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Mercer Island Parks Commission endorses updated athletic facilities allocation policy, adds 'seniors' priority
Summary
The Parks and Recreation Commission voted unanimously March 26 to endorse revisions to the athletic facilities allocation and use policy, simplifying tiering, expanding the resident definition and adding seniors as a prioritized age category; staff will finalize legal review and implement the policy for the 2026 fall/winter season.
The Mercer Island Parks and Recreation Commission voted unanimously March 26 to endorse an updated athletic facilities allocation and use policy that staff say will simplify priority tiers, expand the definition of resident organizations and increase access for local residents.
The commission’s motion, made by Vice Chair Westberg and seconded by Commissioner McCarthy, passed on a roll‑call vote following a presentation by interim recreation manager Katie Herzog and recreation coordinator Jeremy Jasmine. "The revised draft ... is intended to balance competing demands for limited public resources while preserving staff flexibility to manage facilities responsibly and equitably," Jeremy told the commission during the briefing.
Why it matters: Staff said the changes are designed to better align policy with current booking practices and higher demand—Jeremy said the city now handles roughly 5,000–6,000 hours across about 30–40 user groups and is close to capacity during prime seasons. Commissioners pressed staff on how the policy applies to priority booking windows versus first‑come, first‑served availability outside of those windows; staff said the policy governs the priority windows and that general availability remains first‑come, first‑served.
Key changes and next steps: The endorsed changes include alphabetizing non‑weighted review criteria (to avoid implying priority between factors such as nonprofit status and community benefit), explicitly adding "seniors" alongside youth where age groups are listed, and incorporating a citation to the Fair Play and Community Sports Act in the redline. Staff will complete final legal review and the director will formally adopt the policy; implementation is planned to begin with the 2026 fall and winter season.
Commissioners said they wanted clear language about how residency, community benefit and seasonality will be weighed. "We weren't weighing any of these priorities over another," a staff member said in response and agreed to alphabetize the criteria to reduce perceived hierarchy.
Outcome and provenance: Motion to endorse the policy carried by unanimous roll call (all commissioners voting Aye). The presentation and vote are recorded in the meeting transcript between SEG 975 and SEG 1357. The commission directed staff to return with a finalized, redlined policy text for formal adoption steps.
What’s next: Staff will finalize legal review, add the statutory citation and publish procedural changes for permit reservations and communications ahead of the 2026 fall/winter booking season.
