Politics & Government

Enumclaw City Leaders to Weigh in on County's White River Forest Land Deal

Councilmembers agreed during Monday's meeting to move the issue into the community/economic development committee to discuss the preliminary deal that King County announced last week to preserve 43,000 acres nearby.

What does King County Executive Dow Constantine's announcement last week that of the White River Forest from development east of Enumclaw mean for the city?

That's the question City Councilman Darrel Dickson raised during Monday's meeting of the Enumclaw City Council as he stressed the agreement - which was still subject to King County Council approval - would directly affect city residents into the future.

As indicated on the county's information page on the White River Forest, final King County Council action on an ordinance authorizing the $11.1 million funding for the agreement to purchase development rights on that land is expected in early May 2013.

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According to Constantine's announcement last week, legislation was headed before the County Council to authorize $8.1 million in existing funding from the County's dedicated open space fund known as the Conservation Futures Fund.

The County Council last fall already approved $3 million from Conservation Futures and from the King County Parks levy toward the total $11.1 million price. The land would remain in private ownership with the right to harvest timber sustainably.

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Dickson shared during Monday's meeting that having spoken to a representative of Hancock Timber Resource Group who would be entering into the agreement with the county, it does not appear they will be lifting the requirement for recreational permit fees that was first imposed on non-vehicle public access in the beginning of 2012.

Given that at least part of the funding going toward the agreement, if approved, comes from county parks levy money, there should be a discussion about use of the land without added cost to county residents, Dickson said.

"What are we getting out of this as a community?" he said.

Councilmembers Sean Krebs and Kyle Diercks supported Dickson's concerns and agreed to move the issue to the community/economic development committee for further discussion on a city position.Β 

The County Proposed Ordinance No. 2013-0156, sponsored by Councilmembers Larry Phillips and Reagan Dunn, was introduced in first reading during the County Council meeting on March 25 and is currently in the Budget and Fiscal Management Committee.


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