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HomeMy WebLinkAbout112017_cabs03County Administrator's Briefing JEFFERSON COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AGENDA REQUEST TO: Board of County Commissioners FROM: Monte Reinders, Public Works Director/County Engineer DATE: November 20, 2017 RE: Discussion re: Olympic Discovery Trail possible route through Anderson Lake State Park STATEMENT OF ISSUE: The Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) will discuss with Public Works a request by the Peninsula Trails Coalition (PTC) that Jefferson County take further action in support PTC's request to the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission that a segment of the Olympic Discovery Trail be routed and constructed through Anderson Lake State Park, with State Parks funding that segment. The Peninsula Trails Coalition is circulating a petition, and has also presented a draft Resolution, which they have asked Jefferson County to consider adopting. Jefferson County Public Works previously sent a November 9, 2017 letter to the State Parks and Recreation Commission in support of routing a segment of the trail through Anderson Lake State Park. ANALYSIS: Using a State grant secured through the initiative of the Peninsula Trails Coalition, Jefferson County Public Works is embarking on a process to determine the most feasible route for connecting the Olympic Discovery Trail from the existing Larry Scott Trail to the new ODT segment at the base of Discovery Bay — roughly 10 miles. Anderson Lake State Park is potentially central to this segment of the ODT. Before the next meeting of the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission, the Peninsula Trails Coalition would like to present the Commission with a petition asking the State Parks Commission "to establish, as a top priority, the planning and development of a multipurpose trail in Anderson Lake State Park (ALSP), as part of the Olympic Discovery Trail (ODT) and the Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail (PNNST)." In addition, the petition concludes, "The Washington State Parks Commission and its Agency should establish as a top priority in the Agency's 2019-2021 biennium capital budget the planning and development of a multipurpose trail in ALSP, as part of the ODT and the PNNST." Copies of the PTC's 17 -page petition and its 2 -page Executive Summary are attached. The Peninsula Trails Coalition has asked that the BoCC authorize Jefferson County to sign the petition. As an alternative to signing the petition, the PTC has proposed that the BoCC enact a Resolution "that the Jefferson County Board of County Commissioners support the 2017 Petition to the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission, to include as a top priority for funding in its 2019-2021 capital budget, the planning and construction of a segment of the Olympic County Administrator's Briefing Discovery Trail within Anderson Lake State Park." A copy of the PTC's draft Resolution is attached. Jefferson County Public Works previously sent a November 9, 2017 letter to the State Parks and Recreation Commission in support of routing a segment of the trail through Anderson Lake State Park. A copy of Public Works' November 9 letter is attached. It is also possible that the BoCC may wish to address its own letter to the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission regarding Anderson Lake State Park as a location for a portion of the Olympic Discovery Trail and possible state funding for its construction there. Commissioner Kate Dean has prepared a draft of such a letter for Board consideration, also attached. The Board of Commissioners will discuss with the Department of Public Works an appropriate response to the Peninsula Trails Coalition's requests for additional County support for the State to allow the ODT to be routed through Anderson Lake State Park, and also PTC's request that the State fund construction of the trail segment in the Park. FISCAL IMPACT: None from the briefing. RECOMMENDATION: Discuss with Public Works the Peninsula Trails Coalition's requests regarding routing and state funding, and formulate an appropriate Board response to the Peninsula Trails Coalition's request for County support beyond Public Works' November 9 letter. ATTACHMENTS: • PTC's 17 -page petition • PTC's 2 -page Executive Summary of the petition • Draft Jefferson County Resolution • Jefferson County Public Works' November 9, 2017 letter • Draft BoCC letter REVIEWED BY: /G 17 Philip Morleyttounty Administrat Ur Date ANDERSON LAKE STATE PARK MULTIPURPOSE TRAIL Key to Safety and to Park Connectivity with Major State and National Trails In response to the invitation of the Parks and Recreation Commission to play an active role in planning and developing our state parks, http://parks.state.wa.us/268/Plannina- Public-Input, we petition the Commission and Agency to make planning and development of a multipurpose trail in Anderson Lake State Park a top priority in the Agency's 2019-2021 biennium capital budget request. Anderson Lake State Park (ALSP) is the second largest state park in Jefferson County. The Park is centrally located in the eastern area of the county, midway between Port Townsend and the head of Discovery Bay and about halfway between Old Fort Townsend State Park (to the north) and Gibbs Lake County Park (to the south). Chimacum County Park and H.J. Carroll County Park are about a mile to the east. Roads and trails into the eastern end of Olympic National Park start about four miles south. The rapidly -growing Tri -Area (Chimacum, Irondale and Port Hadlock) is about two miles to the east. 19 k Indian Islan 1 ALSP's natural and cultural features are unique. The Park combines a Puget trough lowland forest with a 70 -acre lake and freshwater marshes. The lake has 8250 feet of freshwater shoreline. The Park is valuable habitat for wildlife, including elk, deer and eagles. There are a number of Coast Salish cultural sites inside the Park, and Tamanowas Rock - - a sacred pilgrimage site to the Coast Salish people -- is just outside the Park boundary. 