Drafter

Clerk 03/29/2019

Title

A MOTION related to a property tax levy for 2020 through 2025 for the purpose of maintaining and operating King County's open space system; improving parks, recreation, access and mobility in the King County open space system by acquiring lands and continuing to develop regional trails; improving parks and trails in and acquiring lands by metropolitan parks districts, towns and cities in King County; funding environmental education, maintenance and conservation programs at the Woodland Park Zoo; funding capital construction at the Seattle Aquarium; and funding for capital improvements at publicly owned pools, for all King County residents.

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                     WHEREAS, the county owns and operates regional trails, regional recreational facilities, regional natural areas, regional parks and local parks in unincorporated areas, which are parts of the county's "open space system," and

                     WHEREAS, the county's open space system consists of approximately twenty-eight thousand acres of parks, natural areas and resource lands and more than one hundred seventy-five miles of regional trails, and

                     WHEREAS, a robust open space system contributes to a high quality of life, and

                     WHEREAS, such an open space system provides physical, social and mental health benefits to individuals; economic opportunity through recreation and tourism; economic growth for private businesses that must attract and retain skilled workers; and environmental benefits and cultural resource protection through open space conservation, and

                     WHEREAS, the open space system provides all these benefits to King County residents and businesses, and

                     WHEREAS, for the benefit of all King County residents, in February 2019, the executive transmitted to the council Proposed Ordinance 2019-0084, which would submit to the qualified electors of King County a property tax levy on an August 2019 special election ballot for the purpose of maintaining and operating King County's open space system, including parks; acquiring lands; continuing to develop regional trails; repairing, replacing and improving parks and trails in King County's towns and cities; funding environmental education, maintenance and conservation programs at the Woodland Park Zoo; and funding capital construction at the Seattle Aquarium;

                     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT MOVED by the Council of King County:

                     A.  It is the intent of the council that levy proceeds be used for:

                       1.  Metropolitan park district, town and city capital improvements and major maintenance repair or replacement, as provided for in Ordinance XXXXX (Proposed Ordinance 2019-0084), Section 4.E.2.e, and for open space acquisition and conservation purposes, as provided for in Ordinance XXXXX (Proposed Ordinance 2019-0084), Section 4.E.2.a, and that such uses be consistent with the capital project grant and open space, natural lands and urban green space acquisition guidelines, which are included as Attachment A to this motion;

                       2.  A targeted equity grant program, consistent with the targeted equity grant program guidelines, which are included as Attachment B to this motion;

                       3.a.  Operations, projects and programs, and in such allocations, as provided in Attachment C to this motion.

                         b.  The moneys allocated to operations, projects and programs listed in Attachment C to this motion may be modified where deemed advisable or necessary in the judgment of the council; and implementation or completion of any project or program listed in Attachment C to this motion will not be required if the council determines that it has become inadvisable or impractical.  The council will make such a determination through action on an appropriations ordinance.  Of the allocation for the Eastside Rail Corridor, if any funding remains after completion of the projects planned as of the date of adoption of this motion, or if any of this funding cannot be spent on those projects during the levy period, remaining funding will be allocated to trail connections to the Eastside Rail Corridor within the city of Renton.  Of the allocation for the Lake to Sound Trail, if any funding remains after completion of the projects planned as of the date of adoption of this motion, or if any of this funding cannot be spent on those projects during the levy period, remaining funding will be allocated to the Soos Creek Trail project.

                         c.  The council requests that the department of natural resources and parks report to the council annually by September 30 of each year, beginning in 2020, if it anticipates requesting a reallocation of moneys for projects or programs listed in Attachment C to this motion in the following year.  The report should be filed in the form of a paper original and an electronic copy with the clerk of the council, who will retain the original and provide an electronic copy to all councilmembers, the council chief of staff and the lead staff to the mobility and environment committee or its successor, and the lead staff to the budget and fiscal management committee or its successor.  The last report should be filed by September 30, 2025;

                       4.  Development and improvement of public pools, with eight million dollars allocated to the Weyerhaeuser King County aquatic center.  Use of the remaining levy proceeds for development and improvement of public pools will be consistent with the aquatic centers grant program guidelines, which are included as Attachment D to this motion; and

                       5.  Integrated floodplain management projects, consistent with the open space - river corridor grant program guidelines, which are included as Attachment E to this motion.

                     B.1.  The department of natural resources and parks is requested to conduct community outreach with the following communities:

                         a.  The Redmond Ridge Residential Owners Association ("ROA") to develop a strategy to mitigate impacts to ROA-owned trails from users of regional trails;

                         b.  The Hobart and Fairwood communities to increase active recreation opportunities; and

                         c.  Communities surrounding Duvall park to identify potential partnerships and other strategies to activate the space.

                       2.  The council requests that the department of natural resources and parks transmit to the council by December 31, 2020, a report on the community outreach efforts and recommendations resulting from the community outreach efforts.  The report should be filed in the form of a paper original and an electronic copy with the clerk of the council, who shall retain the original and provide an electronic copy to all councilmembers, the council chief of staff and the lead staff to the mobility and environment committee or its successor, and the lead staff to the budget and fiscal management committee or its successor.

                     C.  Contracts between King County and towns and cities, as provided for in Ordinance XXXXX (Proposed Ordinance 2019-0084), Section 6, should include a requirement that towns and cities report to the department of natural resources and parks and county councilmember offices when major milestones for parks capital projects, such as groundbreaking and opening dates, are scheduled.  Towns and cities should report at least thirty days in advance of such major milestones.

                     D.  All expenditures from Ordinance XXXXX (Proposed Ordinance 2019-0084) made in unincorporated areas of King County should only be made after consultation with the department of local services, in accordance with K.C.C. 2.16.055.

                     E.  The department of natural resources and parks is requested to develop a plan to implement a youth conservation corps beginning in 2020.  Funding for the youth conservation corps should be included in an appropriations ordinance, and the appropriations ordinance should be transmitted no later than December 31, 2019.

                     F.1.  The council requests that the department of natural resources and parks transmit to the council by January 31, 2020, a proposed ordinance to implement one or more advisory committees to review and make recommendations on grant awards for the grant programs described in Attachments A, B, D and E to this motion.  The proposed ordinance should also propose grant processes and protocols.

                       2.  The committee or committees should include representatives from a variety of stakeholders, such as cities, towns and metropolitan park districts and community members and organizations.

                       3.  The department of natural resources and parks should consult appropriately with tribes in King County on parks levy expenditures, which may include review of grant proposals or invitations to participate on advisory committees, or both.

                       4.  The proposed ordinance should describe the responsibilities of the advisory committee or committees, which may include consultation with the conservation futures citizens oversight committee and the King County flood control district.

                       5.  It is the intent of the council that grant awards as provided for in Attachments A, B, D and E will begin in 2020.  Final grant funding recommendations shall be made by appropriation.

                     G.1.  The council requests that the department of natural resources and parks conduct an assessment of the feasibility and cost for the following projects:

                         a.  the south extension of the Green to Cedar Rivers trail, including connections to a Black Diamond open space area; and

                         b.  closing the gaps in the Snoqualmie Valley Trail, including, but not limited to the former Mill site in the city of Snoqualmie, and between the Issaquah Preston Trail and Snoqualmie Valley Trail.

                       2.  The department of natural resources and parks is requested to transmit the assessment to the council by December 31, 2021.  The assessment should be filed in the form of a paper original and an electronic copy with the clerk of the council, who will

retain the original and provide an electronic copy to all councilmembers, the council chief of staff and the lead staff to the mobility and environment committee or its successor.