Fate of Threatened Wilbert Trail May Rest With County Commissioners
For Release – August 11, 2006
Whidbey Camano Land Trust Contact:
Patricia Powell, Executive Director, (360) 222-3310
Greenbank, WA
Less than a month ago, a “For Sale” sign went up on the Wilbert Trail, spurring the Whidbey Camano Land Trust, Save The Trees, an anonymous conservation-minded buyer and others into swift action.
Now, the fate of the 7-acre property adjacent to South Whidbey State Park may rest in the hands of the Island County Commissioners, as they consider a proposal for $192,000 in Conservation Futures funds to help purchase the site. The proposal, which received unanimous support from both the Conservation Futures Technical Advisory Group and the Citizens Advisory Board, will be discussed at a public meeting on August 28.
Under the proposal, the property would be added to South Whidbey State Park. Island County would hold a conservation easement on the property while it would be owned and managed by State Parks. All passive recreational development, maintenance and operation costs would be incurred by State Parks.
“This project would protect a rare example of a low-elevation old growth forest,” said Land Trust Executive Director Patricia Powell. Acquisition of the property will allow the existing park trail that strays onto the private property to be retained and made legal for park visitors. Powell added, “It will also allow State Parks to develop an ADA accessible trail to old growth trees.”
If approved, Island County Conservation Futures funds would be combined with State Parks funds in hopes of reaching the $383,000 purchase price of the parcel. After a flood of letters and calls from Save the Trees and other interested citizens, Washington State Parks Director, Rex Derr, sent a letter of intent to the Land Trust stating that State Parks will pay 50 percent of the property value and all buyer’s closing costs. The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission will consider this request at their August 24 meeting in Chelan.
In the meantime, the agency is getting a market appraisal of the property which will be completed by September 15th and then reviewed by an independent appraiser. All this is required as part of the process of spending state funds. If there is a difference between the appraised value and the purchase price, private donors would likely be sought to make up the gap since agencies cannot pay more than appraised value. “We’ll cross that bridge when and if we get to it,” Powell noted.
The clock is ticking for this well-used trail. On July 19, the owners accepted a local conservationist’s purchase offer with a 14-day feasibility period. The offer was designed specifically to take the property off the market to give the Whidbey Camano Land Trust time to help put a solution together. Powell praised the conservationist and realtor for their work with the seller, resulting in an extension of the closing date to October 31. “This allows time for state and county processes and acquisition requirements to be fulfilled,” she said.
