Title
Agenda Item:
Approval of Purchase and Sale Agreement for Acquistion of a Conservation Easement
Body
Issue:
Should the City enter into a Purchase and Sale Agreement for acquisition of a Conservation Easement over property located within the City of Olympia which runs along the Black Lake Ditch wetland and wetland buffer?
City Manager’s Recommendation:
Move to authorize the City Manager to sign a Purchase and Sale Agreement and any related documents for acquisition of a Conservation Easement.
Staff Contact:
Darren Nienaber, Deputy City Attorney, 360.753.8338
Background and Analysis:
The owners of property located within the City running along the Black Lake Ditch (the Property) desire to sell to the City a Conservation Easement with an option to acquire the easement area in the future. The purpose of the Conservation Easement is to maintain wetland and/or riparian resources and other natural values of the Property, and prevent the use or development of the easement area for any purpose or in any manner that would conflict with the maintenance of the easement area in its natural condition. The Conservation Easement provides for an access easement over and across the owners' property in order to access the Conservation Easement area.
The Conservation Easement also grants the City an option to purchase the easement area within two years after final plat recording or other final action of record establishing the easement area as a separate legal lot or tract.
Neighborhood/Community Interests (if known):
The City's stormwater utility has a long-term interest in having ownership of and control over the Black Lake Ditch drainage. The City currently owns substantial amounts of land around the ditch which function as buffers to the ditch and the water it carries. A drainage that is well buffered helps increase water quality and serves to mitigate impacts to water quality. If the buffer area were to be ecologically degraded, water quality could be reduced.
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