Clarke and Groveland Beach Parks Joint Park Planning Effort

The preferred plans for Clarke and Groveland Beach Parks are now available! Each plan reflects input received during the community engagement process, feedback from the Parks and Recreation Commission, considerations of site constraints, and City staff input. On March 26, staff will present the results of the engagement process and provide an overview of the preferred plans to the Parks and Recreation Commission. Details for joining the Commission meeting virtually or in-person are available here.

This post provides a summary of the preferred plan drafts that will be discussed on March 26 and highlights next steps for the process to develop the Joint Infrastructure Plan for Clarke and Groveland Beach Parks. For an overview of the community input on the design alternatives, check out this post.

Clarke Beach Park Preferred Plan

View the preferred plan for Clarke Beach here. Plan features include:

• Waterfront Amenities: The preferred plan removes the concrete bulkheads to support shoreline restoration and replaces them with gradual beach transitions, a gravel mix for fish habitat, and natural beach elements such as logs, boulders, and plantings. The enclosed swim area, including the sheet pile wall, would be removed and replaced with a rope-delineated swim area to maintain informal swimming opportunities at Clarke Beach. A flat grass area near the existing picnic area, along with concrete seat steps, provides additional space for lounging. The restroom would be replaced with a gender-neutral facility.
• Pier Configuration: Both existing piers would be restored in their current configuration. Shoreline vegetation between the piers would be enhanced, and the trail leading to the smaller pier at the south end of the park would be improved.
• Upland Improvements: The preferred plan maintains and renovates the existing picnic area as well as improves existing pedestrian connections to East Mercer Way.
• ADA Accessibility: An ADA-accessible path would connect the parking lot to the waterfront. Existing ADA parking stalls would be improved and expanded.

Groveland Beach Park Preferred Plan

View the preferred plan for Groveland Beach here. Plan features include:

• Waterfront Amenities: The preferred plan removes the concrete bulkhead and replaces it with a gradual transition from sand beach to gravel mix to support fish habitat while maintaining the sandy swim beach. A wide grass terrace with oversized seat steps offers additional space for lounging, and new paths provide accessible routes from the restroom to the dock and the beach. The restroom would be updated and/or replaced with a gender-neutral stall facility.
• Dock Configuration: The existing swim dock will be replaced with a new pier structure that includes a floating swim dock, a fixed pier platform with a diving board and hammock, and two gangway connectors.
• Upland Improvements: The preferred plan replaces the existing playground with a nature-inspired play area for ages 2-12+. Improvements to the trail and stairs at the south end of the parking lot enhance access to the beach. The preferred plan also identifies a future opportunity for an ADA-accessible boardwalk extending from the north end of the parking lot to a new overlook seating area and connection to the play area.
• Teen Hangout Space: A designated teen hangout space is identified on the beach that would be refined with Mercer Island youth/teens during future design efforts.

Next Steps for the Planning Process

On March 26, staff will seek the Parks and Recreation Commission’s feedback on the preferred plans to inform their refinement into the final infrastructure plan. Staff will present the final infrastructure plan to the Commission for review at the June 4, 2026, Regular Meeting, at which time the Commission will be asked to provide a recommendation to City Council for adoption of the Joint Infrastructure Plan for Clarke and Groveland Beach Parks. The final plan will include the preferred concepts and cost estimates for each park that will be further developed and implemented as resources allow. This planning effort is expected to conclude by the end of the year. Continue to follow along with this process here on Let’s Talk!

Thank you to all the community members who provided feedback on the draft concepts for Clarke and Groveland Beach Parks! This post summarizes the process and feedback received, which informed the development of preferred plans for each park. Learn more about the preferred plans here.

Overview of Engagement Process

From October to December 2025, the project team conducted in-person and virtual engagement to collect community input on three design alternatives for both Clarke and Groveland Beach Parks. Each concept generally represented a different level of investment in park features, with individual elements designed to be interchangeable. For example, a dock configuration from one Clarke Beach concept and a picnic area design from another could be combined in the preferred concept for the infrastructure plan. Community members were encouraged to “mix and match” their preferred elements as they participated in outreach opportunities.

