did not deal with any particular site. For any particular site, one would need to look at the characteristics of the site, characteristics of the area around it, and try to project the noise levels and ways to mitigate that. At the point that Commissioners decide to pursue a particular site, then more specific noise analyses will be done on that site. Mr. Siemion asked if that would be done by the State. Mr. Beckwith said that would be done by an independent party. A member of the audience asked whether or not that would be paid for by the taxpayers of Jefferson County. Mr. Beckwith said that 1AC funds the master plans; IAC is a state agency and the state agency is funding this feasibility study. Going forward, the County has three options: 1. do nothing; 2. select a site somewhere with DNR as a prime mover; 3. DNR leases or conveys the land to the County and the County operates it; or 4. option 3 except that the County works with a user group who operates it. In any case , IAC would probably be a prime funder of whatever gets done. IAC funds not only these kinds of studies but also heavily funds education and enforcement. Matt Tyler noted that he had been contacted by the DNR and they had stated repeatedly that the DNR was unable to assume any leadership role in project and would be unwilling to hold the property or manage an ORV site. The DNR was willing to lease or re -convey the property should the County wish it. Mr. Beckwith said that Tahuya would be a good field trip to observe a DNR site similar to option 2. Mr. Siemion asked if the Tahuya site is typically overcrowded. Mr. Beckwith said that it is a multiple use site for camping, fishing, hiking and ORVs, and the site visit should give some idea of the weekday conditions. Mr. Simians wondered if the answers to the survey indicated that people traveled far because there were too few sites in their own areas. Mr. Beckwith said that the response indicated people were willing to travel up to two hours on average to a location where they would participate in OHV activities. He said the IAC is interested in finding and funding more sites since the number of people who would use such sites is expected to grow: at least 10 percent in ten years and 20 percent in 20 years, nationally. There was further discussion about the trends in closing of private lands and DNR lands. Mr. Beckwith said that the distribution of monies associated with IAC can be found on their website. Timber lands formerly open to this type of activity may have changed hands, or been sold for other uses, or have changed policy due to the threat of accidents and their liability. Mr. Siemion asked if there was any good information on the number of participants from Jefferson County mapped to use of particular facilities, such as Burnt Hill and Tahuya or other sites on the peninsula. Mr. Beckwith said that not all sites have user statistics; Walker Valley, for example, has better statistics, than Tahuya. He said that to identify people who do this kind of activity in this county, we are dependent on the self-selected survey; the budget does not permit more extensive outreach analysis. Page 4 of 10 Ms. Lucia asked when the results of Survey #2 were expected. Mr. Beckwith said that he should have some form a profile by the end of November. Ms. Mackey asked for information on the distribution of Survey #2. Mr. Beckwith said that the e-mail, internet survey was mailed to every member of every organized group that is known, and placed in shops and businesses which provide related services throughout Jefferson County He said there is also a mailing list that was generated at the beginning of this process. He added that 250-300 people received survey #1, with 75 responding. Ms. Mackey asked for clarification on whether the distribution for Survey #1 and #2 were the same, and whether there was a deadline for survey #2. He said that they were the same, and there was no absolute deadline, but that he would allow about three or four weeks. She also asked if the $100 savings bond incentive is funded by the grant, and Mr. Beckwith said no, that it came from his own pocket. Ms. Lucia stated her understanding of the schedule: Mr. Beckwith will review the final document and information from the November 14 Open House with the PRAB at their regular meeting on December 6. She asked if this would then be presented to the BoCC at the meeting scheduled for December 11. Mr. Beckwith said, "If we are done by that time. We will go whenever the Commissioners want to see it, and then depending on what their reaction is to it, if they want to move it through the Planning Commission or whether they just want to commission a phase 2 — that will really be up to them. We expect it may be late December or early January, at the earliest, that this could be in front of the Commissioners." "This schedule is our schedule right now depending on how much we are generating. If we are not satisfied that we have a full report by December 1, we extend out the schedule until we are satisfied we have answered as much as we can — this is just a tentative schedule. We felt that at this point we'll probably be coming to you monthly until the report is final. On November 14, it will be a progress report on what we've been able to find out, and we'll try to structure it to answer the specific questions that we got at the last workshop here." Ms. Mackey asked Chair Lucia for confirmation that the PRAB would be making a recommendation