[{"_1":2,"_122":-5,"_123":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,110],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6160181,"mediaKeyId","5451029-4923ef238a782cd301e49da3d38dbc95","parentId",5451029,"title","Kenmore starts update of Parks, Recreation and Open Space plan; public surveys and drafts due this year","audioSeconds",5190,"startMs",96000,"endMs",5286000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5451029-4923ef238a782cd301e49da3d38dbc95&start=96&end=5286","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5451029-4923ef238a782cd301e49da3d38dbc95/thumbnail_96000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6160181/Kenmore/King-County/Washington/Kenmore-starts-update-of-Parks-Recreation-and-Open-Space-plan-public-surveys-and-drafts-due-this-year","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6160181-7f0538107df5fa76657b6760bfc9997e/orig.mp4?Expires=1770500333&Signature=F4FSLntxjjzDTSM1e1M3qNrH9HTaQbYhBXacil6saeVN6xecHakQXwm1x10FDJS-TS3Icyu8xP61XEhPQu6~4aWpXv0QmlJssn4VWmYouZVBySB3ziIMLVvZYOj3PZyZv~E0kjI8bnhkPNK8X9dP-9-L~bTCTNa8khxK6-NpiNBqvXk3VRxLa-nzg9PNigNT0VBxOsP~x4kH9jt5F90yYB8OEnXqJft-U4lnyQt0EDqFJOmazTSTJWMhCyvqsBXymaKK0T0rflpAsxMq65oqlncsQ8W-L~l3rq5zVwOdvin5vHT3VY5GH58Ph8Rp1R3TsvJo3xb7I2egna~uidSreQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Kenmore, Washington","date","2025-07-23T01:01:26Z","article","Kenmore officials and consultants on July 22 kicked off a community update of the city’s Parks, Recreation and Open Space (PROS) plan, saying the plan must be refreshed about every six years so the city remains eligible for state and federal grants. Todd Hall, Kenmore principal planner, said the plan’s expiration is in February and the update will include a PROS element of the comprehensive plan and an implementation and financing strategy.

The update is led by Tom Beckwith of Beckwith Consulting Group and a project team that includes landscape architects, engineers and a GIS specialist. Beckwith said the consultants were selected through a competitive process and have been engaged since January or February; he told the planning commission he expects the work to be finished by year end. \"This evening, is a community meeting regarding the PROS plan that stands for the Parks, Recreation, and Open Space plan. And this is a plan that we need to update approximately every 6 years for, to ensure that we're eligible for grant funding. And our expiration date is, February,\" Beckwith said.

Community engagement steps announced at the meeting include: an open resident survey (still open), additional public open houses later in the process, a mailed postcard and an online follow-up survey focused on project priorities and financing, and multiple Planning Commission briefings. Todd Hall and Debbie Bennett, the city’s community development director, said draft plan documents will be shared with the Planning Commission in about 6–8 weeks; the commission will make a recommendation to the City Council in the fall with final adoption aimed for the end of the year. Hall added that the impact-fee component of the update will likely roll into the first quarter of 2026.

The update will produce a six-year implementation program and a 20-year vision. Beckwith said the plan will inventory each park, identify improvements and financial strategies, and include a separate chapter on habitat and open space. \"When we get to the citywide elements, that's where we'll be taking we're looking at that,\" Beckwith explained about open space and habitat elements.

No formal actions, votes or binding agreements were taken at the meeting. Staff encouraged continued public participation through the online survey and future open houses, and invited questions to planning staff. Hall and Bennett provided contact information and said uploaded materials and draft documents will be posted on the city's project webpage and are part of the Planning Commission agenda packet.

