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Home My WebLink About01 24 STATE OF WASHINGTON County of Jefferson Dedication of Conservation Futures Funds to the } Lower Chimacum Creek Mainstem Acquisitions } Project as Authorized by and in Accordance with } Jefferson County Code Section 3.08.030(7)to } RESOLUTION NO. 01 _2 4 Provide a System of Public Open Spaces } WHEREAS, conservation futures tax levy collections, authorized under RCW 84.34.230, are an important means of retaining community character and accomplishing the open space policies and objectives of the Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan that encourage the coordinated acquisition of key open space lands for long-term protection; and WHEREAS, Jefferson County is authorized by RCW 84.34.210 and 84.34.220 to acquire open space land, agricultural and timber lands as defined in RCW 84.34.220; and WHEREAS, the Conservation Futures Fund Citizen Oversight Committee has reviewed project applications for 2023 and made its funding recommendations to the Board of County Commissioners in accordance with Jefferson County Code Chapter 3.08; and WHEREAS, under the provisions of the Jefferson County Conservation Futures Program, Jefferson Land Trust, as project sponsor, requests funding towards the acquisition of four parcels of land in fee or, in the case of the latter two parcels, as a conservation easement. The properties are located in S34 T30N R1W with Assessor's Parcel Numbers 961805605, 961805606, 001344004 and 961806102; and WHEREAS, the County retains enough developable land to accommodate the Lower Chimacum Creek Mainstem Acquisitions project as well as the housing and employment growth that it is expected to receive, thus satisfying the requirements of Chapter 449, Laws of 2005; and WHEREAS, Jefferson County considers it in the best public interest to contribute financially to this open space project. NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that: 1. Jefferson County hereby dedicates up to $47,000 in conservation futures funds in the 2023 funding cycle for acquisition expenses contingent on a matching contribution of at least seventy-six percent (76%) of the total project cost. 2. Jefferson County hereby dedicates up to $5,000 in conservation futures funds to reimburse for operations and maintenance expenses incurred within ten years of the Resolution No. re: Dedication of Conservation Futures Funds to the Lower Chimacum Creek Mainstem Acquisitions project signing of this resolution contingent upon a matching contribution of seventy-six percent (76%) of the total project cost. 3. This dedication of funding maybe nullified if a submittal for reimbursement, accompanied bydocumentation of matchingfunds sufficient to complete the P p acquisition, is not received from the sponsor within three years of the signing of this resolution. pt CI APPROVED AND ADOPTED this .1"-day of ::- 011 UGXIA, , 2024 in Port Townsend, Washington. SEAL: +'jti•FF RSp4/ ag JEFFERSON COUNTY „p ....00 iss�o•c0• B RD OF COMMISSIONERS I G, 2'Z '•4: � �; -i = - Co: S t". m .r • � ei i isenho e �ATTEST: �, • •o�,.,' 'v, gSHING�...... eg rotherton, Member 0114„6(C(a.t•vil, Carolyn allaway CMC j er----0\4.---, Clerk of the Board Kate Dean, C ha or Regular Agenda 615 Sheridan Street )effeion Port Townsend, WA 98368 off, www.JeffersonCountyPublicHealth.org Public Health HEARING FORM JEFFERSON COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AGENDA REQUEST TO: Board of County Commissioners Mark McCauley, County Administrator FROM: Pinky Mingo, Environmental Public Health and Water Quality Director Tami Pokorny,Natural Resources Program Coordinator DATE: January 2,2024 SUBJECT: Agenda Request: Public Hearing and Possible Decision Regarding Applications for Conservation Futures Funding in 2023 STATEMENT OF ISSUE: On December 4th, 2023,the BoCC approved a Public Hearing Notice to hold a public hearing on the Conservation Futures Fund Program project applications received in 2023 on January 2nd, 2024 at 10:15 a.m. The notice was published in the Port Townsend&Jefferson County Leader on December 20th and December 27d', 2023. The Conservation Futures Fund Program(JCC 3.08)requires a duly noticed public hearing to be held as part of the public process of allocating conservation futures funding to worthy projects that protect public open spaces. After the hearing,the BoCC may decide which project(s)to fund by passing resolution(s)to include a factual finding as to whether each project would reduce the county's capacity to accommodate growth. ANALYSIS/STRATEGIC GOALS: The three applications to the Conservation Futures Fund in 2023 were: 1. Lower Chimacum Creek Mainstem Acquisitions, $47,00 towards fee simple acquisition of two parcels and a conservation easement, or combination of conservation easement and fee simple, acquisition of two additional parcels, all totaling 3.14 acres.The properties are located in the Chimacum Creek watershed in the Irondale neighborhood of Port Hadlock. Open space protections will support improvements to fish and wildlife habitat, landslide risk reduction,and recreational use.The application also requests $5,000 towards reimbursement of