SAN JUAN COUNTY LAND BANK

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For more information about the San Juan County Land Bank, please call 360.378.4402 or visit the Land Bank Web site.

Land Bank releases 60-page conservation plan Friday;
invites public comment today and tomorrow

posted 05/05/2008
PRESS RELEASE: San Juan County Land Bank invites public comment on its Draft Habitat Conservation Plan: 2008-2014. The plan identifies core conservation areas important for maintaining rare terrestrial species and ecological communities in the San Juans. The Land Bank intends to use the plan to help focus its efforts to conserve these ecological resources. Preservation of areas with ecological value is one element of the Land Bank’s mission and is the only element discussed in the Draft Plan.

The Draft Plan is available for download on the Land Bank’s WEB SITE or by calling the office at 360.378.4402. In addition, copies of the plan will be available at the county’s libraries.

Two public meetings will be held to present the plan and hear comments from residents. The first will be on Monday, May 5 at the Grange on San Juan Island from 6 to 7 p.m. The second meeting will be at the Orcas Hotel from 6 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 6. The county Council will also consider the Draft Plan at a public hearing at 11:30 a.m. May 20 in the Legislative Building hearing room in Friday Harbor.

About the San Juan County Land Bank. The Land Bank was established by voter referendum in 1990 and reauthorized with 73 percent approval in 1999. The Land uses revenue from a one percent excise tax on real estate sales to conserve lands for the public in the County. The Land Bank’s mandate is: To preserve in perpetuity areas in the county that have environmental, agricultural, aesthetic, cultural, scientific, historic, scenic or low-intensity recreational value and to protect existing sources of drinking water.

Land Bank's mandate: To provide public access

By Doug McCutchen
San Juan County Land Bank

posted 01/11/2008
When I first came to live in the Islands about ten years ago there was still some opportunity to wander and explore tracts of undeveloped land. Friends who were born and raised here reminisce about being able to traverse the hills, valleys and beaches across the Islands virtually unfettered. With the inevitable changes brought by population growth and development, this sense of freedom and open space has yielded to homes springing up on old trails, accompanied by "private road" and "no trespassing" signs. Anticipating the impacts of these changes in the fabric of our land and island culture, foresighted leaders in our community worked to create the San Juan County Land Bank.

As part of its mandate, the Land Bank is committed to providing low-impact public access to the forests, prairies, and shorelines that make the Islands so special. Totaling just over 3,000 acres, these preserves include landmarks like the scenic Westside, Deadman Bay and Limekiln preserves on San Juan Island; Upright Head, Fisherman Bay Spit, and Watmough Bay preserves on Lopez Island; and Crescent Beach, Deer Harbor Park, and Turtleback Mountain Preserve on Orcas Island.

Despite conserving these and other incredible local gems for public pedestrian access and their other conservation values, a certain mythology persists that the Land Bank "locks up" land and denies public access. Here’s the straight scoop on public access and the Land Bank.

The Land Bank makes a concerted effort to allow public access whenever feasible, appropriate, and desired by the community. When tallied by number of acquisitions, county-wide 60 percent of the Land Bank’s properties are currently open to the public (53% on San Juan, 47% on Orcas, 100% on Lopez). The Land Bank intends to increase the total to 93 percent overall. In the next year alone three new preserves will open to public access on San Juan Island. Sometimes it takes a while before a Land Bank property can be made available for public use. For example, access routes may need to be negotiated with neighbors, or permitting issues may slow the process.

Alliances with other groups have protected existing public access opportunities, and created new ones. The Land Bank has played a critical role in keeping much of the State’s DNR school trust land in the Islands in public ownership and the trails open. Volunteer trail advocacy groups – Orcas Pathways and the San Juan Island Trails Committee - have forged partnerships with the Land Bank to develop new public trails with willing private landowners. And, finally, the remarkable trails of Turtleback Mountain Preserve, and the splendor of Watmough Bay, would have been lost had not the San Juan Preservation Trust and the Land Bank joined forces.

There is little doubt that the islands have seen significant change in the last two decades. Growth of our economy and jobs created by building trades, real estate, and tourism are important. It is equally important that we hold onto some of the special character of the islands for ourselves and the natural world. All county residents deserve the chance to walk a quiet forest trail, take in vistas of islands and mountains, and stand on a beach watching the tide roll in. The Land Bank is our best local tool for insuring we maintain what we cherish most: our sense of place.