2 In 2010, a coalition of Washington State Parks, Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe, Jefferson County and Jefferson Land Trust worked together to permanently preserve 129 vacant acres adjacent to the Park, including Tamanowas Rock, investing $200,000 from Jefferson County's Conservation Futures Fund. ALSP is one of the few parks in the region with a network of trails for walkers, horsemen and cyclists. In addition to 8 miles of hiking trails, it has 7 miles of mountain -bike trails, and 5 miles of equestrian trails. Regrettably, there is no safe non -motorized public access to ALSP. The Park can be accessed only via Anderson Lake Road -- a mostly-shoulderless county road which runs between State Highway 19 to the east and State Highway 20 to the west. The Park is landlocked to the north, east and west by privately owned land, and to the south by two private ownerships and a section of undeveloped DNR land. There are no publicly - owned trails that connect the Park with other trails, other parks, or surrounding communities. To reach ALSP without crossing private property, hikers, horsemen, cyclists, disabled persons using wheelchairs, fishermen, joggers, moms with strollers, 3 etc., must walk or roll for miles on dangerous highways (SR 19 or SR 20) and the narrow county road. Walking up Anderson Lake Road to the park entrance is frightening when there are vehicles on the road. (We urge the Commissioners not to try it.) Navigating to ALSP by wheelchair or with a stroller or with a pet would be very dangerous. (Ian Mackay, a disabled wheelchair user who signed this petition, so attests.) Even worse safety problems exist on State Route 20, about a mile west of the Park. It is a busy, narrow (mostly shoulderless), winding, hilly, high-speed road running over Eaglemount. Yet that stretch of highway is frequently used by cyclists and hikers, and sometimes other non -motorized travelers, because there is no other reasonably direct route from Port Townsend to the head of Discovery Bay and beyond. Sergeant John Ryan of the Washington State Patrol wrote to the County about this very -dangerous section of Highway 20: As a Washington State Patrol sergeant that supervises troopers in Jefferson County, I wholeheartedly support the study and development of such a recreational trail. My troopers regularly patrol SR 20 often observing cars, logging trucks, loaded chip trucks, motorhomes, trucks with trailers, etc, trying to navigate SR20 over Eaglemount while dealing with bicyclers and hikers and oncoming traffic. I myself was assigned to Jefferson County from 1999 to 2003 and patrolled SR 20 often so I know firsthand how dangerous it is.... al Finally, there are safety issues for some trail users inside the Park. There are no trails in the Park with surfaces that are safe and suitable for road bicycles, wheelchairs, rollerblades, wheeled walkers, skateboards or other small -wheel equipment. None of the trails inside the Park meet AASHTO guidelines for multipurpose trails. These safety problems will only increase in the future. Jefferson County planning officials expect the county's population to grow by more than 30 percent by 2035. A MULTIPURPOSE TRAIL THROUGH ALSP SHOULD BE A PRIORITY PROJECT IN THE AGENCY'S BUDGET PLANNING. To deal with these safety problems, and to gain multiple additional benefits for the Park and the citizens of Washington, a multipurpose trail section of the Olympic Discovery Trail (ODT) should be planned and constructed in ALSP, connecting to other sections of the ODT running from Port Townsend (to the north) and the head of Discovery Bay (to the south). Funding for this multipurpose trail through ALSP should be a top -priority Commission project in its Capital Budget request for the 2019-2021 biennium. The "Funding" page of the Parks website at htip://parks.state.wa.us/177/Fundin , states that Commission projects have been chosen specifically to "[11 reduce risk; [21 protect natural and cultural heritage; [31 generate revenue; [41 reduce operating costs; [51 encourage use of parks; and [61 engage volunteers and donors." [numerals added] The multipurpose trail project in ALSP, advocated here, qualifies in every respect. [11 A Multipurpose Trail Through ALSP Will Reduce Risk A multipurpose trail through ALSP, serving horsemen, hikers, cyclists, and others, connecting to sections of the ODT running to Port Townsend, Discovery Bay, Olympic National Park, and to the interstate PNNST, will reduce risks and promote a safer, healthier, greener and more robust use of the Park. Non -motorized users such as mountain bikers, equestrians, road cyclists, anglers, skaters, birdwatchers, wheelchair users, and long-distance hikers, will be safer because they will be able to access the Park without having to navigate SR 20 or SR 19 and Anderson Lake Road. Taking non - t The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) is a standards setting body which publishes guidelines used in design of highways, multipurpose trails, and other types of public transportation. AASHTO's Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities is viewed as the national standard for bikeway design, and trails must adhere to its guidelines to receive federal or state transportation funds. AASHTO recommends a minimum of 10 feet for multi -use trails. Surface types should accommodate a variety of users: softer surfaces for pedestrians (walkers, hikers, joggers, runners, bird watchers and dog walkers), hard surfaces for bicycles, and loose or compacted dirt trails for equestrians. Grades up to five percent are acceptable, with steeper grades requiring design accommodations. Separate, parallel treads can be provided for bicyclists, pedestrians and equestrians. 