The meeting closed with organizers reiterating the schedule: continued Planning Commission discussions through the summer, draft plan circulation in the coming weeks, commission recommendation in the fall, council adoption by year end and the impact-fee item finalized in early 2026.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of Kenmore - Planning Commission PROS Plan Community Meeting - Tuesday, July 22, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Kenmore officials and consultants on July 22 kicked off a community update of the city’s Parks, Recreation and Open Space (PROS) plan, saying the plan must be refreshed about every six years to remain eligible for state and federal grant funding.","taxTitle","Kenmore, King County, Washington","taxId",70669,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6160162,"Heat-island mapping, trees and private development emerge as tools to make Kenmore parks and streets cooler",1819,2142000,3961000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5451029-4923ef238a782cd301e49da3d38dbc95&start=2142&end=3961","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5451029-4923ef238a782cd301e49da3d38dbc95/thumbnail_2142000.jpg","/articles/6160162/Kenmore/King-County/Washington/Heat-island-mapping-trees-and-private-development-emerge-as-tools-to-make-Kenmore-parks-and-streets-cooler","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6160162-62af14ada4921388f0c26f9e2e8c087a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770500333&Signature=ExJb6ZG2tOjdtN2A9lztkWuWhkX3EhcJKxx3WeUIyDtUeWx-EI68Ui1pYqplqng4WwMaxMImLAK5SsJBOdC8PK0nFTPQwb3unIGz4L-9-vZcLwH6XKII7vxLe9NPQ-NJiWEQasa4767ZHOn7mP5nhnGvywQ6KLq3FHJ9KMV66kHQu8OOX1nDXV-ohLvCxOwx6q~z5E4UMW3lqU0Ifg7RXmt2FuZGcBHe1qqAaHubuIeGmg8ItNcb0J-VNichagJJj1foMy96SYw80uVhBvQKbanAg~x9B6N1tzGp2ShLx7PjXkc6qAUX~IH52hC9dXEZF7sEDgiNAoYqABvU4Prcng__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Kenmore planners and consultants on July 22 raised urban heat islands and green infrastructure alongside questions about private developments providing public open space and how impact fees or development standards might capture those contributions.

Tom Beckwith presented a heat-index map from the Trust for Public Land showing hotter 'islands' near commercial strips and paved areas; he said trees and green roofs are among the primary mitigation tools. \"So one of the issues is how do we bring those temperatures down? And particularly, if we're putting any kind of public spaces in, how do we bring those down?\" Beckwith asked.

Several residents praised a recent PulteGroup project near 180th that includes an open green area with walkways; one resident said the developer-created space has functionally operated like a public park and improved neighborhood access. Staff said private open-space amenities can be encouraged through development standards or impact-fee programs but cautioned that public access and credit toward impact fees depend on whether amenities are truly public rather than resident-only.

Consultants and staff discussed commercial roofs and other nonresidential sites as opportunities for public green space, noting Seattle and other cities have used rooftop gardens and green decks to expand public open space. Beckwith also noted that as urban density increases in Kenmore’s core, the plan should identify plazas, pocket parks and other small urban spaces in addition to traditional suburban park formats.

No binding policy changes were adopted at the meeting. Staff said the PROS update will consider development standards, impact-fee crediting rules and incentives for developers to provide publicly accessible green amenities.","Consultants showed 2019 heat-index maps and discussed trees, green roofs and private development contributions to cooling and open-space availability; residents cited a recent PulteGroup development as an example of a private amenity used by the public.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6160167,"Kenmore consultants emphasize habitat corridors, trail connections and regional coordination",3356,1041000,4397000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5451029-4923ef238a782cd301e49da3d38dbc95&start=1041&end=4397","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5451029-4923ef238a782cd301e49da3d38dbc95/thumbnail_1041000.jpg","/articles/6160167/Kenmore/King-County/Washington/Kenmore-consultants-emphasize-habitat-corridors-trail-connections-and-regional-coordination","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6160167-f5ffdf0c2d280ba550ae490257cf6289/orig.mp4?Expires=1770500333&Signature=ET33dXRG0zxHrVOZWVRi~BQgqDxP0q5fmCixGVKNkvUGAqCgiZNKZ41xBOfne5DhKdx7mrVwjBe13SpNUgNStBMCHClT9d9H5k~t8OxKgJhQcADGFcESwIa1ymi7jCRcyzfjT~M~0CL~lscCTy-B7r5k8wNQZpI590DL-zlL2XU2tpPFj8PqEzAqNOMIxsM~Mu3ZpScrMF5qpagt2dCRgOH-uk~LKTgjB0gqVyYDryKfAF-XKjiiiqZH8P1DkIVNQv-gA42K-VL8zR~F0EFXndU~i~UbTHvRdg6Wp9bmMHPR~ILVA49QdCEMPWwaIUO0p0KFDLCaST-a3iJJ6OQRoA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At the July 22 open house, consultants said habitat corridors, creek restoration and trail connectivity are priorities in Kenmore’s PROS update and that achieving those goals will require coordination with neighboring jurisdictions and state agencies.

