Bainbridge Islanders nominate 70 properties for parkland

Published 11:04 am Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Islanders have identified about 70 properties they would like the Bainbridge Metropolitan Park and Recreation District to consider adding as parkland.

Nominations were solicited by the district’s Parkland Acquisition Committee page, which will advise the park district on purchases to be made using revenue from its levy lid lift.

The nomination period ended June 30. More applications postmarked June 30 could still come in by mail.

Cyndy Holtz, chair of the PAC, said all areas of the island are represented in the nominations she has seen thus far.

“They’re all over the place geographically,” she said.

This week the park district will mail letters to the owners of nominated properties. Virtually all island properties were open for nomination, including those not for sale and properties not owned by the nominator.

At a July 14 meeting, the nominations will be divided up among the PAC members for follow-up investigation. Properties will be compared to a set of priorities already set by the PAC before recommendations are made to the park district board.

But limited funds will also be a factor in the decision process.

This year’s lid-lift revenue is $1.17 million. Of that, 75 percent (roughly $875,000) will be used for parkland acquisition and development. The district is not obligated to spend all of the funds in one year, and money will rollover to the next.

Nominations can still be submitted for consideration in 2010, and nominations not considered this year will be kept for next year’s session.