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Parks 2023 Ballot Measure Initiative

Collage of parks and recreation programs - trails, lifeguards, pickleball, restrooms in parks, teen programs and KTUB

Accelerating the Future of Our Parks and Recreation

During the 2022 Parks, Recreation and Open Space (PROS) Plan outreach process, thousands of Kirkland community members told the City how much they love Kirkland’s parks system, trails and recreation programs and that they desire more park facilities and recreational opportunities. Kirkland's 2022 PROS Plan together with the City's capital improvement plan, outlines a path for the City’s continued investment in parks and recreation.

However, the City Council has heard that many in our community want the City to accelerate the timeline on delivering on what the community is asking for. Therefore, City Council adopted Resolution 5514 at its March 1, 2022 meeting directing staff to explore potential comprehensive Parks ballot measure options to be placed before Kirkland voters in 2023. In August 2022, City Council re-stablished a Parks Funding Exploratory Committee (PFEC), made up of representatives from across Kirkland, to lead the community input process and provide recommendations to the City Council in March 2023 on whether and how to best proceed with ballot measure(s) in 2023.

Parks Funding Exploratory Committee (PFEC)

About PFEC

Parks Funding Exploratory Committee Group Photo - January 12, 2023

The Parks Funding Exploratory Committee (PFEC) was re-established by City Council at their Special August 3, 2022 meeting to lead the community input process and provide recommendations for a potential ballot measure(s) to Kirkland City Council by 2023 including:

Recommended capital investments
Recommended operating investments
Recommended funding mechanism(s) to cover increased costs

PFEC met approximately twice a month from September 2022 through February 2023. The committee's results were present to City Council in March 2023. Based on community input, City Council will make a final decision on ballot measure(s) by the summer of 2023.

PFEC is chaired by Councilmember Kelli Curtis and comprised of over 44 diverse stakeholders that have an interest in Kirkland’s parks and recreation services. PFEC members come from all walks of life and reflect the diversity of Kirkland, including with respect to race; ethnicity; gender; sexual orientation; gender identity; the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability; status as a homeowner or renter; neighborhood; family composition; languages spoken; policy perspective; and age.

