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Parks and Recreation Advisory Board

BEL-PRB-2025-03-12 March 12, 2025 Parks & Recreation Committee City of Bellingham
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The Bellingham Parks and Recreation Advisory Board convened for a comprehensive meeting covering major planning initiatives, survey results, and project updates. The session featured extensive presentation of PROS (Parks, Recreation & Open Space) Plan survey findings, with over 2,000 community responses providing detailed feedback on park usage, satisfaction levels, and future priorities. The board also reviewed location options for the 1% art component at Storybrook Park, updates to the landmark tree ordinance, and significant infrastructure projects in the King Mountain and Bakerview neighborhoods. A key highlight was the introduction of new board member Darren Belt, who brings advocacy experience for youth sports. The meeting demonstrated the board's commitment to data-driven planning, with Peter Willott presenting detailed survey analysis that will inform the PROS Plan's goals and policies. The survey revealed strong community support for trail connectivity, aquatic facility expansion, and year-round restrooms, while also highlighting demographic gaps in outreach to younger residents and Hispanic/Latino populations. The board postponed decision-making on the Storybrook Park art location to allow for field visits, showing their preference for hands-on evaluation of proposals. Staff updates included progress on the Carl Kozier school boundary negotiations, budget challenges facing the general fund, and upcoming opening of the Little Squalicum Pier. The meeting reflected the ongoing balance between community aspirations for enhanced recreation facilities and fiscal constraints requiring careful prioritization.

**Storybrook Park 1% Art Location Decision - Postponed** - No formal vote taken; board requested field visit before deciding between Location A and Location B - Staff preference for Location A noted due to accessibility and food forest compatibility - Artist contract pending, with premium services contractor to handle installation pad **PROS Plan Survey Results - Accepted for Planning Use** - 2,000+ responses accepted as basis for developing goals and policies - Survey f…

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**PROS Plan Survey Analysis and Community Priorities** The extensive survey results revealed significant community input on park system priorities, with 2,078 responses providing detailed feedback on current usage patterns and future needs. The data showed trails as the most frequently used facility (highest response category), followed by beaches/waterfront and open spaces. However, concerning satisfaction gaps emerged around aquatic facilities and indoor recreation spaces, areas consistently flagged as underperforming community needs. The survey highlighted equity concerns in both access and outreach. Demographically, the response pool was 87% white compared to Bellingham's demographics, while Hispanic/Latino participation was only 3% versus 9% city representation. The 14-24 age group was significantly underrepresented, prompting discussion of targeted outreach through high schools, technical colleges, and graduation ceremonies. Gender representation also skewed toward female respondents (61% vs 39% male). Geographic analysis showed even distribution across neighborhoods, though 15% of respondents lived outside Bellingham city limits, raising questions about fee structures for non-residents. The board discussed this as both a service reality (regional park system usage) and potential revenue opportunity, though staff noted previous attempts at differential pricing proved administratively burdensome. **Storybrook Park Public Art Placement Strategy** Jonathan Middleton presented two location options for the interactive art installation, emphasizing the board's role in location approval while the Art Commission handles artistic content review. Location A, near the food forest area, received staff preference due to its "reveal" quality as visitors approach, accessibility from existing trails, and minimal impact on planned food production areas. The semicircle installation (10-11 feet diameter and height) features reflective surfaces designed to catch light and tree reflections. Location B, near the large stump and pine tree, offered an alternative with less visual competition but different accessibility challenges. Both locations add…
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**Board Members' Priorities and Concerns** New member Darren Belt positioned himself as a youth sports advocate while acknowledging his Midwestern perspective on parks and recreation. Steve Walker consistently raised concerns about visual aesthetics for public art, emphasizing natural backdrops over residential views, and questioned survey findings on transportation access to parks. Scott Pratschner expressed enthusiasm for the art installation as a photography destination and supported field visits for decision-making. Ray Dellecker focused on hockey community needs and revenue-generating facilities, while Jed Holmes raised practical questions about art placement along trail corridors. **Staff Technical Expertise and Recommendations** Jonathan Middleton demonstrated strong spatial planning skills in his art location analysis, showing sensitivity to both functional requirements (accessibility, maintenance) and design principles (visual reveal, contextual integration). His preference for Location A was based on systematic evaluation of circulation patterns, future land use compatibility, and user experience design. Peter Willott's survey analysis revealed sophisticated understanding of demographic representation challenges and statistical interpretation, particularly in identifying gaps in community outreach. Lane Covington provided transparent budget context while advocating for realistic expectations about implementation capacity. Her discussion of funding mechanisms showed deep knowledge of mu…
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**Lane Covington, on budget challenges:** "It's a little bit of a dichotomy to go out to the community and talk about what do you want in the future from your park department when we're in this general fund crisis, but our other funds are healthy." **Peter Willott, on survey participation:** "We got about 87% white. We underperformed on the Hispanic Latino population. They represent about 9% of Bellingham and we got about 3%. So we have to address that." **Jonathan Middleton, on art install…
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**Immediate Actions (March-April 2025):** - Field visit to Storybrook Park for art location evaluation before next board meeting - Little Squalicum Pier opening ceremony scheduled for Saturday, April 26th at 3:00 PM - Sunset Pond construction project going out to bid "any second" - King Mountain/Bakerview roundabout construction starting end of March 2025 **Short-term Planning (Spring-Summer 2025):** - PROS Plan consultant analysis of survey results by neighborhood zones - Draft goals and policies presentation at next board meeting - Focus groups targeting underrepresented demographics (14-24 age group, Hispanic/Latino community) - Spanish-language com…

