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Anacortes staff present 2026 ACFL draft; public raises concerns about participation and maintenance funding
Summary
City staff presented the Anacortes Community Forest Lands draft update, highlighting formatting changes, management areas, trail adjustments (including potential partial closure of Trail 101), an e‑bike policy and a new science chapter. Multiple residents urged a longer comment period and stronger public participation processes.
City staff presented a draft update to the Anacortes Community Forest Lands (ACFL) plan at the Feb. 23 council meeting and invited public comment ahead of a formal hearing scheduled for Monday, March 16, 2026 at 6 p.m.
Parks staff said the draft focuses primarily on improved formatting and usability but includes several substantive items: clarified management areas and conservation easement descriptions, an executive summary, an emphasis on ADA access options, a new science chapter incorporating Transition Fidalgo citizen‑science data, and a new e‑bike policy that treats class 1 e‑bikes like conventional bicycles while treating class 2 and 3 e‑bikes as motorized for purposes of trail management.
Staff noted specific trail work proposals: elevating Trail 106 to move it away from critical areas because it serves equestrians and cyclists, and exploring the potential closure of a portion of Trail 101 where the trail is frequently inundated. Little Cranberry Lake was clarified in the draft as not including a new boat launch; ADA improvements remain a goal but the draft contains no boat‑launch provision.
The parks committee and staff said the Ship Harbor boardwalk rebuild is under design (roughly 15% complete) and that funding pursuits include Recreation and Conservation Office grants, Aquatic Lands Enhancement funds and local matching sources. Staff also reminded the public that March for Meals and senior‑meals procurement changes may affect local services after county funding ends July 1.
Public commenters pressed the council on process and funding. Mark Neuhart urged the council to hold the plan until Nov. 2027 and to adopt a new public comment process that is transparent and scalable, saying "the forest plan did not address many public comments made over a year." Richard Mellon, a volunteer trail leader, called for dedicated, ongoing funding and organized oversight for maintenance of the city’s 52 miles of trails, arguing volunteer labor alone is insufficient. Wim Hoopermans of Evergreen Islands asked the city to add a 30‑day comment period now that the draft is available.
Staff emphasized that much of the plan was produced in‑house with volunteer support, that many proposed changes would still require additional permitting and public process, and that council could request follow‑up briefings — staff recommended the scheduled public hearing on March 16 for formal comment. No final action on the plan was taken at the meeting.