to the County Commissioners. Chair Lucia said that, yes, the PRAB could forward it without recommendation, but that the Commissioners had requested a recommendation, which she assumed would be done at the December 6 meeting. Mr. Beckwith said that the timing of the decision was up to the PRAB, and that December 6 is the date when he is scheduled to come back. However, Mr. Beckwith indicated that the work may or may not be completed by then. If not, instead of a final report, he will provide a progress report and an expected completion date. He noted that when it is complete, a copy of the report will be given to both the PRAB and the BoCC, and the PRAB can submit their recommendation when they choose. He asked Mr. Tyler when the grant formally ends. Mr. Tyler said that the last invoices must be submitted in April. Mr. Beckwith responded that that date was for the final grant report, not for decisions. He said, "Ideally, you would have your decisions then, and be able to tell IAC what you want to do regarding a follow on process." Mr. Tyler said that the work would have to done well in advance of April, that is by the beginning of March, allowing time for gathering all grant report materials. Ms. Mackey noted that the PRAB only meets monthly, so the schedule should be confirmed, rather than left open ended. Mr. Beckwith said he had not expected that the PRAB would hear the report and make their decision on the same day. He said he would expect to be invited back to answer any questions on what is in the written report, and would not wish to rush that phase of the process, considering that there is adequate time between December and March. Mr. Siemion asked if there was any information as to expected impact on Parks and Recreation if an OHV site were to be implemented. Mr. Beckwith said that, in his estimation, it would depend on the option Page 5 of 10 chosen, but that those projections would be based on the experience at other sites. Ms. Mackey said she expected that the Tahuya visit would be an opportunity to ask about the volume of use and specifically, demands on fire and sheriff services. In response to a question, Mr. Tyler confirmed that a representative from the DNR, Charles Cortelyou, had indicated that the DNR is not interested in managing any more sites than they are already managing. Chair Lucia asked for public comment and questions. Richard Dyer, Quilcene, noted that the number of responses to the first survey were low, making the sample statistically invalid, and that the percentages did not add up to 100 percent in certain categories. Mr. Beckwith explained that where respondents left a question blank, the percentages would not total to 100 percent. He confirmed that in any sample under 100, the validity is not trustworthy. Mr. Dyer noted that there appeared to be only about 20 responses from Jefferson County, and he knew of at least three or four times that number of people, unsurveyed, who did not approve of any OHV site/implementation in Jefferson County. He asked how to best convey those opinions to the PRAB and BoCC. Chair Lucia said that written comment should be submitted via Matt Tyler, Parks and Recreation, P.O. Box 2070, Port Townsend. [Note: Later in the meeting, Chair Lucia set a deadline of November 20, 2006 for written comments to be considered by the PRAB.] John Austin, Port Ludlow, asked if privately owned sites, such as Pope Resources and other over logged properties, had been considered. Mr. Beckwith said they looked at Pope, Olympic, and even the Forest Service. He said Pope and Olympic were not interested in sponsoring this type of activity on their property. Mr. Austin said that there is a lake within Pope Resources now used for radio controlled boats, which generate noise, but apparently there have been no complaints. Mr. Beckwith said that both Pope and Olympic are interested in the outcome of this project, but have gone on record saying they are not interested in sponsoring. He added that he did not believe there were any private properties used for this purpose any longer. There was a brief discussion as to possible reasons, such as fear of liability or possible interference with logging plans, or complicated management arrangements. In response to a question about potential liability for any site in Jefferson County, Mr. Beckwith responded that, as for any park, there are minimum design standards related to safety, and requirements for posting of rules and regulations. If there is an injury, even though appropriate behavior has been followed, then the County may be liable. He said that most public agencies self insure. In response to a follow up question as to relevant statistics on accidents and problems at other sites, Mr. Beckwith said he would include as much of that information as could be found. There was mention (unidentified speaker) that Tahuya had 4 or 5 fatalities in the previous year, and that they receive 3 or 4 EMS calls each month. Mr. Beckwith suggested that the information could be confirmed or explained at the Tahuya visit, and added that he did not know if those statistics applied to only the OHV area, or to the entire multi -use site. Another question was posed regarding liability: If there is unsanctioned behavior, i.e., a user breaks the rules and injures himself or another innocent bystander, is the County still liable because there is no one policing the area? Mr. Beckwith said that most sites have enforcement provisions, but that