Yellow Pages
The state Parks and Recreation Commission will go forward on a purchase of Kiket Island, one of the Puget Sound’s last undeveloped shorelines, with some provisions.
The commission decided Thursday to continue with the purchase of the 96 acres of old growth forest, meadows, trails and shoreline so long as public access is maintained across the strip that links Kiket to South Fidalgo Island.
The board was concerned that the public land and subsequent access between the two islands could be lost and jeopardize grant funding.
The vote Thursday agrees to move forward while looking into those issues.
“If it became an issue of public access, they didn’t want to be hanging out financially,” said Parks and Recreation spokeswoman Virginia Painter.
Parks and Recreation staff had previously recommended against the purchase.
The land will be purchased through grants from the state and the Trust for Public Land for about $14 million.
State parks has raised $10.4 million in state and federal grants, and the trust has committed another $4 million. The exact purchase price has not been released.
Trust Director Peter Dykstra said Friday that he was working to make sure that public access will be available. He said if all goes well, the purchase will be finalized in February.
The commission voted on the matter at all-day meetings in Centralia on Thursday.
