City launches first standalone parks, recreation and open-space plan; mail survey and open house seek resident input

The Lake Stevens parks department and consultant Conservation Techniques are gathering community input for the city's first standalone Parks, Recreation and Open Space (PROS) Plan, staff said at the parks board meeting. The consultant mailed 2,500 surveys to ensure a statistically valid sample and is also running an online survey open to all residents. The plan, which staff said will shape departmental efforts over the next six to 10 years, is in an early information-gathering stage. Jill, the parks planning and development coordinator, told the board the mailed batch will be analyzed separately from the online responses so the consultant can compare those two samples and identify any demographic or neighborhood gaps. The department is hosting an open house on Thursday at Hartford Hall, Mill (drop-in, 6:30 p.m.–8 p.m.), with roughly eight display boards covering recreation types, park sizes, funding priorities and other topics. Participants will be able to leave written comments and react to boards without a formal presentation, staff said. The department asked board members to avoid forming a quorum at the open house (for example, by separating around the room) and to notify staff in advance if they will attend. Board members asked whether the mailed sample would be followed up if some neighborhoods returned few surveys. Jill said the mailed survey is a predetermined, separate sample called the "statistically correct" batch and will remain distinct; returned mail surveys will be analyzed as their own group while online responses will be cross-referenced to detect bias or gaps. Staff added the process can reveal areas needing additional outreach and that lessons learned may inform future rounds. Why it matters: The PROS Plan will inform capital projects, maintenance priorities and program decisions for the parks department for the coming decade. Staff urged residents and board members to encourage participation; low turnout could limit the plan's representation of community preferences. Board members and staff encouraged fellow residents to complete and return mailed surveys and to take the online survey. The open house will present preliminary maps and survey results once the consultant has compiled early responses.