HomeMy WebLinkAboutx2_03 Parks and Recreation2026 Council Retreat
John Rupp – Parks & Trails Director
Jennifer Spencer – Recreation Director
PRO'S Plan Priorities & Funding Strategies
Parks & Recreation Divisions
Council Direction: What We Heard
King County Levy
Trail Connectivity
Dog Parks
PRO's Plan Priorities
Funding Strategies
Regional Investment vs. Local Responsibility
KING COUNTY LEVY
(Regional Role)
• Regional trails & corridors
• Open space acquisition
• County-owned park operations
• Competitive grant programs
• Limited municipal passthrough
funding
RENTON PROS PLAN
(Local Responsibility)
• City operations & maintenance
• Neighborhood park improvements
• Aging infrastructure replacement
• Recreation programming growth
• Community center modernization
• Equity & safety-driven local
investments
The PROS Plan defines how Renton sustains and invests in its
local system.The County Levy strengthens the regional system.
Regional Trails
2026 – 2031 King County Parks Levy
$60 M for Renton regional trails
Alignment with City master plans
Parks & Recreation leading interagency
and interdepartmental coordination with King Co.
New dedicated support position funded by King
County in Parks & Recreation Dept.
Additional efforts being made and executed by
Public Works and CED
PROS Plan Engagement -
Dog Park Locations
Locations based on community responses and
requests
Desing elements and placement needs:
Thoughtful sitting & shade
Drainage and durable fencing
Landscaping & maintenance
Lighting for safety and aesthetic
Clear signage for rules & vaccination
Rotational if possible
Secure fencing
Why Dog Parks Stand Out
Dog parks represent:
Everyday quality of life
Neighborhood pride
Visible improvement
Quick activation of space
Can be seasonal and/or
permanent
First-Class Parks & Recreational
Facilities for a First-Class City
Aligning Vision, Assets & Sustainable Operations
Our System Today
Our System:
•58 Park Sites
•+1,000 acres of parks, open space,
and natural areas
•2.6 Million visitors (2024)
Our Community:
•Continuously Growing
•Up 10% since 2015
•Growing Expectations
Number of Annual Park Visits (>10 minutes)
-4%
-23%
29%
2%
5%5%
-30%
-20%
-10%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Change in Annual Park Visits (2019 – 2024)
2026 Adopted PROS Plan
•Provides a physical, policy, and funding framework for guiding the City’s
decision-making over a 20-year planning period
•Reflects current community needs and desires
•Blueprint for the system: development, expansion, programming, and resource
management
•Grant funding eligibility for 6 years, upon Council adoption and State
certification
•Community trust
Community Profile & Need
Land Use IndexSocial/Health Risk
Index Park Need=Access Index
Vision and Framework Principles
Promote Community Health &
Wellbeing
Support Equitable Park Access for All
Strengthen Environmental Resilience
Steward Our Resources Effectively and
Responsibly
Vision: To foster a vibrant, inclusive, and sustainable community through the
enhancement of Renton's parks and recreational services, promoting health, equity,
and environmental stewardship.
Our System Today
O & M Renton Kent SeaTac Shoreline
Parks Maintenance Costs
(2025)$8,419,171 $10,560,250 $3,362,304 $5,905,694
Population (2025)109,700 140,100 32,990 63,740
Annual Maintenance Cost
Per Acre $7,863 $12,000 $9,552 $14,334
Total Acres in System 1,071 880 352 412
Maintenance FTEs 28 40 22 12
Acres per maintenance FTE 38 22 16 34
Compared to Similar Cities
2026 Adopted
PROS Plan
Public Priorities
2025 – 2026 Adopted 6-Year CIP Budget
6 yr CIP Project Deliverables
This would include:
3 Newly completed parks (fill gaps)
4 Major park renovations (Invest/Respond)
3 system-wide upgrades (Invest/Respond)
System-wide restroom improvements
Most of our capital focus is on reinvesting in
assets we already own
Developed Parks Only
(Adopted)
Natural Areas &Developed Parks
(With Improvements)
Recreation Interdepartmental Coordination
Our Role: Operational Activation & Stewardship of Parks & Recreation Facilities
Asset → Activation → Programming → Customer Experience → Revenue → Community Impact
What Operationalizing an Asset Includes:
Event activation & scheduling (River Days)
Recreation programming (youth, seniors, arts, athletics)
Facility daily operations (HMAC, RCC, Senior Center,Highlands)
Personnel (FTE + Supplementals)
Rentals & contracts
Customer service & front-line staff
Risk management & compliance
Ongoing stewardship & accessible community presence
Interdepartmental Support Required:
Custodial, & Building technicians and
major maintenance
CIP of Assets
Permitting & code compliance
Finance & contracting
Communications & promotion
IT & security support
Legal & risk approval
Cost Recovery Revenue Strategy
Currently the Recreation
Division is operating under an
adopted cost recovery model
that guides how we generate
revenue across facilities,
programs, and services.
Strategic reinvestment into
high-demand, high-quality
assets strengthens our ability
to offset costs and reduced
pressure on the General Fund
and build trust.
Financial Stewardship
& Other Revenue
Strategies
Existing revenues (phased approach)
Bonding capacity
Partnerships
Grants
Revenue optimization
Potential
Bond Schedule
October 2025: COW Discussion on Parks Bond
January 2026: Council Adoption of PROS Plan
October 2025 – January 2026: Staff Buildout of
Bond Options
February 2026: Council Retreat Bond
Discussion
August 4, 2026: Ballot Measure Resolution
Filing Deadline
November 3, 2026: General Election
What this
represents:
First-Class facilities
Civic pride
Revenue opportunity
Regional leadership
Long-term beauty
Operational strength
Q & A