Land_Trust BI - Land Trust 2014

25th ANNIVERSARY

WORKING TOGETHER TO PROTECT THE ISLAND’S NATURAL RESOURCES

BAINBRIDGE ISLAND LAND TRUST

A SUPPLEMENT OF THE BAINBRIDGE ISLAND REVIEW

PAGE 2 Bainbridge Island Land Trust - 25th Anniversary JULY 25, 2014

911 Hildebrand Lane NE, 202Bainbridge Island, WA 98110

206.842.6613206.842.5867 (fax)

www.bainbridgereview.com

PublisherAdvertising Director

EditorWriters

Production Advertising

Photography

Lori Maxim

Donna Etchey

Brian Kelly

Luciano Marano & Cecilia Garza

Bryon Kempf

Marleen Martínez

Paul Brians, Thomas Schworer, Thomas Fenwick, BI Land Trust

A SPECIAL PUBLICATION OF THE BAINBRIDGE REVIEW Picnic at the Hilltop meadowThe Bainbridge Island

Land Trust will host a community picnic to celebrate 25 years of land conservation later this summer.

The picnic is planned for 4 to 7 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 10 in the meadow at Hilltop.

There will be live mu-sic, and cake and bever-ages will be provided.

Bring your own picnic to this family-friendly event. Please no alcohol, no smoking. Dogs on leash only.

The event will be held weather permitting, and will be canceled in case of rain.

Go to bi-landtrust.org for walking and parking directions.

ON THE COVER: Gazzam Trail; Paul Brians photo.

Photo courtesy of Bainbridge Island Land Trust

Eileen BlackWaterfront Specialist

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Thank you Bainbridge Island Trust for 25 years of success. The Island will always be a better place because of you!

JULY 25, 2014 Bainbridge Island Land Trust - 25th Anniversary PAGE 3

Bainbridge Island Land Trust celebrates 25 years of conservationBY LUCIANO MARANOBAINBRIDGE ISLAND REVIEW

Bainbridge Island has a bountiful his-tory.

From its earlier days spent as the location of wintertime and hunting villages of the Suquamish people to its eventual corner-stone status in the regional timber industry, this island has always supplied the people who live here with ample natural gifts.

Today, the island’s 65.02 square miles is home to a total population of approximately 23,000 (as of 2010) residents. It is the second largest city in Kitsap County.

According to Wikipedia.org, “Since the 1960s, Bainbridge Island has become an increasingly affl uent bedroom community of Seattle, a 35-minute ride away on the Washing-ton State Ferries. The community has been especially concerned with preserving green space and keeping a tight control over develop-ment, both residential and commercial. The Bainbridge Island Land Trust, city and park district are instrumental in maintaining island open space.”

Now, not everything you read on the internet is true, but that last part happens to be abso-

lutely correct.

From a Bainbridge Island Land Trust “Statement of Purpose,” circa 1989: “The

Bainbridge Island Land Trust believes that as transient occupants of the natural environment, we are responsible for the stewardship of the land. To ensure this, we believe that an effort to preserve our environment must be established and sustained over generations.”

Today, that statement of purpose seems well in hand as the group’s approximately 650 mem-bers proudly refl ect on the organization’s fi rst 25 years — and the more than 1,275 acres they have helped to protect, which include vulner-able forestlands, wetlands, meadows, shore-lines, agricultural lands, riparian corridors and scenic vistas, of which more than 950 acres are open to the public. The land trust has also created 47 conservation easements (permanent land protection agreements on 42 private and fi ve publicly owned properties) that encompass 708 acres, with an additional 80 acres owned by the land trust outright. Another 465 acres have been preserved as public parks and natural ar-eas through the nonprofi t’s acquisition efforts or with land trust assistance.

SEE LAND TRUST, PAGE 7

The sunlight streams through the forest canopy onto Issei Creek. The Bainbridge Island Land Trust acquired the nearby Hilltop property — the land that feeds Issei Creek — after a successful $3.6 million fundraising campaign.

Thomas Schworer photo


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1989 Bainbridge Island Land

Trust (BILT) is formed. Initial Board of Directors: Nate Thomas, president;

Jim Cutler, vice president; Paul Kundtz, secretary;

Larry Luce, treasurer. Since then the Land Trust

has worked with private landowners to protect their land with conser-vation easements (per-

manent land protection agreements).

1991Grand Forest bond levy

passed by voters: BILT helped bring parties

together; Park District takes ownership; 240

acres preserved.

1995Gazzam Lake Preserve acquisition completed and transferred to the Park District with a Conservation Easement; 321 acresFifteen Conservation Easements completed by this date

1996Wildlife Corridor, 20 acres, is purchased andconnects Meigs Park to the Grand Forest.

