Follow-Up Request for Input: Conservation Easement

The DWA Board of Directors seeks additional input from Shareholders.

A representative from King County Parks attended the DWA Board meeting on Saturday, January 25 to discuss their offer to purchase a conservation easement on DWA-owned property on SW 268th St. and to answer questions. A Zoom recording of the discussion is available for review. Shareholders may also refer to the previous post on the DWA website for additional background information.

Summary of Update from King County Parks

Highlights of the conversation include the following:

• • King County Parks has a goal to preserve 60,000 acres of natural area by 2050.
  • King County Parks provides 50% of the funds to either purchase land or conservation easements. King County Parks applies for matching funds from King County Conservation Futures.
  • King County Parks has offered to purchase a conservation easement – rather than offering to purchase the land – to allow DWA to maintain access and the right to a future well site. They would not grant an easement to DWA to build a well if they purchased the land outright.
  • The intent of the conservation easement is to preserve trees and surface water.
  • King County Parks plans for a single, “in-out” walking trail through the property from SW 268th St to the network of trails on the Manzanita Natural Area.
  • King County Parks would be responsible for maintenance of the trail and safety (removing downed trees across the trail, hazard trees near the trail, etc.).
  • No parking lot would be installed on the DWA-owned property.

Shareholders are asked to complete this follow-up survey after attending the meeting or reviewing the recording.

Please complete the survey by February 17. Your input will help guide the Board’s discussion at the next monthly meeting on February 22. Responses are collected for informational purposes only, and are non-binding. Questions for King County Parks will be forwarded to them.

This survey is NOT an official vote by Shareholders.

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Summary of Results from Initial Survey

A previous survey asked for initial input from Shareholders. The follow-up survey is intended to capture any change in Shareholder opinion, and new or on-going concerns that should be addressed. A summary of results from the previous survey (conducted before the meeting) is below.

DWA received 59 responses to the initial survey about the conservation easement; 23 responses were submitted online and the remaining 36 were paper copies returned to the office. 

By and large, Shareholders were strongly in favor of the easement but had meaningful questions for King County Parks and the DWA Board of Directors. Survey results indicate the following:

• • Shareholders were in favor of selling the conservation easement. There were 41 responses that supported or strongly supported the easement; nine (9) responses were neutral; seven (7) responses opposed or strongly opposed the easement. This was not an official vote, but is an indication of general inclination.
  • Shareholders indicated it was very important to retain the right to install a well, restrict residential development and protect green space/natural area. Maintaining DWA ownership of the property was mixed. The least important considerations were to get the highest price and provide public access. A summary list of results and graphs are below.
  • Shareholders’ questions for King County Parks mostly asked what the county intends to do with property, with a few repeated questions about whether there will be a parking lot or trails, and how it would be integrated into the Manzanita Natural Area.
  • Shareholders’ questions for the Board primarily were about how the funds will be used and whether/how rates will be reduced. Other repeated comments/questions reiterated the importance of being able to install a well, protecting a clean water source, and wondering why the Board is considering/discussing this easement at this time. There were also questions about liability and whether DWA would be responsible if someone was injured.

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Data from Initial Survey

Shareholders were asked to rank how they felt about the possibility of selling the conservation easement, from 1 (strongly oppose) to 5 (strongly support). Results follow (rounded to the nearest percent):

• • 28 (48%) strongly support
  • 13 (22%) support
  • 9 (15%) neutral
  • 2 (3%) oppose
  • 5 (9%) strongly oppose
  • 2 (3%) did not respond

Shareholders were asked to rate the importance of various factors that could be impacted by a conservation easement. A list of results is below, followed by graphs to further illustrate the results (not all results equal 100% due to blanks/other responses):

• • Retain right to install well: 85% very important, 12% somewhat important, 3% not important
  • Maintain DWA ownership: 55% very important, 24% somewhat important, 17% not important 
  • Maximize financial yield: 35% very important, 36% somewhat important, 24% not important
  • Protect green space: 67% very important, 26% somewhat important, 7% not important
  • Provide public access: 20% very important, 41% somewhat important, 36% not important
  • Restrict residential development: 75% very important, 11% somewhat important, 12% not important