Lake Sammamish development options, real estate items on agenda
OLYMPIA – May 2, 2019 – At its next regular meeting, the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission will consider adopting a master plan for Lake Sammamish State Park and will consider real estate items and a 2020 meeting schedule.
The meeting is from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Thursday, May 16, at Klickitat Community Center, 92 Main St., Klickitat. (Driving directions). The Commission has regular meetings six times a year in pre-determined locations around the state. The meeting agenda provides time for public comment at all regular meetings. A full agenda, including information about opportunities for public comment is available at https://parks.state.wa.us/154/Commission-meetings-agendas.
In the past few years, State Parks, the City of Issaquah and the friends group have worked to complete various improvements and new developments at Lake Sammamish State Park, specifically at Sunset Beach, the area the public identified as highest priority. In 2018, State Parks staff began a process to update an existing redevelopment and restoration concept plan for the park. Public meetings helped identify several facility and restoration options for future development.
The next step of the process is to whittle down the options. Because environmental analysis of facility developments is costly, staff is recommending that the Commission eliminate proposals for an indoor swimming pool, indoor tennis center and outdoor laser tag fields from further consideration, leaving retreat and gathering centers, an urban campground, multi-sport athletic fields, a ropes course, a swim gym floating structure on the lake, a parking garage, a fire station with offices and a new park entrance. Staff also recommend that Issaquah and Laughing Jacobs creek restoration projects be incorporated into the environmental review process for potential park developments.
The Commission also will consider two real estate matters:
- Authorize the State Parks director to work with the San Juan County Land Bank and leverage a grant from the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program to acquire two parcels of land at Spencer Spit on Lopez Island.
- Authorize the transfer of 175 acres known as the Packwood State Park property to Lewis County. The property, which contains trails and areas for birding and fishing, would remain open for public use and managed for recreation.
In other business, the Commission will hear a report on current and next biennium budgets and will adopt a 2020 regular meeting schedule. Proposed locations are Belfair, Spokane, Cle Elum, Bellingham area, Yakima, Fort Worden and Kalama.
Commission work session
A work session is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. Wednesday, May 15, at Klickitat Community Center, 92 Main St., Klickitat. Commission work sessions are open to the public; however, there is no opportunity for public comment, and no formal action is taken. The agenda for next week’s work session includes executive staff reports, as well as updates on:
Agency strategic planning.
- Forest health.
- Potential future property acquisitions, surplus and leases.
- Process to select a new state park.
- Nisqually State Park predesign.
Commission tours
Tuesday, May 14: Commission members will gather at noon at Dalles Mountain Ranch, Columbia Hills State Park, beginning at noon, then depart for Klickitat at 12:45, arriving at Klickitat Community Center at 1:30 p.m. They will travel by bicycle on the Klickitat State Park Trail to the Klickitat Mill site and Fisher Bridge Fish Ladder, then will return to Lyle Trailhead at 4:30 p.m.
Wednesday, May 15: Commission members will depart Klickitat Community Center at 3 p.m. to travel to Brooks Memorial State Park near Goldendale for a forest health discussion. At 5:30 p.m., they will join the Pathfinders No Child Left Inside Grant Program group at Brooks Memorial Environmental Learning Center to watch their program.
Friday, May 17: Commission members will meet at Columbia Hills State Park at 9:30 a.m. to tour Temani Pesh-wa Trail, also known as She Who Watches.
News media contact:
Virginia Painter, Communications Director, (360) 902-8562
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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.
News release number: 19-022