the courts would have the final judgment on whether or not the proper design, construction, user education, posting of rules, precautions and other due diligence had been followed. A suggestion was made that someone should research the details on how the deaths and injuries occurred at Tahuya and if there was legal action. Mr. Beckwith said that he would not be able to dig into specific cases, and those questions should be pursued during the site visit. He noted that the industry has some strong regulations on the design of vehicles and sites such as this. ]an Jablonski identified himself as a City of Port Townsend staff member and stated that he would like to register his objection to the selection of both the Skidder Hill and Penny Creek areas. He noted that the City owns 160 acres bounded on three sides by the proposed park, and was never notified or consulted Page 6 of 10 with regard to this process. He expressed his dismay that, prior to even unofficial notifications, these areas were included in the list to be studied. He said that with just one committee pursuing this, and with inadequate inclusion of neighbors and other interested parties, he was very concerned about spillover from a proposed park to the City property, and about the damage to the natural resources within that area. He said there are no fence lines, no other boundary markers, and there is concern about the use of several access roads that traverse the property, giving easy access to land along those roads. In response to a question from Chair Lucia, he said that the Skidder Hill property is a former water supply site, not currently used for that, but that the Penny Creek property is the location of a water line that extends up the western boundary. The pipe line varies in depth, but is near the surface in many locations with exposed air relief valves that are vulnerable to damage. Any needed repairs would necessitate temporary closure of the pipeline. He reported that Charles Cortelyou, DNR Olympic Upland Region Manager, had told him that the DNR would not manage this property, that they would have to transfer it to Jefferson County for operation and maintenance. Therefore, the City would be looking to the County for some sort of bonding arrangement to cover any damages to its resources. Mr. Beckwith said that when the sites were narrowed to two, and for the next meeting on November 14, they used the standard County notification process. Mr. Tyler confirmed that Mr. Jablonski had received the letter, but acknowledged that it was after the site selections had been narrowed down. Mr. Beckwith said that the purpose of the SEPA checklist that he is developing is to then distribute to every property owner and every affected agency to see what the proposal is and the consequences, and they can then list their responses and their questions that they want analyzed. Mr. Beckwith said had asked Mr. Jablonski at the focus group to identify where the pipeline facilities are at Penny Creek. Mr. Jablonski responded that he had already explained that for obvious security reasons, he cannot provide GPS coordinates, but that he would escort Mr. Beckwith to the site. Mr. Beckwith said that the pipeline can be seen from aerial photographs and that they had attempted to stay away from that area in the rough site plan so far. He and Chair Lucia asked Mr. Jablonski to provide his comments and questions as early as possible, and in advance of the SEPA process, if possible. There was a question from the audience about the process for determining who received notification letters. Mr. Beckwith said that for the legal notification the standard County procedure was followed, with the addition of all those who had attended workshops or sent in letters, and publication of news releases and website postings. Gordon HaII rg_en said that the "within 100 feet rule" would not be appropriate. He said he lived in Quilcene between these two sites and that most of the properties are 20 — 80 acres, out to Route 101, and none of those property owners had received letters. Jim Macrae, Lords Lake, said he had not received any notification at all. He said he wished to thank Judi Mackey for having the September 19 meeting moved to the Quilcene area. He said that based on that meeting, some neighbors had set up an informal system, so that he had become aware of it. He acknowledged that the self-selected survey is a good way of knowing what the proponents think. He said that to know what the general citizenry think, he suggests looking at Chapter 6 of the (Jefferson County) Comprehensive Plan. He noted that of the 33 items listed, ORVs were at the end of the list, and conserving the environment was at the top. He said that there is no question that there are negative side affects of having something like this in any area, primarily impacts on environment, but also on people directly. He said that he had first hand experience from spending time at the crest of that valley, and noted that noise could be heard from 6 to 8 miles away. He also said that the wishes of people to participate in these activities should be respected, but questioned whether it was a need sufficient to justify environmental degradation. He referred to the letter that he had mailed to the County. He asked if the site selection process had taken into account anything about differential environmental facts, when all eleven sites are in the WRIA 17 water shed. He asked for some consistency in how the