1990First two private Conservation Easements finished — on the former Willowbrook Farm (now known as Rustica Island Farm, at the corner of Day Road and Highway 305) and the Battle Point Spit.

Gazzam LakePaul Brians photo

Phyllis Young, the first person to step up and do a conservation easement, stands with then board member Laurie Usher on Battlepoint Spit.

1992Meigs Park, 67 acres,

purchased and transferred to the Park District.

Work begins on the acquisition of Gazzam

Lake Preserve..

1989Began discussions in 1989 with the Department of Natural Resources regarding the purchase of what would become the Grand Forest.

Meigs ParkThomas Schworer photo

1997Fundraising starts for Blakely Harbor Park.

1999The 20-acre Blakely Harbor Park project iscompleted; Park District takes ownership along with an additional 18 acres acquired by BILT.

200031 Conservation Easements have been completed by this date; city of Bainbridge Island Open Space Bond passes.

Path to Blakely Harbor Park.Paul Brians photo

FROM THE GRASSROOTS UP: A HISTORY OF SUCCESS

Photo courtesy of Bainbridge Island Land Trust


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Bainbridge Island Land Trust PurchasingBainbridge Island Land Trust EasementBainbridge Island Land Trust Fee OwnershipPrivate PreserveCity-owned Open Space TractOther EasementBainbridge Island Park District EasementBainbridge Island Park District Park

Bainbridge IslandConservation LandsBainbridge Island Land Trust - January 2014Map by BILT

Athletic/Ball Field Sites

0 1 2 Miles

Bainbridge Island Land Trustbi-landtrust.org || 206-842-1216

2001BILT options the Hall Property for the Open Space Commission; the land becomes the 12-acre Hawley Cove Park.

2002Rockaway Beach Park is acquired by the Open Space Commission with help from BILT; only 1.8 acres but stunning views of Seattle and unique underwater habitat.

2003A three-way transaction with the

state of Washington, BILT and the Suquamish Tribe for 19 acres of

tidelands that had been donated to BILT.

2004Peters Tree Farm is purchased

with the Open Space Bond and a Conservation Easement is given

to BILT; the 49 acres are added to Gazzam Lake Preserve.

2005The Close property acquisition is completed with BILT raising half the purchase price and the Open Space Bond paying the other half; 64 acres are added to the Gazzam Lake Preserve.

2006BILT raises $500,000 toward the purchase of Prichard Park.

2007BILT helps purchase 5 acres to be

added to the Ted Olson Preserve and transferred to the Park District with a

Conservation Easement.

2010Powel Shoreline Restoration project begins with the design phase.

View from Hawley Cove Park. Rockaway Beach Park.

Wildlife flourishes in tidelands preserved by the BILT.

The shoreline at the Close property.

A TIMELINE OF THE BAINBRIDGE ISLAND LAND TRUST

Paul Brians photo

Paul Brians photo

Paul Brians photo


201119-acre Heart of the Forest purchase by BILT completed.Fundraising for the 31-acre Hilltop Project, which connects the east and west Grand Forest parcels, begins.

2012Keep Gazzam Wild campaign is completed adding 30 acres to Gazzam Lake Preserve.Powel Shoreline Restoration project is completed.BILT purchases 5 acre parcel to be added to Hilltop.

2013BILT earns the prestigious Accreditation Award by the national Land Trust Accreditation CommissionBILT purchases 15 acre parcel to expand the Wildlife CorridorFundraising for the Hilltop Property com-pleted.

2014BILT receives $1.2 million from the Salmon Recovery Fund to pay for the 12.5-acre West Bainbridge Shoreline Protection Project.

2014Bainbridge

Island Land Trust celebrates 25th

anniversary.

Hikers make their way through the Heart of the Forest.

A barge is in place for the Powel Shoreline Restoration project. The land trust worked with the Powel family to remove over a quarter mile of armor along the shoreline as part of the largest restoration project in Puget Sound on private property.

Paul Brians photo

Thomas Fenwick photo

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Founded in 1989 by archi-tects Nate Thomas, Jim

Cutler, state lobbyist Mike Ry-herd and attorney Paul Kundtz, the trust was formed out of a concern about rampant growth on Bainbridge Island and the founders established the organi-zation to provide a mechanism and ally for landowners looking to protect and preserve their property.

It was a project born out of passion, Kundtz explained, but at first the founders weren’t at all sure about what kind of community support they might receive.

“We were uncertain as to whether or not anyone — or any private owner — would be interested in a conservation easement,” Kundtz said. “But, our thinking was that even if we did one project, it would be worth it.”

That being said, the BILT hit

the ground running. The group’s first two private

conservation easements were finished within a year.

Willowbrook Farm, at the corner of Highway 305 and Day Road, was originally slated to become a driving range. BILT worked to acquire the property, sell it to a conservation-minded buyer and place a conservation easement on the piece thus pro-tecting the scenic rolling hills and meadows we enjoy today.

