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Parks board moves to add Dungeness Trails to master plan, flags safety and upkeep needs
Summary
The Parks Advisory Board advanced a proposal to add the recently memorialized Dungeness Trails property to the county parks master plan and discussed near-term life-safety, parking and maintenance needs that would require capital and operational resources.
The Clallam County Parks Advisory Board voted to proceed with adding Dungeness Trails County Park to the county parks master plan and reviewed initial capital and operational needs for the site.
Board members and staff said the inclusion is intended to allow the county to apply park standards and to make the property eligible for grants and formal county maintenance. "When we make our final selection, that information will be made to the public," a staff member said during the meeting, referring to the public reporting that will follow the formal amendment process. The board emphasized that memorializing the site in the plan does not mean it will immediately be brought up to all park standards.
Why it matters: adding the property to the master plan is a procedural step that enables county oversight and access to capital or grant funding. Board members pressed staff on what routine maintenance and safety work would be required, and whether volunteers would be expected to shoulder ongoing upkeep. Staff described short-term tasks such as weekly litter pickup, addressing fly dumping, and managing unsafe roadside parking at a blind corner.
Board discussion focused on priorities and limits of county resources. One board member said volunteers who have helped maintain trails will remain "supplemental," and staff replied that regular vehicle access, equipment and some staff time will be needed to address safety and operational tasks. Board members asked for clarification of when capital funding or staffing would be required; staff said no capital allocation had been previously set aside and that changes will be captured in the 2026 capital planning process.
The board also discussed the phrasing and punctuation for the park name in meeting minutes and the master plan amendment materials to ensure the site is recorded as Dungeness Trails County Park.
Next steps: staff will prepare the amendment language for the chapter of the master plan that lists parks and will bring it back to the board next month for review ahead of the formal process required by county code. Board members signaled they want to consider grant timelines and potential capital requests tied to the amendment.
