Drafter
Clerk 09/16/2026
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AN ORDINANCE relating to the process of selection for advisory committee members and grant projects funded by Ordinance 19922 and relating to a budget proviso and requesting a report recommending an approach to grants advisory committee processes in the 2026-2027 Biennial Budget Ordinance, Ordinance 20023, Section 94, Proviso P4.
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STATEMENT OF FACTS:
1. On April 17, 2019, the King County council adopted Ordinance 18890, which called for a special election to authorize the King County parks, recreation, trails, and open space levy for 2020-2025.
2. On August 6, 2019, King County voters approved the 2020-2025 parks levy, which included moneys for various grant programs to include targeted equity, aquatics facilities, open space - river corridors and urban parks and open spaces. Experience from the 2020-2025 parks levy grant programs identified opportunities to improve the grantmaking process.
3. On April 29, 2025, the King County council adopted Ordinance 19922, which called for a special election to authorize the King County parks, recreation, trails, and open space levy for 2026-2031.
4. On August 5, 2025, King County voters approved the 2026-2031 parks levy, which included moneys for various competitive grant programs to include aquatics facilities, ballfield access and preservation, and healthy communities and parks.
5. Ordinance 19922 requires the implementation of grant programs to support equitable access to parks, recreation, and open space across King County.
6. On April 29, 2025, the King County council passed Motion 16797, which includes program guidelines for the aquatic facilities grant, ballfield access and preservation grant, and healthy communities and parks grant. Attachment B to Motion 16796 includes general requirements for the parks levy grant programs.
7. The 2026-2027 Biennial Budget Ordinance, Ordinance 20023, Section 94, Proviso P4, requires the transmittal of a report recommending the proposed structure for advisory committees and an updated conflict of interest process governing parks levy grant programs, and an ordinance adopting the recommendations of the report.
8. The department of natural resources and parks administers parks levy grant programs and is responsible for ensuring that funding decisions are made in a transparent, equitable, and accountable manner.
9. The advisory committee structure in this ordinance separates advisory functions from application scoring responsibilities to improve consistency, reduce conflicts of interest, and align with best practices in public grant administration.
10. The conflict of interest process referred to in this ordinance has been developed in coordination with the ethics program to ensure compliance with applicable standards and to provide clear guidance for participants in the grantmaking process.
11. Approval of this ordinance is necessary to implement the 2026-2031 parks levy grant programs and to enable timely distribution of funds to eligible recipients.
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF KING COUNTY:
SECTION 1. It is the council's intent, in the next supplemental budget ordinance to delete Section 94, Proviso P4, from the 2026-2027 Biennial Budget Ordinance, Ordinance 20023.
SECTION 2.
A. The parks levy grant programs authorized under Ordinance 19922 shall be administered using an advisory committee structure and grant evaluation process designed to promote transparency, equity, and accountability.
B. The implementation guidelines that establish the grant award process and criteria for the aquatic facilities grant, ballfield access and preservation grant, and healthy communities and park grant, which are Attachment A to this ordinance, are hereby adopted.
C. The advisory committee structure, appointment process, and representation, which are also in Attachment A to this ordinance, are hereby adopted. The advisory committee shall sunset after the last of the 2026-2031 parks levy grant moneys have been awarded.
D. The conflict of interest process and definition, which are also in Attachment A to this ordinance, are hereby adopted.