CONSERVATION FUTURES TAX LEVY (CFT) APPLICATION FOR 2021 FUNDS

Project Name: Raging River Natural Area Project Location: Unincorporated King County (Preston/Fall City) (e.g. City Name or “Unincorporated King County”) Applicant’s Agency or Organization Name: King County Proposed Project Acreage: 41.88 CFT Funding Request: $2,130,000 (Identify the acreage targeted under this year’s funding request) (Dollar amount of CFT award requested) Total Project Acreage:41.88 KC PL Funding Request: $2,130,000 (Estimate total acreage at project completion for multi-year projects) (King County projects only: dollar amount of KC Parks Levy requested) Seeking a match waiver? ☐ Yes ☒ No Total Funding Request: $4,260,000 (If yes, applicant must submit “Supplemental Form #1.) (Sum of CFT + KCPL requests above) Type of Acquisition(s): ☒ Fee Title ☒ Easement ☐ Fee or easement TBD ☐ Other: King County Council District in which project is located1: 3 WRIA/watershed in which project is located2: 7

APPLICANT CONTACT INFORMATION Contact Name: Andrea Mojzak Phone:206-263-7934 Title: Snoqualmie Basin Steward Email: [email protected] Address:201 S. Jackson St, Seattle, WA Date:3/4/2020

SECTION 1. PROJECT SUMMARY Please summarize your project in the space below.

King County proposes adding 41 acres over three parcels to the Raging River Natural Area (RRNA). This request is for the funds to complete the purchase of one 26-acre parcel zoned for mining and one 5-acre rural residential parcel associated with the adjacent active quarry site. Additionally, King County seeks funding to purchase a conservation easement over 11 acres of a third parcel that would complete the conservation of the habitat associated with the Raging River Quarry. This addition to the RRNA will have multiple benefits for numerous fish and wildlife species and will also protect the integrity of aquatic and terrestrial habitat, habitat-forming processes and water quality. The sites host a diversity of habitats including: a mixed mature second growth forest of coniferous and deciduous trees and healthy understory with numerous downed trees and snags, a very productive tributary to the with a natural shoreline and floodplain, a tributary to the Raging River and an upland wetland fed by underground seeps. The two RRQ parcels capture approximately 2,200 feet of the west side of the Raging River and an additional 950 feet of both sides of a steep tributary to the Raging River. The Raging River supports 5 of the 9 salmonid species in the Snohomish Basin, including: (a.) Endangered Species Act (ESA)-listed Chinook salmon and steelhead trout, (b.) species of concern coho and chum salmon, and (c.) cutthroat trout. The Raging River plays a significant role in the recovery of Chinook salmon; roughly 20% of the Snoqualmie Chinook population spawn in the Raging River.

1 King County Council District information here: https://www.kingcounty.gov/council/councilmembers/find_district.aspx 2 Find WRIA (“watershed resource inventory area”) here: https://www5.kingcounty.gov/kcgisreports/wrialookup.aspx

Application – Page 1

This acquisition will protect valuable forest cover and provide opportunities for future trail connections between Fall City, Preston and the Mitchell Hill area. We are in communication with State DNR (WADNR) to determine if there is a possibility for the County to purchase a conservation easement on the RRQ and have WADNR hold the underlying fee.

SECTION 2. OPEN SPACE RESOURCES  Before answering Sections 2 & 3, please review “Application Evaluation Criteria.”  Please mark an “X” in the checkbox for each criterion that applies to your project.  For each criterion you marked, briefly describe in the space below how the project would meet that criterion. If relevant, consider the landscape setting and/or planned restoration actions. ☒ A. Wildlife habitat or rare plant reserve ☐ F. Urban passive-use natural area/greenbelt ☒ B. Salmon habitat and aquatic resources ☒ G. Park, open space, or natural corridor addition ☒ C. Scenic resources ☒ H. Passive recreation opportunity in area with unmet needs ☐ D. Community separator ☐ I. Project that seeks to redress historic disparities in access ☐ E. Historic/cultural resources to open space in opportunity areas

Wildlife habitat or rare plant reserve: This project will benefit a number of wildlife species, including pileated woodpecker, pygmy owl, common merganser, amphibians and other species that utilize the numerous habitats found on these properties. The forested hillsides of the Raging River provide habitat for elk, bobcat, black bear, and cougar. Chinook salmon are the primary prey species of the southern resident orca population, which is listed as Endangered under ESA, while Chinook salmon are listed as threatened. Protection and restoration of Chinook habitat on these types of properties is therefore critical for both salmon and orca recovery efforts, as specified in the 2019 Governor’s Task Force Report.

