NEWS17-046 | Media contacts:
Virginia Painter, (360) 902-8562 |
OLYMPIA – July 6, 2017 – The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission will consider policy items, extension of a park long-term boundary and a 2018 meeting schedule at its regular meeting in Walla Walla next week.
The meeting begins at 9 a.m. Thursday, July 13, at Walla Walla City Hall, 15 N. 3rd Ave., Walla Walla. (Directions). The Commission has six regular meetings a year at various locations around the state. Time for public comment is provided at all regular meetings. A full agenda, including information about opportunities for public comment is available at http://parks.state.wa.us/154/Commission-Meetings-Agendas.
The Commission will consider extending the long-term boundary of Klickitat State Park Trail to add three properties totaling approximately 592 acres. Two of the properties in Swale Canyon would allow State Parks to add recreation opportunities, protect view sheds and resolve management issues on the trail. The third property, at Harms Road, would provide space for a trailhead.
The Klickitat Trail is a multi-use recreation trail for hikers, cyclists and equestrians. It runs 31 miles through Columbia River Gorge country, from the town of Lyle in the west to an area called Warwick, just outside of Goldendale to the east. Long-term boundaries are established for parks as part of public planning processes to identify lands that contribute to the recreation and conservation mission of individual parks. The Commission may acquire an interest in properties within long-term park boundaries through a variety of methods, including simple agreements with landowners, easements, donations, land exchanges or purchases. The properties being considered for the Klickitat Trail are eligible for purchase using Inholdings and Adjacent Properties grant funds from the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program.
In other business, the Commission will consider:
- Adopting a simplified structure for current real estate policies.
- Approving a change in Washington Administrative Code to incorporate hang-gliding as an approved State Parks recreational activity, in response to recreation users and field staff.
- Setting a 2018 Commission regular meeting schedule.
- Adopting an emergency rule regarding charges for providing copies of public records, as required in House Bill 1595, passed by the 2017 Legislature.
The meeting agenda also includes several staff reports to the Commission: a status of budget expenditures and revenue earnings in 2015-17; review of 2017-19 budget requests; an update on 2017 legislative bills and budgets that affect State Parks; and an update by the attorney general’s office on legislative and court decisions that affect the Public Records Act and Open Public Meetings Act.
Commission work session
A work session is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. Wednesday, July 12, at Walla Walla City Hall, 15 N. Third Ave., Walla Walla. Work sessions are open to the public; however, there is no opportunity for public comment, and no formal action is taken at work sessions.
Work session topics include an update by staff on a climate change vulnerability assessment; process and considerations for setting camping fees; visitor surveys; agency interpretive programs and a visit to the Whitman Mission National Historic Site, 328 Whitman Mission Road, Walla Walla.
Commission tour
Commission members will depart at 8 a.m. Friday, July 14, from Marcus Whitman Hotel, 6 West Rose St., Walla Walla, for a tour of Columbia Plateau State Park Trail near Tri-Cities.
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About Washington State Parks
The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission manages more than 100 state parks and properties totaling approximately 120,000 acres. The Commission provides a variety of recreation opportunities for citizens and provides stewardship protection for a diverse array of natural, cultural and historic resources. State Parks’ statewide programs include long-distance trails, boating safety and winter recreation.
Follow Washington State Parks:
Share your favorite state park adventure on the State Parks’ blog site at http://adventureawaits.com/
Support state parks by purchasing your annual Discover Pass today, and enjoy a whole year of outdoor fun on Washington’s beautiful state-managed recreation lands. For more information, visit www.discoverpass.wa.gov.
Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission
1111 Israel Road S.W.
P.O. Box 42650
Olympia, WA 98504-2650
Washington Telecommunications Relay Service: (800) 833-6388