Luther Burbank Docks - Reconfiguration and Repairs

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The City's Public Works Department has begun planning for the future of the docks at the Luther Burbank waterfront. Built in 1974, the docks have less than 5 years of useful service remaining. In addition, the fixed height piers are not useful for smaller boats and don't serve the needs of most current boaters or the City's boating programs.

The City is developing a design to replace the south pier with floating docks while repairing the remaining pier, pending possible state and federal grant funding. This work will use the Luther Burbank Park Master Plan to guide the design process. The plan provides a vision of a waterfront activity center centered around small boats including power, sail and paddlecraft. The design will also consider how to make the waterfront more accessible and attractive for the general public.

The City's Public Works Department has begun planning for the future of the docks at the Luther Burbank waterfront. Built in 1974, the docks have less than 5 years of useful service remaining. In addition, the fixed height piers are not useful for smaller boats and don't serve the needs of most current boaters or the City's boating programs.

The City is developing a design to replace the south pier with floating docks while repairing the remaining pier, pending possible state and federal grant funding. This work will use the Luther Burbank Park Master Plan to guide the design process. The plan provides a vision of a waterfront activity center centered around small boats including power, sail and paddlecraft. The design will also consider how to make the waterfront more accessible and attractive for the general public.

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    Would it make sense to consider moving MIPD Marine Patrol to the new docks at Luther Burbank (they are currently located under I-90 bridge and their space seems a bit small and dated). Might allow Marine Patrol to have larger/better dock space and potentially storage or small precinct facility near the dock. Could then upgrade the public boat launch docks (at a later date) and have more access points for the public there, which seems to be a busy launch site.

    Jason asked 8 months ago

    Sgt Brian Noel of the Mercer Island Marine Patrol weighed in on this answer. Security is the biggest issue. Luther Burbank Parks is a harder site to secure. Marine Patrol's current location allows interstate 90 to be a gigantic roof over the boats which allows us to do a lot of maintenance and work out of the weather. We would need good vehicle access. A lot of the equipment we take to and from the boats requires access by vehicle, and or the boat ramp. Moving the boats to Luther would move the boats a significant distance away from the police department which would slow our response times. The only way we would agree with moving the boats to Luther Burbank would be if the police department moved there also. 

    Additionally, this idea is not part of the Luther Burbank Park Master Plan. That was the product of two years of conversations and negotiations within the Mercer Island community. The resulting plan preserves the open space character of the park. To relocate marine patrol to the park would require amending the master plan which likely would be controversial.

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    On August 5: The video made mention of the Boiler Bldg. as being central to this idea of a gathering place. What is the funding available for this project to upgrade/re-design that building? by Peter Struck via email

    8 months ago

    in 2017, the City completed a feasibility study for the renovation and reuse of the boiler building in accordance with the Luther Burbank Park Master Plan. The first step is to stabilize the building to preserve it for future reuse. City staff have identified the Washington State Capital Heritage Grant program as a source of matching funds to begin some of this work. This work has been proposed in previous capital budgets but has not yet received funding. 

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    in order to tailor the best deck size and deck freeboard design, etc. wouldn't it help to have hard data on usage among boaters (and the different types), pedestrians, fishing, etc. Clearly, if the predominate use was kayaks that would suggest a different design/layout than if it was going to be a fishing pier?

    8 months ago

    It would help to have use data. That is not easy to come by. We have time-lapse video of the docks from 2017 that we have looked at. We did a survey of dock users in 2018. The problem with both of these sources is that they do not anticipate recreation trends or changes in demand with the construction of new facilities. Currently not a lot of paddlecraft use the area, but would they if it was more accessible? The State Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP) has surveys that show trends in outdoor recreation which we can study. 

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    On August 5: In listening to the videos, it sounded like this meeting would allow input that would help the consultants in their design. To put in context, is the next step a 30% design phase? by Peter Struck via email

    8 months ago

    The next step is a concept plan which is typically considered 10% design. This is deciding what components will be designed in what configuration. It does not get into the nuts and bolts of how the components are constructed for the most part.