Opposing the Placement of Ball Fields at Lake Sawyer Regional Park

To: Mayor Adler, City Manager Kevin O’Neill, and Members of the Black Diamond City Council

We, the undersigned residents, property owners, and community members of Black Diamond, respectfully petition the Black Diamond City Council to oppose the proposed construction of ball fields at Lake Sawyer Regional Park and to require the City to fully evaluate alternative locations before moving forward with any final park development plan.

We support parks, recreation, youth sports, and creating places where families can enjoy our community. However, we believe that Lake Sawyer Regional Park is not the appropriate location for intensive, organized ball-field development.

Lake Sawyer Regional Park is a unique natural asset. Unlike many communities, Black Diamond has an opportunity to preserve a significant open-space area adjacent to a lake while still providing recreational opportunities for its residents. There are already other locations within and around Black Diamond that could accommodate ball fields without placing the same environmental, traffic, water, infrastructure, and neighborhood impacts on Lake Sawyer.

The City Is Not Required to Build Ball Fields at Lake Sawyer

An important clarification must be made before the City proceeds any further.

City Manager Kevin O’Neill recently met with representatives from King County and the State of Washington to review the City’s contractual obligations concerning the development of “Active Recreational Facilities” at Lake Sawyer Regional Park. Both King County and the State confirmed that the City is not contractually obligated to build ball fields at the park.

This distinction is critical.

If the City is not required to build ball fields at Lake Sawyer, then the decision should be based on what is best for Black Diamond residents, taxpayers, the environment, and the long-term future of the community—not on the assumption that ball fields are a contractual requirement.

The City therefore has an opportunity and a responsibility to step back, examine the alternatives, and make a thoughtful decision based on objective information.

We Are Asking the City to Consider All Available Alternatives

At the August 18, 2026 City Council meeting, the community was presented with a concept for ball fields at Lake Sawyer Regional Park, but we were not presented with comparable plans for other potential locations.

Before selecting Lake Sawyer, we ask the City Council to require Oakpointe and City staff to develop and publicly present comparable alternatives for:

• Lake Sawyer Regional Park
• Ten Trails property
• Property along Highway 169

Each location should be evaluated using the same criteria, including:

• Total construction costs
• Long-term operating and maintenance costs
• Environmental impacts
• Wetlands and wildlife habitat
• Tree removal and clearing
• Stormwater management
• Traffic impacts
• Parking capacity
• Emergency access
• Water requirements
• Utility infrastructure
• Noise and lighting
• Neighborhood impacts
• Accessibility
• Public safety
• Long-term benefit to the entire Black Diamond community

Only after residents have been provided this information can the community make an informed decision.

Protect Lake Sawyer and Its Watershed

Lake Sawyer is more than a backdrop for a park. It is an important natural resource and watershed.

Developing multiple ball fields, parking areas, restrooms, lighting, walkways, and other infrastructure at the south end of the lake could substantially alter the existing landscape and drainage patterns.

We ask the City to conduct a thorough environmental review addressing:

• Tree removal and loss of wildlife habitat
• Wetlands and sensitive areas
• Stormwater runoff
• Erosion and sediment
• Groundwater and drainage
• Fertilizer and chemical runoff
• Impacts to Lake Sawyer water quality
• Potential impacts from increased impervious surfaces
• Geotechnical feasibility and required grading or fill
• Environmental and health impacts of artificial turf

The City should also clearly explain how stormwater will be managed so that runoff from fields, parking areas, restrooms, and other developed surfaces does not negatively affect Lake Sawyer.

Water Use Must Be Fully Evaluated

The City should disclose how much water the proposed fields would require for irrigation and where that water would come from.

If the City purchases water for irrigation, taxpayers need to know the annual and long-term cost.

If water is obtained from or otherwise affects Lake Sawyer via Covington Water District, residents need to understand the potential impact on lake levels and the lake's ecosystem.

This is another area where an alternative location could have substantially different consequences.

Traffic, Parking, and Public Safety

Ball fields are not simply open-space amenities. Organized sports can generate significant traffic, particularly after school, on evenings, weekends, and during tournaments.

Before approving ball fields at Lake Sawyer, the City should provide a traffic and parking analysis that addresses:

• Expected vehicle counts during simultaneous games
• Peak tournament traffic
• Parking capacity
• Overflow parking
• Traffic control
• Emergency vehicle access
• Impacts to 312th Avenue
• Impacts to surrounding residential streets
• Pedestrian and bicycle safety
• Additional police or Parks Department staffing
• Long-term road improvement costs

The City should also explain how it intends to address congestion when the park parking lot reaches capacity.

