Memorandum

DATE:            November 21, 2005

TO:                 Planning Commission

FROM:           Dave Buchan

                        Capital Projects Manager

RE:                 Richmond Beach Saltwater Park Master Plan

Richmond Beach Saltwater Park is a treasured resource for the Shoreline community.  Forty (40) acres on Puget Sound offering spectacular views of the Sound and the Olympics, complete with wide sandy beaches, facilities for picnics, barbecues, group gatherings and more.   Saltwater Park is widely used and much loved, be it for quiet strolls on the beach, enjoying the views or family picnics. 

A number of improvements have been made at Saltwater Park over the past decade and more are being considered.  However, to better understand how the Park is currently used, possible directions for future Park use and what types of Park improvements make the most sense for the Shoreline Community, the City of Shoreline is moving ahead the preparation of a Master Plan for Saltwater Park. 

At the upcoming December 1, 2005 Planning Commission meeting I will brief the Commission on the status of this master plan effort and the products that will likely emerge from the Planning process to guide the future development and management of this wonderful Park resource.  Assisting with the briefing will be Mr. Jerry Ernst, the Design Team lead for the Saltwater Park Master Plan.

While the Master Plan project is just in its initial stages, the approach will be to create a series of tools to guide the long-term development and management of this magnificent park in the City of Shoreline.  A Vegetation Management Plan will provide direction to deal with the runaway proliferation of invasive plant materials in the Park.  An Erosion Control and Slope Stability plan will outline approaches to deal with serious erosion issues in the Park.  A long-range site plan will document suggested future capital improvements to protect and enhance Park use.   All of these Plan components will combine to create the “Saltwater Park Master Plan”.

While the public involvement component of the project won’t formally begin until the first of the year, the consultant team has been busy carrying out initial background and site investigations.  A detailed inventory of plant communities has been created, slope stability and erosion problems have been documented and existing site features have been mapped.  The team has also begun the process of interviewing key stakeholders to gain a better understanding of citizens views and choices regarding Saltwater Park.

We look forward to sharing much of this information with you at the upcoming Planning Commission meeting.