Bainbridge resident Phyllis Young, whose easement

was actually the first project undertaken by BILT, placed the group’s second conserva-tion easement on her property at Battle Point Spit on the west side of the island soon after. The agreement with the land trust protects a marine estuary and crucial shoreline habitat.

“We were inspired by Phyl-lis Young,” Kundtz recalled, saying that she was the critical first islander to inquire about a conservation easement.

Then, in 1991, BILT scored their first major league home

run. The Grand Forest bond levy

was passed by voters, after much assistance by the land trust in bringing concerned parties together, and ultimately resulted in the park district tak-ing possession of 240 acres.

The very next year, BILT managed to purchase Meigs Park and an additional 67 acres of land were transferred to the park district.

The Gazzam Lake Preserve acquisition in 1995, perhaps the group’s most widely publicized accomplishment, resulted in a total of 321 acres being trans-ferred to the park district with a conservation easement.

The following years would see no slowing of acquisitions by the land trust, and even more conservation easements completed.

In 1999, Blakely Harbor Park was completed, and was soon followed by an option for the Hall property in 2001 for the Open Space Commission (formed just the year before). The land became the 12-acre

Hawley Cove Park.By 2004, the organization

added an additional 49 acres to Gazzam Lake Preserve by acquiring the Peters Tree Farm property. And the Close property, acquired in partner-ship with the Open Space Bond in 2005, added still another 64 acres to the Gazzam Lake Preserve.

In 2006, BILT put on its fundraising hats and got serious about rounding up $500,000 for the purchase of Prichard Park.

And in 2011, BILT completed the 19-acre Heart of the Forest purchase and began initial fun-draising efforts for the 31-acre Hilltop Project, which connects the east and west Grand Forest parcels.

In 2012, BILT completed its widely recognized “Keep Gaz-zam Wild” campaign. Success-ful, it added another 30 acres to the preserve. That same year, the trust added five more acres to the Hilltop Project.

As of this year, the trust has completed nearly 50 conserva-tion easements.

The trust’s accomplishments have far exceeded the rela-tively humble aspirations of the founders, Kundtz said.

“It seemed like it was a time for action,” he said of the found-ing. “The long-term success was due to more good people getting involved. In the begin-ning, we had no money. Now, the land trust raises substantial money and receives substantial grants.”

For most, a clean and sustainable planet is

the very least of a legacy that we owe to the next genera-tion. Surely, there can be few causes more important to the species as a whole than the protection of the environment upon which we depend for so many things. It is through the work of the Bainbridge Island Land Trust, and other similar organizations around the state that Washington’s title as “The Evergreen State” — and Bain-bridge Island’s own historically renowned natural elements — remain assured.

LAND TRUSTCONTINUED FROM PAGE 3


We wish to thank all the past and current board members without whose hard work, dedication and support the Bainbridge Island Land Trust would not have become the organization it is today. We also wish to thank our staff members who helped propel this organization to new levels of productivity and organization. PAST AND CURRENT

STAFF MEMBERSLinda Buck HayesYolanka WulffKaren MolinariAsha RehnbergHallie StevensLaura O’MaraBrenda PadghamJane Myers StoneSusanne SchneiderFrances Ran

Connie WaddingtonMartha Monkman

AMERICORPS INTERNS

Jacob DysteJonnie DunneMolly Esteve

PARTNERSOne Call For AllCity of Bainbridge IslandBainbridge Island Metropolitan Park & Recreation DistrictSuquamish TribeIslandWoodSustainable Bainbridge

Puget Sound PartnershipWashington Department of Fish and WildlifeWashington State Recre-ation and Conservation Offi ce and its numerous funding sourcesPAST AND PRESENT BOARD MEMBERS

Tom BackerBill BoothBill EckelThomas FenwickDavid HarrisonHilary HilscherJohn Hough

Erin KelloggLew MandellJan MulderDeb RudnickBarb RobertGene SeligmannJohn van den MeerendonkConnie WaddingtonBruce AndersonAnnita Baze-HansenKen BennettIan BentrynMike BonoffKatya BridwellRichard BrownMaureen BuckleyBob BurkholderBob CampbellMatthew CoatesTom CrokerLee CrossYanira CuellarTom CunninghamJim CutlerWayne DaleyHeidi Dexter

Barry FettermanWilliam FosterTom GoodlinKathy HaskinLinda HayesJim HuntleyNeil JohannsenEmily KehrbergLeigh KennellMaryann KirkbyMargie KleinDarlene KordonowyPaul KundtzLarry LuceIver MacDougallSallie MaronKaren MatsumotoJulie MatthewsJolynn MeriamSteph MillerLiz MurrayJane Myers StoneCeAnn ParkerDeborah ParrDoug PichaAnn (John) Powel

