Commission seeks clearer Milton Creek reserve boundary before asking council to reserve land

Commissioners reviewed a working map of the Milton Creek Forest Reserve, discussed ownership and practical trail routing, and agreed the next step is to have planning staff convert the commission’s sketch into a precise boundary and acreage before taking a formal request to city council.

Why it matters: The commission has discussed preserving a swath of riparian and meadowland adjacent to Milton Creek and identified high‑priority natural areas. Council members asked the commission for a clear footprint (boundary and acreage) before staff pursue a formal reservation or protection action. The footprint and prioritized subareas will be used to quantify acreage and to inform council whether the city should seek to reserve or otherwise protect specific parcels.

Discussion: Commissioner Jerry presented a working map prepared with assistance from a family member and described likely trail corridors, remnant Boise Cascade features and nearby Camas Meadow. Commissioners and staff noted uncertainties about Port of St. Helens property lines, the location of a Pacific Gas & Electric footprint and a wetland/spring area that would affect trail placement. Scott and others recommended identifying priority areas within the larger parcel rather than presenting a single large boundary; commissioners suggested breaking the area into sections (for example: 12 acres in the core, adjacent lower acreage for trail access) so council could consider staged options.

Next steps: Commissioners asked Lucas (commission volunteer) to refine the sketch into a clearer map with delineated priority zones and to bring the updated map back next month. The commission agreed that, once the map is refined, two or three commissioners would meet with city planner Jacob to convert the sketch into an official GIS footprint and acreage calculation. That official footprint will be the basis for any request to council to reserve land. Commissioners also discussed whether some areas cross Port of St. Helens property and agreed staff should verify ownership before finalizing the footprint.

Ending: The commission thanked the member who prepared the initial map and asked for a clearer, GIS‑ready map at the next meeting prior to any council action.