Methods of engagement included:

• “Virtual Open House” presentations
• Digital concept boards
• Online survey that received 180 total responses
• Project booths at the Mercer Island Chinese Association’s Mid-Autumn Festival and the City’s Town Center Trick-or-Treat events
• Direct outreach to park neighbors

Key Themes from the Community

The following key themes emerged during this engagement process.

Clarke Beach Park

• Strong support for accessibility overall
• Preference for a combination of grass areas, tiered seating, and natural features at the waterfront
• Strong preference for two pier structures (either repaired or replaced) over a single pier
• Support for amenities (picnic areas, benches, etc.) that facilitate individual rather than group experiences
• Overall, improving dock/pier amenities is most important for the infrastructure plan for Clarke Beach, while providing new play opportunities is least important.

Groveland Beach Park

• Preference for grass seating areas and picnic pockets at the waterfront
• Strong support for a new floating dock with an expanded platform and/or detached floating dock
• Preference for upgrades to the play area in the existing location, including adding seating
• Interest in a boardwalk and/or viewing deck, but priority should be given to making improvements at the waterfront and to the current play area first
• Overall, improving dock/pier amenities is most important for the infrastructure plan for Groveland Beach, while improving play opportunities and enhancing accessible pathways are least important.

A detailed summary of this engagement process can be found here.

Additional Engagement with Mercer Island Youth & Teens

At the October 20, 2025, Parks and Recreation Commission meeting, the Commission recommended that staff conduct additional outreach with Mercer Island youth and teens to learn more about their preferences for recreational amenities at Groveland Beach. Staff conducted the following outreach:

• Met with Islander Middle School students on December 11, 2025, and with Mercer Island High School students on March 3, 2026, to collect input on the existing sand volleyball court and opportunities for hangout space and activities at Groveland Beach
• Launched a teens-only online survey to solicit more feedback (125 responses as of March 19, 2026)
• Joined the Breakfast on the Bridge broadcast on March 17 to discuss the project and promote the teens-only online survey

During the Parks and Recreation Commission meeting on March 26, staff will share the results of this outreach and seek further input from the Commission to refine a youth/teen-centric space for the preferred plan for Groveland Beach.

Next Steps

The Parks and Recreation Commission begins their review of the preferred plan for each park on March 26. Details for joining the meeting are available here. This planning process is expected to conclude by the end of the year, and updates will continue to be shared here on Let’s Talk.

Design concepts for the Clarke and Groveland Joint Infrastructure Plan are now available for community review! The Berger Partnership, the City's design consultant for this planning process, developed three concepts for each park based on the site assessments and community engagement conducted in 2023-2024. Review the concepts and provide feedback for one or both parks by completing our survey:

Take the survey here:

https://letstalk.mercergov.org/clarke-groveland-planning/surveys/cgip-concepts-survey

A variety of ways are available to review the concepts before you take the survey. Learn more below!

Watch the "Virtual Open House" Presentations for Each Park

City staff and the Berger team recorded presentations that share the existing conditions and walk through the design concepts for each park. Learn about the concepts through the "virtual open house," then take the accompanying survey.

Clarke Beach Park Virtual Open House

Groveland Beach Virtual Park Open House

View the Digital Concept Boards

Digital boards for each concept are also posted on Let's Talk. Each concept board includes an overall plan and a shoreline enlargement to share more detail about features proposed for the waterfront areas. Review the boards first, or refer to them as you take the survey.

Clarke Beach Park Concept Boards: 1 | 2 | 3

Groveland Beach Park Concept Boards: 1 | 2 | 3

Meet Us at a Community Event

Visit staff at two community events this October:

• Mid-Autumn Festival on Sunday, October 5, from 10:00am to 2:00pm at the Mercer Island Community and Event Center, 8236 SE 24th Street
• Town Center Trick-or-Treat on Friday, October 31, from 3:30pm to 5:30pm at Mercer Island Town Center

More pop-up opportunities will be added as they become available.

