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Bellevue parks staff announce near‑term closing on 12.2‑acre Coal Creek acquisition; city will preserve land as open space
Summary
Parks Director reported the city is finalizing purchase of a 12.2‑acre parcel near the Red Town trailhead for roughly $19.1 million, with $9.2 million in county Conservation Futures Tax funds committed; staff said the site will be preserved as open space with only limited interim trail improvements and no immediate major development.
Bellevue Parks Director Shiozaki and staff told the Parks and Community Services Board on Jan. 8 that the city is close to completing the purchase of a 12.2‑acre property adjacent to Coal Creek Natural Area and Cougar Mountain Regional Wildlands Park.
Director Shiozaki said staff and partners have been negotiating with the private owner for many years and expect to close the transaction in late January. The purchase price reported by staff was about $19,100,000; the county’s Conservation Futures Tax (CFT) program has committed $9,200,000 to the acquisition and staff said additional county CFT funds may be available to help defray city costs.
Shiozaki described the land as a key parcel that connects Bellevue’s Coal Creek Natural Area to the larger regional wildland complex and said the city intends to preserve the property as open space and wildlife habitat. Staff noted the city had the opportunity to acquire the property below appraised value, and several staff and community partners — including the Trust for Public Land and county conservation partners — were credited for helping secure the outcome.
The director said the city may perform limited interim trail and resource‑protection work but is “years away” from any major development such as parking or buildings; staff said the city plans to allow natural resource management and passive public access in the near term.
Board members praised the acquisition. Shiozaki and colleagues said closing is expected by the end of January but that the city does not yet own the property and that additional funding and procedural steps were still being completed.
Ending: The board welcomed the acquisition as a long‑term conservation win for Bellevue; staff will return with final closing details and any interim management plans once the purchase is complete.
