Council reviews proposal for $250,000 Riverview Park access management study to address safety and kayak/tube drop‑off

Parks and Recreation staff asked councilors to fund a $250,000 study of access management at Riverview Park, saying increased river use, commercial kayak operations and limited ingress/egress have created safety and circulation issues.

Rian Anthony, Parks and Recreation Director, said the park was designed as a neighborhood park but is increasingly a destination for river users; staff cited incidents where emergency vehicles had difficulty entering or exiting because parked vehicles and trailers blocked circulation. Anthony described the study’s purpose as identifying access points, demand patterns and recommended safety and circulation improvements; staff said the study would not automatically authorize new asphalt or permanent parking expansions but would identify options, costs and trade‑offs.

Councilors pressed Parks staff to provide a clear scope before approving funds, and asked that the study explicitly evaluate alternatives that minimize expansion of impervious surface. Multiple councilors said they would support a study that prioritized safety and efficient drop‑off solutions, but cautioned against assuming the study would endorse large increases in paved parking. Staff said the study would look at possible additional access points, compatibility with adjacent properties, trail connectivity, and emergency vehicle turning and response times; Parks noted the restroom and stream restoration projects at Riverview may increase future usage and urged planning ahead.

Parks staff committed to returning a draft scope for council review before engaging consultants and to prioritizing non‑asphalt alternatives where feasible. Councilors asked that the study consider trail and multimodal access improvements in addition to vehicle circulation.