PFEC Updates

Date	Meeting Highlights
March 21, 2023	PFEC Report Staff will present the PFEC results at City Council’s Study Session on Tuesday, March 21. March 21, 2023 Kirkland City Council Regular Meeting - Agenda and materials
March 2, 2023	FINAL PFEC Meeting PFEC members held several votes regarding ballot elements and funding mechanisms. Staff will share PFEC results with Council in a report at their March 21 Study Session. March 2, 2023 PFEC Meeting Presentation(PDF, 997KB)
February 23, 2023	TOPIC: Collaborative Discussion toward Recommendation At their 12th meeting, committee members participated in group discussions regarding ballot measure sizing, scope and funding mechanisms. PFEC members continued to evaluate what they want to recommend to City Council. February 23, 2023 PFEC Meeting Presentation(PDF, 774KB)
February 13, 2023	TOPIC: Collaborative Discussion toward Recommendation At their 11th meeting, committee members participated in group discussions regarding ballot measure sizing, scope and funding mechanisms. PFEC members continued to evaluate what they want to recommend to City Council. February 13, 2023 PFEC Meeting Presentation(PDF, 304KB)
February 9, 2023	TOPIC: Collaborative Deep Dive into Major Components At their 10th meeting, the committee participated in a World Café style exercise. All PFEC members visited topic tables to ask questions and have conversations with one another as a step toward decision making. There were plenty of thoughtful questions related to equity and economics. February 9, 2023 PFEC Meeting Presentation(PDF, 783KB)
January 26, 2023	TOPIC: Investment Element Options At their ninth meeting, the committee received the results of the recreation facility feasibility study and continued its discussion of potential parks ballot measure elements. Potential Ballot Element Flash Cards(PDF, 31MB) - updated 2/7/2023 Meeting Presentation: Recreation and Aquatic Centers Feasibility Study(PDF, 26MB) Meeting Presentation: City Updates on Houghton Park & Ride, Balancing Act and Flash Cards(PDF, 1MB)
January 12, 2023	TOPIC: Investment Element Options At their eighth meeting, the committee reviewed potential ballot elements including related capital and operating cost information. These elements build on priorities identified in the PROS Plan and significant community input. Meeting 8 Handouts and Binder Materials(PDF, 1MB) Potential Ballot Element Flash Cards(PDF, 31MB) Potential Ballot Element Map(PDF, 2MB) Meeting 8 Presentation Handout(PDF, 29MB) Meeting 8 Presentation Videos: Welcome from Councilmember Curtis Community Needs Review & Potential Ballot Elements - Lynn Zwaagstra
January 9 or January 21, 2023	TOPIC: Facility Tour Rescheduled from December 1, 2022. Committee members will tour the Sammamish Community and Aquatic Center on either January 9 or January 21, 2023.
December 8, 2022	TOPIC: WA State Property Taxes, Ballot Funding Mechanisms, Kirkland Budget, & Ballot Measure History At their seventh meeting, the committee learned about the City of Kirkland budget, ballot measures history, and funding mechanism options. Meeting 7 Handouts and Binder Materials(PDF, 1MB) Meeting 7 Presentation Handouts(PDF, 5MB) Meeting 7 Videos Washington State Property Taxes Washington Property Tax Overview - Michael Olson Parks and Recreation Funding Options - Alice Ostdiek, Bond Counsel City Budget Overview - George Dugdale
November 10, 2022	TOPIC: Parks & Rec 101: Current Operations & Future Possibilities: Recreation and Administrative Focus At their fifth meeting, the committee learned about what goes into the City’s recreation programs, classes, and community events. They dug deeper into recommendations from the 2022 Parks, Recreation and Open Space (PROS) Plan. The committee also received an overview of population projecting and city planning. Meeting 5 Handouts and Binder Materials(PDF, 10MB) Meeting 5 Presentation Handouts(PDF, 12MB) Meeting 5 Videos PCS Admin, PROS Recommendations, Potential Elements - Lynn Zwaagstra All about Recreation - Sara Shellenbarger Recreation Video shown in the "All About Recreation" presentation Population Projection & City Planning - Adam Weinstein
October 27, 2022	TOPIC: Facility Feasibility Study Update At the fourth meeting, PFEC received an update from Opsis Architecture on the facilities feasibility study. Meeting 4 Handouts and Binder Materials(PDF, 521KB) Meeting 4 Presentation(PDF, 3MB) Meeting 4 Videos: Existing Aquatics Access in Kirkland Video Presentation from Opsis Architecture Video
October 13, 2022	TOPIC: Parks & Rec 101: Current Operations & Future Possibilities: Maintenance Focus At the third PFEC meeting, the Committee received an overview of the 2022 Parks, Recreation and Open Space (PROS) Plan and an introduction to what it takes to maintain parks in Kirkland. The committee dove into the findings and recommendations of the PROS Plan related to park operations and maintenance. Meeting 3 Handouts and Binder Materials(PDF, 614KB) Meeting 3 Presentation Handouts(PDF, 30MB) Meeting 3 Videos: PROS Plan Overview and Findings for Park Maintenance and Operations Park Management Overview and Service Levels Athletic Field Strategy and Park Elements Preview Kirkland Ballfields Maintenance Video Kirkland Playgrounds Maintenance Video Kirkland Dog Parks Maintenance Video
September 29, 2022	TOPIC: Peter Kirk Park and Community Center Tour, PFEC Roadmap, Benefits of Parks & Rec, and Aquatics in Kirkland At the second meeting on September 29, 2022, the committee reviewed the PFEC Roadmap and toured the Peter Kirk Community Center, Peter Kirk Pool, and Peter Kirk Park in small groups. They also received a high level overview of the Parks and Community Services department structure and funding, learn about existing aquatics in Kirkland and consider future aquatics possibilities. Meeting 2 Handouts and Binder Materials(PDF, 8MB) Meeting 2 Presentations(PDF, 20MB) Meeting 2 Presentation Videos: PFEC Roadmap Parks and Community Services Overview and Funding Basics Existing Aquatics in Kirkland and Future Possibilities
September 15, 2022	TOPIC: Welcome, Overview and Park Tour The Parks Funding Exploratory Committee held its first meeting on September 15, 2022 at Juanita Beach Park. At this first meeting the committee received an overview of the process including why City Council established the group. The group also toured Juanita Beach Park which was recently renovated in 2020. Meeting 1 Handouts and Binder Materials(PDF, 1MB)

