PORT ANGELES — A proposed land exchange of state Department of Natural Resources trust lands and Merrill & Ring properties across the Olympic Peninsula is currently in a public comment period that ends at 5:30 p.m. June 19.
At a public hearing Monday, DNR staff provided information and answered questions about the Peninsula 2 Land Exchange at the Raymond Carver Room at the Port Angeles Main Library.
The transfer would see up to 2,266.28 acres of trust land in Clallam, Grays Harbor and Jefferson counties traded for up to 2,216 acres of Merrill & Ring timberland and properties transitioning to rural residential areas.
The exchange would involve 1,566.28 acres of Common School trust lands and 181 acres of state forest land in Clallam County, 80 acres of Normal School trust land in Jefferson County and 437.9 acres of Common School trust land in Grays Harbor County.
All of the Merrill & Ring properties are in Clallam County.
Timber sale revenue from Common School trust lands fund K-12 construction projects. The State Forest trust land supports community services like libraries, fire districts and hospitals. Normal School trust lands benefit Central Washington, Eastern Washington and Western Washington universities and The Evergreen State College.
The purpose of the project, said Martin McElliott, DNR exchange program manager, is to consolidate trust lands by exchanging isolated parcels for Merrill & Ring properties that are adjacent to existing trust land. The goal is to make management of the trust lands more efficient and enhance the DNR’s ability to market the timber.
Three people spoke at the hearing, but the public also can submit comments online, in writing or on the DNR’s website.
“If you like something, don’t like something — not only the property status of public roads, intervening property, if it’s near farm — let us know,” said Bob Winslow, DNR acting assistant division manager of acquisitions and divestitures.
The condition of roads on the Merrill & Ring properties and investment to improve them, if needed, would be part of any assessment, DNR staff said.
Among the trust lands the DNR has identified for exchange is a parcel next to Seabrook, the resort community in Grays Harbor county that is part of a network of mountain bike trails.
Brian Gundersen read a letter from his brother, Jeff Gundersen, the Seabrook CFO, which asked the DNR to reconsider exchanging the parcel in order to preserve its recreational value.
After a third-party appraiser evaluates all of the parcels and public testimony is collected, the DNR and Merrill & Ring will negotiate an agreement that is brought to the Board of Natural Resources, which will make a final decision. There is no timeline in place for the process.
The list of parcels to be exchanged can be found at tinyurl.com/39efm2zc.
The list of maps of parcel lands to be exchanged can be found at tinyurl.com/fc5bn4u8.
A summary of the Peninsula 2 Land Exchange can be found at tinyurl.com/3eskb3xe.
Written comments should be mailed to: Department of Natural Resources, Asset Management Division, Attn: Peninsula 2 Exchange, P.O. Box 47014, Olympia, WA 98504-7014.
Emailed comments should be sent to exchanges@dnr.wa.gov.
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Reporter Paula Hunt can be reached by email at paula.hunt@peninsuladailynews.com.
