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College Place council approves de‑annexation to preserve Hay Shaker Farm
Summary
The council approved Ordinance No. 25‑007 to de‑annex Hay Shaker Farm to Blue Mountain Resources LLC/Blue Mountain Land Trust; the land trust says it bought the property to preserve farming and plans a conservation easement and third‑party farm tenancy.
The College Place City Council voted Tuesday to approve an ordinance de‑annexing Hay Shaker Farm (329 SW 12th Street) and transferring the property to Blue Mountain Resources LLC, a single‑member LLC controlled by Blue Mountain Land Trust.
City staff described the de‑annexation request as consistent with RCW provisions that support removing agricultural lands from city limits to protect ongoing farm uses. Blue Mountain Land Trust’s executive director Amanda Martino told the council the nonprofit purchased the property to protect farmland and maintain food‑production uses. “We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit land trust ... our mission is to protect the lands and waters of the Blue Mountains for people, agriculture, and wildlife,” Martino said.
Fraser Moore, conservation manager for the land trust, said the organization acquired the farm using a low‑interest loan from the Washington Housing Commission and conservation easement funding from the Washington Conservation Commission. He said the purchase was a condition of some funding and that the trust intends to place a conservation easement on the property and continue farm operations through third‑party tenants. “We purchased Hay Shaker Farm because we wanted to protect the wonderful community asset that the farm provides,” Moore said.
Council discussion and rationale: staff and council members noted the parcel is on the outskirts of the city and would be costly to develop because of sewer‑service constraints (a lift station would be needed), making it difficult to “pencil” as a development project. Staff also said de‑annexation would allow reallocation of urban growth area (UGA) capacity to other parts of the city. Council members voiced support for preserving a local farm and for the land trust’s stewardship plans.
Legal and funding notes: staff referenced RCW 35A.10.040 (de‑annexation of agricultural lands) and said the trust’s funding required de‑annexation in order to secure conservation easement dollars. The land trust said it intends to place a permanent conservation easement on the property to prevent subdivision and non‑agricultural development.
Outcome: the council closed the public hearing after testimony from land trust representatives and unanimously adopted Ordinance No. 25‑007 to de‑annex the property to Blue Mountain Resources LLC. The land trust said Hay Shaker Farm will continue to operate as a farm and serve the community.