6 motorized users off Highways 19 and 20 and Anderson Lake Road will reduce risks for motorists on those roads (who now have to take risks in order to avoid cyclists and foot traffic). And a partially -paved multipurpose trail (with non -paved elements for hikers and horsemen) will also increase safety within ALSP. Such a trail in the Park will allow many additional recreational activities. More people will access and use the Park in a healthier and risk-free way. An AASHTO-compliant multipurpose trail in the Park will also better serve Jefferson County's aging population. As the Parks' Statewide Park Acquisition and Development Strategy ("SPADS") states: Population growth due to "natural increase" (births > deaths) is slowing. As the state's population ages, state parks will need to provide facilities and activities that appeal to, and are accessible by, older people. The proposed Olympic Discovery Trail-Eaglemount ("ODT-E"), running to and through ALSP, would be such a trail. It would connect ALSP to other trails, other parks (including Sequim Bay State Park and eventually Miller Peninsula State Park) and nearby communities, taking non -motorized users off the highways and roads. It would provide a multipurpose route within the Park that would permit safe use by more visitors, including older people. Here are two possible routes running through ALSP: 6 ALSP's location, close to the center of the proposed Highway 20 ODT-E bypass, is of crucial importance to achieve this result. For non -motorized users, a multipurpose trail through ALSP is the key to safe park access; safe state and federal trail systems; safe travel on SR 20: and safety for new users inside the Park. The new trail through the Park would be part a 120 mile non -motorized multipurpose recreation pathway that runs from Port Townsend to the Pacific Ocean. The ODT's website, http://www.olympicdiscoverytraii.com/about_us/trail_design,html, describes the route: C r; The basic concept of the ODT is a 120+ mile non -motorized route from Puget Sound (Port Townsend) to the Pacific (La Push) that links the population centers of the North Olympic Peninsula. The ODT has always embraced and designed for a wide user community, including road cyclists, mountain bikers, pedestrians, equestrians, mobility impaired users, and others. The ODT route passes through numerous jurisdictions: tribal, federal, state, county, and city, who are the underlying owners of the trail segments. 7 The ODT currently runs over Eaglemount on Highway 20. It shares that highway route with the Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail ("PNNST"), which runs from Glacier National Park to Olympic National Park. Fz; 1, C al c i O Kim s- `- ,,fill `'etc � w ��lb`UBr PLA ItAU Kelo -a Nanaim4� �,Vai�aouver',��=� . Vk:toria Seattle U a ;,01V mpia 0 CABINET MOUNTAINS -Q' , t Spok an? r Both the PNNST and the ODT could run to and through ALSP, and from there to the new segment of the ODT which has now been constructed by Jefferson County at the head of Discovery Bay. The trail through ALSP could connect the PNNST to the roads and trails running to the east end of Olympic National Park. It could also connect to the Rick Tollefson multipurpose trail, which has now been built by Jefferson County between Hadlock and HJ Carroll County Park, and to a multipurpose trail that could run to Gibbs Lake County Park, south of ALSP. 9 If the ODT-E trail is built through ALSP, and any of these connections to other parks are made, they will increase connectivity while substantially reducing risks, making recreation and transportation much easier and safer for equestrians, hikers, cyclists and other recreational users of ALSP, the ODT, and the PNNST. [2] A Multipurpose Trail Through ALSP Will Help Protect the Park's Natural and Cultural Heritage. ALSP's natural and cultural heritages are inextricably intertwined. The Park's cedar, fir, maple and alder forest, 70 -acre lake, and freshwater marshes are a prime example of a Puget lowland natural system in which northwest coast natives, such as the S'Klallam Tribe, lived, hunted and fished for thousands of years. There are few, if any, such sites left in western Washington. Urbanization, agriculture and tree farming have wiped most of them out. A carefully -planned multipurpose trail through the Park will protect this natural and cultural heritage, including the prehistoric Coast Salish archeological sites in the Park, and Tamanowas Rock just outside. The Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe is the current steward of these heritage sites. It has planned and built several sections of multipurpose trail that have been incorporated into the ODT. This managed approach to trail building increases awareness of the tribal heritage while limiting uncontrolled activities that might lead to damage of the sites. (In 2014, Tamanowas Rock was desecrated with graffiti, gaining national and international attention.) The Tribe supports construction of a multipurpose trail in the Park. Improved access would also lead to more extensive use of the Park, and other improvements would likely follow. The lake, which is now closed at times because of toxic algae blooms, could be protected from phosphorus runoffs from the old dairy farm at its south end (perhaps the trail could be constructed to serve as part of the barrier), and the toxic algae in the lake could be treated. The lake cleanup would be a catalyst for renewed beach activities, swimming, boating and fishing. Perhaps campsites could be developed to accommodate new ODT traffic. Routing the ODT-E through the Park would lead to the Park's revitalization, while protecting its natural and cultural heritage. [31 A Multipurpose Trail Through ALSP Will Generate Revenue. Increased use of the Park will increase Discover Pass revenues; ALSP's central location on the Quimper Peninsula would make it a natural hub for the ODT route from Port