Council Town Hall to discuss Mountains to Sound Greenway

April 24, 2009

Summary

Story

The Mountains to Sound Greenway stretches over 100 miles along I-90 from the waterfront in Seattle all the way to Central Washington. It includes forests, farms, historic sites, lakes, campgrounds, rivers, trails, wildlife habitat and local communities. Since 1990, a public-private coalition has preserved over 200,000 acres in the Greenway for education, recreation, and environmental stewardship.

Mountains to Sound Greenway Wednesday, May 6 6 p.m. – Public Reception 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. – Program South Bellevue Comm. Center 14509 SE Newport Way, Bellevue

On Wednesday, May 6, the King County Council will be in Bellevue for a Town Hall Meeting on the Greenway. A diverse group of stakeholders will discuss the current preservation efforts, the Greenway’s history and regional importance, and the major challenges facing the Greenway.

“The Greenway cleans our air, provides habitat for wildlife and salmon, and gives us a place for hiking, fishing, and enjoying the beauty of our region,” said Councilmember Reagan Dunn, district host for the Town Hall. “We owe it to future generations to preserve this Northwest jewel. Someday, I hope to bring my son fishing on the Raging River property my legislation would protect.”

“Population growth and increased demand for resources will continue to place new pressures on the Greenway,” said Councilmember Bob Ferguson, chair of the Council’s Committee of the Whole. “This town hall provides citizens with the opportunity to discuss their vision for the Greenway.”

Dunn is the prime sponsor of pending Council legislation to appropriate $2.7 million from the county’s Conservation Futures Fund to help buy a conservation easement on 4,000 acres of land in the Greenway. The land is part of a 7,000 acre property that is being purchased by the state Department of Natural Resources. King County’s contribution would make the purchase financially feasible for the state while preserving one of the largest remaining blocks of available open space in the Greenway. This legislation is currently before Ferguson’s Committee of the Whole, and a hearing is scheduled for next week.

Click for larger map (600K)

The Conservation Futures program is funded by a dedicated revenue stream supported by a voter-approved levy to purchase open space lands throughout King County. These funds cannot be used to support the county’s general fund, which faces a projected $50 million shortfall for 2010.

The Town Hall, a special meeting of the Council’s Committee of the Whole, will be held on May 6 at the South Bellevue Community Center, 14509 SE Newport Way, Bellevue. The public is invited to meet with Councilmembers at an informal reception starting at 6:00 p.m. The Town Hall will begin at 6:30 p.m.

Scheduled speakers include: 
• Bill Chapman – Board President of the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust and K&L Gates Attorney 
• Doug McClelland, Asset Operations Manager, Washington State Department of Natural Resources 
• Doug Schindler – Deputy Director of the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust 
• Elizabeth Lunney – Executive Director of the Washington Trails Association 
• Jim Reinhardsen – Managing Director for Heartland LLC

Presenters will take questions from the audience and Councilmembers will take public testimony on any issue at the end of the program.

More about Town Halls

Town Halls are part of Councilmembers’ initiative to “get out of the courthouse” and into the communities they serve. In 2009, the Council has been in Carnation to hear from the public on the County’s response to the winter weather emergencies; in Renton to discuss the services provided by Public Health; and in Shoreline to review the services available for King County veterans.

Each Town Hall is a special meeting of the Council’s Committee of the Whole, the only standing committee on which all nine members serve. It considers legislation and policy issues of interest to the entire Council.