Chapter 1.16
PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION
Sections:
1.16.020 Definitions.
1.16.040 Creation – Membership.
1.16.060 Appointment – Terms.
1.16.080 Filling vacancies.
1.16.100 Election of officers – Meetings.
1.16.120 Powers and duties.
1.16.140 Budget recommendations.
1.16.150 Communication with city council.
1.16.160 Lands accepted for park purposes.
1.16.200 Lands closed during fair and rodeo – Exception.
1.16.240 No obstruction to view of arena.
1.16.280 Parking spaces to be provided.
1.16.320 City not to provide funds – Abandonment.
1.16.360 Conveyance accepted.
1.16.400 Plans for Memorial Park.
1.16.020 Definitions.
Words used in this chapter shall have the following meanings:
A. “Commission” means the parks and recreation commission.
B. “Park” means an area of land, with or without water, owned, leased, or otherwise controlled by the city and developed and used primarily for public recreational purposes, including landscaped tracts, picnic grounds, playgrounds, athletic fields, recreation centers, camps, footpaths, bicycle paths, bridle paths, motor vehicle drives, wildlife sanctuaries, museums, zoological and botanical gardens, facilities for swimming, boating, hunting and fishing, as well as other recreational facilities for the use and benefit of the public. [Ord. 3269 § 4(1), 1980.]
1.16.040 Creation – Membership.
There is created a parks and recreation commission, consisting of seven members, who shall be appointed by the mayor with the consent of the majority of the city council. A majority of the membership of the commission shall be residents of the city of Ellensburg. The commissioners shall not receive any compensation for their services. [Ord. 4047 § 1, 1996; Ord. 3736 § 1, 1991; Ord. 3269 § 4(2), 1980.]
1.16.060 Appointment – Terms.
The mayor shall appoint two commissioners to terms expiring May 31, 1980; two to terms expiring May 31, 1981; and three to terms expiring May 31, 1982. At the expiration of each commissioner's term, the mayor shall appoint, subject to confirmation by the city council, one member for a three-year term. [Ord. 3269 § 4(3), 1980.]
1.16.080 Filling vacancies.
Members of the parks and recreation commission may be removed at any time by a majority of the city council; and whenever a commissioner absents himself/herself for three consecutive regular meetings of the commission, or an aggregate of five regular and/or special meetings annually, unless by permission of the commission given at an open public meeting, the office shall automatically be vacated. Requests for excused absences shall be in writing. Vacancies for the remainder of any such unexpired terms shall be filled in the same manner in which original appointments were made. [Ord. 3863 § 1, 1993; Ord. 3269 § 4(4), 1980.]
1.16.100 Election of officers – Meetings.
Immediately after their appointment, members of the commission shall meet and organize by electing from the members of the commission a chairman and vice chairman. An election of such officers shall be conducted at the first meeting of each calendar year. The city manager, or his designee, shall serve as secretary of the commission. The secretary shall be entitled to participate in the deliberations of the commission, but shall have no vote. It shall be the duty of the chairman to preside at all meetings of the commission and of the secretary to keep minutes of all meetings and of all proceedings of the commission. The vice chairman shall perform the duties of the chairman in the event of absence of the chairman or vacancy in the office. A majority of the commission shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, and affirmative votes by a majority shall be necessary to carry any proposition. A public meeting of the commission shall be held within the corporate limits of the city at least once every month. [Ord. 3269 § 4(5), 1980.]
1.16.120 Powers and duties.
The powers and duties of the commission shall be as follows:
A. To consult with and recommend to the city council, city staff and other city commissions in matters pertaining to recreation programs and parks development and operation;
B. To encourage and promote all forms of recreational programs and activities that will employ the leisure time of the people in a constructive and wholesome manner;
C. To periodically review and make recommendations for revisions of the parks and recreation comprehensive plan. [Ord. 3269 § 4(6), 1980.]
1.16.140 Budget recommendations.
The commission may submit project and/or program recommendations to the city council for the preliminary budget prior to June 30th of each year. Commission recommendations not incorporated in the preliminary budget shall be forwarded to the city council for consideration with the preliminary budget. [Ord. 3269 § 4(7), 1980.]
1.16.150 Communication with city council.
The commission shall forward communications to the city council through separate memoranda, including all rationale, which shall be scheduled as council agenda items. [Ord. 3269 § 4(8), 1980.]
