5.b Staff Report-PWStaff Report
Date of Meeting: 8/4/2025
For: PRC
From: Charles Fischer — Director of Public Works
Subject: Staff Report
Lilleskogen
Over the last three years our parks seasonal staff have been battling thistle and other weeds in the planting
bed in front of the parking lot in Lilleskogen Park. Due to staff limitations the extensive planting bed placed a
large burden on the department. Public Works requested assistance from a volunteer group, already tending
to other parts of the park, with maintenance of the planting bed but was declined by the group.
In early July, PW staff began removing the top 4" of mulch/soil mixture and all plant material. After removals
were complete new screened and pulverized top soil was installed and graded to as close to original slopes as
possible. The sloping of the depression is because this area is meant to retain surface runoff from the parking
lot and filter out sediments. After the new soil was installed, the area was seeded with a turf type mixture
which will enhance the filtering, infiltration and evapotranspiration of surface water which comes from the
parking lot. Additional topdressing and seeding will take place, when necessary, to fully establish the area
beginning mid -August to early -September.
Wayne Erickson
The Wayne Erickson Park sign had been damaged by strong winds and has been reinstalled with new
hardware. During that time Public Works planned to improve the area around the sign. Upon investigating the
planting bed, it was found that an invasive ground ivy was multiplying rapidly and intertwined within the
ornamental plants. Due to the ground ivy's growth habit and to eradicate the ivy was to spray everything with
non -selective herbicide and remove all of the material. One application of non -selective herbicide is not
enough to fully eradicate this invasive ivy and only mulch has been re -installed around the sign. With mulch as
the only decorative ground cover additional herbicide applications can be made without any negative
aesthetic impact to the sign area.
Currently there is no future plan to replant around the sign as it may take several years to fully eradicate the
weed which harbors in the soil below the mulch.
Tennis/Pickleball Courts
Comments from the public have continued to be received by City staff on augmentations to the finished court
system. Public Works believes the courts as they are installed satisfy the public comments from pre -
construction planning meetings. No additions to the court area are under review at this time. The width of the
openings entering the courts and within the courts are intentional for not only to freely move users through
the court system but for maintenance and safety purposes as well. This is not an engineering issue or
oversight, this is on purpose and was noted within the fencing detail in all of the project plans leading up to
final court layout selection.
Public Works is still working on the lift mechanisms of the movable pickleball nets. The permanent net failure
has been repaired and all other permanent posts have been inspected by the contractor.