Salmon habitat and aquatic resources: It is estimated that roughly 20% of Chinook in the Snoqualmie River system spawn in the Raging River. The Basin Salmon Conservation Plan calls out the Raging River as one of the highest priority basins in the Snohomish River basin for Chinook and steelhead. The primary emphasis of the salmon recovery strategy is to protect and restore rearing and refuge habitat for salmonids. The table below captures the species and life histories present in the Raging River. Species Life History Stage Present Unique Population Chinook Adult spawning, sub-yearling rearing & yearling rearing Snoqualmie River Fall Chinook Steelhead Adult spawning, sub-yearling rearing & yearling rearing Snoqualmie Winter Steelhead Bull Trout/Dolly Varden Sub adult/Adult rearing/foraging Coho Adult spawning and juvenile rearing Pink Adult spawning and brief juvenile rearing Chum Adult spawning and brief juvenile rearing

Scenic resources: The RRQ property has views from the river to the mountain top. This property captures scenic views up and down the Raging River and has spectacular views of the Cascade Mountains. The Preston Fall City Road parallels the Raging River from Preston to Fall City. It is one of the more scenic segments of road in the County. This project will preserve 31 acres of mostly forested property along this scenic corridor.

Park, open space, or natural corridor addition: This acquisition provides an excellent addition to an existing network of public ownership in the Raging River basin. Much of the basin is in public ownership: o 15,033 of 21,300 total acres (71%). o 11.3 miles of waterways

Application – Page 2

This acquisition will leverage many years of conservation and restoration projects in this basin and, more broadly, in the Snoqualmie watershed. These parcels are adjacent to the King County Preston-Fall City Regional Trail, the RRNA and WADNR land and in close proximity to other protected lands

Passive recreation opportunity/unmet need: The RRQ property provides an opportunity to create trail connections that link the County’s Regional Trail System to Fall City. The RRQ property is adjacent to the Snoqualmie Preston Trail and WADNR land and provides an opportunity to expand a trail network in this corridor. King County and WADNR are engaging the public on a trail plan for the Mitchell Hill area which includes connections across State and County lands. The RRQ property is potentially a valuable link from the Preston – Snoqualmie regional trail to a future Mitchell Hill trail system.

SECTION 3. ADDITIONAL FACTORS  Please mark an “X” in the checkbox for each criterion that applies to your project.  For each criterion you marked, briefly describe in the space below how the project would meet that criterion. If relevant, consider the landscape setting and/or planned restoration actions. ☒ A. Educational/interpretive opportunity ☒ B. Impact to open space resources ☒ C. Feasibility: ownership complexity/willing seller(s)/community support ☒ D. Describe any public or private partnerships that will enhance this project ☒ E. Is the property identified in an adopted park, open space, comprehensive, or community plan? ☐ F. Transferable Development Rights (TDR) participation

Educational/interpretive opportunity: The RRQ property’s proximity to the Raging River and the Preston - Snoqualmie Trail will provide many opportunities for various interpretive facilities including signage, kiosks and self- guided interpretive trail loops that could teach visitors about the Raging River basin. Educational opportunities could be provided by hosting volunteer events for restoration, trail construction and maintenance. In addition, members of local conservation groups could become “park ambassadors” and lead tours of the site talking about the natural and cultural history of the area. The smaller residential property upstream is adjacent to the YMCA of Seattle property. We worked with the YMCA on restoration and education endeavors in the past and hope to provide another education opportunity with this target parcel.

Impact to open space resources: The RRQ property is adjacent to an active mine. The owners of the active mine have an application to expand operations into this adjacent 26-acre target parcel. If this permit is granted, the resource will be substantially degraded, from both logging operations to clear the land and then mining of the site. These actions will have dramatic adverse impacts to fish and wildlife that utilize the site in addition to water quality impacts. The adjacent 5-acre parcel is also at risk of development as a highly coveted riverfront property once the mining operations cease.

Feasibility: The owner of the Raging River Quarry is a willing seller. He currently has a pending application for expansion and is anticipating our offer for a purchase. He is also committed to expanding operations onto the adjacent forested parcel if we are unable to acquire these parcels. King County is working with The Trust for Public Land on this acquisition. They are helping with landowner negotiations due to the sensitive nature of trying to buy land that has a current application for a County permit and as a buy and hold approach.

