Following the completion of a detailed feasibility study to include need, impact and fund management, PenMet Parks Board of Directors approved plans to move forward with the purchase & sale agreement for the current Performance Golf property, located at 2416 14th Ave, Gig Harbor, WA 98335. The anticipated close date is December of 2019.
Board President, Maryellen “Missy” Hill said, “After a thorough due diligence period, PenMet Park Board of Commissioners and staff and are immensely excited to move forward on this project. The Community Recreation Center will address many of the needs citizens requested in a recent survey including active space for seniors, programs for special populations, indoor recreation opportunities year-round and an additional opportunity, supporting the continuation of the Cushman Trail system through the property. After our levy lid lift was approved by voters in 2017, restoring the District’s regular property tax levy rate to $0.75 per $1,000 of assessed value for 2018 we now feel well-positioned to manage the expenses of the project via a Board initiated bond,” said President Hill.
Project design features of the new facility include indoor recreation space, multi-purpose learning spaces, community activity spaces, indoor walking track and, event rental space. As the design process advances, the provisional usage of the current facility is currently in development. The District commits to remaining diligent in working with neighboring communities.
Currently, the project is pending reconsideration factors from the Pierce County Hearing Examiner office.
These factors include:
- Plan Submittal
This condition requires PenMet Parks to submit its Final Development Plans within one-year of the Pierce county Hearing Examiners’ decision. PenMet requests allow of (two) 2 years to have the Final Development Plans submitted. - Site History
This condition states all prior findings, conclusions, conditions, and mitigation from prior Examiner or SEPA decisions remain in effect. PenMet Parks does not have the ability to confirm the universe of decisions that this includes except to the extent disclosed by Pierce County. - WSDOT Involvement
This condition states PenMet Parks must provide its site plan to WSDOT for their review and approval. WSDOT is only responsible for traffic impacts to state highways. PenMet Parks provided its Traffic Impact Analysis to WSDOT, WSDOT provided comments and that was subsequently approved by Pierce County. PenMet Parks also provided to WSDOT a copy of its DNS for review and comment on July 3, 2019, and WSDOT provided no comments. - Right-of-way
This condition requires the dedication of right-of-way to Pierce County. PenMet Parks would like this condition to be more flexible because the right-of-way along 14th Avenue referenced in Pierce County Development Engineering’s letter dated August 19, 2019, is solely to accommodate the Cushman Trail Extension. If PenMet Parks extends the trail through their site as planned, the County won’t need an additional 5 feet of right-of-way. This change allows some flexibility for both PenMet Parks and the County. - Sound Impacts
This condition requires PenMet Parks to engage an acoustical engineer to perform a noise study prior to the final approval of the event center. The request has been made to make it incumbent on PenMet Parks to have the noise study done before they use the event space with amplified sound rather than tying it to a permit or approval. - Structure
Condition 25 refers to the proposed dome structure and states “Such use is denied”. We request that the second sentence be revised to say, “Such structure is denied”. This makes it clear that only the proposed air-supported roof structure is denied, not the use.
PenMet Parks Interim Executive Director, Glenn Akramoff believes the project will bring the community together providing both active and passive recreation. “The Community Recreation Center will aid in the advancement of the District vision to enhance the quality of life in our area.” Says Akramoff, “We are excited to build community by developing this project as the Greater Gig Harbor Community.”
*Images are conceptual