Letter to Editor | Reauthorize SJC Land Bank

||| FROM TODD KADEN |||

I am writing in support of reauthorization of the San Juan County Conservation Area REET.

As most know, the local County Conservation Land Bank provides stewardship for a select number of land parcels. These are truly local treasures. Some are made available for low-impact, public access while others are leased for agricultural use. This allows an island family the opportunity to enjoy a walk at Watmough Bay, Coho Preserve, Mt. Grant, and the recently opened Redtail Trail adjacent to the Beaverton Marsh to name just a few. It also allows local farmers the ability to lease land to initiate or expand cultivation of locally grown products. And, finally, it allows for restoration of sensitive areas such as False Bay Creek watershed to enhance water quality, spawning habitat, and salmon recovery. Lands with aesthetic, agricultural, historic, environmental and cultural value are eligible for this type of protection and management. These activities are funded by a modest 1% fee on buyers of real estate in the County–not by local property taxes as some have suggested.

As residents know, our county contains some of the most valuable real estate in the Pacific Northwest. For many working families, this complicates finding affordable housing. Because the Land Bank REET is in place, the County is eligible for additional voter-approved funds to support modest housing options. This aids the local teacher, EMT, retail clerk, and other service professionals to find an affordable home in the island community in which they work and reside. If the Land Bank REET is not renewed, this affordable housing supplement will expire in 2026.

Renewing the County Conservation Land Bank charter is ultimately about coming together as residents and neighbors in support of a common good that—directly or indirectly—benefits us all.  I urge you to consider voting for renewal of the Conservation REET so that cherished lands, productive farmland, affordable housing, and environmentally sensitive areas in the archipelago can continue to be a priority for generations to come.