Public private partnerships: This is a multi-objective project that will benefit salmon recovery and provide a footprint connecting local trails with the Snoqualmie Valley Trail. We are working with WADNR and various communities in the area on possible trail connections. Once the land is acquired, we will also work with several local non-profit organizations such as the Raging River Conservation Group and Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust to conduct restoration as needed.

Identified in adopted plans: The Salmon Plan lists the Raging River in the “primary restoration sub-basin strategy group” with the highest priorities for ecological recovery being:

Application – Page 3

o Preservation along focused reaches – Specifically, acquisition to prevent further floodplain development, to maintain opportunities for the river to migrate and to protect intact riparian forests and off-channel habitats where they are not currently protected.

o Preservation to support hydrologic and sediment processes – Specifically, protection of the underlying watershed conditions that create and maintain habitat over the long-term.

The Snohomish Basin Protection Plan further identifies the Raging River headwaters as ranking moderately high in importance to the basin’s hydrology.

This acquisition is listed as the Raging River Bridge to Bridge acquisition in the Salmon Plan’s Four Year Work plan (#07-MPR-204).

King County’s Strategic Climate Action Plan calls for conservation and restoration of forest resources. In addition, both the King County Comprehensive Plan and the 2016 King County Open Space Plan contain policies that direct acquisition, planning, and stewardship of public open space lands.

Community support for these acquisitions is documented in the Fall City Land Acquisition and Community Outreach Project Report.

Acquisition of lands to connect the Mitchell Hill Forest to Preston Ridge Forest and WADNR lands is a recommendation in the County’s draft Mitchell Forest Plan, and a key recommendation in the recently completed WADNR Concept Snoqualmie Recreation Corridor Plan.

Application – Page 4

SECTION 4. PARCEL DETAILS A. Please provide information about the parcels that are current funding targets, as shown in red on your maps.  No need to list information on the future potential funding targets that are shown in yellow on your maps.  You can find this information on the “Assessor’s Report/Property Details” accessed through King County iMap (https://gismaps.kingcounty.gov/iMap/). Add more rows if needed. Parcel Property Number Assessor’s Assessor’s Estimated Cost Interest (do not use “Appraised “Appraised to Purchase Sought (fee, hyphen, e.g., Land Improvements Desired Property easement, or 1234567890) Acreage Zoning3 Value”4 Value” Interest TBD) 2224079033 25.83 MP $331,000 $0 $4,720,000* Fee 2224079035 5.05 RA-10 $241,000 $0 $0** Fee 2224079011 11 MP $288,000 $0 $2,000,000 Easement

*Total cost estimate was $4,720,000 for which only $2,260,000 is needed to complete the final acquisition. **The appraiser did not delineate a specific value for this parcel as it not useable at this time as a residential property while the mine is in operation. It benefits the mine as a buffer only.

B. How did you estimate the cost to purchase parcels? (e.g., appraisal, estimate from assessor’s values, etc.).

The estimated cost to purchase were provided by an appraisal.

C. Describe project readiness, urgency, and potential to phase funding over multiple years.

The owner of the Raging River Quarry is a willing seller. He currently has a pending application for expansion and is anticipating our offer for a purchase. He is also committed to expanding operations onto the adjacent forested parcel if we are unable to acquire these parcels. We are working with The Trust for Public Land on this acquisition. They are helping with landowner negotiations due to the sensitive nature of trying to buy land that has a current application for a County permit and as a buy and hold approach.

The RRQ property is adjacent to an active mine. The owners of the active mine have an application to expand operations into this adjacent 26-acre target parcel. If this permit is granted, the resource will be substantially degraded, from both logging operations to clear the land and then mining of the site. These actions will have dramatic adverse impacts to fish and wildlife that utilize the site in addition to water quality impacts. The adjacent 5-acre parcel is also at risk of development as a highly coveted riverfront property once the mining operations cease.

D. Are any parcels enrolled in the Current Use Taxation program, a voluntary conservation program? 5 No.

SECTION 5. PROPERTY USE, STEWARDSHIP, AND MAINTENANCE A. What is the intended future use of the property (e.g., passive recreation, habitat restoration, timber management, agricultural production)? Will this land be available for public use?

The intended future use is habitat protection and passive recreation which will be available for public use and may include trails outside of buffers and critical areas.

