At the request of the Westport South Beach Historical Society, representatives from Washington State Parks will participate in a meeting at 6 p.m. in McCausland Hall on the Westport Maritime Museum campus in Westport on Thursday, March 24. The presenters will explain and take public comments related to a new program that allows some forms of privately financed development on State Parks land, called Recreational Business Activity (RBA).
Two of the first 12 parks under consideration for this Recreational Business Activity (RBA) program are Westhaven State Park at the South Jetty and Westport Light State Park at the foot of W. Ocean Avenue in front of the Grays Harbor Light Station, which is owned by the Historical Society.
Possible parks identified
With assistance from a consultant, State Parks has identified candidate Recreational Business Activity sites in several parks that are believed to have high potential for revenue generation and low potential for negative impacts to the rest of each park. These sites have also already gone through public planning processes that resulted in land classifications that conditionally allow RBAs.
State Parks is now seeking input on the potential use of these sites for RBAs, and the Commission will consider that input when it decides whether to approve RBAs in these sites.
Meeting agenda
State Parks Planner Nikki Fields and State Parks Real Estate Specialist Steve Hahn will start with a short PowerPoint presentation, followed by a question and answer session.
Participants will then be asked to jot down their comments on cards, which will then be read aloud. The presenters will conclude the meeting with an explanation the next steps in the Commission’s decision-making process, including additional opportunities for future public comment.
Fields and Hahn will collate comments collected at the Westport meeting for presentation at the State Parks Commission meeting scheduled for March 31.
The following information about the Recreation Business Activity program comes from the Commission:
Background
In January 2015, the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission approved some forms of privately financed development on State Parks land. One approved development type is known as a Recreation Business Activity (RBA). RBAs are privately financed recreation developments that are intended to provide amenities for park visitors while also generating revenue to support the state park system. RBAs are conditional activities in state park Recreation, Resource Recreation, and Heritage Areas, meaning they are only allowed in those areas when specifically approved by the Commission.
Current developments
Current state park recreational developments include campgrounds, picnic facilities, trails, cabins, vacation houses, dormitories, hostels, and even small resorts. All of these might also be appropriate for private development as an RBA, as would other facilities such as lodges or small hotels.
A business consultant working with the agency believes that four kinds of RBAs are most likely to generate revenue for the state park system: Moorage facilities, RV parks, groupings of vacation cottages and food services. Even so, other kinds of facilities are possible.
In March 2015, the state Parks Commission approved guidelines to allow RBAs that:
1. Are consistent with the State Parks mission, vision, and core values
2. Are consistent with the park’s approved land classifications
3. Advance the agency’s Transformation Strategy
4. Are consistent with grant funding restrictions that may apply to the park, or that are able to resolve inconsistencies with those restrictions
5. Are mutually beneficial to both State Parks and the project developer, in:
a. Providing recreational benefits to park users
b. Providing economic benefits to the state park system
6. Have a net positive impact on park operation
7. Provide activities that respond to recreation trends and help meet current and future recreation demands
Restrictions possibilities
In addition to these guidelines, when the Commission approves RBAs as conditional activities in a park, it may also impose park-specific restrictions to ensure consistency with the park’s design guidelines and operational needs. Such restrictions can include: Building height and development size limits, building setbacks, design standards, resource stewardship requirement, hours of operation and/or restrictions on access to other park facilities.
Potential local uses
The following describes the Westhaven State Park and Westport Light State Park potential uses:
The two potential RBA sites total approximately 305 of 680 total acres, both of which are currently undeveloped. Each site includes typical coastal sand dunes and shore pine with county road frontage. Each site also contains a significant number of ‘pocket’ wetlands sporadically located throughout the property. Park-specific development restrictions include minimizing or avoiding impacts to wetland systems.
The northerly site at Westhaven State Park was previously being developed by the private sector as a destination golf course. This 300-acre property was acquired by State Parks in December 2015. Adjacent to each of the candidate sites is a small State Parks parking lot and restroom facility.
Anticipated development
The site lends itself to the development of a variety of overnight accommodations. Maximum development levels currently considered include up to 100 vacation homes/cottages/cabins, RV parks, simple lodge/resorts and/or food service facilities.
State Parks is, however, willing to consider other proposals that enhance the park and remain consistent with the agency’s recreation and conservation mission.
Comment online
Project information and a comment form are available on the State Parks website at http://parks.state.wa.us/900/Real-Estate-Policy-Update
For questions, contact Nikki Fields, Parks Planner, at 360-902-8658 or via e-mail to
