2015/09/30 Council Agenda Packet

South Everett Forest Preserve Trail, Final Master Plan September, 2015 Introduction The City of Everett recognizes the importance of upgrading public amenities and recreational facilities to meet current and future community needs. This master plan report is a critical early step in the process of achieving that goal. The report summarizes the planning process and makes final recommendations for future recreational development of the South Everett Forest Preserve which was previously known as the Bruskrud Site. This master plan is intended to be a guide for future park development. Some aspects of the design may be modified during future design phases in response to changing community needs, adjacent land use changes, infrastructure improvements, permitting, and/or site conditions. (04L 1'Wr1?E4'r1Z?N gpgF7 J-2013 Environmental Assessment for Proposed Sullivan Park Fire Station Conversion 1W GSIBLUMIN .. 'V,n" rRx,��- History The City of Everett Parks and Recreation Department (Everett Parks) proposes to create improved pedestrian 7 trails and other passive recreation elements on the South Everett Forest Preserve as replacement recreation for the Recreational mitigation at the South Everett Forest conversion of an area of Thornton A. Sullivan Park (Sullivan Preserve was addressed in a NEPA Environmental i Assessment for the Sullivan Park Fire Station in Park) to a municipal fire station. The creation of passive recreation facilities at the undeveloped South Everett Forest Preserve will compensate for recreational uses lost at Sullivan Park when a portion of that site was converted to a fire station. This mitigation is required because Sullivan Park has federal grant -protected status that stipulates that conversion of parkland to non -recreation uses requires adequate replacement of the displaced area and uses. This issue required preparation of an Environmental Assessment (Appendix D) pursuant to the National Environmental Polity Act (NEPA) which identified the trail improvements and other passive recreational elements to be provided on the South Everett Forest Preserve Site. The Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO) is the state administrator of the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Act program in Washington State on behalf of the National Park Service (NPS). These agencies are responsible for requiring compliance with the grant protection status of recreation areas for use of federal funds for Sullivan Park and are the agencies requiring recreational improvements on the South Everett Forest Preserve as mitigation for conversion of areas of Sullivan Park to non -recreation uses. As part of the NEPA process, the NPS formally approved the development of the southern 3.5 acre South Everett Forest Preserve for passive recreational use to serve as mitigation for the conversion of recreational areas from the Sullivan Park site to a fire station. The approval by NPS followed a required process under NEPA to include a public comment period. These actions led to City Council approval of the rezoning of the property for Park use in January 2012. This Master Plan is required as part of the City of Everett's Park and Recreation Strategic Plan prior to the final design and installation of park elements on the undeveloped South Everett Forest Preserve. The South Everett Forest Preserve will provide an improved trail network to replace the existing pathways which have resulted from the unplanned use of foot traffic on that property. Site furnishings such as benches and an informational kiosk are planned at a new trail entry for community use. The following summary of milestone events lists important activities that have occurred regarding the 7,-u'_h C\' -e L G -SL J-eSei\- t' 13 -