Community Government

City to study improvements at Crescent Creek Park

The city of Gig Harbor will start studying improvements at Crescent Creek Park and the surrounding area next year.

The city council on Monday unanimously approved a contract with Hough Beck & Baird, Inc. Landscape Architects to create a master plan and conceptual design for the park.

The master plan will ascertain the condition of the park and all its structures and facilities; identify elements of the park that are underused; and recommend steps to make the park more attractive and accessible to the public.

A revamp of Crescent Creek Park could be on the horizon. Larry Steagall

The $155,660.54 contract includes a structural evaluation of the Masonic Lodge building, among other tasks.

An earlier master plan contract for $50,000 was approved in March 2020, according to Public Works Director Jeff Langhelm. But the work did not start because of the pandemic and the contract expired.

The new contract covers the tasks identified in the 2020 contract plus new items added in 2021 and 2022. The plan must be completed by March 31, 2024, Langhelm said.

As part of the master plan development, the city will appoint a citizens advisory committee to work with HBB.

Present Creek Park in Gig Harbor on Saturday, May 7, 2022. Larry Steagall

2023-24 budget

The city council held two public budget hearings at Monday’s meeting.

The first pertained to revenue sources for the 2023 general fund. Total 2023 resources are estimated to be $23,736,879, according to Finance Director Dave Rodenbach.

Property taxes make up about 19% of total general fund revenues and sales taxes account for about 51%.

The council also heard the first reading of the total budget for the 2023-2024 biennium. The council will approve the budget at its Nov. 28 meeting. The proposed budget is $178,616,968.

Other business

• The council approved a contract amendment for the Sports Complex Phase 1B to cover the cost of an endangered species assessment required by the National Park Service, in order to comply with the conditions of a grant. 
• The council will also vote Nov. 28 on amending the 2022 Park Development budget to account for the $4.2 million purchase of land near North Creek. Rodenbach explained the city will cover the purchase through the sale of general obligation bonds.
• Community Development Director Carl DeSimas gave an update on 2022 amendments to the Comprehensive Plan, noting that the Planning Commission considered updates to four elements and recommends that three of them be acted this year: the Stormwater Action Plan Element; Parks, Recreation and Open Space (PROS) Element and the Environment Element (to add a section on Climate Change and Sustainability). Those three amendments will be on the agenda for approval at the Nov. 28 council meeting. The Planning Commission recommended that the fourth – updates to the Utilities and Capital Facilities Element – be left on the docket for review in 2024, DeSimas said.

The next city council meeting will take place Monday, Nov. 28, 5:30 p.m. at the Civic Center