A Sunrise Park neighbor told the Parks Advisory Committee on Oct. 15 that the park's current open character is valued by users and should be preserved.

"It's a wonderful park," said Diane Smith, who identified herself as a Sunrise Park neighbor. She said long‑time users enjoy activities such as kite flying, volleyball and sledding and asked the committee not to "fix something that's really not broken."

Why it matters: Sunrise Park has been the focus of a recent neighborhood discussion about planting trees on a ridge above the park and whether additional planting would block views for adjacent homeowners and change how the park is used.

Minutes, motions and committee direction
At the start of the meeting the committee considered approval of the Sept. 17 minutes. Committee member Shelley moved to approve the minutes with the addition of public‑comment letters and the corrections noted; Victoria seconded. The chair called for the vote and the motion passed.

Committee members then discussed next steps for Sunrise Park. Jonah Jacobson, parks staff, and several committee members said the topic merits more public engagement and suggested making the park the focus of the November meeting. Committee members proposed in‑park outreach such as a poster or polka‑dot map where park users could place stickers to indicate whether they want additional trees or prefer no change.

Questions and clarifications
Committee members noted technical constraints in parts of the park: some areas are boggy and not suitable for new plantings, and other plantings may require coordination with utilities or wetlands protections. Jonah said the city would not force homeowners to plant street trees if there had been none before and that proposed code changes would primarily focus on removal thresholds tied to development and on making applicable rules easier for staff and the public to use.

"We're not looking at that level of regulation for homeowners," Jonah said, adding that the draft code would consolidate existing standards and cross‑reference requirements so staff and the public can find them in one place.

The committee also received an update on nearby restoration work at the Thousand Acres area and progress on Sharon Nesbitt Park construction, and members said they would continue outreach to Sunrise Park neighbors before the November meeting.

Ending
The committee set no final policy at the Oct. 15 meeting. Members asked staff to produce outreach materials for in‑park input and agreed to carry Sunrise Park items on the November agenda.