The Concerned Citizens for Mercer Island Parks (CCMIP) announced that 2,285 registered Mercer Island voters signed petitions that would put the use of public parkland for non-park purposes to a vote.

“Although CCMIP decided not to submit the signed petitions, because the number of petitions fell slightly short of the number required to get the initiative on the ballot, the citizens’ group will continue representing the growing number of Islanders who have expressed a strong interest in protecting our public parkland from development,” according to a CCMIP press release.

The deadline for CCMIP’s petition was Dec. 5, 2016. The petition was the third filed by CCMIP in 2016.

CCMIP Co-chair Peter Struck brought the stack of signed petitions to the Jan. 3 City Council meeting and spoke about the citizens who had signed them.

“In November, the council issued a statement following the recent presidential election that outlined the way it wished to conduct business in the community,” he said. “The statement covered a number of principles, but I’d like to highlight the one stating ‘our role is to bring people together, not divide them.’”

Struck pointed out that last year, the City Council backed down from its proposal to build a parking structure on Kite Hill in the open space adjacent to the Community Center when fewer Islanders (about 670) signed the petition opposing council’s decision to use public land for this construction.

Islanders have been divided over the petition because it could prevent the planned Mercer Island Center for the Arts (MICA) from being built on about an acre of land in the corner of Mercerdale Park.

“Citizens who signed the petition have not only supported the work of CCMIP with generous financial contributions, but have also stated that their concerns include: a critical need to protect public parkland from private development; the overwhelming size, scope and scale of the proposed building Lack of on-site parking; increased traffic congestion; increased safety concerns for children; the city’s liability in the event of injury to pedestrians, children, and/or patrons; additional financial liability to the city in addition to the projected annual operating budget shortfall; preferential terms of a long-term lease ($1 a year for 50-80 years) for non-public development and management of public land; seismic and wetlands concerns; precedent of using public property for non-public sector development; [and] usurpation of public right of way of Southeast 32nd Street,” according to the press release.

“As voters learn that the size and scale of the MICA project in Mercerdale Park is almost 20 times the size of the former recycling center building, the more passionately they have urged for a vote,” Jackie Dunbar, a CCMIP volunteer, said in a statement.

Supporter Baron Dickey added, “History clearly demonstrates that Mercer Island voters have continuously voiced their opinion of leaving development out of our parks.”

CCMIP has vowed to continue following the issue in 2017, educating citizens and advocating to community leaders.

“As more and more details become available in 2017 about the MICA Mercerdale Park development, as well as other park-related concerns, we’ll be sure to let citizens know,” Struck stated.

“We love hearing from citizens who want to become involved in protecting our parkland from development,” said Meg Lippert, CCMIP co-chair. “It’s essential to let our council members know what you think. Email them, write letters to the Reporter and/or post on Next Door.”

The group accepts contributions through its website at www.protectMIparks.org or by check to CCMIP, P.O Box 1337, Mercer Island. For more, email protectMIparks@gmail.com.