— from San Juan County Communications —
The Parks, Trails and Natural Areas Plan (PTNA) provides direction for the development, management and acquisition of parks, trails, non-motorized transportation facilities, and natural areas for the Parks & Fair Department, Land Bank, and Public Works Departments of the County. New with this update is incorporation of the County’s Non-Motorized Transportation Plan. This document is designed to maintain San Juan County’s eligibility for state-based park and recreation grant funding.
We have a DRAFT of the updated Parks, Trails and Natural Areas Plan 2017-2022 ready for YOUR review and comment. The plan includes an inventory of existing properties and facilities, a capital facilities plan, goals and policies, and a plan for implementation.
We hope you’ll take some time to read through these chapters, consider how the content affects your use of our local public lands, and take a few moments to comment. You may send e-mail comments to parkplancomments@sanjuanco.com. We will continue to accept public comments on this draft until at least early September.
On August 26, 2016, staff will brief the Planning Commission on the adoption of proposed amendments to the Comprehensive Plan Transportation Element, and the Parks, Trails and Natural Areas Plan 2017-2022. All Planning Commission documents for the August 26th meeting including a staff report and proposed amendments to the Transportation Element will be provided on or before August 10 at the link posted below for the Parks, Trails and Natural Areas Plan.
Questions about the PTNA can be sent to Parks & Fair Director Dona Wuthnow at donaw@sanjuanco.com or by calling the Parks & Fair office at 378-8420. Questions about the transportation element of the Comprehensive Plan to Linda Kuller, Community Development Deputy Director at lindak@sanjuanco.com or 370-7572.
Check www.sanjuanco.com/1143/Parks-Trails-Natural-Areas-Plan regularly for news and details on public hearings and other information.
View Parks, Trails and Natural Areas Plan.
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It is unfortunate that the one missing item in the list of “major” recreation facilities in San Juan County is adequate Parks and Trails. It is no secret that as much as 60% to 70$ of our economy is tourist based. It is also no secret that tourism is robust and growing due to the efforts of The San Juan Islands Visitors Bureau and Taxes collected from tourists by the County. “Walking and Picnicking” is a major activity for close to “all” of our visitors and is becoming a favorite activity of residents. We collect a 2% sales tax plus a 2% “bed tax” used for promoting tourism and little or none of it has been spent to update existing walking trails and create new. Bottom line is that there is plenty of tourist generated money without asking residents for an increase in taxes to at least complete the walking trails and picnic spots that have already been identified and held up due to lack of funds. There are many, but the best example in my bag of irritations is the plan that was developed in the Deer Harbor Plan and approved by The Council in 2007
There was a time when the “tourist” income from sales tax and “bed tax” was spent to mitigate the effects of tourism. It was spent on things like facilities and services that support islanders year round. Sadly that changed and the emphasis moved to attract more and more tourism. What is not publicized is that we derive more income from federal and state retirement income than we receive from the take-home pay for those involved in the tourist industry. Seniors provide year round income to our businesses and we pay taxes too despite the fact that we are asked to build twice the infrastructure that we need, merely to support the crowds that invade our island in the summer.
It is time to redirect the money that we get from tourists to projects that we can all enjoy year round. Time to return to a mitigation policy.