West Point Security Gate Project Open House and Community Input Summary October 2013 Open House and Community Input Summary .................................................................. 1 Overview and Project Background ................................................................................... 3 Meeting Purpose ............................................................................................................... 4 Open House Format .......................................................................................................... 4 Common Themes from Input Received ............................................................................ 5 Staff Attendance ............................................................................................................... 9 For more information ....................................................................................................... 9 Appendix A. Open House Flipchart Notes ..................................................................... 10 Appendix B. Verbatim Input Received ........................................................................... 11 Page 2 of 49 Overview and Project Background On August 21, 2013, the King County Wastewater Treatment Division (WTD) and the City of Seattle Parks and Recreation (Seattle Parks) invited community members to an open house at the Discovery Park Visitor’s Center to learn about and discuss the agencies’ proposal to install a new security gate to control vehicle access to the West Point Treatment Plant, beach and parking area. The West Point Wastewater Treatment Plant (West Point) is located adjacent to Discovery Park along its northwestern bank. The West Point Treatment Plant has a long history in Magnolia. Prior to the completion of the primary treatment facility in 1966, a sewage disposal pipeline brought raw sewage from across the region onto the beach and into Puget Sound. Water quality along Seattle’s waterfront improved after the treatment plant became operational and Discovery Park was created in 1972. In 1996, the treatment plant was converted from primary to secondary treatment. During this upgrade, WTD reduced the plant size and limited shoreline facilities while improving public access to water and screening the plant from shoreline view. Access to West Point is via Discovery Park Boulevard, a two‐lane road that runs about 1.5 miles from the park entrance at 36th West and West Government Way to West Point and beyond to the beach areas and lighthouse. Vehicular parking at the beach is very limited and is available only by City of Seattle permit in order to preserve the beach environment and protect the lighthouse facility. Permits are available at the Discovery Park Visitor’s Center. However, other than signage describing the permit requirement, there is currently no mechanism for ensuring that park visitors obtain a permit prior to driving to the beach. The result of this is a crowding of vehicles in the beach area, particularly on good weather days, creating traffic problems and at times blocking access to the main entrance to West Point. Beach parking is intended to accommodate ten vehicles at a time, but there are times when up to 30 vehicles can be found parked in the area. In addition, vehicles can travel to the beach areas at night with no restriction. This has resulted in activity detrimental to the beach areas including illegal beach fires, defacing of property, damaged or stolen vehicles left on the beach, as well as evidence of illegal discharge of firearms. West Point WTD staff and Seattle Parks staff respond to this activity when detected, but usually by this time the damage has been done. West Point day operations crews have extinguished beach fires and cleaned up graffiti on the berm wall that is intended to visually blend West Point with its natural surroundings. King County and Seattle Parks have a duty to the people they serve to maintain a safe and secure environment in the beach and light house areas and at West Point as well. To address undesired beach and lighthouse area activity proactively, King County WTD and Seattle Parks are exploring methods to monitor vehicle traffic to those areas to ensure that existing limitations on vehicular traffic are observed and to help prevent the kinds of undesired activity that goes hand in hand with unrestricted night time vehicular access to those areas. Page 3 of 49 The project’s challenge is to prevent unpermitted vehicular access to the area without interfering with uses of the area that are encouraged for the enjoyment of this natural asset consistent with the Discovery Park Master Plan. Analysis and experience indicate that an effective means of meeting that challenge is to monitor and control motor vehicle traffic along Discovery Park Boulevard. Meeting Purpose The purpose of the open house was to: Introduce the proposed gate project Share information about the project’s purpose and need Provide opportunities for community members to ask questions of King County and Seattle Parks and Recreation Staff and provide input on the proposed project Open House Format The open house was divided into numerous stations: Problem statement. Displays described the problems that prompted King County WTD and Seattle Parks and Recreation to propose the gate, including illegal fires, trespassing after hours, illegal activities on the beach, and illegal parking that blocks access to the treatment plant. Beach access and area map. Displays described the current park rules for parking at the beach, which is allowed by City of Seattle permit only for families with children under 8, people over 62, and others with some physical condition that to walk long distances. Displays described that visitors requiring vehicle access to the beach area would still be able to acquire access and parking permits as they do now through the Discovery Park Visitor’s Center. Displays also showed the proposed location for the gate and described how pedestrians and bicycles would be able to access the beach. Project overview and gate features. Displays provided an overview of the project and provided information about the West Point Treatment Plant and its critical role in protecting water quality and public health in the greater Seattle area. Displays also outlined some of the key features of the proposed gate such as a turn‐around area in front of the gate, signs to direct park users to the Visitor’s Center to obtain parking for beach parking, and an intercom 24/7 from the gate to the treatment plant operations staff. Comment forms. Comment forms were available for community members to fill out at the meeting and leave with County staff, or to take home and mail in later. Comment forms were also available online on the project website. Input was requested by September 20, 2013. Meeting materials are available on the project website at: www.kingcounty.gov/environment/wtd/About/System/West/Plant/Projects/SecurityGate.aspx Page 4 of 49 Common Themes from Input Received Community members offered a wide range of perspectives on the proposed West Point Security Gate project at the open house as well as submitted via comment form, email and mail. Flipchart notes from the open house can be found in Appendix A and all written comments received by the project team can be found in Appendix B. Common themes from the input received include: Benefits of the proposed security gate: The proposed security gate meets the goals and mission statement of the Discovery Park Master Plan to protect the park. A security gate would reduce traffic in the park which would improve the park environment and visitor experience. A security gate would help protect the treatment plant and natural resources. A security gate would help protect public safety, reduce the number of illegal beach fires that are a threat to the park and nearby homes, and reduce damage and vandalism in the park. Concerns with the proposed security gate: A security gate would further cut off already limited access to the beach. A security gate would discourage legitimate use of the park. A security gate would not solve the issues of driftwood fires or illegal activity at the beach. A security gate would not improve security of the treatment plant. The gate and permitting system would be too complex. If the proposed security gate is installed: Maintain vehicle access to the beach during park hours, even when the Visitor’s Center is closed (specifically Mondays and evenings). Allow visitors access through the gate to drive to the beach to drop off and pick up passengers and gear. Provide year‐round shuttle bus service from all three Discovery Park parking lots to the beach. Install new signs to clearly communicate park rules and how to access the beach. Alternatives to the proposed security gate: Explore alternative ways to maximize legal activities and access and implement the least costly alternative first. Install the security gate in front of the treatment plant instead of the proposed location on Discovery Park Boulevard. Solve the illegal parking problem by adding more enforcement (ticketing and towing) rather than installing a gate. Page 5 of 49 Next Steps King County WTD and Seattle Parks and Recreation will continue to develop a project proposal based on community feedback, compliance with the Discovery Park Master Plan, and other considerations. In early December 2013, King County WTD and Seattle Parks and Recreation will host another community meeting at the Discovery Park