Townsend to Discovery Bay, Olympic National Park and beyond. As visits to the Park via the ODT increase, additional revenue could possibly be generated from camping and from small-scale commercial activities like a food concession, bike and boat rentals, or sales of fishing equipment and goods. Possibly an annual run -and -ride event could be sponsored by the Peninsula Trails Coalition and other volunteer organizations, to raise donations for the Park. 10 [41 Maintenance Commitments by Volunteers Will Reduce the Park's Operating Costs. A multipurpose trail through ALSP will require maintenance. To reduce the Park's operating costs in that regard, three well-established volunteer organizations have committed to maintain the trail in the Park: The Peninsula Trails Coalition (the ODT's primary promoter and advocate), the Pacific Northwest Trail Association (the PNNST's primary promoter and advocate), and the Back Country Horsemen of Washington, Buckhorn Range Chapter (the primary advocate for equestrian activities in eastern Jefferson County, with more than 15 years of volunteer services to ALSP, including planning, building and maintaining trails in the park). All three have committed in writing to provide routine maintenance of the ODT-E in the Park. (Attachment "3" to this petition.) Specifically, these organizations will remove refuse (trash, fallen branches, etc) on or alongside the trail; mow and otherwise control vegetation along the edges of the trail (for clearances for trail users and for fire protection); make minor trail repairs to the non -paved trail surfaces (small washouts, potholes, root invasions, moss removal) (none of the volunteer organizations are equipped for, or experienced, in asphalt repairs); repair and repaint signs (directional signs, warning signs, and fire danger signs); and make minor repairs to deterioration/vandalism of bridges, kiosks, and other trail related structures. These commitments will substantially reduce the Park's operating costs related to the trail. [SJ A Multipurpose Trail Through ALSP Will Encourage Use of the Park. A non -motorized multipurpose trail to and through the Park will encourage use of the Park by many new classes of visitors. First and foremost, it will encourage non - motorized travel to and through the park by persons seeking healthier and greener recreational activities. It will annually draw thousands of road bikers, walkers, joggers, roller-bladers and others exploring the ODT from Port Townsend to LaPush. Mobility - impaired users on the Quimper Peninsula will have a new AASHTO-compliant trail that will expand their recreational choices. Hundreds of through -hikers traveling the PNNST from Glacier National Park to Olympic National Park will pass through ALSP annually, enjoying its forests, lake, marshes, and cultural sites. More equestrians will come to the Park from the Port Townsend area to the north and the Olympic National Park area to the south. Special events (like a Quimper Peninsula trail marathon, or a park -to -park bike ride, or a run -and -ride park benefit) could be organized. Generally, there will be a far more robust use of the Park by more people using environmentally -friendly means. [61 A Multipurpose Trail Through ALSP Will Engage Volunteers and Donors. Volunteers have already been engaged, as evidenced by this petition which has been signed by over 300 individuals and more than thirty entities representing tens of thousands more. And the Peninsula Trails Coalition has raised $25,000 for the ALSP and has committed to contribute it to State Parks if and when State Parks completes the trail in ALSP in coordination with the County and other agencies. (Attachment "4" to this petition.) 11 None of these benefits of the ODT-E will occur, however, without all of the property owners and jurisdictions on the proposed route -- including Washington State Parks -- acting on a coordinated basis with each other, and with private organizations such as the Peninsula Trails Coalition, to build the trail. Parts of the preferred ODT-E route (to be determined by the County with the aid of a consultant) may run on Jefferson County roads, WSDOT rights-of-way, City of Port Townsend properties and easements, DNR forest lands, and ALSP. Each agency should do its part to timely develop the ODT-E since each will benefit from it. THE TRAIL HAS BEEN PART OF ALSP'S "CAMP" PLAN FOR TEN YEARS. IT IS TIME TO CARRY OUT THE PLAN. The State Parks' classification and management planning process (CAMP) includes four stages: • Identify issues and concerns of park stakeholders • Explore alternative approaches to address identified issues • Prepare preliminary recommendations to address issues or suggest a realistic compromise • Propose final recommendations for formal agency and commission adoption Utilizing this process, a CAMP management plan for Anderson Lake State Park was adopted on January 18, 2008. http:/fpwks.state.wa.us/Doc umentCenterNiew/1235. The management plan at page 39 calls for the "connection of Anderson Lake State Park to larger regional trail networks." It expressly refers to the ODT, stating that staff should "work with the Backcountry Horsemen of Washington, regional trail planners from the Olympic Discovery Trail, local mountain biking groups, local hiking groups, their regional steward, neighbors and other stakeholders to assemble an advisory committee to develop a Comprehensive Trails Plan for Anderson Lake." It recognizes that ALSP can be a "[t]railhead and hub for regional trails," and directs Park staff to "work with local trail advocates to advance regional trail network connections to Anderson Lake." It has now been almost ten years since the CAMP plan for ALSP was adopted. Implementation of the plan is overdue. Park staff should therefore start work now with Jefferson County Public Works (the lead planning agency for the ODT-E) and local trail advocates (the Peninsula Trails