3 Please explain the zoning designation if it is hard to understand (usually most important for urban zoning designations) 4 Parcels enrolled in Current Use Taxation for “Forestry” may not have a valid “appraised land value” or acreage. 5 Visit www.kingcounty.gov/incentives, and use the “Interactive Map” to check enrollment for your target parcel(s).

Application – Page 5

B. How will the property be stewarded and maintained, and using what funding? Does the property lend itself to volunteer stewardship opportunities or community participation?

Once the purchase is complete, the properties will be stewarded and maintained by King County Parks, funded out of the operating budget. The condition of the properties require minimal initial stewardship. The properties could provide a fantastic volunteer stewardship opportunity once the vision of the entire training facility and trail connections can be realized because there could be nearby facilities for a meeting location, parking and bathrooms.

C. What are the biggest challenges you anticipate in managing this site?

The grouping of parcels is adjacent to the Preston-Snoqualmie Trail so there is a chance that the public may utilize this new acreage for unapproved uses such as ATV use or camping.

D. Will you be purchasing and demolishing any structures on the target parcel(s)? Explain why this is necessary.

No.

E. Do you intend to hold out any part of the site for non-CFT-eligible activities, such as intensive recreation or retaining a structure on a fee purchase? (Funds used for that purchase can’t count as CFT match.)

No.

Application – Page 6

SECTION 6. PROJECT BUDGET

FUNDING REQUEST REQUESTED AMOUNT CFT Funding Request $ 2,130,000 KC Parks Levy (PL) Request (county projects only) $ 2,130,000 TOTAL FUNDING REQUEST $ 4,260,000

TOTAL ESTIMATED PROJECT COSTS Use this table to estimate the total cost to purchase the parcels that are the current funding targets ESTIMATED PROJECT COSTS ESTIMATED DOLLAR AMOUNT OR RANGE $4,200,000 (*to complete the estimated purchase Total property interest value price) Title and appraisal work $20,000 Closing, fees, taxes $20,000 Relocation costs $0 Hazardous waste/environmental reports $2,000 Directly related staff, administration and legal costs $18,000 TOTAL ESTIMATED PROJECT COSTS $4,260,000 *Total cost estimate to complete the purchase of the fee parcels and the conservation easement is $6,516,000, but $4,260,000 is the total estimated to complete the purchase.

MATCH What type of match will you be providing? ☒ Cash match ☐ Land match6 ☐ Match waiver requested (must submit Supplemental Form #1)

If you are providing cash match, please complete this table. Cash Match – Secured (list sources) Date Funding Secured Dollar Amount

Cash Match – Still Sought (list sources) Date Funding Anticipated Dollar Amount Parks Levy 2020 Dec 2020 $2,130,000

If you are providing land match, please complete this table (add rows if necessary). Land Match Parcel # Value Already acquired? Details (funding source, timing, etc.) ☐ Yes ☐No

OTHER FUNDING Do you have any funding that will contribute to the purchase, which you have not already listed above?

Yes, funds listed below have been spent on Phase 1 of the purchase, $2,456,000. This request is for the remaining funds to complete the transactions (fee purchase and conservation easement).

6 Land match is described on Page ii of “Instructions and Conditions.” Typically this is donated land, or the cash value of recent open space purchases. Land match should be directly linked to the property under application and meet CFT conditions.

Application – Page 7

CFT Bond 19: $1,228,000 KC Parks Levy 19: $1,228,000 CFT 18: $100,000 KC Parks Levy 18: $100,000

Application – Page 8

SECTION 7. BOND FUNDING POTENTIAL  These factors may make projects more competitive for bond funds (some projects may be a better fit for annual funds).  Please mark the checkboxes for the criteria that apply to the current target parcels.  For each criterion you marked, briefly describe in the space below how the project would meet that criterion. ☒ A. Acquisition can occur in late 2020 or early 2021 ☒ B. Transaction is highly likely to be successful ☐ C. Match is secured, or will be secured by late 2020 or early 2021 ☒ D. Property purchased in fee will not be leased or surplused/sold for private benefit

Acquisition can occur in late 2020 or early 2021: The Trust for Public Land (TPL) has purchased the two fee- parcels and will be ready to complete the transaction once funds are secure. The Conservation Easement may not be able to happen as quickly.

Transaction is highly likely to be successful: See note above.

Property purchased in fee will not be leased or surplused/sold for private benefit: The property purchased in fee will be used immediately as parklands for King County and will stay with King County in perpetuity.

Application – Page 9

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