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Parks, stormwater and police outline coordinated plan for Scenic Heights Trail to curb encampments and restore drainage
Summary
City staff and police told the Parks & Recreation Advisory Commission they plan regular brush clearing, invasive-species removal and improved patrol/outreach along Scenic Heights Trail to restore drainage, reduce illegal encampments and improve public safety; commissioners pressed staff to balance habitat preservation and recreation.
City parks, stormwater and police officials presented a joint plan to manage vegetation, drainage and public-safety concerns along Scenic Heights Trail on Tuesday, telling the Parks & Recreation Advisory Commission that a mix of maintenance and outreach is needed to restore the drainage swale and discourage illegal encampments.
“Kendall Sullivan, with Stormwater, said the area has seen a “significant increase in invasive vegetation, overgrown brush, and altered drainage pathways,” and that those conditions reduce the effectiveness of the stormwater system and public safety. She urged regular brush cutting, invasive-species management and restoration of the natural drainage path to protect water quality and preserve the marsh.”
“Lt. Matt Krasinski of the Oak Harbor Police Department described patrol recoveries of shopping carts, waste and embedded camps and said officers used a drone and FLIR imaging to locate a person with outstanding warrants. He said the department is coordinating with Island County Human Services and embedded social workers to connect unhoused people with housing and mental-health resources rather than displacing them.”
“Parks staff said routine maintenance — weekly mowing, weed-eating and litter pickup — plus targeted machinery and hand work to remove blackberries and knotweed have been used to reestablish a storm swale on the trail’s south side. Staff said improved sight lines also make it easier for police to conduct outreach and safety checks.”
Commission members welcomed the multi-department approach but pressed staff on whether the site should be managed primarily for human recreation (dog paths/dog park) or preserved as a natural area. One commissioner warned that aggressive clearing has reduced visible bird populations — including cedar waxwing and red-winged blackbird — and asked where nature-focused areas will be protected.
The chair said the Scenic Heights discussion underscored a broader need to set consistent priorities across the city’s parks and tie those priorities to staffing and budget decisions so residents know what to expect from each space. Staff committed to follow up with clarifying answers about drainage maintenance, planting choices and the planned balance between habitat preservation and human use.
As next steps, police recommended installing clearly marked emergency waypoints along the trail and exploring alternative nonemergency reporting channels so citizens can report new encampments or debris without dialing 911. Parks and stormwater said they would continue invasive-species mitigation and regular brush cutting to keep drainage swales functioning and visible.
The presentation concluded with commissioners thanking the presenters and asking staff to return with additional details at a future meeting.
