Wednesday, October 20, 2021

Washougal Answers Disc Golf Course Questions - The Wrong Ones



Washougal, WA - Today, Michelle Wright, Public Works Business Administrator, in an email, provided some answers to the City's Disc Golf Course Project - The wrong ones!



We believe the most important questions still need to be answered - For example
1. Accountability - will anyone be held accountable for unilaterally disturbing a natural Habitat and repurposing it for a a disc golf course?


2. Discrimination: the Disc Golf Course is discriminatory: it disturbed a natural Habitat with trails frequented by families, next to a toddlers park


And replaced it with an adult Disc Golf Course favored by a specialized adult affinity group - Next to a toddlers park More than likely, the displaced families pay property taxes, whereas the potential Disc golf course users do not


A disc golf course in ANY city is a poor financial decision, best handled by a private concern.


3. Safety - A disc golf course is incompatible with a toddlers park: The children may be hurt by errant discs and or pedophiles - Refer to today's daily FBI Press releases from just ONE office.



Today's FBI Headlines, in just ONE city

A disc golf course next to a children's park is like opening a liquor store next to an Alcoholic Anonymous meeting place

The safety issue csn only be addressed by unsightly fences- say like a Berlin Wall & heavy policing at night & on the weekends

NOTE: The consultant mentioned in your missive compares apples & crabapples: can he or she mention a disc golf course in ANY environmentally sensitive area next to a children's' park




Wrong Answers From the City

On Wednesday, October 20, 2021, 1:27 PM, Michelle Wright <Michelle.Wright@cityofwashougal.us> wrote:

“PLEASE DO NOT RESPOND ALL”

 

Good Morning,

 

The Parks Department would like to thank you for all the participation during our neighborhood outreach meetings.  The City has had some great conversations about the disc golf course.  The City has been working on addressing all the questions and concerns.  All the questions will be answered in a question-and-answer format below.  If the City missed anything, “please do not respond all,” but reach out to Kelly or I directly.

 

  1. What is the City’s goal for a disc golf course?
    • #1 design a course that will be an asset to the neighborhood and community and provide recreation opportunities for all ages and community members
    • Develop an outreach program with the neighbors to share the design, next steps, and balance between community needs and neighborhood happiness
    • Work with an Environmental firm to permit and complete any necessary mitigation for this course (which will require removing some of invasive blackberry bushes, which we have started)
    • The disc golf course design will be 9 holes, clear directional signage, and safe for the playground and walkers

 

  1. The City had a request to move out the tee pad for hole 6.
    • The City sent this request to the designer and will work on making this adjustment.

 

  1. The City had neighbor requests on hole 6 and 7 to plant Douglas Firs and vegetation to be a noise and visual barrier.
    • The City is picking up our first truck load of 15 Douglas Firs today, so once the City receives these, we will reach out to the neighbors that wanted to help with the plantings. Park Staff is ordering more Douglas Firs and White Oaks, but don’t have a final delivery date yet.

 

  1. The City had a question about disc golf tournaments.
    • The disc golf course is for the community and families and not a facility for tournaments.

 

  1. The neighbors have requested something be added to the main pole of the baskets to diminish the ringing noise.
    • Below is the fix for the disc basket chain ringing noise (we will monitor the effectiveness and make adjustments as needed):

 



 

  1. There is more smoking and cussing in the park now that the disc golf course is at the park.
    • Please note all the cities in the area are seeing an increase in usage and bad behavior at all parks.  The Park Board is working on updating our park rules, which hasn’t been done for several years.  This will be discussed at our 10/20/21 meeting.

 

  1. When was the Disc Golf Course discussed at Council or the Park Board Meetings?  Below is a list of previous discussions with dates:


  1. Why was this project NOT listed in your current Park Master Plan for 2021?
    • The disc golf course was under construction while the plan was being developed.  Please note it was included in the inventory section of the plan:



 


 

  1. Why was Hartwood park defined in the Park Plan as Neighborhood park?

 

Park Types

City parks are classified according to their function. The City classifies and defines parks by type to provide guidance for the siting, location and design of each park based on its intended purpose and role in the park system.

10.               Neighborhood Parks provide close-to-home recreation opportunities. These parks provide both active and passive recreation opportunities for people living within approximately one-half mile walking distance of the park.

  • Please note even if a park is defined a neighborhood park, it still can be used by the community.  The largest park maintained by the City of Washougal is the Hartwood/Campen Creek/Eldridge park.  The Park Board is looking for recreation activities for all ages and disc golf was one of those options.  Park Types can change as park change.

