City Council - Parks and Recreation Committee

City of Bellingham Parks and Recreation Committee Minutes June 26, 2023, 1:10 PM Mayor: Seth Fleetwood Contact: (360) 778-8100, mayorsoffice@cob.org Council Members: Edwin H. "Skip" Williams, Chair Contact: (360) 778-8200, ccmail@cob.org Hollie Huthman, Lisa Anderson https://cob.org/council Call to Order Council President Pro Tem Dan Hammill called the meeting to order at 1:10pm. Roll Call Present: Committee Chair Edwin H. "Skip" Williams, Fourth Ward Committee Member Hollie Huthman, Second Ward Committee Member Lisa Anderson, Fifth Ward Council Standing Committee Meetings: Open to the public to attend. Note: there is generally no public comment period for Committee sessions. Standing Committee Members receive reports and information, ask questions and, when appropriate, vote on a recommended action for consideration by the full Council at the Regular Meeting. The notice of Committee Meetings identified below also serves as notice of Special Meetings of the City Council at the times identified as Council Members who are not members of the committee routinely attend and participate in the Committee Meetings. Committee Chairs give a report of the Committee Meeting at the Regular Meeting in the evening prior to deliberation and formal vote. 23755 1. Resolution Designating July 2023 Parks and Recreation Month p. 3 Nicole Oliver, Parks Recreation Director introduced the resolution to celebrate July as Parks and Recreation Month. The U.S. House of Representatives designated July as Parks & Recreation Month and the City of Bellingham recognizes the environmental, economic, ecological and educational value of our extraordinary Parks & Recreation system. Edwin H. "Skip" Williams moved to recommend approval of the resolution designating July 2023 as Parks and Recreation Month. MOTION CARRIED 3-0. 23756 2. Resolution Establishing Facility Reinvestment and Water Conservation Surcharge at p. 6 Lake Padden Golf Course Steve Janiszewski, Parks Operations Manager, and Mike Fosnick, Director of Operations at Troon/Premier Golf, introduced the resolution to set improvements for the Lake Padden Golf Course by raising rates on the Facility Reinvestment/Water Conservation fee by $4 per round to the current golf rate and $2 per round of disc golf. Parks and Recreation Committee Minutes Page 1 June 26, 2023  Lisa Anderson moved to recommend approval of the resolution establishing facility reinvestment and water conservation fees for the use of the City Parks and Recreation golf course. MOTION CARRIED 3-0. 23757 3. Introduction of a Resolution to Submit to the Voters a Property Tax Levy to Acquire, p. 29 Improve, Develop and Maintain Greenways, Open Space, Wildlife Habitat and Corridors, Urban Trees, Parks, Park Facilities and Trails (Greenways V) Mayor Fleetwood, Nicole Oliver, Parks and Recreation Director, and Peter Gil, Park Planning and Development Coordinator, Neil Schaner, Greenways Advisory and Greenways V Levy Committees, introduced the resolution for the Greenways V levy. In 1990, Bellingham initiated a Greenway Program that levied additional property taxes to raise funds to “acquire, develop and maintain greenways, open space sites, parks, park facilities and trails.” Three subsequent levies were approved by voters in 1997, 2006 and 2016, and the proposed resolution is for a fifth levy to continue the program for another ten years at a levy rate of $.41/$1,000 of assessed value. By the end of 2023, the program will have brought in over $102 million, with 3,200 acres purchased, plus 2,400 acres of recreational trails on Galbraith Mountain, 87 trail miles and multiple park and trail development projects. Council Members discussed and asked questions. The Council discussed whether to host a public hearing on the Greenways V Levy. Lisa Anderson moved to hold a public hearing at the Regular City Council meeting on July 10, 2023 on the Greenways V Levy. MOTION CARRIED 3-0. Adjournment There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 2:22pm. Parks and Recreation Committee Minutes Page 2 June 26, 2023