Tom Beckwith highlighted Swamp Creek, the Sammamish River waterfront, and the Fin Hill trail network as areas where Kenmore can extend or better link existing habitat and trail corridors. Beckwith said the plan will examine conservation and acquisition tools — including conservation easements and development-rights purchases — to assemble corridors and provide public access where feasible. \"One of the things that we use to determine what your future recreational needs or demands are is we look to the Washington State Recreation Conservation Office called RCO,\" Beckwith said, noting RCO's role in habitat and grant programs.

Participants urged explicit trail connections across State Route 522 and to the Burke-Gilman Trail, and asked consultants to inventory culverts and known fish-passage projects that double as wildlife-connectivity fixes. An online commenter noted an earlier Eastern Ecological Research Center (EERC) study on wildlife connectivity; staff said they would follow up to secure relevant studies and engage agencies including Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW).

Beckwith said the plan will include a habitat and open-space element, and that protecting corridors will be part of both short-term (six-year) and long-term (20-year) visions. He urged a coherent long-range map so future development can be required to protect or accommodate corridor continuity.","The PROS update will evaluate riparian corridors, Swamp Creek and waterfront connections and pursue interjurisdictional trail links such as to Fin Hill and the Burke-Gilman; consultants plan follow-up coordination with neighboring cities and agencies.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":103,"_47":104,"_49":105,"_51":106,"_53":107,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":108,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":109,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6160173,"Kenmore planners weigh athletic-field capacity, turf and school partnerships as demand grows",0,2741000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5451029-4923ef238a782cd301e49da3d38dbc95&start=2741&end=2741","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5451029-4923ef238a782cd301e49da3d38dbc95/thumbnail_2741000.jpg","/articles/6160173/Kenmore/King-County/Washington/Kenmore-planners-weigh-athletic-field-capacity-turf-and-school-partnerships-as-demand-grows","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6160173-8f5d4cfd8a453de7e285fde3051db1c8/orig.mp4?Expires=1770500333&Signature=QKErnqfgFVDljdT~oj2pWzl8s3mJeR6Uz400LRoMtRROvtMe~5DCyxCsaND~Cjxuchu15GsWGl2FOgdkZPtRzWOWDYWhc6~H0x35tc5GKQ6hKqZzZJIUTbEOOQpEtw9on9PwVQY~fqF2Lm4x7uiksrPD75QZEIpv~iNQFk1a08QvFAxV7ycasu-Tike-jTBuJkxu7lD8ZXBMg6QnvGpJBay6CWxTi8Wd3YxqLYtn-w1GES8fPUI3e64XwLEOgmZu~4J7UfuluFXbHGrMIwxsGG1Ji0CuYasvx23L3vcAN70wUi4KdSV6thEF5vVY-w3R~LoyJ0wiKLvfaKiHLRNyYQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Kenmore’s parks update on July 22 put athletic-field capacity and school partnerships at the center of a long-running debate about how to meet growing recreation demand.

Tom Beckwith told the Planning Commission that regional population trends and Kenmore’s projected growth will shift demand toward more older-adult uses (trails, walking) while youth athletics will still require high-capacity fields. He explained ways to increase field capacity — converting to rectangular multiuse fields, installing turf and lights, and managing schedules — but cautioned that some sites have hard physical limits. \"We don't do grass anymore. We do turf, and we do lights to increase the capacity of of that field,\" Beckwith said.

Several residents and commissioners pressed about joint use agreements with North Shore School District. Beckwith and Debbie Bennett, Kenmore’s community development director, explained that school-district agreements vary by jurisdiction and that North Shore has multiple cities inside its boundaries, which complicates uniform city-specific deals. Beckwith said the district has raised user fees in part to pay for maintenance rather than relying on volunteer labor: \"...their fees are a little higher. And the bigger issue for the school district is maintenance and repair, not just who gets to use them.\"

Staff and consultants outlined several capacity responses: retrofit existing fields for multiuse play; add turf and lights where possible; reconfigure fields to make them age-universal (movable base lines and outfields); and consider scheduling and practice-time management to expand usable hours. They noted constraints: some school and park properties are small or older and cannot be physically expanded; regional facilities (large county parks) absorb overflow demand; and negotiations across multiple jurisdictions or school districts can be legally and operationally complex.

