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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022.03.07 Public Comment Submission �e��,�� D�.,r-;;��-- ��i,� Caw.�t �} 31����z ��c,�l V►�-e.�� Questions to Ponder at the Pasco City Council Retreat Respectfully submitted by Pete and Jenny Rieke 1. PARK ACCESSIBILITY- Safe pedestrian access to parks &open spaces fosters community engagement and opportunity for exercise. a. Can parents &young children safely walk to nearby parks with play facilities? b. Can tweens &teens safely walk from school or home to nearby parks? 2. INCLUSIVE PARTICIPATION - Physical�itness is important to everyone, not just star athletes. a. Are there enough facilities that anyone, regardless of ability, can particip�te in organized sports? 3. COMMUNITY BUILDING- Much of our heritage is based upon small town gathering spots where intertamily oonnections are fostered. a. Are there enough parks, within easy driving distance of home, where famities and communities can gather for picnics and celebrations? b. Do these parks provide the necessary shade, wind protection and basic amenities to make these events comfortable? 4. INTENTIONAL PLANNING - New developments in north Pasco iook like recreational deserts—there are precious few pathways and few places to go. a. Will the Broadmoor development provide frequent river access and public right- of-way? b. Will residents have local access to parks similar to Chiawana? 5. STEWARDSHIP RESPONSIBILITY- Hotter summers, less precipitation and low river flows may cause undesirable changes in the shoreline ecosystem and endanger our existing shoreline parks. a. 1Nhy is existing shade and wind protection slowly degrading and replacemerrt plarrting non-existent? b. Why are noxious weeds being allawed to replace desirable vegetation? c. Should the terms of the USACE leases be renegotiated to allrnnr responsible management these parks? 8. KNOWLEDGEABLE GUIDANCE- Rivershare habitat management will become in the next decade increasingly stringent regardless of who"owns"the shorelines. a. Do we have Parks Departmerrt staff expert in the urban-shoreline interface, noxious weed control and habitat management? b. How do we communicate responsible practices to Parks Dept. employees7 ' 7. WATERSHED HEALTH - Nitrate levels in Pasco wells exceed EPA limits, so our water comes primarily from the Columbia River. Last year, for the firs#time in our memory, we saw our sh4relines closed because of water pollution. a. Is the Pasco water supply treatment system prepared for contamination of the river supply by toxic algae blooms?