PORT ANGELES — A makeover for Lincoln Park that includes a tree-removal plan will be unveiled within the next four weeks and will be reviewed at a Sept. 20 public meeting of the city Parks, Recreation and Beautification Commission.
The meeting will be at 6 p.m. at the Vern Burton Center, 308 E. Fourth St., city Recreation Services Manager Richard Bonine said Monday.
The three Port of Port Angeles commissioners, who have final approval over the tree-cutting portion of the plan, received an update on the project, which is partially funded by the Federal Aviation Administration, at their regular meeting Monday.
The City Council will have to approve a final comprehensive plan for the park.
A $150,000 draft plan to remake the 147-acre city park, unveiled in April by a city of Port Angeles consultant, has been approved by the FAA, which is requiring that at least some of the trees be cut down to maintain a safe landing approach for port-operated William R. Fairchild International Airport’s main runway, the port agency’s airport and marinas manager, Doug Sandau, told port commissioners.
“The final plan as it stands was approved to present to the parks board,” Sandau said.
“We’re still probably looking at late 2014 before you’ll see anything significantly change.”
The FAA approved the plan July 19.
“Overall, this looks good,” Deepa Parashar, airport planner for the FAA’s Seattle Airports District Office, said in an email to Sandau.
The parks commission has been on hiatus from its meetings for the summer, Bonine said.
A public open house, also at the Vern Burton Center, is planned for Oct. 10, he said.
Parashar said Monday she plans to attend the open house.
A consultant is still working to determine the number of trees that should be felled because of height or disease, Bonine said.
“There are different options for the trees,” he said.
Some residents have spoken out against any trees being removed.
Landscape architect and comprehensive plan author Juliet Vong, president of Seattle-based HBB Landscape Architecture, presented a draft park master plan to more than 60 people at an open house at City Hall in April.
It includes a system of three trails that would encircle the park, two fishing ponds that would be reshaped to deter birds from landing and an expanded wetland over which a boardwalk would be built.
Parking areas would more than double in size, a new concession stand would be moved to a central area, and trees would be planted with an eye toward providing less cover for wildlife.
It would include two playground areas, two restrooms, a new clubhouse, a local-foods garden, a nature art walk, a plant identification area and signs that explains the importance of wetlands.
An education-meeting area also would be included on the site.
Work on a dog park began around spring.
“We’re pretty much done with it,” Bonine said, adding that opening ceremonies on the dog park — built primarily by Rotary clubs — are tentatively scheduled for Sept. 7.
The park, built on a military reservation ordered by President Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War era, was dedicated for public use in 1904, while the adjacent airport opened in 1933.
The FAA is paying 90 percent of the costs associated with tree removal, Sandau said.
Senior Staff Writer Paul Gottlieb can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5060, or at paul.gottlieb@peninsuladailynews.com.