Council hears major update to 2026 Parks, Recreation and Open Space plan; staff outlines outreach and grant-readiness

City staff presented the 2026 update to Port Townsend’s Parks, Recreation and Open Space (PROS) plan, reviewing purpose, public engagement results, inventory updates, and next steps for Department of Commerce review and Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO) grant eligibility.

The Community Services Department described what’s changed since the 2020 plan: a new organizational structure that groups parks, library, arts and recreation; updated park classifications; a refreshed inventory (staff said the city contains roughly 2,296 acres of open space); and new level-of-service goals focused on equitable access (a target to reach 90% of the population within a 10-minute walk or quarter-mile of park amenities by 2046).

Staff also summarized public outreach: two open houses, multiple stakeholder interviews, three in-person events tied to summer programs and about 950 online survey responses; staff said roughly 1,500 people participated in the outreach overall. The presentation noted the plan is in the Department of Commerce 60-day review and that RCO requirements have been addressed so the city can remain eligible for RCO grants (the next RCO cycle deadlines were cited).

During Q&A, members of the public and councilors asked for clearer figure titles and map labeling (whether a parcel is 'open to the public' versus a park), pointed out recently dedicated wetland parcels south of Hamilton Heights, and asked about the Water Walk trail and street-end right-of-way designations. Staff explained some parcels are managed as critical areas and are not necessarily promoted as walk-in public parks for habitat protection, and staff agreed to clarify map titles and legends in the draft.

Council members praised the scope of outreach and the plan’s focus on equity and deferred-maintenance, and asked staff to return in May with the RCO certification and any remaining clarifications. Staff noted some technical follow-up items and said they would incorporate feedback before the next council review.