Spokane County to consider purchasing 80 acres on Beacon Hill for conservation

Another pocket of wildland in a rapidly developing area of Spokane County may soon be spared from the steady spread of subdivisions.

The Spokane County Commission next week will consider purchasing about 80 acres of balsam root and ponderosa pine covered land near the northern edge of Camp Sekani Park. Known as the Fancher Property, the large plot has been the number one priority property on the Conservation Futures program’s acquisition list for five years.

The land is currently owned by the state Department of Natural Resources. Spokane County first expressed interest in taking over the land in 2023. The county had applied for the land to be transferred free of charge, but Doug Chase, Spokane County Parks, Recreation and Golf director, said the state Legislature and DNR did not approve the request.

Nearly three years later, Jonathan Smith, parks real estate manager and acquisition specialist for the county, said all appraisals are done and the Conservation Futures funding needed is in hand. The county’s purchase price will be just over $2 million if approved by the commissioners next Tuesday.

As the board discussed the purchase with county employees last week, Commissioner Josh Kerns raised concerns about future maintenance costs. The county owns and maintains around 15,000 acres, including parks and Conservation Futures properties.

“Every time we buy more, I always just think, ‘Can we afford to own it?’ ” Kerns said. “Yes, we can afford to buy it, but sometimes that’s the cheapest part.”

Chase acknowledged that maintenance is getting tougher with limited funding. About 25% of the tax money collected through Conservation Futures is earmarked for maintenance, Chase said. That money can provide needed leverage when the county applies for grant funding, but the 25% only provides a “certain level of service.”

“We will do our best with what we have to work with,” Chase said.

Smith noted that county parks often relies on volunteer efforts, like the trail building and associated work done by the Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance in the Sekani and adjoining Beacon Hill area.

“That’s one of the ways we would, and we do, maintain our Conservation Futures properties,” Smith said.

Commissioner Amber Waldref inquired about any future plans to potentially connect the Fancher property to other recreation sites in the area such as Sekani and Beacon Hill.

Chase said that could be part of the five-year parks plan currently being put together.

The development in the area would likely make that difficult, as more and more subdivisions and large family plots spring up each year.

The Make Beacon Public initiative, an effort by local governments, conservation groups and outdoor enthusiasts, includes finding connections between all the preserved land in the area. Public Works director Kyle Twohig said an Avista easement with accessible trails runs diagonally, connecting the Fancher property and Camp Sekani. A savvy rider could likely work their way from one to the other on faint trails in the area.

Those involved in the Make Beacon Public effort, like Twohig who grew up nearby, are looking to find additional connections.

“This is near and dear to me, because, well, it’s my old backyard,” Twohig said.

Editor’s note: This article has been updated to accurately reflect the surname of Spokane County Parks, Recreation and Golf Director Doug Chase.