Get ready to pay more to visit the San Juan Islands
Oct 24, 2023, 1:18 PM | Updated: 4:03 pm
Lime Kiln Lighthouse, Lime Kiln State Park, San Juan Island, Washington. (Photo by: Greg Vaughn /VW PICS/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
(Photo by: Greg Vaughn /VW PICS/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
It may soon cost you more to visit San Juan County.
In a plan put together by San Juan community leaders, the county wants to charge an annual fee of $10-$15 for cars, bikes and boats. The concept would be similar to a Discover Pass.
Visitors and residents would be required to purchase the passes, which would fund management and infrastructure improvements.
The county said it’s all part of a plan to address the impact of more people on the islands.
If approved, visitors and residents would have to display the passes on their cars, bikes and boats.
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The county is seeking public feedback through the end of October on the funding proposal. If the idea moves forward, the county would work with state legislators to establish a Salish Sea Marine Pass whose proceeds would be used for the maintenance of marine facilities, moorings, and marine protection measures.
The group also wants to establish a business license system in the county as an “at-large” position for the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee.
The county said there will be consultation with local tribes to gather their input on the plan. The county said it needs to consider recommendations from tribes to determine whether projects and activities are reducing or avoiding impacts on their lifeways. Revisions to the plan can be made based upon their feedback, and county council approval.
The development and funding of the proposed projects will become part of county and partner budgeting processes.
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The San Juan Islands get an average of 247 days with sunshine and about half the rainfall of the Seattle area, thanks to the “rain shadow” effect of the Olympic Mountains to the south.
In 1985, there were 17,000 annual visitors to the islands. The island population has since been on a steady rise with just over 1% per year in the last 10 years, according to the San Juan Islands Visitors Bureau. As one might expect, visitors spike in the summer.