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**Policy and Planning Advances:** The PROS Plan moved from preliminary outreach to data-driven goal development, with over 2,000 survey responses now forming the foundation for policy recommendations. The board transitioned from information-gathering to decision-preparation mode on the Storybrook Park art installation, though final location approval was postponed pending field evaluation. **Budget Reality Acknowledgment:** The parks department's financial constraints became explicitly defined, with 3% general fund cuts now required for the second consecutive year. This shifted planning discussions from aspirational to pragmatic, with staff demonstrating how revenue generation and creative funding mechanisms enable position retention and program continuation. **Project Implementation Progress:** Multiple construction projects advanced to bidding or active construction phases. Sunset Pond moved to imminent bid release, King Mountain roundabout received final approval for March construc…
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## Meeting Overview The Bellingham Parks and Recreation Advisory Board convened on March 12, 2025, at City Hall, though the meeting was briefly interrupted by a power outage. Board members present included longtime members Steve Walker and Ray Dellecker, along with newcomer Darren Belt, who introduced himself as a youth sports advocate from Kansas City. The board tackled three major items: the location selection for Story Brook Park's public art installation, updates on the landmark tree program, and a comprehensive presentation on the Parks and Recreation Opportunities Study (PROS) plan survey results. The meeting demonstrated the board's commitment to both preserving Bellingham's natural character while accommodating growth, with discussions ranging from artwork placement to tree protection ordinances to future recreation needs based on extensive community input. ## Story Brook Park Art Location Decision Board member Jonathan Hopkins presented two potential locations for a 1% for Art sculpture installation at the 5.7-acre Story Brook Park in North Bellingham. The interactive artwork—a semicircle of 10-11 foot tall logs with reflective surfaces—required careful placement due to the site's numerous wetlands and critical areas. "Location A would be located in this kind of a condition where it's relatively open, but it's also has some shade associated with it," Hopkins explained, noting that the park master plan had identified this area as a future food forest. "Because of the shade that's cast by these trees, it's probably less productive for growing food for a future phase." Steve Walker, participating online, raised aesthetic concerns: "My concern about these locations is just that as you're viewing the art, you see construction in the background, you know, like the residences, and I don't know, there just seems like a piece of art. It would be nice to have the background be a natural landscape as opposed to looking into somebody's yard." Hopkins acknowledged the backdrop challenges but noted that both proposed locations had "the least problem as far as that goes." He explained that wetland boundaries and accessibility requirements severely limited placement options, as the artwork needed wheelchair acces…
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### Meeting Overview The Bellingham Parks and Recreation Advisory Board met on March 12, 2025, to discuss several major initiatives including artwork placement at Storybrook Park, updates to the landmark tree ordinance, comprehensive results from the PROS Plan community survey, and significant transportation and park infrastructure projects in the King Mountain/Bakerview area. ### Key Terms and Concepts **PROS Plan:** Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Plan - a comprehensive planning document that guides the future development and management of Bellingham's park system, updated approximately every 6 years. **1% for Art:** A city requirement that 1% of eligible public construction project costs must be dedicated to public art, managed through a selection process involving both the Parks Board (for location) and Art Commission (for artwork approval). **Greenways Levy:** A dedicated funding source providing approximately $9.8 million annually for parks maintenance, development, and acquisitions, separate from the city's general fund. **Landmark Tree Ordinance:** City regulation protecting large, significant trees by requiring permits for removal and establishing replacement requirements, recently updated to address community concerns. **Critical Area Buffers:** Protected zones around wetlands and sensitive environmental areas where development is restricted or prohibited. **Type 6 Evaluation:** A comprehensive review process for city ordinances that includes full public engagement, Planning Commission review, and City Council approval. **Level of Service:** Planning methodology that establishes standards for how much park space and facilities should be provided per population in different areas of the city. **Social Vulnerability Index:** A data tool used to identify underserved communities and ensure equitable distribution of park services and facilities. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Jonathan | Parks & Recreation staff, 26-27 years with city | | Peter | Parks & Recreation staff, PROS Plan lead | | Lane | Parks & Recreation staff | | Bree | Parks & Recreation staff | | Darren Belt | New Parks Board member, youth sports advocate | | Steve Walker | Parks Board member (online) | | Ray Dellecker | Parks Board member | | Scott Pratschner | Parks Board member | | Jed Holmes | Parks Board member | | Robert Soto/Premium Services | Contractor for Storybrook Park construction | ### Background Context…
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Parks & Recreation Budget & Finance Land Use & Planning Government Operations Art Commission Bellingham School District Btc Parks Recreation Advisory Board Premium Services Vamos Program Darren Belt Jed Holmes Jonathan Middleton Lane Covington Peter Willott Peter Willott Ray Dellecker Scott Pratschner Steve Walker Aquatic Facilities Art Installation Budget Finance Budget General Fund Carl Kozier Boundary Community Survey Analysis Demographic Outreach Greenways Funding Indoor Recreation King Mountain Bakerview Landmark Tree Ordinance Little Squalicum Pier Pros Plan Pros Plan Development Public Art Placement Safety Perceptions Storybrook Park Sunset Pond Survey Results Trail Connectivity