Coalition and other volunteers) to design and develop the trail in the Park and connect it to the ODT and PNNST regional trail systems. The County has incorporated the ODT-E into its Comprehensive Plan. http://www.co jefferson.wa.us/commdevelopment/Comp%2OPlan%2OPages/CompPlanG eneral.htm. The County's Update to the Transportation Element of the Plan expressly identifies routes for a multipurpose trail running through ALSP: ODT — Forest and Lakes Route: Four Corners - Anderson Lake State Park — 12 Multipurpose trail from Four Comers south on utility easements and across forestland to Anderson Lake State Park. ODT — Forest and Lakes Route: Anderson Lake — Discovery Bay — Multipurpose trail from Anderson Lake State Park south on utility easements, forestlands, and County roads to US -101 at the south end of Discovery Bay. To move forward with this Plan, Jefferson County has included the ODT-E project in its 2017-2022 Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP). County funding for the County's TIP project has been provided by the Washington State legislature, which authorized the RCO to provide "... a maximum of $1,000,000 for further planning, acquisition, and development of the Olympic discovery trail project between Discovery Bay and the trail's intersection with the Larry Scott trail in Jefferson county." The County has hired an engineer to manage the planning, acquisition and development of the County's segments of the ODT-E (including construction of the ODT segment at the head of Discovery Bay). A professional trail consultant engaged by the County is scheduled to complete preferred route planning by March 31, 2018. The property acquisition process should begin shortly thereafter. If planning and development for the trail through ALSP is not promptly undertaken by Washington State Parks, another link for the bypass, outside the Park, will have to be found — if possible. Because of severe topographical and ownership limitations, there appears to be only one realistic alternative to an ALSP route: a trail on or near Shika Road -- a private road just west of the Park.2 But availability of that route seems unlikely. It would have to cross an additional half -mile of Pope Resources land plus a half -mile of private residential properties next to or on the private road. It is quite possible that some or all of those private residential owners would not agree to a trail on their residential properties. Or the cost of purchasing a route could be prohibitive. So, if the ALSP route is not built and the Shika Road route is not available, the ODT-E bypass will be stymied and all of the benefits to the public and the Park will be lost. If, however, State Parks commits now to develop the trail in ALSP and undertakes in early 2018 to design the trail in conjunction with the County, and if funds for construction of the segment are obtained as part of the capital budget for the 2019-2021 biennium, the ODT-E project can expeditiously proceed on a coordinated basis. 2 The trail could conceivably run on the SR 20 right -of way, but that route would probably be prohibitively expensive to build and maintain due to numerous steep hills, cliffs and ravines along the highway. See http://arcg.is/OTGig9. A route along the shore of Discovery Bay, on an old railway grade, likewise does not appear viable; when the rail line was abandoned in the 1980's, the land reverted to private owners, many of whom have constructed residences or other improvements on the old rail line. In addition, the rail bed has eroded away in several areas, and rebuilding it would be a massive undertaking -- if permitted at all under current shoreline standards. Finally, the old rail bed is below projected sea -rise levels in many places, so a new trail bed would have to be cut into the cliffs above the bay. 13 THE COST OF A MULTIPURPOSE TRAIL THROUGH ALSP WILL BE MODERATE. An AASHTO-compliant multipurpose trail through ALSP could be constructed mostly on existing Park trails and roads, with soft paths for horses and hikers and a paved track for wheeled vehicles. A possible one mile route through the Park, using or adjacent to existing roads and trails, is shown on this aerial: Such a trail location would minimize tree removal, mostly avoid wetlands, and stay away from Coast Salish cultural sites. The lake would be unaffected, and no existing park facilities (rest rooms, buildings, utility lines, etc) would be disturbed. It is difficult to accurately predict the cost of the multipurpose trail without an exact route plan. Reasonable estimates can be made, however, based on costs for recent construction of comparable sections of trail in Jefferson and Clallam Counties. Based on actual costs for ODT trail sections recently completed in those counties, the estimated cost to build a one -mile multipurpose ODT-E section in ALSP could be in the range of $500,000, and perhaps less if— as anticipated -- the route selected by State Parks is on or adjacent to existing roads and trails. 14 DEVELOPMENT OF A MULTIPURPOSE TRAIL THROUGH ALSP WILL BE CONSISTENT WITH THE SPADS In July 2016, the Commission adopted a Statewide Park Acquisition and Development Strategy (SPADS) for the agency, to "guide its acquisition and development of new state parks, and its redevelopment of existing state parks." As the Parks website explains at http://parks.state.wa.us/DocumentCenter/HomeNiew/7904: The overarching strategic goal is for Washington's state parks to be recognized as the collection of places and experiences that are distinctly Washington. To achieve that goal, the state park system should include: • Places to be: Connecting people with Washington's iconic landscapes • Stories to know: Engaging people in authentic Washington stories • Things to do: Providing Washington's recreational mainstays • Ways to grow: Inviting novices to experience Washington's outdoors • Something for everyone: Improving the quality