In  June 2001, Cascade Land Conservancy completed negotiations to permanently protect from development 145 acres directly adjacent to Snoqualmie Falls. This beautiful forested property was slated for development, which would have changed forever the Falls' natural character. This acquisition is the cornerstone of the Snoqualmie Preservation Initiative. The initiative will protect up to 9,000 acres of Raging River forestland, enhance trails, and establish a planning framework for future growth in the Snoqualmie area.The Snoqualmie Preservation Initiative was reached through negotiations led by Cascade Land Conservancy involving City of Snoqualmie Mayor R. "Fuzzy" Fletcher, King County Executive Ron Sims, Weyerhaeuser Real Estate Company (WRECO), and Puget Western, Inc.



"Snoqualmie Falls is a natural treasure of local, regional and even national significance," said Mayor Fletcher. "It's of vital importance to those of us who live in the Valley and in the region to protect it from development."

County Executive Sims added: "The initiative is a creative way to advance the public's interests in preserving critical areas in the Snoqualmie and Raging River valleys. The teamwork the parties have brought to the table has been outstanding, and the result is a balanced proposal that will resolve pressing questions about future development in the Snoqualmie area."

The 145-acre Falls Crossing property is now owned by the City of Snoqualmie, which will develop trails on the property. Passive recreational activities such as hiking and horseback riding will be allowed, and the property will be managed as natural habitat. The City of Snoqualmie and King County provided part of the financial backing to purchase the property from Puget Western Inc. for $13.3 million.

Some of the housing units that would have been built at Falls Crossing will be constructed at WRECO's Snoqualmie Ridge master planned community. WRECO has already contributed $3 million toward the preservation initiative as partial mitigation for being allowed to build 268 additional homes in Snoqualmie Ridge. In addition, WRECO has given an additional 12.5 acres in Snoqualmie Ridge to the City of Snoqualmie for building up to 30 units of affordable housing.

The initiative establishes a planning framework for the City and County to consider land-use decisions in the Snoqualmie Joint Planning Area (JPA), much of which is owned by WRECO and is located directly to the south of Snoqualmie Ridge.If the City and County designate WRECO land in the JPA as well as two parcels to the north of the City of Snoqualmie as areas to accommodate future growth, WRECO would provide additional development mitigation. The mitigation would include more payments toward the Falls Crossing preservation cost, thereby reducing the County's financial commitment in the initiative, as well as permanently signing over development rights to forestlands WRECO owns in the Snoqualmie area.

WRECO will give up development rights to 2,800 acres of forestland along Highway 18 in the Raging River Valley as partial development mitigation and further agrees to give up development rights to 650 acres of forestland located north of Snoqualmie Falls. By surrendering development rights, WRECO is prohibited from converted these properties to suburban development and will continue to manage the land for forestry.

The 650 acres that will be preserved north of the Falls are located along the Snoqualmie Valley Trail and the Preston-Snoqualmie Trail. Preserving the land will protect and enhance the public benefits provided by the trail. WRECO will also provide $1 million to build a long-envisioned foot and equestrian bridge connecting the trails.

King County Councilmember Larry Phillips called the land acquisition a major step in preserving forestland in rural King County. This initiative demonstrates that "the public and private sectors can work together to provide housing while managing urban sprawl," said Phillips, who chairs the Council's Natural Resources Committee. "The agreement will allow for additional new construction while permanently protecting our natural resources and Northwest landscape for generations into the future."Cascade Land Conservancy is continuing to negotiate with another forestland property owner in the Raging River Valley. Fruit Growers Supply owns approximately 6,000 acres adjacent to the WRECO forestlands and has expressed a strong interest in being part of this agreement.

To see The Washington Post's article on this intiative, click here.