County is operating. He said there are other portions in east Jefferson County that are not in WRIA 17, an endangered, threatened watershed. He asked for confirmation that Burnt Hill was closer than Tahuya. He Page 7 of 10 also encouraged people to enjoy the trip to Tahuya on a weekday, in contrast to Burnt Hill on a weekend, in rainy season. At 1:30 PM, Mr. Beckwith said that he had to leave the meeting in order to attend another appointment in Oak Harbor. An unidentified member of the audience said that he would like to make certain that everyone understands the great amount of financial pressure that will be placed on the infrastructure by this type of facility, which must be paid for by taxes. He said the County is already stretched thin financially, and this is a huge financial burden. He spoke of the need for very careful planning and extremely exacting design in which County staff must be involved, the potential liability issues, and the inevitable environmental impact and sediment hazards to the bay and Hood Canal. He noted, in particular, that at the edge of the bay, the County Public Works staff is involved in salmon restoration work. Police, fire and rescue services are all additional infrastructure costs for the County. Connie Gallant, Quilcene, said she was not speaking for the DFW but that she lives near Penny Creek, and the water intake for the fish hatchery there is taken directly from Penny Creek. She said this poses a real danger to the Salmon Recovery project that has been in progress for quite some time. She also reported that the notification process is apparently not perfect, since Mr. Jim Giles, who lives right next to the Penny Creek area, never received any notifications. To date, the only notifications that have been received by anyone she knows have been a -mails from Matt Tyler. She said the public input process is critical, and it needs to be heard. She said the majority of Quilcene citizens do not want this and they are prepared to speak even louder in order to be heard. Another member of the audience said that the real aggravation is the money that is being spent for the consultant to do this, for the waste of staff time, and for the SEPA study, to be followed by huge development costs if this is pursued. He said that the project makes no sense whatsoever, considering the expense in comparison to the small number of people who are engaged in and promoting this type of activity. Chair Lucia restated the particulars about the key upcoming workshop and meetings. After a brief discussion, she set a deadline of November 20, 2006 for written comments. There was one additional comment from Bob Henderson, Quilcene. He said that in his opinion, if something can improve the community in the long run, he would support it. On the other hand, if something is going to cause destruction in the community, that is entirely different. He said that the consultant is being paid about $60,000 by the grant to do this study. [Matt Tyler confirmed that the grant was for $56,000.] Mr. Henderson said that, if he has done his work, the consultant will show that this park cannot be implemented anywhere in this area, considering the water problems alone. He said that he believes that there should have been a straw vote on this subject a year ago, which could have avoided the expense and controversy of this process. Since there was no other public comment, Chair Lucia moved to the next agenda item. NEW BUSINESS Manager's Report IAC Grant for H.J. Carroll Park — Matt Tyler contacted the grant manager at the IAC to determine the status of the grant application to build out H.J. Carroll Park. He said that any grant will be determined by the amount the legislature approves for the whole program. He was advised that the chance of this project Page 8of10 being funded is good, but that no money for development should be spent before next summer (2007). Money spent on designs and permits is considered pre -construction cost and is reimbursable. He said that Jefferson County is fairly high on the list, 17 out of 70, even though it received no points for population in the rating scheme. Quilcene Playground Ceremony — Matt Tyler distributed invitations for an opening ceremony to be held on November 11. Playground equipment was donated by the Naval Magazine, Indian Island, and salvaged/installed by Recreation staff. There will be two representatives on hand from the Navy, the Commanding Officer and the Director of Public Works. County Commissioners, PRAB members, and other County representatives have been invited. Brief appreciation speeches, ribbon cutting and photo opportunities are planned. He thanked the PRAB board members who were involved. Matt said that only about two thirds of the equipment that was salvaged has been installed. The remainder of the equipment will be used to replace the old, unsafe equipment at the Irondale Neighborhood Park, along with new wood chip base. Fee Ordinance — This draft is still in progress. The fees and changes discussed at the last PRAB meeting were approved by David Alvarez, County attorney, and will next be submitted to the BoCC for approval. Planning for next season and Camp Host Recruitment — Advertising for next season has begun for camp hosts and a caretaker for H.J. Carroll Park. Web -based advertisement will be used for the first time, including escapees.com and workcamper.com. Matt is working with Molly Hilt on campground management, particularly safety and security