of life for all Washingtonians This Statewide Acquisition and Development Strategy is intended to guide State Parks in acquiring, developing, and redeveloping lands in a more intentional and directed manner. And it hopes to do so in a way that inspires and enlists local communities and partners to support and participate in park acquisition and development. [Emphasis added.] Constructing a section of the ODT-E in ALSP will be perfectly consistent with these strategic goals, which are described in more detail at pages 7-12 of the SPADS: [IJ The New Trail Will Take ALSP Visitors To "Places To Be, Connecting People With Washington's Iconic Landscapes " The SPADS at page 7 identifies "Puget trough lowland forests" as one of those iconic landscapes. ALSP itself includes such a forest. And the ODT — of which ALSP could be a key part — will connect people to many historically significant and spectacular places on the Olympic Peninsula: Port Townsend (Victorian seaport and arts community on the National Register of Historic Places); Discovery Bay (where Captain Vancouver and Lieutenant Puget first anchored on their 1792 exploration down the Straits of Juan de Fuca and into Puget Sound); Blyn (home of the Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe and site of one of the most impressive collections of totem poles in the world); Sequim Bay State Park (with its magnificent upgrade of the ODT through the park); Port Angeles (second national city designated by Abraham Lincoln); the Elwha River (site of the largest dam removal project in history); Lake Crescent (deep, crystal-clear lake believed to have been formed by landslides about 8000 years ago. (According to a S'Klallam legend, Mount Storm King was angered by warring tribes and threw a boulder to cut a single lake in two, forming lakes Sutherland and Crescent.)); Forks (site of historic timber industry, Twilight films, and Olympic rain forest); and LaPush (home to the Quileute tribe, known for its whale -watching and natural environment). W An ALSP trail will also be part of the PNNST (one of only eleven National Scenic Trails) which will connect people to an even larger list of places to be: three national parks, seven national forests, and three of the most wild and majestic mountain ranges in the United States. [2] The New Trail Will Tell Visitors "Stories To Know, Engaging People In Authentic Washington Stories." The SPADS lists such stories at page 8. One of the listed stories is "Native American history and culture." ALSP includes several native American cultural sites within its boundary, and Tawanomas Rock just outside. [3] The New Trail Will Give Visitors "Things To Do, Providing Washington's Recreational Mainstays. " The SPADS lists those recreational mainstays at page 9. The first five on the list are "Walking and hiking, Cycling, Horseback riding, Picnicking, and Fishing." ALSP has them all. The ODT-E will bring more visitors to the Park in a healthful and environmentally -conscious way, to enjoy these recreational mainstays. 141 The New Trail Will Provide "Ways To Grow, Inviting Novices To Experience Washington's Outdoors." The SPADS at page 10 identifies "Multi -park recreation opportunities" as ways to grow: "State parks should offer systems of recreational facilities that encourage novices to explore multiple parks" via "cross -state trails." The ODT and the PNNST are such systems. The ODT encourages novices to explore multiple parks on its 124 mile route, including (to the west of ALSP): Sequim Bay State Park, Carrie Blake Park, Railroad Bridge Park, Robin Hill Farm County Park, Francis Street Park, Valley Creek Estuary Park, Ediz Hook Reservation for Native Birds, Lower Elwha Off Reservation Trust Lands, Olympic National Park, and Camp David Jr. County Park. And the PNNST encourages novices to explore three National Parks, seven National Forests, and numerous state, county and local parks along its 1200 mile route. [SJ The New Trail Will Offer "Something For Everyone, Improving The Quality Of Life For All Washingtonians. " The SPADS at page 11 identifies benefits that state parks should provide, including "health, economic development, transportation, environmental and heritage education, community identity, and intergenerational continuity." ALSP with the ODT and the PNNST has it all. • Obviously, accessing and using the Park via a non -motorized multipurpose trail will be far more healthy than driving to the Park. 16 • Completing the ODT artery from Port Townsend to LaPush will be a huge benefit to the economies of all of the communities along the route (Port Townsend, Discovery Bay, Gardiner, Jamestown S'Klallam Reservation at Blyn, Sequim, Carlsborg, Agnew, Port Angeles, Joyce, Beaver, Forks, and LaPush), bringing cyclists, hikers and other tourists from all over the world to make the epic journey. • The ODT, when completed through ALSP, will provide a safe transportation route for non -motorized commuters traveling to and from Port Townsend. Now, non -motorized commuting to Port Townsend from communities on the ODT south and west of ALSP is practically impossible. • ALSP itself provides an environmental and heritage education, with its Puget trough forest, a lake damaged by excess phosphorous runoff and in need of remediation, and Coast Salish heritage sites. • Completion of the ODT will unify the communities along the trail in their shared interests in healthy, green recreation and transportation. • A multipurpose trail through the Park will encourage recreation by all generations: moms with babies in strollers, children learning to skate or ride a bike, young adults practicing horsemanship, middle-aged employees out for an evening run, families vacationing together on a trip from Port Townsend to LaPush, retired seniors testing their stamina by hiking the PNNST from Glacier National Park to the Pacific, and aging grandparents exploring the park with their grandchildren on a smooth -surfaced trail. 