Commissions updating parks section of Comprehensive Plan

Two Town panels have their work cut out for them as they address ways to enhance leisure time opportunities for La Conner area residents.

Members of the planning and parks commissions on Tuesday jointly took initial steps toward updating the parks and recreation element of La Conner’s comprehensive plan, a process they hope to complete in draft form by September for Town Council and state review.

“Every year,” Town Planner Michael Davolio said last week in a memo to members of the two commissions, “the Town undertakes the task of updating one or more elements of its Comprehensive Plan. This year, one goal is to use the Town’s Parks and Recreation Plan to create a new Parks and Recreation Element for the Comprehensive Plan.”

That mission includes an evaluation and inventory update of park land and facilities within the community – all the more relevant and topical given recent conversion of the nearly two-acre Hedlin’s Ballfield site along Maple Avenue to a 10-house subdivision and half-acre public park space.

A citizen’s advisory group has begun developing a survey to gather public input regarding priorities for the Maple park area. The survey is expected to be ready for distribution this fall.

Davolio said the parks inventory will include the former Hedlin property, but a final determination regarding its future use is not immediately required.

“We can address that issue,” Davolio explained, “within a future update at a time of our choosing.

Davolio asked in preparation for the July 20 planning meeting that both Town commissions review the existing parks and recreation plan. He praised parks commissioners for their work on those existing documents.

“The quality of this work,” he stressed, “will make our task much easier.”

Davolio said the workload will include setting goals, policies and implementation strategies for the future use of these (parks and recreation) lands and facilities and ensuring that this plan element is internally consistent with other elements of the Comprehensive Plan.”

The goal, said Davolio, is to have a plan adopted by the Town Council before the start of 2022.

“To meet this goal,” he said, “we will need to have a draft plan completed by September. This timeline will allow for a 60-day review period by the state’s Department of Commerce as mandated by the Growth Management Act. There will also be procedures to be performed pursuant to the requirements of the State Environmental Policy Act.”

The parks and recreation element of the Comprehensive Plan is designed to provide general policy guidance for the growth and development of local parks and recreation facilities.

The planning commission met in-person in a public session with parks commissioners Tuesday night in Maple Hall. In addition to launching the parks and rec element update, the meeting also included discussion of transitional housing for the homeless.

The La Conner planning group is next scheduled to meet on Aug. 17.