Leavenworth adopts new parks plan

LEAVENWORTH — The Leavenworth City Council adopted a new Parks, Recreation and Open Space (PROS) Plan following a public hearing on July 14.

The PROS Plan serves as the city’s guide for the acquisition, development, and maintenance of a comprehensive system of parks, trails, recreational facilities and open space for its community members.

It also makes the city eligible for outdoor recreation and conservation grants through the Washington Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO). Once the plan is certified, the city is eligible for RCO grant funding for the next six years.

More than 20 percent of the land within the city is maintained as public parks and open space. About 55 acres are identified as city-owned park land, while the remaining 115 acres are open space and special use facilities, according to the plan.

Among key findings, the plan notes that Leavenworth’s recreation needs extend well beyond what traditional park planning standards would suggest. The city's previous level of service (LOS) standard called for six acres of park land per 1,000 residents.

Under this model, the city’s park land well surpasses the 15.57 acres needed for a 2024 population estimate of about 2,600 people. However, it fails to take into account the estimated 3.4 million annual visitors who utilize the same spaces. Factoring in visitor use, the city would need about 72 acres of park land to meet its LOS standards.

Instead of relying solely on acreage, the plan adopts a new LOS standard focused on proximity and access, aiming to ensure every residential neighborhood is within a half-mile walk of a city park.

The plan identifies several areas that lack walkable access to city parks with amenities, including residential neighborhoods on the west side of the city near the Mountain Meadows Senior Living Campus, north of Rattlesnake Trail and on the east side of the city near Safeway. It recommends pursuing land acquisition for future neighborhood parks, expanding park access through trails and pedestrian routes, and continuing planning efforts for the proposed Upper Valley Community Center, which could include an indoor pool and other year-round amenities.

The plan also evaluates the condition of existing parks, open space and recreation facilities, recommending continued maintenance, preservation of natural areas, expanded recreation programming, improved parking, and stronger connections between parks through trails, sidewalks and bike lanes.

The plan incorporates community feedback from various surveys and input from a public hearing at a prior Planning Commission meeting.

No comments were made during the July 14 public hearing, and the council unanimously voted to adopt the plan.

Taylor Caldwell: 509-433-7276 or taylor@ward.media