Lighting, Noise, and Neighborhood Impacts

Ball fields can generate substantial evening and weekend activity, including amplified announcements, spectators, vehicles, and organized tournaments.

If lighting is included, residents deserve clear information regarding:

• Operating hours
• Light intensity
• Light spill into surrounding properties and natural habitat
• Noise levels
• PA systems
• Tournament schedules
• Field operating hours

The City should not underestimate the impact that intensive recreational use could have on the surrounding residential neighborhood.

Long-Term Financial Responsibility

The most important unanswered question is what this park will ultimately cost Black Diamond taxpayers.

The City should provide a complete financial picture—not simply the initial construction cost.

Residents deserve projected annual costs for:

• Field maintenance
• Irrigation
• Water
• Turf or grass replacement
• Restrooms
• Garbage and sanitation
• Landscaping
• Lighting and electricity
• Parking maintenance
• Fencing and repairs
• Security
• Police services
• Parks Department staffing
• Stormwater management
• Road and infrastructure improvements

The City should also clearly identify the total anticipated project cost, Oakpointe's committed contribution, and the amount Black Diamond taxpayers will ultimately be responsible for.

Black Diamond Already Has Recreational Opportunities

Since the original park planning began in 1999, Black Diamond and the surrounding community have grown significantly.

Today, residents have access to multiple parks and recreational facilities within approximately 10–15 minutes of Black Diamond.

Lake Sawyer Regional Park offers something different: a rare opportunity to preserve and thoughtfully enhance a significant natural open-space area adjacent to Lake Sawyer.

We believe the City should take advantage of that unique opportunity rather than turning this particular property into an intensive sports complex when other locations may be better suited for ball fields.

We Support Parks—But We Support Smart Planning

This petition is not an argument against parks, youth sports, or recreational facilities.

We support providing Black Diamond families with high-quality recreational opportunities.

We simply believe that the location matters.

Ball fields may be an excellent community amenity, but that does not mean they belong at Lake Sawyer Regional Park.

The City has the ability to explore alternatives at Ten Trails or along Highway 169. 

Locating ball fields near the new school or within a walkable neighborhood could provide significant benefits, including improved accessibility for families, increased parking capacity, and reduced dependence on residential roads.

A Highway 169 location could also provide advantages in terms of access, visibility, and reducing the impacts of intensive recreational activity on a lakefront residential neighborhood.

Our Request to the City Council

Therefore, we respectfully ask the Black Diamond City Council to:

1. Oppose the proposed placement of ball fields at Lake Sawyer Regional Park.
2. Acknowledge that the City is not contractually obligated to construct ball fields at Lake Sawyer Regional Park, as confirmed by representatives of King County and the State of Washington during their review with City Manager Kevin O’Neill.
3. Require Oakpointe and City staff to develop and publicly present at least two alternative ball-field locations, including consideration of Ten Trails and Highway 169.
4. Require a comprehensive environmental feasibility study before approving intensive recreational development at Lake Sawyer.
5. Require a complete financial analysis showing both initial construction costs and projected long-term annual operating and maintenance costs.
6. Require traffic, parking, emergency-access, noise, lighting, stormwater, water-use, and geotechnical studies for each proposed location.
7. Provide Black Diamond residents with comparable information about each alternative and meaningful opportunity for public input before selecting a location.
8. Protect Lake Sawyer as a unique natural resource and prioritize recreational improvements that are compatible with the character and environmental sensitivity of the property.

Let the Community See the Data Before Making the Decision

We believe Black Diamond deserves a thoughtful, transparent, and fiscally responsible process.

Show us the data.
Show us the alternatives.
Show us the environmental impacts.
Show us the total cost.
Then let the community decide.

We respectfully ask the Black Diamond City Council to reject the assumption that ball fields must be built at Lake Sawyer Regional Park and instead conduct a fair comparison of all viable locations.

We support parks. We support recreation. We support our children. And we support protecting the unique natural resources that make Black Diamond a special place to live.

We respectfully ask the City Council to choose the location that provides the greatest benefit to the entire community while minimizing environmental, financial, traffic, and neighborhood impacts.

We, the undersigned, respectfully oppose the proposed construction of ball fields at Lake Sawyer Regional Park.