16] Development Of A Multipurpose Trail Through ALSP Will Accomplish The SPADS Goal Of "Inspirling/ And Enlistling/ Local Communities And Partners To Support And Participate In Park Acquisition And Development. " The signatures below of hundreds of individual petitioners, plus more than thirty organizations representing tens of thousands more, show that local communities and partners are so inspired and enlisted. CONCLUSION: THE COMMISSION AND AGENCY SHOULD MAKE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT OF A MULTIPURPOSE TRAIL IN ANDERSON LAKE STATE PARK A TOP PRIORITY IN THE AGENCY'S 2019-2021 BIENNIUM CAPITAL BUDGET REQUEST. Signature pages follow. 17 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ANDERSON LAKE STATE PARK MULTIPURPOSE TRAIL Key to Safe Park Access, Safe Trails, and Safer Travel on the Quimper Peninsula Petition. We petition the State Parks Commission to establish, as a top priority, the planning and development of a multipurpose trail in Anderson Lake State Park (ALSP), as part of the Olympic Discovery Trail (ODT) and the Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail (PNNST). Safety. Major safety problems exist for non -motorized users seeking to travel between Port Townsend and communities to the south and west, because they must bicycle or hike on the dangerous Eaglemount section of Highway 20. Motorists are also at risk, because they must share those narrow roadways with non -motorists. Further, there is no safe non - motorized public access to ALSP, because the only public access to the Park is via Highways 19 or 20 and then Anderson Lake Road. Routing the ODT and the PNNST through ALSP will dramatically improve safety for non -motorists travelling south of Port Townsend, for those accessing the Park, and for motorists using highways 19 and 20 and Anderson Lake Road. Heritage. ALSP is part of a Puget lowland natural system where northwest coast natives lived for hundreds of years. A carefully -planned multipurpose trail through the Park will protect this natural and cultural heritage. The Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe, a steward of these heritage sites, has planned and built several sections of multipurpose trail that have been incorporated into the ODT. Completion of the ODT-Eaglemount section through ALSP will safely and naturally bring more visitors to these ancient and sacred places, while protecting the sites. Revenue. Routing the ODT and PNNST through ALSP will increase use of the Park and increase Discover Pass revenues. Additional park revenue can also be generated from camping and from small-scale commercial activities in the Park. Completion of the ODT from Port Townsend to LaPush will generate substantial additional tourism revenue for all of the communities and businesses on the route. Maintenance. Increased visitation to the Park will increase the need for maintenance. The Peninsula Trails Coalition, the Pacific Northwest Trail Association, and the Back Country Horsemen of Washington, Buckhorn Range Chapter have committed to maintain the ODT-E in the Park — as shown by the attached trail maintenance commitments. Use. A non -motorized multipurpose trail through the Park will encourage use by persons seeking healthier and greener recreational activities. It will annually draw thousands of cyclists, walkers, joggers, roller-bladers and others exploring the ODT from Port Townsend to Blyn, Sequim, Port Angeles and beyond. Through -hikers traveling the PNNST from Glacier National Park to Olympic National Park will come to ALSP. There will be a far more robust use of the Park by more people using environmentally -friendly means, and everyone along the ODT route will benefit. Support. There is broad community support for this petition — as shown by the attached signature pages. Volunteers have been engaged -- as evidenced by the attached maintenance commitments. A substantial cash donation will be made by the Peninsula Trails Coalition — as shown by the attached donation commitment -- and other donations are expected. Coordination. Development of the ODT-E depends on the coodinated efforts of all of the jurisdictions on the proposed route. The preferred ODT-E route (to be determined by the County with the aid of a consultant) will possibly run on Jefferson County roads, WSDOT rights-of-way, ALSP, City of Port Townsend properties and easements, DNR tree farms, PUD and BPA properties, and some private land. If all of these agencies and owners plan and build the trail together, the project will succeed. Each agency should do its part since all will benefit. Delays or inaction by any will damage all. "CAMP." In January 2008 a plan to route the ODT/PNNST through ALSP was adopted under the State Parks' classification and management planning process (CAMP). It has now been almost ten years since the CAMP plan for ALSP was adopted. Implementation of the plan is overdue. Parks staff should start working now with Jefferson County and local trail advocates to design and develop the trail. Cost. A multipurpose trail through ALSP could be constructed on existing Park trails and roads, with soft paths for horses and hikers and a paved track for wheeled vehicles. The cost of construction in 2019-2021 is estimated to be in the range of $600,000. "SPADS." Constructing this section of the ODT-E in ALSP will be consistent with the Statewide Park Acquisition and Development Strategy (SPADS). It will connect people with Washington's iconic landscapes; engage people in authentic Washington stories; provide Washington's recreational mainstays; invite novices to experience Washington's outdoors; and improve the quality of life for all Washingtonians. The project has already inspired and enlisted local communities and partners to support and participate in park acquisition and development. Conclusion. The Washington State Parks Commission and its Agency should establish