Redevelopment designs for Kayak Point park considered

Easing current vehicle and pedestrian congestion during busy peak summer weekends is driving changes in design. PHOTO BY ADAM STEWART | STANWOOD/CAMANO NEWS Rome wasn’t built in a day. Probably even took some time to plan.

The redevelopment of Kayak Point Regional Park may follow suit.

On Wednesday, participants of the second community meeting met with staff of the county’s parks department, the Marine Resources Committee and People for Puget Sound to discuss leaving a legacy, one idea at a time.

Three new concepts, developed by parks department staff from a slew of suggestions during November’s public meeting, were presented, discussed, debated, praised, criticized and sent back to the county with comments from people who frequent the park.

Technical data regarding a restoration feasibility study, a sea level risk assessment and habitat research were analyzed in conjunction with regulatory standards and permitting requirements to incorporate design input from the public, explained Sharon Swan, senior parks planner.

“Anything we design,” said Swan, “needs to function for the county.”

Considering any changes to the park won’t necessarily occur in the next decade, it remains difficult what future demands may be.

The potential growth of housing in the Lake Goodwin area and what that means for the park is under consider- ation, said Swan.

Easing current vehicle and pedestrian congestion during busy peak summer weekends is driving changes in design.

Park ranger Jeanne Blackburn said certain weekends during the early afternoon hours, between noon and 4 p.m., rangers have to monitor the park’s capacity.

“People don’t like being turned away,” said Blackburn. But, under the current design, it happens.

New plans focus on restructuring the layout of roads and parking lots to maximize space while creating flow.

Other areas of concern, as presented by Dr. Warren Flint, a volunteer with People for Puget Sound, include improving or relocating the boat launch, restoring the beach and surrounding habitat and enhancing recreational and educational enjoyment of the park.

“The project has been extremely sensitive to the values this community holds,” said Flint.

Senior parks planner and registered landscape architect Chris Mueller discussed similar changes in all three proposals.

The concepts preserve open spaces and limited structures between lawn spaces and the waterfront to promote access to the beach and sound views.

“All three plans have structures clustered on a central axis created by the pier,” said Mueller.

Adjacent to the pier is an aging boat launch. Designs call for providing dedicated lanes, maneuvering area and parking for vehicles with boat trailers and a widening of the existing ramp.

Although many comments were received about the current location of the ramp, “an analysis of relocation determined it would be best to keep it where it is,” said Mueller.

Parking is consolidated in each concept, minimizing the amount of road required per parking spot, with the intent of improving the experience along the shoreline.

Other common features incorporate more picnic areas and additional trails including a 10-foot-wide path for pedestrians and maintenance vehicles.

Two of the concepts reduce parking in the dayuse area which would require shuttle service from overflow parking on the bluff. The same designs share a pocket estuary on the north end.

The most radical design relocates the playground to the north end, decreases parking to 15 automobile spots in the day-use area and includes a large multipurpose building for revenue generating and educational purposes.

Mueller reinforced the fact that the plans are preliminary and the project is simply in the conceptual phase.

Nevertheless, a community input process is required should the department move the project forward.

“A lot of work needs to be done before anything happens,” he said. “And, the concepts are interchangeable. There is no doubt that the final design will be a hybrid of the different designs.”

For more information about the Kayak Point Regional Park redevelopment project, visit www. snocoparks.org.

Staff Reporter Adam Stewart: 629-8066 ext. 115 or astewart@scnews.com.