Please join fellow LBA Parks Coalition members and park lovers on Tuesday, January 12th, at 7 p.m. at City Hall in Olympia for the Public Hearing on the revised draft 2016 Parks Plan. This is your chance for public comment on the plan before City Council votes to adopt it (tentatively on February 9). Even if you have already submitted comments, it is important for the City Council members and staff to hear your opinion LIVE during the public hearing. The gavel strikes at 7 p.m. sharp, so please arrive at City Hall at least 15 minutes ahead to sign in to speak (3 minutes–or less!)
Thanks to everyone who submitted comments on the draft plan via OlySpeaks and e-mail last month. A whopping 228 people participated in the online forum and it should come as no surprise that the top topic for comments: Saving ALL of the LBA Woods. This topic received 27 comments and 307 votes. (Second most popular topic was Swimming/Spray Park with 9 comments and 139 votes.)
There was overwhelming support among comments to include specific language regarding the acquisition of the “Bentridge” parcel in the plan, but this language was not incorporated in the revised draft. This does not mean that “Bentridge” is not under consideration as future parkland. The Parks Department responded to the requests this way on OlySpeaks:
“The Plan’s Capital Investment Strategy sets aside $11 million for 169 acres of land acquistion. These funds could be utilized for purchasing the second LBA Woods parcel (the Bentridge parcel). the Capital Center building on the Isthmus, a different community park site, or for open space. P. 87 of the plan lists 10 criteria that will be utilized in a potential purchase of the Bentridge parcel and other potential land acquisitions.”
The LBA Woods Park Coalition’s mission is–and always has been–to save all the the LBA Woods. The City plans to complete the acquisition of the Trillium half in June 2016, but it is important to emphasize that the Bentridge half is essential to protect of the integrity of this last largest parcel of upland forest in the city for present and future park needs.
CLICK HERE to go to the Olympia Parks Department website read the revised plan (with edits and changes in red and so easy to spot) and to see all the OlySpeaks comments.
If you need talking points...please go directly to the OlySpeaks forum comment page HERE to see what your fellow LBA Woods Park supporters have posted. Your public comments on Tuesday night can simply be your verbal endorsement of someone else’s comments. You can also quote, paraphrase, summarize and cherry-pick posted comments!
City Hall is located at the corner of Cherry and 4th St. SE (Across from Ramblin’ Jacks and Olympia Coffee Roasters)
. On-street parking is easy (within a block) and free after 5 p.m.
If you cannot attend in person, you can still write your comments to City Council by e-mail or post. Click HERE for details.