Parks and Open Space Zoning Project

The City of Mercer Island is updating its Comprehensive Plan as part of the periodic review required by the Washington Growth Management Act (GMA). The City Council included creation of a new Parks Zone in the scope of work for the 2024 Comprehensive Plan periodic update. After receiving feedback on the initial draft of the Parks Zone from the Parks and Recreation Commission, Planning Commission, and the community, the project was returned to the Parks and Recreation Commission for further input and analysis. The Parks and Recreation Commission provided a recommendation to staff to separate the zoning work into two distinct tracks: one for open space and one for all other park properties.

The Open Space Zone is the first phase of the project to be completed and included in the 2024 Comprehensive Plan periodic update. The Parks and Recreation Commission and the Open Space Conservancy Trust Board provided a joint recommendation on the Open Space Zone development regulations to the Planning Commission in May 2024. The Planning Commission completed the legislative review process related to the Comprehensive Plan periodic update in June 2024, and the code amendment in September 2024. The Comprehensive Plan periodic update and the Open Space Zone code amendment ordinance are anticipated to be adopted by the City Council before the GMA deadline of December 31, 2024.

The Parks Zone is the second phase of the project, which is anticipated to be completed and included in the 2025 Comprehensive Plan annual update. The Parks and Recreation Commission began discussions on the Parks Zone at their October 2024 meeting. It is anticipated that the Parks and Recreation Commission will provide a recommendation on the Parks Zone to the Planning Commission in Q2 2025.