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Parks 2023 Ballot Measure Initiative?

Exploring potential Parks 2023 Ballot Measure(s) are part of the City's 2021-2022 Work Program.

This project will consist of many phases and include opportunities for community engagement.

Summer 2022: Began feasibility study and costing analysis for potential ballot measure investments
Summer 2022: City Council established a Parks Funding Exploratory Committee made up of representatives from community groups and at-large community members
September 2022 - February 2023: Parks Funding Exploratory Committee to gather community input and review information about potential investments
Spring 2023: Parks Funding Exploratory Committee to make recommendation for potential ballot measure investments and funding mechanisms to City Council
Summer 2023: City Council to decide what ballot measure options to bring to voters and to pass a resolution to initiate the public voting process
Fall 2023: City to provide educational information about the ballot measure(s)
November 2023: General election

What might a measure include?

The Kirkland community will be pivotal in determining what to include in the Parks 2023 Ballot Measure(s).

A Parks Funding Exploratory Committee (PFEC), made up of over 40 Kirkland community members, is meeting from September 2022 through February 2023 to review investment options and funding mechanisms. PFEC is comprised of members that reflect the diversity of Kirkland, including with respect to race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, economic status, neighborhood, family composition, languages spoken, neurodiversity, and physical, mental or sensory ability.

The Committee will make recommendations to City Council in the spring of 2023 regarding what the ballot measure(s) should include. Then based on input from the Committee and other community feedback, City Council will make a final decision regarding ballot measure options in the summer of 2023 to be placed on the November 2023 ballot.

Community feedback over the past few years, including over 4,700 Kirkland community members who provided input as part of the 2022 Parks, Recreation and Open Space (PROS) Plan update, has shown a strong desire to add an aquatic center and additional indoor recreation space in Kirkland. Community and aquatic centers contain different types of amenities and features.

Below are inspirational images of the type of things that could be considered by the Parks Funding Exploratory Committee. Photos are credited as listed.

Floor Plan for Lewisville Recreation Center — Example Floor Plan, Credit Lewisville Recreation Center, Barker Rinker Seacat

How can I get involved?

One of the first ways to get involved is to sign up for our mailing list to learn about project updates and opportunities.
Attend Park Board public meetings and provide public comment about park-related issues that are important to you.
You can also email feedback and input to diveinnow@kirklandwa.gov.
Or you can call to leave feedback and input at 425-587-3315

How can I request a speaker?

Click here to view form.

Thank you for contacting us to request a City of Kirkland staff speaker to talk about potential 2023 Parks Ballot Measure(s). Use this form to request a staff speaker at least 4 weeks prior to the event date. Please provide as much detail as possible so we can do our best to meet your needs.

Background & Milestones

2020-present

September 20, 2022: Parks, Recreation and Open Space Plan adopted
August 3, 2022: Resolution 5551, Establishing a Parks Funding Exploratory Committee
May - August 2022: Final draft PROS Plan
May 17, 2022: Parks Facilities Feasibility Study Scope of Work
May 17, 2022: ADA Title II Transition Plan for Parks and Community Services(PDF, 2MB) adopted
March 1, 2022: Resolution 5514, Amending the 2021-22 City Work Program

May - December 2021: Parks, Recreation and Open Space (PROS) Plan kickoff and outreach including focus groups, community conversations, statistically valid survey and more.