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AKS presents parks master plan update; community survey favors maintenance over new parks
Summary
Consultant Zach of AKS told the Yamhill City Council that a 30‑day survey of 91 respondents showed strong support for maintaining and improving existing parks rather than creating new ones; AKS will return with park concepts and cost estimates in May and a final plan in June.
Consultants from AKS updated the Yamhill City Council on the city’s parks master plan and summarized results from a month-long public survey. Zach, a land‑use planner with AKS, said the survey ran from Dec. 5 to Jan. 5 and received 91 responses, mostly from Yamhill residents and nearby ZIP codes.
"There's really overwhelming support from your residents ... to really prioritize maintenance of existing parks and improving existing parks," Zach said, describing a recurring theme in the outreach. AKS reported that most respondents do not favor adding new parks but want upgrades to existing amenities, better maintenance, and more programming and awareness of park activities.
AKS drilled into feedback for the city’s three parks: Beulah Park was the most popular, with respondents accessing it on foot and generally rating it well but noting aging playground equipment and accessibility barriers; Jane Heinrich Park received a lower satisfaction rating (about 2.7 out of 4) with respondents citing unclear vehicle access, lack of restrooms, and confusion about dog rules; Jonathan Calhoun Memorial Park, a smaller neighborhood park, scored high for satisfaction but was noted as lacking shade and broader awareness.
Kirsty, Zach’s colleague, summarized planned near-term actions: AKS will develop concept plans for each park that respond to the survey and existing-conditions analysis, prepare order‑of‑magnitude cost estimates, and identify likely funding sources. The consultants said they plan to present draft concepts to the council in May, with a final adoption targeted for June.
Council members asked clarifying questions about scope—specifically whether references to the “bingo hall” meant a single enclosed building or multiple vendor booths—and discussed whether to repair or replace aging park structures. Zach said both the bingo hall and adjacent vendor booths are in poor condition and that replacing them with a single, dual‑function building could be more cost‑effective than multiple repairs.
The presentation concluded with the consultants asking council feedback on priorities to guide concept development. AKS emphasized budgeting and funding will guide which elements are advanced first and noted that a prioritized, shovel‑ready list helps pursue grant opportunities.
The council provided largely supportive feedback and directed staff and the consultants to continue developing concepts and cost estimates for the May review.