1.16.160 Lands accepted for park purposes.
The city council of the city of Ellensburg is herewith authorized to accept from the county of Kittitas the following described tracts of land for park purposes:
Lots 3 and 4 in Block “G” of Hutchinson's and Chapin's Subdivision of Second Railroad Addition to the city of Ellensburg, and Lots 4, 5 and 15 in Block “F” of Lee's Subdivision of Second Railroad Addition to the city of Ellensburg.
That certain portion of Block “K” of Second Railroad Addition to the city of Ellensburg beginning at a point north 46° west 41.5 feet from the stone monument at the southwest corner of said block, thence north 28°24' east, 434 feet thence north 1°16' west 110.5 feet to intersection with north line of Section 1 in Township 17 north of Range 18 East of the Willamette Meridian, thence west along said section line 52.5 feet, thence south 29°42' west 247.6 feet, thence south 18°34' west, 73.3 feet, thence south 30°57' west, 156.3 feet, thence south 46°10' east 104.4 feet to point of beginning, said tract containing 1.00 acres.
Also that certain portion of Block “I,” Second Railroad Addition to the city of Ellensburg beginning at a point north 46°10' west 40 feet from the stone monument at the northeast corner of said block, thence north 46°10' west 156.8 feet, thence south 62°12' west 161.1 feet; thence south 60°34' west 184.0 feet, thence south 40°07' west 94.1 feet, thence south 35°56' west 126.5 feet, thence south 46°10' east 237.0 feet, thence north 43°50' east 548.4 feet to point of beginning, excepting therefrom the following tract:
Beginning at a point south 74°08' west, 200.73 feet from stone monument at the northeast corner of Block “I” of Second Railroad Addition to the city of Ellensburg, thence south 57°59' west, 70 feet; thence north 32°01' west 60 feet, thence north 57°59' east 70 feet, thence south 32°01' east 60 feet to point of beginning. [Ord. 993 § 1, 1932.]
1.16.200 Lands closed during fair and rodeo – Exception.
The said lands shall be closed to all persons during any day or night in which a county fair or rodeo is in progress and during such hours of any day or night when any charge by authority of the county commissioners is being made to the county fairgrounds or any portion thereof; provided, that persons may be admitted to said lands at such times upon payment of the admission fee; and provided further, that such admission fee shall belong to the county or the person or organization which was then authorized to use said fairgrounds. (Provision relating to authority of park commissioners to make rules deleted. See ECC 1.16.100.) [Ord. 993 § 2, 1932.]
1.16.240 No obstruction to view of arena.
Nothing shall be erected or permitted on the hillslope which will prevent a view of the arena by persons charged admission to the park. [Ord. 993 § 3, 1932.]
1.16.280 Parking spaces to be provided.
Parking places shall be provided between the Vista House and the reservoir, to be designated by survey of the county engineer under orders of the county commissioners. [Ord. 993 § 4, 1932.]
1.16.320 City not to provide funds – Abandonment.
It shall be understood that the city is not required to provide funds for the improvement of said lands but that said improvement will be made by voluntary agencies according to the plan adopted by the council. The lands herein described shall not be deemed abandoned by the city for park purposes except by proper affirmative action of the city council or upon a primary and substantial use therefor for purposes other than park purposes for a continuous period of two years or nonimprovement or nonuse which shall constitute abandonment. (Provision relating to authority of park commission deleted. See ECC 1.16.100.) [Ord. 993 § 5, 1932.]
1.16.360 Conveyance accepted.
The city of Ellensburg and the council thereof do hereby accept for park purposes, conveyance from Kittitas County, Washington, or those certain tracts of land set out and described in that certain deed wherein said Kittitas County is grantor and the city of Ellensburg, Washington, is grantee, dated December 10, 1932, and recorded in the office of the county auditor of Kittitas County, Washington, on January 18, 1933, in book 53 of deeds at page 114, and the same are hereby dedicated to park purposes and made a part of the park system of the city of Ellensburg and the same with such park additions as may hereafter be made thereto, shall be known and designated as “Memorial Park.” [Ord. 1003 § 1, 1933.]
1.16.400 Plans for Memorial Park.
Those certain plans now on file with the city clerk are hereby identified as consisting of three sheets, marked on each sheet thereof, “Plans for Memorial Park, adopted by Ordinance No. 1003,* Fred T. Hoffman, City Clerk,” are hereby adopted as the plans for the improvement and maintenance of said Memorial Park. [Ord. 1003 § 2, 1933.]
*Ord. 1003 § 3, 1933, relating to the powers of the park board, has been deleted. See ECC 1.16.200.