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City staff outline $2.1 million King County grant to preserve Seuss Creek Botanical Gardens
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Summary
Auburn staff told council a King County Conservation Futures grant of about $2.1 million would let the city purchase and protect the 23-acre Seuss Creek Botanical Gardens, with deed restrictions to preserve open space and a foundation to manage operations; the city would own specified buildings while the foundation would operate them.
Daniel Galk presented a proposal to use King County Conservation Futures funding to acquire and preserve Seuss Creek Botanical Gardens. He told the council the city applied in the spring and that King County staff recommended the project; the county’s recent budget included the grant recommendation to purchase the property.
The presentation said the roughly 23-acre site contains unique, often rare plant species, a heritage center of local history, rental parcels that currently support operations and a main house and pavilion. Galk said the grant award is “just about $2,100,000,” and noted that the city also applied for a separate $250,000 stabilization grant to allow demolition of an old mobile home on the site.
Under the proposed approach, the city would take ownership of the open-space parcels and some buildings but impose a deed restriction to preserve the open areas in perpetuity. City staff said the city would not take on routine maintenance of gardens and plantings; instead, the Seuss Creek Botanical Garden Foundation would hold an endowment and operate programming. Staff emphasized that agreements will be required so the city owns property but is not responsible for day-to-day maintenance.
Councillors asked whether the city would be left with maintenance obligations if the foundation dissolved. Galk and legal staff said that if a foundation were to dissolve, the conserved land would revert to natural open space and that operating and maintenance agreements are being drafted to limit direct city maintenance responsibilities. Staff also said rental revenue parcels would likely remain in the foundation’s control to help fund ongoing operations.
What happens next: staff will complete purchase-and-sale paperwork and interlocal agreement updates with King County; the county funds become available in the new year and the city will return with the required operating and maintenance agreements before closing.
