Planning commission reviews parks and recreation draft; community recreation center, forest lands and maintenance highlighted

Planning staff presented proposed 2025 Comprehensive Plan amendments for the Parks, Recreation and Open Space element at the May 14 Anacortes Planning Commission meeting, and commissioners engaged in detailed discussion on community recreation facilities, maintenance funding, forest lands management and accessibility.

The planning department said the changes aim to consolidate and clarify policy language, identify underserved neighborhoods for new park access, support arts and culture in public space, and align parks policies with other plan elements such as climate and transportation.

John Lunsford and Bob Vokes of the Parks Department presented the draft. Lunsford described public-space and pocket-park examples and said the update expands support for arts and culture, coordination with partners and new policies for public gathering spaces. He said the draft broadens language on community recreation and consolidates earlier items into clearer action-oriented policies. Lunsford noted the city is exploring a community recreation center and described a fundraising and delivery path: pledges of about $10 million in land and…