Public access by the numbers

On Orcas Island, the total acreage is 2081.95. The total includes Turtleback Mountain's 1578 acres which are open to limited public access under an interim plan. The acreage open to public access on Orcas Island is 1712.65 acres (82.26 percent). Under consideration is 369.30 acres (17.74 percent). No Land Bank property on Orcas Island is closed to public access.

On Lopez Island, the total acreage is 172.90 acres all of it is open for public access.

Cady Mountain Preserve One Step Closer to Public Access

posted 01/10/2008
San Juan County Land Bank purchased 10 acres from Bruce Clark in December 2007 adjacent to its existing Cady Mountain Preserve on San Juan Island. The Clark acquisition added a shady fern-filled ravine and a fringe of Garry Oak woodland to the Preserve’s existing Garry Oak savanna, mature forest and open meadows. "Perhaps more importantly," said Land Steward Eliza Habegger, "it takes the Land Bank one step closer to its goal of a primitive, public trail that could one day lead from the county road to the mountain’s top."

The Land Bank efforts to protect forest land on Cady Mountain began in 2002 with the purchase of 40 acres. The effort continued in 2005 when an acquisition from the Department of Natural Resources kept an additional 80 acres in public hands. With the new purchase the preserve now consists of 130 acres and features outstanding views.

The Land Bank has worked in recent years with the United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program to restore Garry Oak habitat on the Cady Mountain Preserve. The area was identified in the 1975 study of San Juan County Natural Areas as being of the highest priority for conservation due to its oak stands.

Eliza Habegger was assisted on the project by Thom Pence a Land Bank Commissioner and retired forester with a lifelong dedication to conservation. "This addition to the Cady Mountain Preserve is a Commissioner's dream!" said Pence. "Not only does it provide the possibility to extend scenic hiking access to the mountain, but also incorporates one of the best, biologically diverse pieces of Garry Oak habitat remaining on the mountain. Such opportunities are rare and we fully appreciate our good fortune."

The preserve also features various plants including the wildflower, Jeffrey's shooting-star. While the preserve is not currently open to the public, photos of the view, the forest and the flowers can be seen on the Land Bank's Web site www.co.san-juan.wa.us/land_bank.

Council approves $4 million in new acquisitions for Land Bank

includes parcels on Cady Mtn, Watmough Bight, Judd Cove and more

By Sharon Kivisto

posted 06/07/2007The Land Bank's amended 2007 budget, approved unanimously Tuesday, June 5, 2007 by the San Juan County Council, includes $4 million in new acquistions. Many of the purchases are still in process, one was quickly finalized immediately following the public hearing for the budget amendment.

The property referred to as the Westside Preserve Addition was owned by James and Anne Airy. It is one acre in size and has approximately 160 feet of rocky shoreline on Haro Strait. The Land Bank owns property to the south of the parcel. A house is on the parcel to the north. On the other side of the house is more Land Bank property.

According to the Land Bank report, acquisition of this property is important to maintaining the open space character of the westside of San Juan Island. One of the essential qualities of the westside is its strong visual linkage to the waters of Haro Strait. This stretch of the Westside Road is one of those most traveled by islanders and visitors seeking opportunities to view killer whales from land. Additionally, maintaining this parcel in its natural condition will limit the potential for cumulative impacts on the strait.

Councilmember Kevin Ranker suggested the value of buying up single parcels would be something the Land Bank Commission would have to consider carefully. He understood the commission's desire to keep out "monster-sized" houses.

Land Bank Commission Chair Lisa Nash said, "The west side is like our Turtleback."

After the budget hearing was over and the budget was approved, the council approved the purchase of the Airy property for $875,000. This includes $5,000 closing costs.

Other potential purchases on San Juan Island included in the amended 2007 Land Bank budget are:

• $1 million for a conservation easement on the Webb property to buffer English Camp and protect Westcott Bay with a public trail connection. The property belongs to the Webb family. The Land Bank is not purchasing property, only an easement. The 75-acre parcel is zoned for one home per five acres. The conservation easement will eliminate not more than two housing units according to Land Bank Director Lincoln Bormann. The easement will contain a provision allowing a public trail connection between English Camp and the Roche Harbor highlands property.
  
