During the Feb. 11 Council meeting, Council spent time with Conservation Land Bank staff reviewing agricultural leases and setting public hearings to consider the conveyance of a conservation easement and the sale of a portion of the Frazer Homestead to the National Park Service.

Approval of agricultural leases

The County’s Conservation Land Bank has been working to develop agricultural leases for portions of the Beaverton Marsh and Frazer Homestead Preserves on San Juan Island. In the fall and winter of 2023, the Land Bank put out a public request for long-term agricultural lease proposals, for which several strong proposals were received. Following much deliberation, in the spring of 2024, the Land Bank selected a prospective lessee for each property.

During the Feb. 11 meeting, a public hearing invited feedback from the community regarding the leases. Council approved both resolutions, thus authorizing multiyear leases of the preserves with the Shephard family for the Frazer Homestead and with the San Juan Island Grange for the Beaverton Marsh Preserve. All lease information can be found in the Council Agenda Packet located on the meeting page.

Upcoming public hearings

Also during the Feb. 11 meeting, Council set two additional public hearings for the purposes of considering the conveyance of a Conservation Easement to the San Juan Preservation Trust on Orcas Island’s North Shore Preserve and to consider authorizing the sale of a portion of San Juan Island’s Frazer Homestead Preserve to the National Park Service. The public hearings are scheduled for March 11 and 18 respectively.

Conservation easement on North Shore Preserve and The San Juan Preservation Trust

The Land Bank purchased the North Shore Preserve in 2022 for $6,350,000 with the intention of selling a conservation easement on the property to SJPT for 50% of the purchase price.

SJPT has secured grant funding through the Puget Sound Acquisition and Restoration Fund and additional funding from private donors for the acquisition of the easement and is now ready to close the transaction.

The Council set a public hearing on a special meeting on March 11 at 9 a.m. to consider a resolution authorizing the conveyance of a conservation easement to SJPT.

Selling a portion of the Frazer Homestead Preserve to the National Park Service

The Land Bank purchased the eastern portion of the Frazer Homestead Preserve in 2006 with the express goal of conserving views, creating an opportunity for continued agriculture and creating a roadside trail connected to American Camp. The Land Bank Commission also stated its intention of considering a resale of all or a portion of the property.

The National Park Service now wishes to purchase the southern two lots for inclusion into the San Juan Islands National Historical Park. NPS believes this portion of the property encompasses the homestead of Lyman Cutler, best known for his role in the dispute between the British and United States governments, known as the “Pig War.”

NPS initiated discussions with Land Bank staff several years ago and began the acquisition process. Funding has been granted, and the property was appraised in 2024. NPS is now ready to proceed with the acquisition. The Land Bank Commission has approved the resale of these two parcels to NPS for the appraised value.

The Council set a public hearing on March 18 at 9 a.m. to consider a resolution authorizing a direct sale of a portion of the Frazer Homestead Preserve to the National Park Service.

How to participate in the public hearing:

Written comments may be submitted in advance of the hearing by mail, email or at the hearing, or by delivery in person. Mail can be sent to 350 Court Street #1, Friday Harbor, WA 98250; email to councilpc@sanjuancountywa.gov.

You can attend the Council meeting in person. You may speak in person, and signups will be available in the room. The meeting will be held in the Council Hearing Room at 55 Second Street, Friday Harbor, WA.

You can also call in to make a comment. To call in and sign up for Public Comment, visit https://www.sanjuancountywa.gov/1879/Public-Comment-Signup. After signing up, call in at 9 a.m. to join the meeting via telephone: +1 360-726-3293, phone conference ID: 630 068 600#.

If you are watching or listening to the Council livestream, please turn it off when calling in for Public Comment.

You can access the livestream at https://sanjuancowa.portal.civicclerk.com/.

If you forget to sign up – no worries! Just make yourself known when the Council chair asks for any additional comments.

Note: The Council wants to hear your ideas or concerns. To ensure equal opportunity for the public to comment, comments may be limited in length. Each person may address the Council one time during the public comment period.

Questions about the public hearing? Reach out to Clerk to the Council Sally Rogers at sallyr@sanjuancountywa.gov.

Questions about the Land Bank? Reach out to Tanja Williamson, outreach/volunteer coordinator, tanjaw@sjclandbank.org, 360-378-4402.

San Juan County’s Land Bank, funded by a 1% real estate excise tax paid by purchasers of property at closing, acquires and preserves areas in the county that have environmental, agricultural, aesthetic, cultural, scientific, historic, scenic or low-intensity recreational value. The department offices are located at 328 Caines Street, Friday Harbor, WA 98250. For more information about San Juan County’s Land Bank, visit www.sjclandbank.org.