HomeMy WebLinkAboutDNR Trust Land Transfer Program JEFFERSON COUNTY
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
AGENDA REQUEST
TO: Board of County Commissioners
Mark McCauley, County Administrator
FROM: Heidi Eisenhour, Commissioner
DATE: August 28,2023
SUBJECT: DNR Trust Land Transfer program—project applications
STATEMENT OF ISSUE:
Trust Land Transfer(TLT) is a tool employed by DNR, which manages more than three million acres of
state forest and rangeland. DNR has a dual mandate, and the land it manages must serve two purposes: 1.
Generating revenue, and 2. Protecting wild spaces for conservation and recreation. TLT was established by
the state of Washington in 1989 and provides a pathway for certain lands to serve solely the second
purpose. In other words, those lands are protected for recreation, education, wildlife, and conservation.
On May 9, 2023, Governor Jay Inslee signed HB 1460, which addresses the Washington state Department
of Natural Resources (DNR) land transactions, including the TLT Program. HB 1460 expanded nominating
eligibility for TLT to any citizen, state and federal agencies, counties, cities, towns, federally recognized
Indian tribes, nonprofit organizations, special purpose districts,public development authorities, and other
political subdivisions of the state.
Jefferson County has been in conversation with DNR about some more difficult to manage parcels in
Jefferson County and would like to nominate them for TLT to Jefferson County where they would be
managed for combined uses of timber harvest, open space and passive recreation.
ANALYSIS:
This proposal is for Jefferson County to nominate for inclusion in the 2025-27 Trust Land Transfer project
list the four parcels described below. All of these parcels are north of State HWY 104 in the more populated
portions of East Jefferson County. In conversations with DNR they agree that Jefferson County
management would be appropriate for these. They are:
DNR Sys# Name Acres Trust
6349 Anderson Lake 582 Common School and Indemnity
6247 Beaver Valley 523 Common School and Indemnity(to SFT with InterX)
6519 Cape George 241 Common School and Indemnity(to SFT with InterX)
6354 West Jacob Miller 121 Common School and Indemnity(to SFT with InterX)
Nominations are due Sept 30, 2023 —and that is just the first hurdle to clear. After nomination DNR
must perform an initial review to determine whether the transfer is in the best interest of the trust, and
whether a public agency is willing to take ownership and manage the parcel. If the DNR determines
through its initial review that transfer would be in the best interest of the trust, and a public agency is
able to take ownership and manage the land,the DNR must consult with potentially affected federally
recognized Indian tribes to identify and address cultural resource issues.
After the DNR's initial review and tribal consultation, the DNR may submit parcels to an advisory
committee that must evaluate and prioritize nominated parcels according to criteria approved by the
Board of Natural Resources (Board), including social, ecological, economic, and other values.
The DNR, with approval of the Board, determines the final,prioritized list of trust land transfer
parcels to submit to the Legislature. Transfers funded by legislative appropriation must be at fair
market value, including the land value, timber, other valuable materials, and state-owned
improvements. If an appropriation includes the full fair market value for the trust land transfer parcel,
and the Board determines that the transfer is in the best interest of the trust for which the land is held,
the DNR must complete the transfer.
Finally, the list of TLT properties submitted to the Board or the Legislature may not exceed $30
million in total property value for each year the list is submitted.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Applications can be completed using capacity in our existing Chickadee Forestry contract.
RECOMMENDATION:
Support application to DNR for four projects to be considered for Trust Land Transfer.
REVIEWED BY:
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Mark McCaule , ounty Administrator ate
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