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Kayak Point Park Day-Use Improvement Project
Updated 11/10/22
Please note the different tabs with information below.
Kayak Point Day Use Area plans to be closed to the public for summer 2023, although the project is still awaiting final permit approvals. Construction for Phase 1 is scheduled to start in July 2023. Phase 2 construction will follow in a future year, depending on funding availability. See below for more details on construction timeline, design and site access diagrams and Frequently Asked Questions.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Snohomish County is working to renovate the day-use portion of this popular, well-loved park. An extensive design process has been ongoing for several years for reconfiguring the day-use area. The proposed design will provide additional recreation space, move parking away from the shoreline, improve the boat launch and make habitat improvements. As part of implementing these changes, park infrastructure will be replaced (e.g. failing water lines and buckling asphalt) and the park will be positioned for many more years of enjoyment.
The full renovation project is anticipated to cost approximately $18M, and is planned to be completed in phases as funding allows.
UPDATES
We are still waiting on federal permit approval for permits submitted in 2019. Kayak Point will remain OPEN to the public for summer 2022 as we await these approvals. Construction for Phase 1 is now scheduled for 2023. Phase 2 construction is planned for 2024, depending on funding. Dates are subject to change. See below for more details on the construction timeline, diagrams, and Frequently Asked Questions.
- Tentatively 2023-2024 (Phase 1 and 2 construction). The day-use area will be closed during construction.
- Due to sensitive fish spawning habitats located off the coast of Kayak Point, the new boat launch construction must occur during peak summer seasons.
- Alternate boat launches are available in Everett, Marysville, and Camano Island.
- Park staff and design consultant team of experts submitted for construction permit review (LDA, Building, Flood Hazard Permit)
- Shoreline Permit and SEPA determination of non-significance has been approved.
- US Army Corps of Engineers permit is under review by NOAA Fisheries. US Fish and Wildlife Dept. of Ecology have completed their reviews.
- Grant awards for Phase 1 construction from Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO) include over $2 million dollars of funding for the boat launch and upland improvements.
- Grant funds are being sought currently for Phase 2.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What improvements will be included in the project?
Depending on available funding, the anticipated elements included in each phase of the project are:
Phase 1
- Boat launch replacement with wider, steeper launch (elevated design allows water and sand to move underneath the launch, better for fish habitat)
- A boarding float, pier piling and decking replacement
- New parking lot to better connect and separate cars and boat trailers from pedestrians
- Central backshore berm, interim path connections, removing paving along the shoreline, planting and removing the sea wall along the central segment
Phase 2
- Completing the parking lot
- Renovations and moving of the existing picnic shelters + three new timber-frame picnic shelters
- Completing the backshore berm
- Creating a central grassy view mound
- Playground updates
- Renovations of the restrooms
- A waterfront promenade path, central plaza with hook ups for food trucks, access trails to the beach, planting and removing the sea wall along the northern end
What are the benefits of this project?
The final result will function similarly to the way it does now but will be a better version of everything that is brought up to the 21st century, easier to maintain, and better for the environment.
Safer, Easier Circulation Routes
- The new design will provide separate walking routes for pedestrians that are ADA friendly for visitors with mobility issues, and the shoreline will be easier to access for walkers, boats, and cars.
- The boat launch parking will have tie-down lanes and areas for prepping the boat, so that process won’t hold up traffic trying to access the launch or get to the beach.
Environmentally Designed and Longer Lasting Infrastructure
- It will be better for the environment because the parking lot next to the shore will be replaced with an expanded beach zone and native plantings, and the runoff from all the paved areas will go through storm water treatment.
- The road along the shore will be replaced with a backshore berm to prepare the site for sea level rise and storm surges. For example, with the huge storm we had in November 2021, the extreme high tide pushed beach logs far into the site, covering the picnic shelters, parking lots, and roads, breaking the decking on the pier. The future design will protect the park infrastructure from storms of that magnitude because we’re adding 4-5 feet of additional beach height and raising all the parking and recreation elements up by a few feet.
- We’re doing a lot of infrastructure improvements that won’t be visible to the park visitors but are very important for the ongoing management of the park, such as complete overhaul of the septic system, water piping, and electrical connections.
Added Picnic Shelters and Parking Spaces
- There will be renovations to the existing picnic shelters and three new ones. We are adding about 10 more parking spaces but moving all the parking to a centralized location toward the hillside and away from the beach.
- There will be lots of wide-open grass spaces and easier access to the pier, the boat launch, the shelters and fire pits, the playground, and the restrooms.
Why are you doing this now?
Kayak Point is one of our most popular, most visited parks. It was last renovated in the 1970s, which makes the infrastructure over 50 years old. We’ve gone through a multi-year process with public outreach, design, and permitting, it’s taken almost eight years, but we’re finally getting ready to start construction of the almost $18 million project across two phases. The park will be positioned for many more years of enjoyment.
Who can I contact with questions?
- For project questions: Carol Ohlfs
- For media inquiries: Rose Intveld
How can I stay updated on progress?
Sign up for our newsletter, follow us on social media or check this project page for updates.
What is the construction timeline for this project? When will the day-use area be closed for construction?
All dates are subject to change.
- Phase 1: Park Day-Use Area closed 2023
- Phase 2: Park Day-Use Area closed 2024
Will the renovated park be able to retain the old trees along the shoreline or are they being removed as part of the project?
The mature Lombardy Poplar trees along the shoreline at Kayak Point will need to be removed during the renovation project. Their location along the shoreline is going to be transformed into a soft-shore berm which will be an extension of the backshore marine shoreline habitat. It will be beach rocks and sand at the lower elevations and planted native shrubs and trees at the upper elevations, with a walking path meandering through the new plantings and beach access trails located strategically between tree groves. We cannot create the new shoreline without removing the existing trees, as they occupy the same footprint. The current trees are nearing the end of their typical life cycle and will begin dropping large branches and become in bad health before too much longer. They typically only live for around 50 years. It will take some time for the new plantings to mature and grow tall like those existing trees, but the new plantings will create a healthier habitat for birds, critters, and fish.
What has been done to study and mitigate the environmental impacts of the project construction?
The project is located along the marine shoreline and has a wetland identified nearby. There will be some temporary and permanent impacts to critical areas and important animal habitats for which we are providing mitigation on site. Overall the project includes extensive riparian zone habitat improvements integrated into the design and will be a significant improvement for the park, Snohomish County residents, and the Puget Sound.
The project’s critical area review permitting has included special studies, reports, and best management practices for sensitive species, including considerations for salmon, killer whales, eelgrass, water quality protection, cultural resource protection, flood hazard areas, and others.
DESIGN DRAWINGS
CONTACT INFORMATION
Carol Ohlfs, Principal Planner
6705 Puget Park Drive
Snohomish, WA 98296
(425) 388-6609
Press Inquiries
Rose Intveld, Communications Specialist
(425) 409-7916