New Bike Skills Area at Deane's Children's Park

Today, the Community Planning and Development department issued approval of the Critical Areas Review 2 (CAR2) and a determination of non-significance (DNS) for SEPA for the Bike Skills Area project. The decisions are linked below for reference.

• CAR2 Approval
• SEPA Determination of Non-Significance

Once the mandatory appeal period ends on September 25, the building permit will be issued, clearing the way for construction to begin. A construction timeline will be shared on Let's Talk when finalized, so stay tuned for more details!

Work continues to prepare for construction of the new Bike Skills Area at Deane’s Children’s Park. Here are a few highlights from progress over the last several weeks.

Site Preparation

The site for the BSA is looking great thanks to work by volunteers and Parks Maintenance staff, who have been cleaning up the area throughout the summer! You may have also noticed construction fencing around the project site; this was installed in July and will remain up through construction. Project awareness signs will also be posted soon. Volunteers are still needed to assist with mulching around trees before construction begins. Reach out to Jordan Fischer, jordan.fischer@mercerisland.gov, to volunteer!

Permitting

The comment period for the Critical Area Review 2 and SEPA Review closed on July 20, and the project team is awaiting a determination from the Community Planning and Development department. Details about the determination will be shared on Let’s Talk once issued.

BSA Signage

Staff reviewed BSA rules and other signage copy with WCIA, the City’s insurance provider, this month. The City is also creating new signage to post at trail entrances and other key locations in the Island Crest Park system. Those signs will be installed before the BSA opens.

ICP Trail Counts

Trail counts to better understand usage in Island Crest Park resume this month. If you see a volunteer or staff member in the park conducting counts, please say hello!

The application for the required Critical Area Review 2 and SEPA Review has been submitted, and the public comment period is now open. Community members are invited to review the application and submit comments to the Community Planning & Development department through July 20, 2023. View the application documents here, and then submit written comments in two ways:

• E-mail comments to Andrew Leon, Planner, at andrew.leon@mercerisland.gov.
• Mail comments to the City of Mercer Island, 9611 SE 36th Street, Mercer Island, WA 98040.

Reference File No. CAO23-010 & SEP23-013 in your correspondence.

City staff and volunteers have begun preparing the former Adventure Playground site for construction of the new Bike Skills Area (BSA). Prep work includes:

• Salvaging and repotting native plants for future replanting this fall
• Removing ivy and other invasive species
• Removing tree stumps and other ground impediments

The new fence on the east side of the BSA will also be constructed this summer in collaboration with local Boy Scouts working toward their Eagle Scout rank.

Interested in joining a volunteer event to prepare the site? Find details about upcoming events and the link to register here: https://www.mercerisland.gov/parksrec/page/restoration-event-various-locations

Work to open a new Bike Skills Area (BSA) in Deane’s Children’s Park and improve safety in/around the Island Crest Park trail system continues. This post provides updates on the City’s progress.

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Design

Design updates made since the City met with community members at the end of March include:

• Adding a vegetated buffer to the west access trail – This will separate users on the new bike park access trail and the existing trail into the Island Crest Park open space.
• Removing the elevated tunnel from the bike park playground – A step down roller replaces the tunnel feature.

Permitting & Construction

Staff are completing the required Critical Areas Review and SEPA Checklist now, and information about ways to comment on these will be shared on Let’s Talk soon. Construction is planned for late summer/early fall, and restoration plantings will be installed through fall and winter.

Volunteer Events

Staff are coordinating volunteer events to remove dead/invasive vegetation and clear the BSA site in preparation for construction. Stay tuned to Let’s Talk for more details!

Safety improvements installed on 84th Ave SE

Trails in Island Crest Park

Three painted bump outs and one painted crosswalk have been installed on 84^th Ave SE. Designed by the City’s Transportation Engineer, these road safety improvements intend to increase visibility of Island Crest Park trailheads and calm vehicle speeds on 84^th Ave SE. Parks Operations staff will be trimming vegetation along 84^th Ave SE this spring/summer to improve visibility as well. Additionally, staff and volunteers are conducting usage counts along the Island Crest Park trails. Data collection began in April and continued last week. Findings from the counts will establish a baseline of usage and help the City track changes in use after the BSA opens.