No formal agreements were made at the meeting. Staff encouraged residents to participate in school bond and levy processes and said the upcoming plan chapters will include park-by-park assessments describing which sites can be modified for increased capacity and which cannot.","Consultants told the Planning Commission the city's projected population and changing household types will increase demand for trails and passive uses while athletic leagues will continue to press for field time; staff outlined constraints around school partnerships, maintenance costs and scheduling.",{"_33":111,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":112,"_41":113,"_43":114,"_45":115,"_47":116,"_49":117,"_51":118,"_53":119,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":120,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":121,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6160177,"Kenmore analysis finds walkability gaps and equity hotspots in park access",2789,1762000,4551000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5451029-4923ef238a782cd301e49da3d38dbc95&start=1762&end=4551","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5451029-4923ef238a782cd301e49da3d38dbc95/thumbnail_1762000.jpg","/articles/6160177/Kenmore/King-County/Washington/Kenmore-analysis-finds-walkability-gaps-and-equity-hotspots-in-park-access","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6160177-3e8da804ecfa841ab9494a4f95c4df92/orig.mp4?Expires=1770500333&Signature=WvvZKzVGp5uMh5LazaFW6ggquCfWv6OH8BWce8Zt7T4o308tFZryUFbRNnazZ5eVnKKyfSyC13DtUsYJDw~oYPEnah0gfnBHRBXjByXbOR5QIbhdRKbwoFI8onIu1Tb~8sH8xs75zMK7UZgh7ulzCz4p26X8B7XAQzliMt3Qr97qGxgGH1A5WMID4Y7i~0S4RThTTHtXBqqNurqNFcSBdtZSKz6GQzxdZ-5D8IVzQ7ZOH0JCyHtCH80IkuCLd-45e1bS53aZp8jtiBcCg-2u4x7qxQFebpIJz8qRag7~UJfFtwEtoet9J0lXZ~GLkiQ5vmDCfLm6~TDquqLBCE2DkQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Consultants presented a citywide analysis on July 22 that identified areas of Kenmore with limited walkable access to parks and concentrations of social vulnerability, and they urged the city to target pocket parks and connectivity improvements.

Tom Beckwith, the consultant, displayed maps showing five- and ten-minute walk sheds around public parks and said several neighborhoods lack nearby playgrounds or small parks. He noted the analysis will later include parks outside city limits and school grounds to present a fuller picture of residents' actual walking access to recreation. \"When we did this walkability map at first, we only mapped your parks, but we also know that you have some parks that are right on the city limits ... and so when we redo this map, we'll include those parks,\" Beckwith said.

The consultant layered social-equity indicators from the American Community Survey and identified a northwest area with high housing cost burden (percent paying more than 30 percent of income for housing), a corridor north of the highway with higher percentages of people of color and limited-English households, and pockets with higher rates of physical disability. Beckwith said the data will be used to compare park distribution with community need and to identify gaps where pocket parks or improved pedestrian connections could serve residents.

Staff and commissioners discussed partnering with North Shore School District and other jurisdictions to expand accessible places to recreate, but Beckwith and Debbie Bennett, the city’s community development director, cautioned that school access is uneven. The meeting noted two school-design models: older open-campus schools that historically allowed public access and newer, closed-campus designs with perimeter fencing. Beckwith said, \"Now there's another issue in that design too, and that's can a police officer drive by and survey the campus? ... One of the disadvantages of the closed school model is where they're behind the buildings. It's not that very not that easy to drive by and see what's going on.\"

Residents at the meeting urged mapping which vacant or underused parcels could support neighborhood or pocket parks and requested overlays showing which parcels remain developable versus fully built out. Commissioners and residents also raised park accessibility within parks — for example, steep slopes at Wallace Park entrances — and asked staff to examine grade and ADA access as part of the park-by-park reviews.

No formal commitments or funding decisions were made; staff said site-by-site analyses and further public workshops will follow the draft plan materials. The consultant said the later phase will identify specific facilities (playgrounds, trails, courts, pocket parks) and proposed financing strategies.","Consultants and staff presented maps showing neighborhood 'park deserts,' concentrations of housing cost burden, limited-English households and people of color; walkability mapping and school access will be refined to guide park priorities and pocket-park opportunities.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Kenmore starts update of Parks, Recreation and Open Space plan; public surveys and drafts due this year

Heat-island mapping, trees and private development emerge as tools to make Kenmore parks and streets cooler

Kenmore consultants emphasize habitat corridors, trail connections and regional coordination

Kenmore planners weigh athletic-field capacity, turf and school partnerships as demand grows

Kenmore analysis finds walkability gaps and equity hotspots in park access