The city of Maple Valley needs more places for teens to hang out.

That was just one of the unanimous needs a group of residents outlined at the Parks and Recreation Commission workshop Feb. 25.

The meeting was focused on open dialogue between the commissioners and the public about two properties, Henry’s Switch and the 216th/276th Street park land.

The commission is in the middle of drafting recommendations to give to the City Council regarding what to do with both of those properties. Greg Brown, Parks and Recreation director, said those recommendations won’t be finalized until probably late spring or early summer.

The long, thin and heavily wooded terrain of Henry’s Switch inhibits its ability to be developed, whether that is in the form of a park or anything else, Brown said at the workshop last week. The property also features a steep slope on the western edge, and a trail on the east side that runs parallel to state Route 169.

Brown said the county has about a 50-foot easement on both sides of that trail and is planning on further developing it, but it could be years until dirt is actually moved.

Each of the four tables of people at the workshop discussed what their ideas were for developing either the Henry’s Switch or the 216th/276th Street properties – three tables were discussing Henry’s Switch while one table was discussing the other property. At each table, there were several people who wanted the city to sell Henry’s Switch to South Sound Critter Care, the animal rehabilitation center currently located at Sawyer Lake Veterinary Hospital. But, the idea didn’t come without opposition. While some pushed for animal rehab, others wanted to see the area kept as natural as possible with very little infrastructure and/or development.

The latter option may be the most feasible at this point, considering the restrictions for use imposed on the property through the deed.

Currently, the deed restrictions state the land must be set aside for public use “in perpetuity.” Because South Sound Critter Care is a private entity, relocating there may be a challenge. But, Brown said at the meeting that it’s “not a definite ‘no.’”

The other city-owned property, located at the corner of 216th Ave Southeast and Southeast 276th Street, is zoned R-6 which makes it ready for residential development and makes the resale value higher than Henry’s Switch. Hypothetically, the city could use the money generated from the sale of this property to develop a park on one of the other six undeveloped park properties it owns. However, Brown said in a phone interview that he would be surprised if the commission recommended selling the property.

Several of the residents at the meeting last week stated they don’t want to see anything happen on the site. They sited security concerns for the homes neighboring the property if a park was put there.

Brown stated at the meeting that according to the National Recreation and Parks Association, parks are associated with increased security because the increased activity acts as a deterrent for criminals and loiterers.

Another idea that came up for the 216th/276th Street property is a dog park. According to Google Maps, the closest dog park to Maple Valley is in Kent, on Southeast 248th Street.

The commission is also planning to make a recommendation to the City Council to run a bond in the near future to pay for park development.

“The city is cash-strapped,” Brown said at the workshop.

The bond could be on the special election ballot as early as February 2016 if the council moves forward with the commission’s recommendation. The parks commission will be at the March 23 City Council meeting to discuss their recommendation on the bond.

The amount of the bond could range from $5 million to in excess of $20 million, Brown said in a phone interview. The commission is considering what potential projects to fund with the bond and which ones to recommend to the council.

The last commission meeting before a recommendation is made will be March 11. Brown said that will be the final night for the commission to discuss the bond options and to formulate a recommendation on the bond. The recommendation on the Henry’s Switch and 216th/276th Street properties will come later this year.