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Parks Department Staff Roles
Posted on March 12, 2025Parks Department Staff Roles
The role of the Parks Department staff seemed inappropriately elevated over the public’s involvement and the proper governance structure of the County.
For example:
Table 3-1 (p. 50) lists the Governance groups. It lists Board of County Commissioners and Parks Department Staff as the governance units. The Parks Advisory Board is not included. […]
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Parks Advisory Board
Posted on March 12, 2025Parks Advisory Board
The Parks Advisory Board (PAB) seems to be sidelined throughout the Draft PROS Plan. The PAB needs to be properly included in the development of the PROS Plan and its role presented in the Plan.
The PAB, established through Kitsap County Code (Chapter 10.12), is an important body in the operations and governance of the Parks and Recreation Department. The Parks website says that the PAB “functions as an interface between the community and the county. […]
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Trails – Mixed Use and Safety Enforcement
Posted on March 12, 2025Trails: Mixed Use and Safety Enforcement
Many of the trails/roads in Heritage Parks are multiuse mixing bicycle, horse and pedestrian traffic. Many walkers are accompanied by pets on leash. When bicyclists exceed 10 MPH, this creates a dangerous situation. In Appendix D under safety concerns, several respondents voiced their concern about excessive bike speeds on these trails. Shouldn’t the 2025 PROS Plan address ways to control excessive bicycle speeds in county parks such as signage at park entrances and additional monitoring? This is of particular concern in Port Gamble Forest Heritage Park. […]
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Parks Carrying Capacity
Posted on March 12, 2025Parks Carrying Capacity
We want people, especially Kitsap residents, to love our parks, but we don’t want them to love them to death. Too many visitors and pets simultaneously using a park can damage trails, disturb native animals, degrade the natural environment and user experience. So, some thought should be given to the carrying capacity for visitors in Kitsap County nature parks. This idea was previously presented in the draft North Kitsap Heritage Park Master Stewardship Plan. […]
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Park Classification
Posted on March 12, 2025Park Classification
An effective and well-structured classification system is essential for the proper management and maintenance of our parks, in order to cater to the diverse needs of our community. The new proposed classification system outlined in the draft PROS 2025 plan requires further study and public engagement to ensure its success. This will allow the public to fully comprehend the system and would foster a sense of ownership and stewardship. […]