CONSERVATION FUTURES (CFT) 2019 ANNUAL COLLECTIONS
APPLICATION FOR FUNDS PROJECT NAME Raging River Natural Area
Applicant Jurisdiction(s): King County
Open Space System: Raging River Natural Area (Name of larger connected system, if any, such as Cedar River Greenway, Mountains to Sound, a Regional Trail, etc.)
Acquisition Project Size: 56 acres CFT Application Amount: $1,000,000 (Identify the acreage targeted under this year’s funding request) (Dollar amount of CFT award requested)
Total Project Size: 200 acres KC PL Application Amount: $1,000,000 (If known, identify total acreage at project completion for multi-year projects) (King County Projects Only: Dollar amount of KCPL requested)
Type of Acquisition(s): Fee Title Conservation Easement Other:
CONTACT INFORMATION Contact Name: Mary Maier/Dave Kimmett Phone: 206 477 4762 Title: Snoqualmie Steward Email:[email protected] Address: 201 S. Jackson St. Seattle, WA 98104 Date: March 8, 2018 PROJECT SUMMARY: King County proposes acquiring 56 acres on the Raging River at river mile two. The fifty six acre site target acquisitions is spread across four parcels; two of which are zoned mining and two are zoned RA – 10. The 20-acre parcel is currently being mined for hard rock. The owner currently has an application to expand the quarry operation to the 28-acre parcel which is also zoned for mining. The Raging River supports Chinook, coho, and chum salmon and steelhead and cutthroat trout. The Raging River plays a significant role in the recovery of Chinook salmon; roughly 20% of the Snoqualmie Chinook population spawns in the Raging River. The Snohomish River Basin Salmon Conservation Plan (2005) lists the Raging River as a “primary restoration sub-basin strategy group”. This project will address the following high priority actions in this sub group: preservation and preservation to support hydrologic and sediment processes. The conservation of this land will prevents it from shifting to the other high priority actions in the Salmon Plan; the restoration of processes, terrestrial and aquatic habitat. The conservation of the Raging River Quarry has been the topic of discussion at several meetings of Fall City NGOs. There is very strong community support for the purchase of this site which will preclude impacts to the community and resources including: loss of forest cover, increased sedimentation to a critical Tier 1 river for salmon production, impacts to the viewshed and Snoqualmie Valley trail, especially those from logging and mining the 28-acre forested parcel. This acquisition provides an opportunity to protect valuable forest cover and provide opportunities for trail connections between Fall City, Preston and the Mitchell Hill area.
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1. OPEN SPACE RESOURCES Please review the attached evaluation criteria. For the proposed acquisition parcel(s), please mark those criteria that apply and thoroughly, yet succinctly, describe in the space below how the proposed acquisition satisfies each marked criteria. Please clearly describe how these criteria might be met at a landscape level, and how they apply to individual parcels. If restoration is part of the plan, please briefly describe the current condition and the hoped for restored condition that is the goal of the acquisition. A. Wildlife habitat or rare plant reserve E. Historic/cultural resources B. Salmon habitat and aquatic resources F. Urban passive-use natural area/greenbelt C. Scenic resources G. Park/open space or natural corridor addition D. Community separator H. Passive recreation opportunity/unmet needs Wildlife habitat – This project will benefit a number of wildlife species, including pileated woodpecker, amphibians, beaver, and other species that utilize floodplain habitat in the Puget Sound area. A number of large mammals are likely to utilize the site. The forested hillsides on either side of the Raging River provide habitat for elk, bobcat, black bear, and cougar. Salmonid habitat – The property captures approximately 2,200 feet of Raging River shoreline. By protecting natural processes of the Raging River watershed, particularly the preservation of riparian and floodplain vegetation and the ability of the river to interact with its floodplain, this project protects the habitat features and characteristics critical to salmonids. The Snohomish River Basin Salmon Conservation Plan specifically prioritizes the protection and restoration of the aforementioned habitats for Chinook recovery. The Raging River is a basin with a history of very high productivity. Much of the basin is in public ownership (9,200 of 21,300 total acres). The primary constraints to productivity are loss of channel area and complexity due to levee building and lack of in-channel woody debris. This project helps to address those issues by protecting riparian and floodplain habitat. Scenic resources – This project will preserve the scenic features along a major county road (the connector between I-90 and SR 202 and 203). The Preston Fall City Road parallels the Raging River from Preston to Fall City. It is one of the more scenic segments of road in the county. This project will preserve 56 acres of mostly forested property along that corridor. Community separator – If this property is acquired, it will serve as an excellent separator between the communities of Fall City and Preston and the rural residential area surrounding these communities. Public ownership of the property will create a natural boundary and discourage expansion. Park/open space or natural corridor addition – This acquisition provides an excellent addition to an existing network of public ownership along the Raging River. The target property is adjacent to the Snoqualmie Preston Trail and State DNR land and provides an opportunity to expand a trail network in this corridor. Passive recreation opportunity/unmet need – The Quarry properties provide an opportunity to create appropriate trail connections that link the county’s Regional Trail System to Fall City. In addition, the Quarry properties are adjacent to State DNR land to the south. King County has been collaborating with Washington State DNR (WADNR) on connecting county and state lands in the Mitchell Hill area through acquisitions and easements. King County Parks staff and WADNR staff will be engaging the public on a trail plan for the Mitchell Hill. The Quarry property provides a valuable link from the Preston – Snoqualmie regional trail to a future Mitchell Hill trail system.