 

  1. How have you addressed the safety concerns?
    • This course has been designed by a professional all buffers, trails and playground were taken into consideration in all the design elements.
    • Clear signage has been designed for the course, to show course direction, mark wetland area, and safety signs.
    • There are not any baskets around the playground area and buffer
    • Trees will be installed in open field, buffer zone and Eldridge Park.
    • One bench will be moved to a new location
    • Split rail fence has been installed around the playground
    • Buffer zones of 30 to 40 ft have been proposed in the course design
    • Improved basket spacing
    • Restrooms have been made available
    • Park Rules are being updated to include no smoking and machetes aren’t allowed

 

  1. How will any liability be handled at Hartwood?
    • The City inquired about disc golf incident experience across the State with our pool insurance provider who provides coverage for many cities and parks agencies across the state. They reported that disc golf related incidents are not a significant issue for which they require or suggest any specific guidelines. They did agree with the approach that our designer is taking in redesigning   the course to have larger buffer zones decreasing the opportunity for conflict due to errant discs striking persons or property. Generally, liability at this location is covered similarly as all other City parks and facilities. 

 

  1. How can you use this land in other ways when the City used funding from the Recreation and Conservation Grant and the Park Conservation Grant?
    • Most of the purchase for the Hartwood/Eldridge/Campen Creek was with City funding and a Recreation and Conservation Office Grant, which has already approved disc golf.
    • We are working with the Legacy Land Team at Clark County re: the Conservation Futures Grant, which was a very small portion of the purchase.  They have preliminarily indicated that a disc golf course is compatible provided the types of measures we are incorporating into the redesign are done. We continue to work with them on this issue.

 

  1. Why wasn’t the environmental assessment done before the design of the disc golf course?
    • It is acknowledged that the City got out in front of this issue on this project. We have re-grouped and are ensuring that all necessary reviews and approvals are obtained. Preliminary information in this process indicates that our course re-design will likely meet requirements, but the process is still underway.

 

  1. Parking at Hartwood Park?
    • The City will monitor the parking at Hartwood, we will also research other parking options if this becomes necessary.  With the Park going to 9 holes, parking may not become an issue.

 

  1. What will the Environmental Assessment and mitigation plan provide?
    • Critical Area Assessment will involve the identification and mapping of the Campen Creek Ordinary High Water Mark (OHWM) and the boundaries of any wetlands identified within the project area. Wetlands will be identified and delineated in accordance with the methods described in the 1987 Corps of Engineers Wetland Delineation Manual and the Regional Supplement to the Corps of Engineers Wetland Delineation Manual: Western Mountains, Valleys, and Coast (Version 2.0).

                                                               i.      Field data will be collected on standardized wetland determination data forms. Wetland determination plot locations, snapshot photograph locations, and wetland boundaries will be mapped using a GPS unit.

    • Following the field work, Environmental agency will complete a critical areas report that details the results of the field work. Identified wetlands will be rated according to the Western Washington Wetland Rating Forms which establish the wetland category and appropriate buffers as per the CAO.
    • The Critical Area report will include a discussion of functions currently provided by critical areas on the site that will serve as the baseline for determining appropriate mitigation.
    • Critical Area Mitigation Plan will quantify the footprint of proposed facilities and include narratives regarding the potential functional impacts to critical areas on the site which include riparian habitat and wetlands.

                                                               i.      The mitigation plan will detail the location and extent of proposed impacts as well as mitigation measures. The mitigation plan will include a narrative that address how the proposed mitigation measures will be completed.

 

  1. Once the mitigation plan is in place what’s next?
    • The City will share the plan with the neighbors
    • The City will be completing a Critical Areas Permit, SEPA Checklist, and Wetland Application

 

  1. Can I see a DRAFT map of the Disc Golf Course?

 

I hope this email has been informative and answered all your questions and concerns about the disc golf course; please let staff know if you have any further questions or concerns.

 

Sincerely,

 

 


MICHELLE WRIGHT  Public Works Business Administrator

360.835.8501 ext. 206 | cityofwashougal.us

Public Works | 1615 C Street| Washougal, WA 98671

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NOTICE: This e-mail account is part of the public domain. Any correspondence and attachments, including personal information, sent to and from the City of Washougal are subject to the Washington State Public Records Act, Chapter 42.56 RCW, and may be subject to disclosure to a third party requestor, regardless of any claim of confidentiality or privilege asserted by an external party. If the disclaimer can't be applied, take no action.



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