Staff continue to review safety improvements for the trail system and will share updates on Let’s Talk when available.

Last month, the City hosted two informal working sessions to collect additional community input on Bike Skills Area (BSA) design elements and surrounding trail safety. Each meeting is summarized below.

Meeting on BSA Design – March 21, 2023 | 4pm

On March 21, 12 community members joined staff and consultants to review the latest design, walk the BSA site, discuss preferences for wood vs. dirt features, and share any other feedback to help make the new BSA an attractive facility for Mercer Island bikers. Highlights from the discussion include:

• The BSA will be a destination hangout: Kids will cycle in and out, and the site will be great for beginners.
• Riders are open to wood features: The group supported trying out the wood banked turn, seeing how it rides, and exploring needs for skid resistance later. Riders are ok with wood features that don’t have gaps between wood and soil.
• Kids want to help steward the facility: The group wants to see the facility staked out before construction begins, and kids are also interested in opportunities to help with the installation in some way.

Participants were also supportive of adding a pump track to the facility, which they feel would open use of the facility for use by all ages and wheels – roller blades, scooters, bikes, etc. A pump track was considered early in the design process, but the current site does not have enough space to accommodate a pump track and the jump/return lines also requested by the community.

Meeting on Island Crest Park Trail Safety – March 28, 2023 | 4pm

The second session took place on March 28. Ten neighbors of Island Crest Park met with staff and consultants to further discuss concerns about safety and shared use on the Island Crest Park trails. The group discussed the trailhead entrance adjacent to the tennis courts, walked a few trails in Island Crest Park, and reviewed three trailheads along 84^th Ave SE. Key points from the meeting include:

• Neighbors want to see the City proactively address safety issues in Island Crest Park: Early actions could include studying trail usage before the BSA opens and improving sight lines throughout the trails.
• Safety concerns are not limited to trailheads: Concerns were voiced that bikers will expand outside of the BSA and into Island Crest Park to find more areas to ride, creating conflicts between riders and walkers.
• A physical barrier at the BSA trail entrance is preferred: Some neighbors continued to advocate for a trailhead stile or other gate to require BSA riders to dismount, slow down, and read trail etiquette signage before entering the Island Crest Park trails.

The group also discussed ways to educate and train users on proper trail etiquette, such as building off existing bike programs & camps and coordinating trail stewardship with the Mercer Island Mountain Bike Team.

What comes next?

American Ramp Company continues to finalize the BSA design, and the City will share updated visuals on Let’s Talk when available. Other next steps include:

• Consulting the City’s Transportation Engineer about safety concerns at the Island Crest Park trailheads on 84^th Ave SE.
• Conducting counts in Island Crest Park to establish a baseline for trail usage before BSA construction begins.
• Sharing more signage package examples with the community.
• Continuing to consult with WCIA, the City’s insurance provider, on the BSA design and safety measures.
• Securing project permits, including completing the SEPA process.
• Coordinating volunteer events to prepare the BSA site for construction.

Continue to follow along here on Let’s Talk!

On March 7, 2023, Mercer Island City Council approved the 30% design for the Bike Skills Area. The design is the result of more than four months of community engagement to refine the concept, including two community meetings, two online surveys, and three regular Parks & Recreation Commission (PRC) meetings.

Now the City is coordinating additional conversations with specific community groups to refine elements in the design, such as identifying additional measures to mitigate user conflicts on the surrounding trails in Island Crest Park.

City staff will continue to update Let’s Talk as this project progresses. Thanks for continuing to follow along!

Tomorrow night, staff will present the 30% design for a new Bike Skills Area (BSA) at Deane's Children's Park to City Council. View agenda packet materials here. Details for watching and/or speaking at the meeting are provided below.

The hybrid meeting will be broadcast live on MITV Channel 21 and live streamed on the City Council’s YouTube Channel.

