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Parks seeks $25,000 deposit to pursue a 78‑acre DNR parcel; commissioners to consider interagency agreement
Summary
Spokane County Parks asked the Board to authorize an interagency agreement and a $25,000 deposit to pursue acquisition of a 78‑acre Department of Natural Resources parcel near Northwood through the Conservation Futures process and DNR Trust Land Transfer program.
Spokane County Parks told the Board of County Commissioners on Feb. 18 that it ranked a 78‑acre Department of Natural Resources (DNR) parcel north of Kempley (near Northwood) as the top acquisition priority in the county’s Conservation Futures list and is seeking authorization to enter an interagency agreement and submit a $25,000 deposit to pursue transfer.
Parks Director Doug Chase and staff explained the deposit pays for DNR’s due diligence and is the first step in a process that will include appraisals and parallel due diligence by both agencies. The parcel is adjacent to several existing public recreation properties (Camp Saucony, Beacon Hill, Shields Park and others) and could help expand contiguous open space and trail connections if the transfer is completed.
Parks staff said the property was nominated repeatedly and scored highly in the county’s competitive conservation fund process; the adjacent HOA has also committed to providing a public access easement on the south boundary to improve access. Parks noted that DNR’s prior round of Trust Land Transfer awards favored tribal nominations in the last cycle and that the county’s approach in this round is to pursue DNR transfer as well as Conservation Futures funding.
The board was asked to authorize a resolution approving an interagency agreement with DNR and to provide the $25,000 deposit as the next step; Parks said the county would not pay more than appraised value if the acquisition proceeds and would return with a purchase and sale agreement if due diligence and appraisals support the purchase.
Ending: The request will return to the board with appraisal and purchase terms for formal consideration if DNR’s due diligence and subsequent appraisals support acquisition.
