Top Natural Areas Sought For Tax Buys Civic And County Officials Seek Residents’ Recommendations For ‘Conservation Futures’

A small lake, an old rail bed and a canyon popular with horse riders are among the properties people want Spokane County to preserve with their tax dollars.

Residents voted in November to continue the “conservation futures” tax. Now, Spokane civic and county officials are asking for suggestions of natural areas suitable for purchase with the tax.

Nominations will be accepted through March 18, the date of the first of four public hearings planned to hear what the public thinks of the suggested purchases. County parks manager Wyn Birkenthal expects to get more ideas at the meetings.

Since adopting the tax in 1994, the county - which under state law administers the money - has collected about $3.6 million. It has spent $1.7 million to buy 507 acres at four sites.

The purchases include a grove of cedar trees that were slated for logging; 8 acres adjacent to Rimrock Park; a mile and a half of remote Long Lake shoreline; and 2 acres near Riverside State Park.

The county is in prolonged negotiations with the owners of two other parcels: 820 acres near the Dishman Hills Natural Area and 20 acres along the Little Spokane River.

November’s vote means the tax will continue another five years. It should net more than $1 million a year.

“We want everyone who knows of a piece of property to bring it to our attention,” said Birkenthal.

The Spokane city parks department is reviewing land along Hangman Creek and the Spokane River that it coveted in the past but couldn’t afford to buy, said Paul Crutchfield, parks department administrator.

“And we’re hoping that citizens will give us some new ideas, as well,” Crutchfield said.

Birkenthal and Crutchfield are asking those making nominations to complete an extensive form that includes the name of the landowner and a detailed description of the property. They’re also asked to submit color slides or prints, as well as a map from the county assessor’s office.

“If staff were to do all that work on every nomination, we’d need three or four conservation futures planners,” said Birkenthal. As it is, no member of the Spokane County parks staff works on the program full time.

Parcels will be judged by parks staff, state biologists and the citizens committee, based on a number of criteria, such as their importance to wildlife and the threat of development. Land is ruled out if the owner isn’t willing to sell.

The committee is comprised of both city and county residents. Its recommendations go to the county parks advisory board, which will suggest to county commissioners which parcels the county should try to buy first. Only then can negotiations begin.

Birkenthal hopes to complete that lengthy process by the end of June but concedes it could take longer depending on the number of parcels nominated.

“You don’t know if you’re going to have to review 20 properties or 120,” he said.

Among the parcels people have suggested so far:

A canyon surrounding about two miles of Deep Creek. An abandoned dirt road through the canyon is popular with horse riders.

The remaining portions of a rail bed that used to link Spokane with Medical Lake.

The right-of-way is broken in several places, but with detours could still provide a trail between the two communities, Birkenthal said. Buying the land would be complicated, since different sections are owned by different people.

Land surrounding a 40-acre lake near Cheney.

County officials have not contacted any of the landowners of any of the suggested parcels and does not know whether any are available for purchase.

, DataTimes MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: Opinions Spokane city and county officials will accept written suggestions for land purchases through March 18. For a nomination form, or assistance completing one, call 456-4730.