City hearing set for park transfers

The city will hold a public hearing on Aug. 10 regarding its proposal to turn over some 10 “park properties” it owns to the Bainbridge Island Metropolitan Park & Recreation District.

Staff for the two agencies have agreed to the transfer after considerable discussion between Interim City Manager Brenda Bauer and Park District Executive Director Terry Lande. The proposal calls for the city not seeking transfer fees from the district.

The two island agencies have been discussing the transfers for more than a year. The proposal was precipitated by the district agreeing to not seek a transfer fee of 10 percent of the $436,000 state grant it recently received and will give to the city for transfer of the Williams Property on Manzanita Bay. The city transferred the property to the district in March 2007.

The proposed park transfers include: two parcels at Fort Ward Parade Ground; Nute’s Pond; the Lumpkin parcels at the head of Eagle Harbor; three parcels at Meigs Farm; the Schel-Chelb parcel and easements; Pritchard Park; parcels adjacent to Gazzam Lake Park; the Blossom Parcels off Point White and Gazzam Lake Park and Wildlife Preserve; Manitou Beach Tidelands; and the Lovgreen Pit.

The properties, which total more than 120 acres, would be grouped in batches for transfer, likely beginning with the Fort Ward and Nute’s Pond parcels, with Pritchard Park being the last to be transferred.

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