Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Island County approves cooperative agreement with Whidbey Camano Land Trust to pursue buyouts of seven DNR leased trust lands
Summary
The Board of Island County Commissioners unanimously approved a cooperative agreement and an interagency agreement with the Washington Department of Natural Resources to begin appraisals and funding efforts to acquire seven leased trust-land properties so they can remain in public conservation use.
Island County commissioners on July 15 approved a cooperative agreement with the Whidbey Camano Land Trust and a separate interagency agreement with the Washington Department of Natural Resources to begin appraisals and pursue fee‑simple acquisition of seven leased trust‑land transfer properties.
The agreements, approved unanimously, authorize the land trust to begin work on behalf of the county, including paying a $35,000 initial appraisal deposit to DNR to start valuations for four 50‑year leased properties that remain subject to long leases. Ryan Elting, director of the Whidbey Camano Land Trust, told the commissioners the work aims to “permanently protect leased trust lands for ecological values and other public benefits.”
County staff and the land trust explained the urgency: Island County is the next jurisdiction on DNR’s list to decide whether to pursue buyouts; if the county declines now, it could be another decade before the county’s turn comes…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