as a top priority in the Agency's 2019-2021 biennium capital budget the planning and development of a multipurpose trail in ALSP, as part of the ODT and the PNNST. Pi- COUNTY OF JEFFERSON STATE OF WASHINGTON In the matter of BOCC support for the } 2017 Petition to WA State Parks and I RESOLUTION NO. Recreation Commission advocating for for development of the Olympic Discovery Trail within Anderson Lake State Park WHEREAS, the Olympic Discovery Trail (ODT) is a 130 mile long trail that will extend across the entire Olympic Peninsula from Port Townsend to the Pacific Ocean; and WHEREAS, Jefferson County has expended significant resources on developing parts of the ODT in Jefferson County, including the Larry Scott Memorial Trail and the South Discovery Bay segment of the ODT; and WHEREAS, Jefferson County plans to make additional expenditures for the "Eaglemount" section of the Olympic Discovery Trail (the "ODT-E"), linking the Larry Scott Memorial Trail to the South Discovery Bay segment of the ODT; and WHEREAS, in 2017-2018 a consultant for Jefferson County will be developing a comprehensive route plan for the ODT-E (Draft 2018-2023 TIP project 46), including analysis of the benefits of routing approximately one mile of the trail within Anderson Lake State Park; and WHEREAS, in early 2018 the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission will determine priority projects to be funded in its 2019-2021 capital budget; and WHEREAS, more than 300 individuals and 30 entities including the Peninsula Trails Coalition are jointly petitioning the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission to include as a top priority for funding in its 2019-2021 capital budget the planning and construction of a segment of the ODT-E within Anderson Lake State Park, so that the ODT-E within the park can be constructed by State Parks on a timely and coordinated basis with the County and other state agencies; and IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED, that the Jefferson County Board of County Commissioners support the 2017 Petition to the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission, to include as a top priority for funding in its 2019-2021 capital budget, the planning and construction of a segment of the Olympic Discovery Trail within Anderson Lake State Park. ADOPTED and signed this day of 2017. JEFFERSON COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS Kathleen Kler, Chair SEAL: Kate Dean, Member ATTEST: Carolyn Gallaway, Deputy Clerk David Sullivan, Member November 9, 2017 Jefferson County Department of Public Works Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission P.O. Box 42650 Olympia, WA 98504-2650 623 Sheridan St. Port Townsend, WA 98368 (360)385-9160 Monte Reinders, P.E. Public Works Director/ County Engineer RE: Olympic Discovery Trail & Anderson Lake State Park Honorable Commissioners: Jefferson County Department of Public Works is embarking on a process to determine the most feasible route for the next segment of the Olympic Discovery Trail (ODT). This segment of Trail would connect our existing 7.3 -mile long Larry Scott Trail, which starts in Port Townsend, to the recently completed ODT segment at the south end of Discovery Bay - a distance of roughly 10 miles. There is strong support from many members of our community for this Trail as well as from adjacent Clallam County where many miles of the ODT have been completed. Although a final route for this segment has yet to be determined, Anderson Lake State Park is potentially central to this segment of Trail providing a logical destination and access point on the Trail as well as lending its own intrinsic value to the Trail experience. The County looks forward to coordinating with State Parks on this project so that the Trail connection, bypassing the narrow and winding SR -20, can be developed in a unified and timely manner. We look forward to any and all support that Washington State Parks can lend to this regionally significant project. Sincerely Monte Reinders, P.E. Public Works Director/County Engineer Jefferson County Public Works DRAFT LETTER FOR BOCC CONSIDERATION November 20, 2017 To: Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission The Jefferson County Board of Commissioners requests your prioritization of construction of the Olympic Discovery Trail in Anderson Lake State Park. This portion of the trail is a critical connection in our local and regional trail system, as well as the Pacific Northwest Scenic Trail. This trail has many benefits: promoting healthy activity for all ages, increasing use and enjoyment of Anderson Lake, providing better connectivity for non -motorized transportation routes, and attracting visitors to the region. As you know, the economic impact of parks and recreation is great, especially to rural and economically -distressed areas such as ours that rely on natural resources to sustain us through myriad uses. Jefferson County, along with many partners, has been planning and building portions of this trail for over 15 years, piecing together various funding sources and enormous volunteer contributions. We welcome State Parks' partnership in this effort and appreciate your contribution to portions of this trail in neighboring Clallam County. Partnership is not new to our two organizations. With 10 State Park properties in Jefferson County, we have a history of partnering on water quality, transportation, and law enforcement. Building the Anderson Lake portion of the Olympic Discovery Trail will be another opportunity to jointly leverage public lands and public funds to meet our shared values of connecting people with our treasured landscape. Please consider giving priority to this project for the reasons listed above. We would be happy to support your funding requests at the state level in any way helpful. Thank you for your consideration and we look forward to ongoing partnership with you.