The survey is open through November 3, and we encourage you to share this opportunity with your neighbors. Thank you for providing feedback!

On Tuesday, March 18, the City Council will receive an update on the joint planning effort for Clarke and Groveland Beach Parks (AB 6642). Staff will review the preliminary site assessments and background survey conducted in 2023-2024; provide an overview of the planning approach; and summarize the scope of work and community engagement plan for developing the Clarke and Groveland Beach Parks Joint Infrastructure Plan. More details for joining the meeting are provided below.

City Council Regular Hybrid Meeting

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

Individuals wishing to speak live during Appearances (public comment period) must register with the City Clerk at 206.275.7793 or cityclerk@mercerisland.gov before 4pm on the day of the Council meeting. Each speaker will be allowed three (3) minutes to speak. A timer will be visible online to speakers, City Council, and meeting participants.

Written comments may be sent to the City Council at council@mercerisland.gov.

Join the meeting at 5pm (Appearances will start sometime after 5pm) by:

• Telephone: Call 253.215.8782 and enter Webinar ID 840 2356 6333 and Password 730224
• Zoom: Click this link (Webinar ID 840 2356 6333; Password 730224)
• In Person: Mercer Island Community & Event Center – Slater Room Council Chambers (8236 SE 24th Street, Mercer Island, WA 98040)

The City received more than 220 responses to the background survey on current uses at Clarke and Groveland Beach Parks. Thank you to all the community members who shared input! Now the Berger team is analyzing the results, which will be combined with other background assessments to develop an existing conditions report for the parks.

On March 18, staff and the Berger team will present the existing conditions summary and recommended planning approach to the City Council as well as seek their input for the public engagement plan. Details about this public meeting will be shared here on Let's Talk when available. Thank you for following along on this project!

A new survey to learn more about how community members currently use Clarke and Groveland Beaches is now open! The survey will take 5-10 minutes to complete and includes general questions as well as space for park-specific comments.

Take the survey here through October 31!

Community input will be combined with other background data, including site surveys, in-water structure assessments, accessibility audits, and other technical analysis conducted by the Berger Partnership over the last year, to inform the scope of the Clarke and Groveland joint park improvements plan.

Stay tuned to Let's Talk to learn more about survey results and next steps for this park planning process.

Tucked into two Mercer Island neighborhoods, Clarke and Groveland Beach Parks are much-loved public waterfronts. This post provides an overview of each park.

Clarke Beach Park

Once home to the Girl Scouts' Camp Tarywood, Clarke Beach is a 9-acre park located at East Mercer Way and SE 77^th Place. The park was acquired by the City in 1969-1970 using Washington State marine recreation funds and was developed in 1971. Clarke Beach features fishing and swimming piers, an enclosed swimming area, restrooms (open in summer), picnic tables, paved walkways, open space/natural areas, and wildlife habitat. Park-goers use the parking lot off East Mercer Way and descend a steep, paved trail to access the beach.

Despite boasting the most shoreline of Mercer Island’s public beaches, Clarke Beach is the Island’s quietest waterfront. The beach loses sun earlier than the Island’s west-side parks, and visitors are more likely to see dog walkers than sunbathers and swimmers.

In recent years, volunteer forest stewards have hosted regular events to restore natural areas at Clarke Beach. Work includes removing ivy and blackberry and replacing it with native trees and shrubs.

Groveland Beach Park

Groveland Beach is a 3-acre park located at SE 58^th Street and 80^th Avenue SE. The City acquired the property, which was originally a summer camp for religious groups, in 1965 and developed the beach park in 1967. It features a concrete bulkhead, swimming beach, pier, and sand volleyball court as well as restrooms (open in summer), picnic tables, and a playground. Like at Clarke Beach, the paved path from the parking lot to the beach is very steep.

As Mercer Island’s only west-side beach, Groveland Beach sees high visitation in the summer months, including during the annual Seafair summer festival.