Feb.9 2016 Public Hearing – St Ed Land Exchange

Daniels Real Estate land exchange proposal

Public hearing Feb.9 !

Nutshell background – Daniels wishes to take private ownership of 5 public acres central to St Edward State Park by exchanging it for the parcel outlined in yellow below.

Our Perspective

1. The bulk of the McDonald area is not suitable for recreational nor housing development.
2. There is a small stretch of desirable trail which technically trespasses through the SE corner. However, this could be alternatively addressed by:
   1. Acquiring just a trail easement vs the whole parcel. Washington State can indeed exercise Eminent Domain — solely for public use —.
   2. or simply rerouting around the trespass.

It is therefore our conclusion that the McDonald property benefits are overstated and represent little value to park visitors. Giving up the well established recreational value of the park’s core to privatization far exceeds the questionable gains of the McDonald property. We the people respectfully decline.