Community Partnership Agreement Benefits Washington State Community

Improvements would soon come to a community park and a wetland that also helps control storm water in the Four Creeks area of unincorporated King County, Wash., under a new agreement announced by executive Ron Sims.

The Four Creeks Agreement would create a partnership between King County, the Four Creeks Unincorporated Area Council and two community groups--the Community Alliance to Reach out and Engage and Stewardship of Wetland Areas by Neighbors. The area covered by the agreement is located in unincorporated King County.

“Forging community partnerships is one of the best ways to ensure that neighborhood priorities are reflected in the county’s work and that communities are getting the kinds of services they need to prosper,” Sims said.

The agreement:

• Allows community stewardship of Cemetery Pond, a storm water management facility that is also a tributary to salmon-bearing May Creek;

• Develops long-term solutions to the chronic illegal dumping and littering that is plaguing the area, while providing for immediate cleanup of existing refuse;

• Creates a partnership vision for the 20-acre Coalfield Park; and

• Addresses chronic drainage problems in the area.

“The community benefits from this agreement through a cleaner environment and a more enjoyable park,” Sims said. “King County as a whole benefits because of the community’s extraordinary energy and passion for their neighborhood.”

The agreement was signed by the four parties at a recent planting event at Cemetery Pond. The Cemetery Pond storm water management facility has been affected by a family of beaver that have taken up residence there and by sediment buildup downstream. The county will work with wildlife experts and the community to find a long-term solution that will improve the wetland’s function while protecting wildlife. Additionally, county experts will work with the community to improve the wetland by planting native vegetation, controlling non-native vegetation and identifying adjacent property owners who would be interested in making habitat improvements on their land. Illegal dumping has also been a significant issue for the community, and the agreement would put in place the resources necessary to get specific areas cleaned up.

Source: King County Natural Resources & Parks