New public trails to access Pierce County shoreline west of the Narrows? Here’s the plan
Undeveloped land on Wollochet Bay would get trails down to the shoreline under a plan approved by Peninsula Metropolitan Park District officials.
The district is currently made up of 22 properties, Zemorah Murray, director of administrative services, told the Gateway.
Several of those properties are undeveloped or underdeveloped. An undeveloped property is untouched, she said, and an underdeveloped property has fewer than four components (trails, playground, etc.).
Wollochet Estuary Bay Park at 4508 Wollochet Dr. is one of three underdeveloped properties in the district.
The other two are Kopachuck Heights near Kopachuck Drive Northwest and 56th Street Northwest, and the Cedrona Bay boat launch at 13th Avenue and Leschi Drive, Fox Island.
PenMet is considering upgrades to all three properties.
The Wollochet property is 20 acres on the north end of Wollochet Bay, where it meets Artondale Creek. There aren’t any paths down to the water. If PenMet develops it, residents could get shoreline access at Wollochet.
“Development doesn’t always mean pavement and structures or field,” Murray said. “Rather it’s responding to the community’s needs for that property in that area.”
Murray said if PenMet’s upcoming levy renewal passes, a master plan for Wollochet Bay Estuary Park would be developed for $150,000 in 2024, then upgrades would happen two years later in 2026. They want to spend $5,671,325 on the shoreline trails and other improvements, though what the other improvements would be won’t be determined until the master plan is created.
If the levy does not pass, the development of a master plan for Wollochet Bay Estuary Park would be shifted to 2027, Murray said.
The plan for Cedrona Bay and Kopachuck looks different than Wollochet.
If the levy passes Cedrona Bay is slated to get launch improvements for $150,000 in 2024. If the levy is not renewed work will be pushed to 2027.
Cedrona Bay, also known as the 13th Avenue Boat Launch, is 0.3 acres.
“The site is a water access street end used for launching boats at higher tides,” according to the PenMet website.
Hand launch improvements would “implement launch access, surface improvements, and signage,” according to the district’s 2024 parks, recreation, and open space (PROS) plan.
Kopachuck Heights would get a master plan update for $191,442 in 2029. If the levy isn’t renewed, an update to the plan will not be funded.
Kopachuck Heights is 18 acres of forest with walking and bike paths, according to the PenMet website.
PenMet Levy funding, parks plan
Nov. 7 Peninsula Metropolitan Parks District residents will vote whether to renew the district’s parks and recreation levy.
The levy needs more than 50 percent to pass.
The measure “would restore the rate from $.58 to $.75 per $1,000 of assessed value and maintain annual increases of up to 6% (but never to exceed $.75) for six more years,” according to the PenMet website.
“Today PenMet serves more residents than ever before, yet the property tax levy rate was reduced from the $.75 per $1,000 levy rate voters approved in 2017 to $.58 per $1,000 because of annual limits,” according to the Pierce County Voters’ Pamphlet. “If the levy is restored to the rate previously approved by voters, PenMet Parks can maintain its current levels of service.”
For a Gig Harbor-area homeowner with a home worth $500,000, they would pay $375 per year (an $85 increase) or $31.25 per month.
A homeowner with a $750,000 home would pay $563 per year (an $127 increase) or about $47 per month.
A homeowner with a $1 million home would pay $750 a year (a $170 increase) or about $63 a month.
Craig McLaughlin, a member of the “no” committee against the levy renewal, told the Gateway he’s skeptical of the Wollochet project and the others.
“PenMet has owned all of these properties for years and done nothing with them,” he said. “Why, all of a sudden, are they key projects for 2024?”
McLaughlin also said that PenMet’s 2021 cash flow study determined no levy lift would be needed in 2024
“Yet, here they are demanding millions more,” McLaughlin said.
PenMet’s financial and accountability audits, done by the Washington State Auditor’s Office, are available at sao.wa.gov/reports-data/audit-reports.
Levy funds, which make up more than 80% of the district’s annual operating budget, pay for “additional parks and services that our community needs,” according to the PenMet website.
For 2023, PenMet had an annual operating budget of $3.2 million, according to their website.
The agency’s website says that the levy could fund:
- Access to trails, forests, saltwater shoreline, and park amenities like fields, courts, and playgrounds.
- Programs for all ages and abilities, like free community events and programs for seniors, adults, and youth.
- Creating new recreation opportunities and access throughout the district.
The Board of Park Commissioners approved an update to the district’s PROS (parks, recreation, and open space) plan Oct. 17.
One of the district’s priorities is to develop master plans for Wollochet Bay Estuary Park and Kopachuck Heights, according to the new plan.
Levy money could help fund parks projects identified in the PROS plan, Murray said.
“The purpose of the PROS Plan is to identify community priorities for parks, recreation, and open space,” according to the PenMet website. “It is updated periodically, but at least every six years.”
In a survey the district put out during the planning process of the newly updated PROS plan, responses showed the most important amenities to residents are walking and hiking trails and water access points.
Correction: A previous version of this article misstated how many votes the levy renewal needs to pass. It needs more than 50 percent.
This story was originally published October 29, 2023 at 5:30 AM.