operations and maintenance costs.The proposed match is a$165,750 grant from the Salmon Recovery Funding Board.The project applicant and sponsor is Jefferson Land Trust; Project locations: S34 T3ON RI W. Community Health Environmental Health Developmental Disabilities Water Quality 360-385-9400 360-385-9444 360-385-9401 (f) Always working for a safer and healthier community (f) 360-379-4487 2.North Barry Snow Creek,$69,000 towards the fees simple acquisition of two parcels totaling 20.45 acres in the Snow Creek watershed south of Discovery Bay. The properties will support improvements to Strait of Juan De Fuca Summer Chum salmon and winter steelhead habitat, reduce sediment inputs, and improve water quality.The application also requests$5,000 towards reimbursement of operations and maintenance costs.The proposed match is a$85,000 grant from the Salmon Recovery Funding Board. The project applicant and sponsor is Jefferson Land Trust; Project locations: S35 T29N R2W. 3. Schmidt Farm,$55,000 towards the acquisition of a conservation easement on two parcels totaling 67 acres in the Jakeway Creek watershed north of Quilcene Bay. Open space protections will support continued agricultural activities and sustain an existing treed corridor for Jakeway Creek.The application also requests$5,000 towards reimbursement of operations and maintenance costs.The proposed match is $514,600 in grants from the State Farmland Preservation and Navy's Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration(REPI)programs.The project applicant and sponsor is Jefferson Land Trust; Project locations: S18 T27N R 1 W. At its April 25th meeting, the Conservation Futures Fund Citizen Oversight Committee (CFFCOC)voted all in favor that the projects are worthy of funding. It also voted unanimously to recommend full funding for each project including the operations and maintenance requests.The amount of funds available is $230,000 and the total request for funding is $186,000. This briefing packet contains: • Draft funding resolutions consistent with the recommendations of the CFFCOC • CFFCOC recommendations memo that was presented to the BoCC on May 31, 2023 by then Committee Chair Cameron Jones. • Final summary of the April 25th CFFCOC meeting • Analysis from Joel Peterson,Jefferson County Department of Community Development • Map of conservation futures projects 2003-2022 • Three conservation futures project applications and the relevant sponsor information. The purpose of the CF Program is to address the"general and increasing need to provide a system of public open spaces...for the health, welfare,benefit and safety of the residents of Jefferson County,"and to maintain"Jefferson County as a desirable place to live, visit and locate businesses."Conservation futures tax levy collections, authorized under RCW 84.34.230 are an important means of retaining community character and accomplishing open space policies and objectives of the Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan. The goal of the program is to preserve and protect the county's open space resources from development, and from being"negatively and permanently affected." On January 3,2006,the BOCC approved Ordinance No. 01-0103-06 in response to Chapter 449 of that year which allowed up to 15% of the conservation future levy monies raised in the preceding year to be used for operations and maintenance needs. Fifteen percent of the revenue collected in 2022 ($282,836) is $42,425. The total request for operations and maintenance funding in 2023 is$15,000. Chapter 449 also states that local governments must consider and develop findings on whether or not new projects would reduce the County's capacity to accommodate planned growth. Grant agreements for approved projects between Jefferson Land Trust and the County will be developed by Environmental Public Health and submitted to the BoCC for approval. FISCAL IMPACT: The explicit purpose of the Conservation Futures Program is to fund acquisition projects to support a system of public open spaces. There is no impact to the General Fund for this effort. The following projects are anticipated to close in 2024: Community Health Environmental Public Health Developmental Disabilities Water Quality 360-385-9400 360-385-9444 360-385-9401 (f) Always working for a safer and healthier community (f) 360-379-4487 Quimper Trust Land Transfer: $205,000 Dosewallips River Lazy C: $7,649 Pending approval,two of the Lower Chimacum Creek Mainstem Acquisitions parcels Pending approval,North Barry Snow Creek Pending approval, Schmidt Farm RECOMMENDATION: 1) Review the three project proposals brought forth by the CF Committee. 2) Hold a public hearing on January 2', 2024 at 10:15 a.m. Consider the written and oral testimony at the public hearing and adopt any of the enclosed funding resolutions(with or without revisions)for project proposals and funding amounts that the Commissioners may wish to approve. REVIEWED BY: ,,Vp/o075 Mark McCaule , ounty Administrator Dat Community Health Environmental Public Health Developmental Disabilities Water Quality 360-385-9400 360-385-9444 360-385-9401 (f) Always working for a safer and healthier community (f) 360-379-4487