A victory for open space

Published 4:23 am Saturday, April 26, 2008

By JACINDA HOWARD, The Mirror

Federal Way and Friends of the Hylebos checked off another accomplishment.

The city council voted Tuesday to approve the purchase of 22 acres along West Hylebos Creek that will remain protected from development in future years.

After pursuing the land for more than two years, the Federal Way City Council gave staff the go-ahead in purchasing the land off Pacific Highway South near the Spring Valley Montessori School and the Spring Valley Ranch restoration site.

The property acquisition is a triumph for the city and Friends of the Hylebos, a nonprofit organization working toward preserving approximately 10 miles of land along the West Hylebos Creek from Federal Way to Commencement Bay.

The Friends had hoped for some time to see the land parcel added to its list of places that will remain open space as part of its Hylebos Creek Conservation Initiative — a project that aims to protect 745 acres of Federal Way land, said Chris Carrel, Friends of the Hylebos executive director.

“The goal of what we are trying to do is preserve and enhance a core of open space and habitat for the community and environment,” Carrel said.

The 22 acres is one of the largest pieces of property remaining on Friends of the Hylebos’ wish list, Carrel said. Along with previous purchases, it will provide an undisturbed continuous stretch of land totaling 275 acres, beginning at the West Hylebos Wetlands and proceeding south, Carrel said.

It will bring the total of protected land in Federal Way up to 422 acres — more than halfway to the Friends’ goal.

As the city continues to grow, so does the importance of retaining open space, he said. He refers to these areas as the “backbone” of Federal Way. The city’s decision to purchase the property reflects how serious it takes the preservation of the city, Carrel said.

Eyes on the prize

Federal Way has had its eye on the property since 2004, when the West Hylebos Restoration Project took place on the site, surface water manager Paul Bucich said.

“It is a property we have been interested in for some time,” Bucich said.

Its owner allowed the restoration to occur, but still sought to develop the land, Bucich said. Along with the city’s purchase offer, the owner received offers from developers — one of which was interested in making the site home to a religious high school, and another that hoped to build residential housing, Bucich said.

In its partnership with Friends of the Hylebos, the city foresaw the property instead being used for open space and passive recreation, Bucich said. Thus began the nearly three-year pursuit of the green space.

In 2005, the funding process to purchase the acreage, among others, began. King County provided $400,000 of Conservation Futures money, which was equally matched by the city in surface water funds, Bucich said. An additional $320,000 in Conservation Futures funding, which was sought by Carrel and did not require a match, was also provided by the county, Bucich said. The $1,120,000 sum must be used for land acquisition in the Hylebos Drainage area. Of this amount, approximately $194,000 was spent this year to purchase a 10.6-acre parcel near this 22-acre parcel, Bucich said.

Carrel applauds the city and King County for taking an active interest in protecting natural sites within Federal Way.

“The city council has recognized the value of preserving green space,” he said.

For residents in the Park Trails neighborhood abutting the 22 acres, the news of the city’s choice to keep the neighborhood’s natural surroundings is pleasant, Vicki Tavares said.

Tavares has lived in Park Trails for 19 years and has heard her neighbors talk about the wildlife — deer, owls, coyotes and eagles — they have seen on the land near their homes. She feels protecting the animals and their natural habitat is important, she said.

For years, Tavares has volunteered to do water sampling in the city’s waterways and wishes to see the 22 acres remain untouched, she said.

“Anytime we can preserve green space, that’s great,” Tavares said.

According to funding stipulations, the land must remain open space. Short-term, the city is focusing on solidifying its arrangement with the seller before deciding what its next step will be, Bucich said.

Looking at the acquisition from a long-term prospective, restoration work to remove invasive weeds and reforest the area is likely forecasted, Carrel said.

The city may choose to integrate this property into a trail or park system, Bucich said. However, this idea has not recently gone in front of the city council nor has it been discussed at any length, he said.

“Whatever it takes to preserve green space is OK with me as long as Friends of the Hylebos is involved in it,” Tavares said.

Contact Jacinda Howard: jhoward@fedwaymirror.corm or (253) 925-5565.

To learn more about Friends of the Hylebos or the Hylebos Creek Conservation Initiative, visit www.hylebos.org. A map of properties that have become part of the initiative is provided here.