issues. Chair Lucia asked if advertising for Lake Leland would also be done via the web. Matt said that was the case, and he was hopeful that spot, as well as the others, would be filled. Recreation Report Basketball — The season begins early this year and several games will be played before the holidays. About 250 children and youth are expected to sign up. Chris Macklin has been working very hard on the program, particularly arrangements for reservations at all the gyms in the area. He has recruited all professional referees for this year. Matt said that the shortage of gym facilities will necessitate practices into the evening hours, with even very young players scheduled until 7:00 or 8:00 PM. Soccer League — This program has ended for the season with great success. The final count of participants was 340. This year, for the first time, seventh and eighth graders were included, coached by two employees. Chris Macklin put on a pancake breakfast for the coaches, with a slide show featuring photos of events. Judi Mackey said that having the children play sports in different areas of the County is an important way for families to become familiar with the whole County. She also commended Matt Tyler on the growth and quality of the Recreation program in the last few years. Matt said that there has been tremendous support from the Quilcene Schools. Recreation staff has helped ready the fields for the school soccer season; each year the fields are fertilized, aerated, sanded and seeded. Quilcene Schools pays for the materials; Recreation furnishes equipment and labor. Remaining Projects — Bob Henderson, a member of the audience, asked if all the work for the Quilcene area has been completed. Several open projects were mentioned: Skateboard park, fire rings and picnic tables. Volunteers are working on the skateboard area. Mr. Henderson wished to know, in particular, about the amphitheatre to be built between sites 3 and 4. Matt said that his staff had removed campsites in that area, but that construction of an amphitheatre is not on the work list. However, he said, he would like to help set up a volunteer group to make certain that such a facility would meet the needs of the community. Mr. Henderson also asked if a previously allotted special fund of $33,000 had been depleted. Page 9 of 10 Judi Mackey said she was quite certain that it had been spent. Matt noted that more than $20,000 had been spent for materials alone this year in Quilcene; considering labor resources, the total amount would be at least $40,000 to 45,000. Facility Report Phil Saxton has completed his busy season of supporting soccer and football games, and will now have a less intensive schedule. During this period, Phil will be taking time off and moving his base of operations to H.J. Carroll Park; his office will be behind the concession stand, and equipment will be stored in the shed. Overall, less time and money will be spent on Memorial Field and more on other areas of the County. ADDITIONAL BUSINESS AND CORRESPONDENCE Special Introduction: At the beginning of the meeting, Matt Tyler introduced his new assistant, Chris Macklin, who has taken over the duties previously held by Nancy Rook. Approval by the BoCC is pending. Joan Linderoth requested that meeting material packets be mailed in advance of the meeting rather than via e-mail, due to the length of time required to download, print and prepare for the meeting. Judi Mackey said she would also prefer to receive paper copies. Matt Tyler said he would see to that. Steve Crosland asked how many people would be attending the Tahuya site visit. Matt Tyler said that he had not received any RSVPs from anyone, as yet. Philip Siemion and Judi Mackey both said they would try to attend. Matt Tyler, Judith Lucia, Joan Linderoth and Steve Crosland said they could not attend. Judi Mackey asked if all the supporting OHV letters/comments could be mailed in a packet before the next meeting. Chair Lucia suggested that the letters already received be mailed now, with any additional ones to be mailed after the November 20 deadline. Chair Lucia reminded that a new chair is needed for 2007, and that she plans to hand over the gavel at the next meeting. After a brief discussion about the possibility of amending the bylaws to extend the term of the Chair, PRAB members decided not to pursue that option. Joan Linderoth and Judi Mackey were named as the nominating committee. SET MEETING DATE/ADJOURNMENT The next PRAB meeting will be held on Wednesday, December 6, 2006 at the Port Townsend County Courthouse, downstairs, from Noon — 2 PM. The meeting was adjourned by Chair Judith Lucia at 1:55 PM. Page 10 of 10 1 k< �k1 -woo NG% Jefferson County SerFhig the Community ADVISORY BOARD AGENDA Wednesday, November 1st, 2006 12 noon to 2 p.m. Quilcene Community Center A. OPENING BUSINESS i. Call to order ii. Introductions iii. Agenda A. Additions or changes B. Adoption iv. Minutes A. Additions or changes B. Adoption B. ROAD VACATION i. Michael Regan, petitioner C. REGULAR / OLD BUSINESS i. OHV Study-30 minute presentation by Tom Beckwith, consultant A. Letters regarding the OHV area study ii. Final review of the Trailhead Park Master Plan, new comments welcomed A. Letters regarding the Trailhead Park Master Plan B. Possible action iii. Dog park presentation D. NEW BUSINESS i. Manager's Report ii. Recreation Report iii. Facility Report E. ADDITIONAL BUSINESS AND CORRESPONDENCE F. SET NEXT MEETING DATE/ ADJOURNMENT