Parks & Recreation Commission sends park zone recommendation to Planning Commission; council sets June deadline for review

The Mercer Island Parks and Recreation Commission on April 15 delivered a formal recommendation for a new “park zone” to the Planning Commission and city council. The recommendation includes development regulations, a draft zoning map and requested comprehensive plan land‑use amendments to designate parks distinctly from open space.

Carson Hornsby, management analyst, summarized the PRC work: the park zone would codify which properties qualify for the zone (city‑owned or city‑managed parks that meet the purpose statement), create use and building standards tailored to parks, and introduce an impervious‑surface limit with specified exemptions such as athletic fields and ADA improvements. The PRC recommended adding some definitions to the code to clarify terms such as “recreational uses.”

Peter Strzok, chair of the Parks and Recreation Commission, and Vice Chair Paul Burstein explained key choices: Aubrey Davis Park and street ends were not included because Aubrey Davis sits in the I‑90 right‑of‑way and is WSDOT property, and street ends’ primary purpose is utilities. The commission also recommended treating existing unique buildings (for example, Luther Burbank administrative structures) as conforming uses with limited exemptions to allow ongoing operation and maintenance.

Council directed the Planning Commission to finish the legislative review and issue a recommendation by June so council could consider the code and comp plan amendments in July (first readings July 1; second readings July 15). Staff will present the park zoning materials, including proposed development regulations, the zoning map, and the comp plan land‑use map, as the Planning Commission performs its legislative review.