Tenino council reviews small vacant parcels, considers surplus and potential sales

Council members spent part of the work session reviewing several small vacant properties on the city inventory and asked staff to prepare recommendations about whether to declare them surplus or retain them.

The mayor led a map review and identified three items of interest: a narrow 10‑by‑100 foot strip at Sussex and Eureka that staff said appears to be an easement, a standard buildable lot at the south end of Houston Street that the county assessor lists at about $91,000, and a triangular parcel at a bus stop also showing an assessor value near $91,000. "Linda went by there and said it looks like it's an easement," one council member said; staff agreed and flagged the entry for further title and use checks.

Council members discussed buildability and flood‑plain concerns; staff reported not seeing flood‑plain notation on county maps. Several members noted local market context: a nearby older manufactured home recently sold at about $110,000. The mayor asked councilmembers to review maps and said the council will decide at the next meeting whether to put parcels on the market, keep them, or consider alternative public uses.

Members also revisited a long‑standing idea of using the triangular McArthur Park parcel for a dog park. Staff and council cautioned that moving from an informal dog‑walking area to a formally designated dog park involves regulations and likely fencing and maintenance responsibilities.

Council asked that staff confirm property classifications (easement vs. fee title), verify assessor values and constraints, and return with a recommendation at the next meeting.