How King County officials propose to preserve 65K acres of open space

King County Executive Dow Constantine announced Thursday a new 30-year effort that will create an “accelerated pace of preservation” of the county’s open spaces.

“It is the kind of thing that every single person needs and more than that deserves, has a right to,” Constantine said. “And with this measure we are going to begin making that real for the 2.25 million people of King County.”

“….It is also critical because each of our communities needs to be a place that is attracting people to it, drawing people to the center, not pushing them away, out toward the forests and farmlands that we are trying to protect.”

Tropical bird escapes exhibit at Seattle’s Woodland Park Zoo

The announcement was made at White Center Heights Park and featured a collection of of regional officials, and environmental and park advocates. The proposed legislation is the product of the King County Land Conservation Initiative. Constantine said it will triple the county’s conservation efforts, preserving 65,000 acres. It aims to accomplish the preservation of the “most important natural lands and urban green spaces in 30 years.”

Proposed legislation would increase the use of bond financing with the existing Conservation Futures Tax. Officials believe that would raise about $148 million in the next couple years. Constantine is specifically calling for $64 million for vital land and waterway protection.

It also limits the reduction of available buildable lands to less than 3 percent; addresses disparities in access to nature and parks; and invests in natural infrastructure. There are six sub categories of urban space that it targets: urban green space; trails; natural lands; rivers; farmlands; and forests.

King County preservation

The effort comes as the county experiences massive population and development growth. The initiative points out that the population shot up by 48,600 in 2017, and that 180,000 more people are expected to arrive over the coming 10 years. It also states that 500,000 residents do not have ready access to nature and parks.

The conservation initiative proposes to spend $160 million on communities with the greatest need for open spaces “as a starting point.” A county map of the areas in most need of preserved space shows the majority of areas are south of Seattle, through Burien, Kent, and down to Federal Way.

Another selling point officials are touting is that open spaces and access to nature is essential for health and the environment.

The county says that since 1970, it has preserved 190,000 acres of land, and it will take “65,000 acres to finish the job.”

This legislation, which we’re announcing today, will help ensure that all people who call King County home can enjoy the natural beauty that defines our region. (2/5) #GreenSpace4All Learn more: https://t.co/qhiwqjVvoB pic.twitter.com/1AfIQs95aE

— Dow Constantine (@kcexec) June 27, 2019

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