Property Highlights
The Raging River Block was one of the last large tracts critical to securing the Mountains to Sound Greenway greenbelt from Seattle to Ellensburg, WA along I-90. The property is zoned Commercial Forest (CF) and sits between Tiger Mountain and the Cedar River Watershed. It is along SR 18 just south of I-90 and Snoqualmie Ridge, a large master planned-community and is comprised of 7,000 acres within the Commercial Forest Zone of King County. The block was managed as timberland by Weyerhaeuser for over 100 years prior to being acquired by Fruit Growers Supply Company who continued to manage the block as timberlands. The Raging River’s headwaters begin within this block.

Client
Citrus COOP, based in southern California with a timber management division in northern California with approximately 335,000 acres under management in California, Oregon, and Washington.

Forestpark Work
Forestpark researched existing legal tax lot status and land use regulations, explored potential land uses compatible with timberland management, and conceptualized large lot community configurations. Local area market values were considered in developing an alternative large lot forest management community that would limit and isolate residential development while prioritizing timber and wildlife management on the overall block. A recreational use program was included to incorporate and link to nearby public trails along the perimeter of the block with more private uses located within the core of the block. The property was eventually sold with Forestpark overseeing the appraisal process on behalf of Fruit Growers to achieve values more closely aligned with area real estate instead of timberland values.

Current Status
The block was acquired in May 2009 by the WA State Department of Natural Resources in conjunction with a conservation easement sponsored by the King County Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) program.  Funds from Conservation Futures Tax (CFT) were reallocated to accommodate this unique transaction.  The purchase price was $18.69MM or $2,730/ac for the Raging River block portion.  Another block, the Kanaskat Block (963 acres) was a part of the transaction and is not addressed here.

View north of the property

Location: SR18 and I5 interchange