  The million dollar price is just an estimate, the negotiations are still underway. Asked by the council if the oyster farm will still be operational. Bormann said the funds from the easement will help the family continue the operation. Another councilmember thought the oyster farm business belonged to someone else. Bormann said he would check on that.
  
  
• $250,000 in partnership with Sean Hubbard, who will contribute $250,000 towards the purchase of 10 acres on Cady Mountain owned by Bruce Clark. The property will provide additional protection to the rare Garry Oak plant community and provide potential for better public access to the Land Bank's existing preserve. Hubbard is also considering donating a conservation easement or the fee with a life estate to the Land Bank for a 20-acre parcel he currently owns adjacent 10-acre property. The 20 acre parcel contains some of the highest quality Garry Oak savannah community on San Juan Island, according to the Land Bank.

LOPEZ ISLAND

• $600,000 for a conservation easement on 120 acres on the Robinson farm located near Hunter Bay. The property consists of 170 acres. The portion covered by the conservation easement consists of open agricultural fields with forested patches and a wetland area on the western boundary.
  
  According to the Land Bank Commission report: Acquisition of this property is important to maintaining the open space character of Lopez Island. Robinson Farm is an excellent example of an island homestead from the early 20th century, complete with orchard, timber resources and high quality pasture. Its farmhouse and barn are also exemplary of that time period and the conservation easement could include an historic preservation component for these structures.
  
  


$600,000 for fee title seven acres with approximately 680 feet of high bank waterfront at Watmough Bight owned by Eric Meng and Ellison Cady. The property is immediately adjacent to Bureau of Land Management Land. "The Land Bank is pursuing this with the San Juan Preservation Trust," Bormann told the county Council. "A grant is being sought from the Salmon Recovery Board for half the cost."


• According to the report, Acquisition of this property is vital to maintaining the character of Watmough Bay. Currently, no structures are visible from the beach accessed across Land Bank and BLM property. The Bay provides one of the best opportunities in the islands for people to experience a sense of wildness and remoteness. Were the property cleared and a structure built, this essence would be lost.
  
  Maintaining this parcel in its natural condition will also limit the potential for cumulative impacts on Bight and adjacent waters.
  
  

ORCAS ISLAND

• $850,000 for acquisition of fee title to ensure continued operation of Coffelt's Farm. The property consists of 165 acres and is adjacent to the Land Bank's Turtleback Mountain Preserve to the west and Fowler's Pond Preserve to the north. It is largely open fields with some forested and wetland areas. There are two current residences and multiple farm buildings.
  
  According to the report: Acquisition of this property is critical in maintaining agriculture on Orcas Island. The Coffelts have maintained the farm for many years but are nearing retirement. The Land Bank already holds a conservation easement on the property, but this does not preclude the possibility of the land being divided and sold as five separate estates. The fee purchase will allow the Land Bank to lease the property for agriculture and further restrict development potential.
  
  Additionally, fee ownership will allow for public access, including a potential connector between Turtleback and Fowler's Pond and for environmental and agricultural education programs.
  
  " TheLand Bank agrees to keep as a place of agricultural activity for the next 50 years. There will be housing for the farm manager and worker housing and a life estate for the Coffelts,"Bormann said, "It also almost connects us from Turtleback to Judd Cove."
  
  
• $500,000 for acquisition of fee title of four acres at Judd Cove belonging to Mike Carlson. This will provide public access to the waterfront and allow ecological restoration of the site. The property is largely cleared field and includes 140 feet of low bank waterfront. It also controls the tidelands for half the cove. The owner has a bedland lease from the Dept of Natural Resources.
  
  According to the report: Acquisition of this property will fulfill some of the original goals in acquiring properties above Judd Cove. Currently Land Bank holdings do not allow public access to the shoreline or provide much protection to the intertidal zone. Ownership of this property will provide both of these.
  
  In addition, there is great restoration potential on the property for the degraded freshwater wetlands and in the eelgrass area currently impacted by the dock and log dump operations. Also Judd Cove in a restored state may create additional herring spawn habitat.
  
  Acquisition of this property would further the potential of a pedestrian connection from Turtleback, across Crow Valley and to the shoreline of Judd Cove as well. Lastly the property has a good example of a limekiln which could become an educational resource for the island.

SAN JUAN ISLANDER © 2008

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