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2. ADDITIONAL FACTORS For the proposed acquisition parcel(s), please mark all criteria that apply and thoroughly, yet succinctly, describe in the space below how the proposed acquisition satisfies each marked criteria. A. Educational/interpretive opportunity B. Threat of loss of open space resources C. Ownership complexity/willing seller(s)/ownership interest proposed D. Describe any public or private partnerships that will enhance this project E. Is the property identified in an adopted park, open space, comprehensive, or community plan? F. Transferable Development Rights (TDR) participation Educational/interpretive opportunity – The Quarry property’s proximity to the Raging River and the Preston - Snoqualmie Trail would provide many opportunities for various interpretive facilities including signage, kiosks and self- guided interpretive trail loops that could teach visitors about the Raging River watershed. Educational opportunities could be provided by hosting volunteer events for restoration, trail construction and maintenance. In addition, members of the Raging River Conservation Group could become “park ambassadors” and lead tours of the site talking about the natural and cultural history of the area.
Threat of loss of open space resources – Two of the four parcels are zoned mining, with one being actively mined. If operations continue and expand, the resource will be substantially degraded. The RA-10 parcels are at risk of development; one as riverfront property once the mining operations cease.
Ownership complexity/willing seller(s)/ownership interest proposed – The owner of the Raging River Quarry is a willing seller. He is also committed to acquiring the permit necessary to expand operations onto the adjacent forested parcel if we are unable to buy the property. He currently has a pending application for expansion and is anticipating our offer for a purchase. The Trust for Public Land is helping with owner engagement and land appraisal.
Partnerships – This is a multi-objective project that will benefit salmon recovery and provide a footprint connecting local trails with the Snoqualmie Valley Trail. We are currently working with the Trust for Public Lands to acquire the land until the county can raise the funds for the purchase. Once the land is acquired, we will also work with several local non-profit organizations including the Raging River Conservation Group and Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust to conduct restoration as needed.
Is the property identified in an adopted park, open space, comprehensive, or community plan? - The project addresses high priority salmon habitat restoration needs for the threatened Snoqualmie Chinook stock identified in the federal Puget Sound Chinook Recovery Plan (2007). This project is within a core Chinook spawning reach and is on a mainstem primary restoration reach according to the Snohomish River Basin Salmon Conservation Plan. The Plan calls for Preservation (along focus reaches) as one of the highest priorities for this subgroup. King County’s Strategic Climate Action Plan calls for conservation and restoration of forest resources. In addition, both the King County Comprehensive Plan (KCCP) and the 2016 King County Open Space Plan contain policies that direct acquisition, planning, and stewardship of public open space lands: 1) Be a regional provider of open spaces with a major focus on systems of open space corridors that conserve natural resources and provide recreation, education and interpretive opportunities, fish and wildlife habitat and scenic beauty, 2) Focus regional open space efforts on the natural watershed systems and regional systems such as the wildlife habitat network and Mountains to Sound Greenway, 3) Acquire lands that provide land and trail connectivity, eliminate inholdings, and implement WRIA plans, 3)Assist with conservation of forest land and facilitate those lands as viable working resource lands.
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In addition, acquisition of lands to connect the Mitchell Hill Forest to Preston Ridge Forest and WADNR lands is a recommendation in the County’s draft Mitchell Forest Plan, and a key recommendation in the recently completed WADNR Concept Snoqualmie Recreation Corridor Plan. 3. STEWARDSHIP AND MAINTENANCE How will the property be stewarded and maintained? Does the property lend itself to volunteer stewardship opportunities or community participation? How will ongoing stewardship and maintenance efforts be funded? The property will go into the King County Natural Area inventory as an addition to the existing Raging River Natural Area. The primary management objectives will be to protect and restore natural ecosystem processes on the site to support the conservation of native species, and to provide public access over a dedicated trail network that is compatible with natural resource protection. These properties would be additions to existing King County Park sites, thus routine stewardship and site management would be handled by KC Parks staff funded by the County’s Parks Levy. In addition, several user groups would likely be interested and willing to support and assist with site monitoring, restoration and trail construction projects through volunteer events, and via the Adopt a Park and Park Ambassador Programs. The Raging River Conservation Group is the primary local group that can assist with stewardship of the site. 4. PARCEL DETAILS (New section added in 2018)
A. Please provide information about current and future funding targets, adding more rows if needed. Current Funding Targets (i.e. those targeted to be acquired with requested funding, and shown in red on the map described in Section 6) Parcel Number Acreage Zoning Assessed
Value1 Property Interest Sought (fee, easement, or TBD)?