Joe RochellePhil RockefellerLeonard RolfesDon RooksMike RyherdJo SchafferTom SchworerSandy ShopesCarol SperlingGeorge StegeAnnette StollmanFrank StowellGary SundemJohn ThomasMarguerite ThomasNate ThomasDavid ThorneJim ThrashVal TollefsonBarb TraftonTom TynerLaurie UsherKeith WentworthJane WentworthPenelope Wood

Bainbridge Island Land Trust thanks city of Bainbridge Island, Bainbridge parks and organization’s volunteers for years of dedicated work

Bainbridge IslandMetro Park & Recreation District

A

REVIEWBAINBRIDGE ISLAND

FRIDAY, MAY 9, 2014 | Vol. 114, No. 19 | WWW.BAINBRIDGEREVIEW.COM | 75¢

NOT IN OUR HOUSE: Spartans rally from two ones to beat Bellevue.A10

Developers had more than one new drugstore in the planning stages

BY BRIAN KELLYBainbridge Island Review

Developers from Ohio weren’t the

only ones who thought Bainbridge

Island could use another large drug-

store on High School Road.

The city’s hearing exam-

iner recently approved the plan by

Visconsi, an Ohio-based developer,

for a new shopping center on High

School Road that will be anchored

by a Bartell Drugs store.

Documents released this week

by the city, however, show that

a Michigan-based development

company approached Bainbridge

officials last summer with plans for

a 12,500-square-foot, 24-hour phar-

macy on the southwest corner of

Highway 305 that’s currently occu-

pied by a Chevron gas station.

Last May, owners of the gas sta-

tion purchased the closed 76 Station

on the other side of High School

Road for $1.2 million. There are now

two Chevron stations on both sides

of High School Road near the busy

Highway 305 intersection.

The following month, in June

2013, according to city records, the

Velmeir Companies, a development

firm that counts as its clients CVS

Pharmacy, the Home Depot, Dairy

Queen and others, asked city offi-

cials for a predevelopment confer-

ence to discuss their plans for the

property. The land is owned by Car

Wash Enterprises, Inc. of Seattle.

Velmeir representatives said their

proposal included a 24-hour pharma-

cy with a drive-through lane. Project

officials also said the store would

sell alcohol.In a meeting with city planners

on July 16, the developers were

BY CECILIA GARZABainbridge Island Review

In other parts of the country, sum-

mer isn’t summer without the neigh-

borhood pool.It’s where summer birthdays are

celebrated and poolside barbecues

happen.For kids and adults alike, it’s the

best spot for alternately soaking up

the sun and cooling down.

On Bainbridge, kids instead jump

off the Point White pier or test how

long they can last in the shocking

“refreshment” of the Puget Sound

before rushing out again.

That’s about it. There is no perfect

sunbathing patio, kiddie water play-

ground or poolside picnic table.

At Pleasant Beach Village in

Lynwood Center, though, that will

all soon change.“There really isn’t, at least from

my perspective, there isn’t anything

like this on the island,” said John

Jacobi, the owner of the family-

friendly shopping and community

center.

“There’s nothing there that says

kid-friendly as this will be.”

By spring 2015, Jacobi said, a

community pool complete with a hot

tub, kiddie pool, picnic tables with

barbecue grills and shower facilities

will be open for its first visitors.

“The reason we did it, we talked

to an awful lot of people in the com-

munity,” Jacobi said. “And they

expressed an interest in having a

community center … So that’s what

we’ve have designed.”Once the pool is complete, visi-

tors will be able to park behind the

existing shopping strip on Lynwood

Center Road.There, at the top of the hill, is

what Jacobi says is the perfect

sunspot for a pool. The sun rises,

reaches its highest spot and sets

without any obstruction from build-

ings or trees.Like the rest of Pleasant Beach,

the new community pool will

be a family-friendly space and

A new summer spot

Pool at Pleasant Beach may open by next spring

Highway interchange drew interest for CVS pharmacy

TURN TO POOL | A18

TURN TO PHARMACY | A3

What a scream!

KiDiMu’s first-ever Kids for

KiDiMu Walk was held in down-

town Winslow Saturday, May 3.

At the end of the walk, the popu-

lar bank Recess Monkey played

for an eager audience of kids and

parents. The group went through

a big songlist of kiddie favorites

for the appreciative crowd.

At top, Alexa Jane Cantwell, 5,

and Jack Cantwell dance to the

music.At right, bass player Jack Forman

leads the crowd in a goofy-face

singalong.

Brian Kelly | Bainbridge Island Review

SOUND PUBLISHING, INC.

Congratulations Bainbridge Island

Land Trustfor 25 years of protecting & preserving

our island’s natural resources.

We pride ourselves in being your number one community news source.

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