Registering to Speak: Individuals wishing to speak live during Appearances must register their request with the City Clerk's Office at 206.275.7793 or email the City Clerk and leave a message before 4:00 PM on the day of the Council meeting. Please reference "Appearances" on your correspondence and state if you would like to speak either in person at City Hall or remotely using Zoom. Each speaker will be allowed three (3) minutes to speak. A timer will be visible in Council Chambers and online to speakers, City Council, and meeting participants. Please be advised that there is a time delay between the Zoom broadcast and the YouTube or Channel 21 broadcast.

Public Appearances: Notify the City Clerk in advance if you will be providing your comments in person at City Hall or remotely using Zoom. If providing your comments using Zoom, staff will be prepared to permit temporary video access when you enter the live Council meeting. Please remember to activate the video option on your phone or computer, ensure your room is well lit, and kindly ensure that your background is appropriate for all audience ages. Screen sharing will not be permitted, but documents may be emailed to Council.

Join by Telephone at 5:00 PM (Appearances will start sometime after 5:00 PM): To listen to the meeting via telephone, please call 253.215.8782 and enter Webinar ID 892 8137 7148 and Password 730224 if prompted.

Join by Internet at 5:00 PM (Appearances will start sometime after 5:00 PM): To watch the meeting over the internet via your computer, follow these steps:

1. Click this link.
2. If the Zoom app is not installed on your computer, you will be prompted to download it.
3. If prompted, enter Webinar ID 892 8137 7148, Password 730224.
4. The City Clerk will call on you by name or refer to your email address when it is your turn to speak. Please confirm that your audio works prior to participating.

Join In-Person at Mercer Island City Hall at 5:00 PM (Appearances will start sometime after 5:00 PM): Council Chambers, 9611 SE 36th Street

Submit Written Comments: Email written comments to the City Council at council@mercerisland.gov.

On February 2, the Parks & Recreation Commission (PRC) voted to approve the 30% design for a new Bike Skills Area (BSA) facility at Deane’s Children’s Park (3-2, 2 absences). The final draft of the 30% design was developed with community feedback collected from two community meetings, two online surveys, and three PRC meetings. Now the approved 30% design will be presented to the City Council on March 7. Details for joining the City Council meeting will be shared here when available.

During the next stages of the design process, a few elements will continue to be studied. These include selecting the preferred location for the bike park entrance path and identifying additional measures to mitigate user conflicts on the surrounding trails in Island Crest Park. Staff will continue to engage the community in resolving these design elements, so stay tuned here on Let’s Talk for more opportunities to provide feedback.

UPDATE: The recording of the 02.02.23 Parks & Recreation Commission meeting is available here. The discussion and approval of the 30% design for the BSA begins at approximately 53:00.

Mercer Island's Parks & Recreation Commission (PRC) will discuss the updated conceptual design of a new Bike Skills Area at their upcoming meeting this Thursday, February 2, at 5:00pm. During the meeting, the PRC will review the input received during the community meeting held on January 24 and the final draft conceptual design. Agenda materials are available here; the final draft of the conceptual design will be available by January 31.

Details for attending the meeting are available below.

Register to Speak: Individuals wishing to speak live during Appearances must register their request with the staff liaison at 206.275.7861 or email to raven.gillis@mercerisland.gov before 4pm on the day of the PRC meeting. Please reference "Appearances" in your correspondence and state if you would like to speak either in person at the Mercer Island Community & Event Center or remotely using Zoom. Each speaker will be allowed three (3) minutes to speak.

Join by Telephone at 5:00pm: To listen to the meeting via telephone, please call 253.215.8782 and enter Webinar ID 825 9108 6996, Password 896196 when prompted.

Join by Internet at 5:00pm: To watch the meeting over the internet via your computer, follow these steps:

1. Click this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82591086996?pwd=OWUrR0xEbHoxZkNGSmR4dnpjN0VVUT09#success
2. If the Zoom app is not installed on your computer, you will be prompted to download it.
3. If prompted, enter Webinar ID 825 9108 6996, Password 896196

Join In-Person at the Mercer Island Community & Event Center at 5:00pm: The meeting will be available for you to watch live remotely from the Mercer Island Community & Event Center, 8236 SE 24th Street.

The meeting will be recorded and uploaded to the City's YouTube channel. We will update this post when the video recording is available to view.