2224079033 26 MP 4,000,000 Fee 2224079011 20 MP 4,940,000 Fee 2224079035 5 RA-10 60,000 Fee 2224079010 5 RA-10 235,000 Fee Future Funding Targets (i.e. those shown in yellow on the map described in Section 6) - Please list the parcel numbers here (no additional information needed): 1024079026, 1024079012, 1524079108, 1524079002, 1524079145, 1424079008, 1424079052, 1424079014, 2324079045, 1424079012, 1524079031, 1524079086, 1524079034, 1524079183, 1424079012
B. Please describe intended future use of the property. The intended future use is passive recreation.
C. Please identify if there are parts of the site you intend to use for non-CFT-eligible activities (e.g. more intensive recreational uses, or retaining a structure on a fee purchase2). What funding source do you plan to use to purchase the non-CFT eligible portion of the site? At this time, there is no intention to use the property in a way that is out of compliance with CFT policy.
1King County iMAP is a good source of information. If property is enrolled in Current Use Taxation for Forestry, the Assessor’s Office may not provide an assessed value or acreage for the parcels; feel free to note if it that is the case. 2Generally, a structure may be retained on CFT-funded fee purchase only if used for maintenance and counted within the 15% limit on impervious surfaces. A structure that is to be kept on site and used for maintenance or a non-compliant use should not be purchased with CFT funding, nor does the funding for the structure purchase count as match.
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5. PROJECT BUDGET
1) TOTAL CFT APPLICATION AMOUNTa
2) TOTAL KC PL APPLICATION AMOUNTb
CFT: $1,000,000 KC PL: $1,000,000
aAllowable CFT acquisition costs (K.C.C. 26.12.010.G): The disbursement of funds shall be made only for capital project expenditures that include costs of acquiring real property, including interests in real property, and the following costs: the cost of related relocation of eligible occupants, cost of appraisal, cost of appraisal review, costs of title insurance, closing costs, pro rata real estate taxes, recording fees, compensating tax, hazardous waste substances reports, directly related staff costs and related legal and administrative costs, but shall not include the cost of preparing applications for conservation futures funds. bKing County projects only, if requesting county share of King County Parks Levy. Estimation of property value: Briefly note how land values have been estimated (i.e., appraisal, property tax assessment, asking price, letter of value or other means). Preliminary appraisal information.
PROJECT COSTS ESTIMATED DOLLAR AMOUNT OR RANGE Total property interest value $9,235,000 Title and appraisal work $25,000 Closing, fees, taxes $25,000 Relocation NA Hazardous waste reports $25,000 Directly related staff, administration and legal costs $50,000 (includes PAO costs) Total Project Costs $9,360,000
Funding Table: (Section Revised in 2018) CFT can only provide a maximum of 50% of anticipated project costs. Please document the sources of match that you have received, or intend to seek, towards the target properties. CFT FUNDING Date Funding Secured Dollar Amount CFT Funds Requested N/A Past CFT Available (i.e. funds remaining from past awards, to be spent on current target parcels)
January 2018 $100,000
MATCH FUNDING IN HAND Sources/Status: Date Funding Secured Dollar Amount
KC PEL January 2018 $100,000 MATCH FUNDING STILL SOUGHT Sources/Status: Date Funding Anticipated Dollar Amount
RCO WWRP July 2019 $800,000 KC PEL January 2019 $1,000,000
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WADNR
203
202
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Preston
Fall City R
d SE
SE Issaquah-Fall City Rd
332n
d Ave
SE
308th
Ave S
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SE 46th St
328th Way SE
Snoqualmie River
Raging
River
Patte
rson
Cre
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Ragin
g Rive
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Tokul Creek Forest
Snoqualmie Valley Trail SiteFall City Natural Area
West Tiger Mountain NRCA
Raging River Natural Area
Fall City Park
Preston Mill
Preston Ridge Forest
Preston Athletic Fields
Griffin Creek Natural Area
Nowak Natural Area
Quigley Park
Department of Natural Resources and ParksWater and Land Resources Division
0 2,000 4,000
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Raging RiverNatural Area
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The use of the information in this map is subject to the terms and conditions found at: www.kingcounty.gov/services/gis/Maps/terms-of-use.aspx. Your access and use is conditioned on your acceptance of these terms and conditions.from the use or misuse of the information contained on this map. Any sale of this map or information on this map is prohibited except by written permission of King County.
March 1, 2018River FacilitiesStreams and Rivers
Primary Target
Secondary Target EasementSecondary Target Fee
King County EasementsPublic Land
Incorporated Area
FloodwayRivers and Lakes
2224079033
2224079011 2224079035
2224079010
Raging River Natural Area
WADNR
King CountyRoads
Presto
n Fall
City Rd S
E
328th Way SE
Preston Snoqual
mie Trail
Snoqualmie
Raging
River
Primary Target ParcelPublic LandIncorporated AreaLevees
Department of Natural Resources and ParksWater and Land Resources Division
Raging River Natural Area
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March 1, 20180 2,0001,000
Feet
Photo Year: 2017The use of the information in this map is subject to the terms and conditions found at: www.kingcounty.gov/services/gis/Maps/terms-of-use.aspx. Your access and use is conditioned on your acceptance of these terms and conditions.from the use or misuse of the information contained on this map. Any sale of this map or information on this map is prohibited except by written permission of King County.
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