The Parks Committee asked the Redmond City Council for clearer direction on priorities and touch points after presenting its role and recent work, and members pushed for action on fire mitigation in Dry Canyon, improved trail connectivity, and more sports fields.

At a meeting where the committee introduced itself to council, Alan Aaron, parks committee chair, said, “Our committee serves as advisors to you, the council. That's our job.” He told council the committee is seeking guidance on how to better align with council priorities, represent the broader community, and move from a primarily staff-driven agenda to more strategic committee involvement.

Why it matters: The committee framed the conversation as foundational for where staff and volunteers should concentrate long-term park development and operations. Council and staff repeatedly tied the committee's work to the parks master plan and the city's capital improvement program (CIP), which together will determine where the city invests its next major park dollars.

Most urgent: Fire risk in the Dry Canyon. Brian Herrera, Redmond Fire and Rescue fire chief, described two recent canyon fires, one at the north end and one at the south end, and said the incidents prompted outreach to the Oregon State Fire Marshal's office and county natural resource specialists. Herrera said the county and city will perform a natural-habitat survey and a walk-through of the canyon to consider fuel-mitigation strategies, noting that approaches such as targeted removal of ladder fuels aim to reduce risk while preserving canopy shading for trail users.

Committee concerns and council priorities: Committee members and councilors raised several recurring issues:
- Connectivity and access: Councilors and committee members said parks are often disconnected from neighborhoods; expanding trail links (including a proposed trail under high-voltage lines) would connect southwest Redmond with the Dry Canyon and downtown and improve access for family recreation.
- Motorized uses and e-bikes: Councilors differentiated class 1–3 e-bikes from electric motorcycles. Several speakers described electric motorcycles as causing the most damage and safety risks and suggested enforcement, registration and age/licensing rules apply to motorcycles but are harder to enforce for e-bikes; signage and education were proposed as near-term steps.
- Off-leash dogs: Multiple participants said off-leash dogs on canyon trails create safety and user-conflict concerns; enforcement currently falls to community service officers (CSOs) who cover a limited schedule.
- Active recreation and fields: Several councilors and the parks staff said the city needs more multipurpose sports fields and community park space, not just passive/natural areas.

Funding, timing and master plan: City staff told the group the city's current five-year CIP includes $10,000,000 earmarked for the next large park investment (referred to as a community park). Staff said two properties have been purchased for future park development (identified in discussion as the Elkhorn and Pershall properties). Staff advised that a parks master-plan update will likely take 9–12 months of staff work followed by outreach; staff and committee members identified the January–February CIP decision window as a key touch point for committee recommendations.

Committee role and next steps: Committee members asked for clearer expectations about when to engage council—after police or staff consultation, or earlier in planning—and for help coordinating with police, the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee, communications staff and local partners. Council signaled support for the committee's advisory role and suggested the committee draft recommendations for the parks component of the next five-year CIP; staff said it will seek committee input as the CIP and master plan work proceeds.

What was not decided: No ordinance, budget appropriation or binding council vote occurred during the discussion. Staff noted that decommissioning and relocating the existing wastewater treatment plant (a potential park site) is unlikely to occur within the five-year horizon.

The meeting closed the parks topic with a shared emphasis on improved communication among committee, staff and council, a near-term focus on fuel mitigation and public-education measures for e-bike and dog use, and a plan for the committee to feed recommendations into the January'February CIP cycle.