Meeting to focus on Squilchuck and Twenty-Five Mile Creek state parks
OLYMPIA – April 8, 2016 – The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission is holding a workshop to seek feedback from the public on possible Recreation Business Activities (RBAs) at Squilchuck and Twenty-Five Mile Creek state parks in Chelan County.
The meeting is scheduled for 6 to 8 p.m. April 21, at the Entiat Fire Station, 2200 Entiat Way in Entiat. (Directions: https://goo.gl/maps/8vbvj9vi3WH2)
RBA zones are areas for potential development of park visitor amenities, such as cabins or food service by private business or other outside entities. The purpose of RBAs is not to privatize the park system, but rather to provide park visitor with amenities that are beyond State Parks’ financial capacity, while generating lease revenue to help operate the park system.
At the workshop, State Parks staff will explain the concept of RBAs, the Commission approval process and describe the candidate sites. Staff will ask for public comment about the concept, the site proposals, park-specific development restrictions and types of new recreational facilities the public would support. Input from the meeting and online comments will later be considered by the State Parks Commission when they decide where and under what conditions to allow RBAs.
State Parks staff recently initiated a public outreach process to get feedback on a list of candidate RBA sites around the state. Squilchuck and Twenty-Five Mile Creek state parks are among the sites that received the most public comment.
Project information and a comment form are available on the State Parks website at http://parks.state.wa.us/900/Real-Estate-Policy-Update. For questions, contact Nikki Fields, Parks Planner, at 360-902-8658 or via e-mail to planning@parks.wa.gov.
The State Parks Commission will consider approving three pilot RBA sites at its regular meeting May 19 in Moses Lake. Neither Squilchuck nor Twenty-Five Mile Creek state parks are being considered as first-round pilot sites, but they may be considered for approval in the future.
Besides the two sites to be addressed in the April 21 meeting, the other current candidate sites include Fort Columbia Historical State Park and Skating Lake State Park property in Pacific County; Millersylvania State Park south of Olympia in Thurston County; Packwood State Park property in Lewis County; Pearrygin Lake State Park near Winthrop in Okanogan County; Joseph Whidbey State Park in Island County; Fort Flagler Historical State Park in Jefferson County; and Westhaven/Westport Light State Park in Grays Harbor County.
Crystal Springs in Kittitas County was an early candidate but has been removed from the list. To be selected as candidates, sites have already gone through State Parks Classification and Management Planning, a public process that determines appropriate uses for various State Parks lands.
Background
State Parks financing has changed dramatically since 2009, with the advent of the Great Recession. Parks’ funding base for many years relied upon approximately 75 percent of its general operations funding from taxes. Today, the park system receives about 25 percent of its operating funds from taxes; the remaining 75 percent of Parks operating funds is derived from use fees for camping, Discover Pass, moorage, overnight and accommodations and other earned revenues, including leases.
In the wake of significant budget cuts during the 2011-13 Biennium, State Parks adopted a strategy to build public and financial support for the agency. In 2013, the Commission adopted a real estate management policy, which included a process to make park lands available for private investment in facilities and services that align with the State Parks mission of providing outdoor recreation and stewardship of natural, cultural and historical resources. Through this and other efforts, State Parks continues working to move toward a healthy and sustainable park system. At the same time, the Commission continues to advocate for tax support to operate the park system, which benefits all citizens’ health, economy and quality of life.
About Washington State Parks
The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission manages more than 100 state parks and properties totaling approximately 120,000 acres. The Commission provides a variety of recreation opportunities for citizens and provides stewardship protection for a diverse array of natural, cultural and historic resources. State Parks’ statewide programs include long-distance trails, boating safety and winter recreation.
Follow Washington State Parks:
Share your favorite state park adventure on the State Parks’ blog site at www.AdventureAwaits.com.
Support state parks by purchasing your annual Discover Pass today, and enjoy a whole year of outdoor fun on Washington’s beautiful state-managed recreation lands. For more information, visit www.discoverpass.wa.gov.
Media contacts:
Nikki Fields, (360) 902-8658
Virginia Painter, (360) 902-8562
Wash. Telecommunications Relay Service: (800) 833-6388
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