Des Moines council votes to decline WSDOT offer for 6-acre parcel; grant options remain under discussion

Des Moines — At its Jan. 30, 2025 study session the Des Moines City Council voted 4-3 to decline an offer from the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) to sell a roughly 6-acre surplus parcel adjacent to S. 216th Street for $5,350,000.

The parcel was described in staff materials as separate from the Barnes Creek Trail and was rezoned to multifamily in late 2023 to help the city meet state-required housing growth targets. City staff told the council that WSDOT’s price is based on a recent appraisal and likely represents the agency’s floor; if the city declines the property, WSDOT will first offer it to abutting owners and, failing that, auction it publicly.

City Manager Tara (last name not provided in the transcript) recommended that the city not purchase the parcel because the purchase price exceeds available liquid reserves. Staff said the city’s general fund balance was $4,600,000 with about $2,000,000 immediately available and that using bond proceeds or fund balance for the acquisition would require cancelling or delaying other capital projects. The city manager also outlined a second option — applying for a King County Conservation Futures grant to keep the land as open space — but said the grant requires a 25% local match, roughly $1,330,000, and that the match funds were not currently available without impacting other commitments.

Before the final vote on the WSDOT offer, the council considered several motions. Early in the meeting a motion to direct the city manager to explore grant opportunities, “including King County Conservation Futures,” was made and adopted unanimously. Later, Council Member Grace Matsui moved to direct staff to apply for the Conservation Futures grant (including requesting a match waiver) by the Feb. 10 application deadline; that amendment failed in a 3-4 vote (in favor: Council Members Ochsiger, Grace Matsui and Harris; opposed: Deputy Mayor Steinmetz, Council Member Nutting, Council Member Mahoney and the mayor). The original motion to decline WSDOT’s offer carried 4-3 (in favor: Deputy Mayor Steinmetz, Council Member Nutting, Council Member Mahoney and the mayor; opposed: Council Member Ochsiger, Council Member Grace Matsui, Council Member Harris).

Public comment at the study session included pleas to preserve the parcel as open space. Barbara McMichael and Anne Kroeker urged the council to pursue green-space preservation and suggested partnerships — McMichael mentioned contacting the Muckleshoot Tribe and the Port of Seattle for mitigation — while other council members emphasized housing supply and the city’s fiscal constraints. Council Member Nutting said the council’s recent rezoning to multifamily reflected a prior, deliberative planning process and highlighted the city’s need for structural revenue, including ongoing tax revenue generated by development.

Staff described additional constraints and options: surface water management funds are not eligible for the Conservation Futures match; the grant application is due Feb. 10; staff could pursue a match waiver but King County’s criteria include serving underserved areas and this parcel is close to Stephen J. Underwood Park, which may reduce the parcel’s priority for a waiver. WSDOT had offered an extension on the city’s response deadline to Feb. 17 and suggested (per staff) that further extensions might be possible depending on the city’s progress in identifying funding.

Council members also asked staff to explore whether WSDOT would subdivide the parcel or adjust easements to preserve a buffer adjacent to the Barnes Creek Trail; staff said they would ask WSDOT but cautioned the agency’s priority is to dispose of surplus property efficiently. Staff noted maintenance of the property would remain WSDOT’s responsibility until conveyance or sale, and that once in city hands the parcel would be subject to the city’s surplus property and sale procedures if council later chose to sell part of it.

The vote ends the immediate option for the city to buy the entire parcel at the offered price. Staff will continue to report back to the council on options the body requests, including whether WSDOT would consider subdivision or easement changes and whether grant-match waiver paths exist.

What’s next: staff said they can ask WSDOT about subdividing the parcel and can pursue grant-application support if the council directs it; however, staff stressed that any application for the Feb. 10 Conservation Futures deadline requires that council direction tonight. The council did direct staff earlier in the meeting to explore grant opportunities generally, but did not direct staff to submit a Conservation Futures application for this specific parcel without further funding clarity.