Metropolitan King County Council
516 Third Ave., Rm. 1200
Seattle, WA 98104
Phone: 206-296-1000
Toll Free: 800-325-6165
TTY/TDD: 206-296-1024
Fax: 206-296-0198

council@kingcounty.gov
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Oct. 4, 2010

Council promotes trail linkages through tax incentives

Expansion to the Public Benefits Rating System will provide tax benefits to landowners allowing public trail access near regional points of interest

In the face of shrinking county resources, the Metropolitan King County Council today took a creative, cost conscious approach to expanding trail connections throughout King County. The Council approved an expansion of the Public Benefit Rating System (PBRS) that increases opportunities for private landowners to gain tax incentives for providing public connections between points of interest and existing public trails. It also expands the program to include bike trails as well as pedestrian and equestrian trails.

“With more people around King County using trails for recreation and transportation, finding low cost options for increasing access and connections to our trail system makes sense,” said Councilmember Larry Phillips, sponsor of the legislation. “Expanding our successful Public Benefit Rating System increases opportunities to partner with private landowners in providing trail connections at a much lower cost to the public.”

The Public Benefit Rating System program provides incentives to encourage landowners to voluntarily conserve and protect land resources, and open space . In return for preserving and managing resources, the land is assessed at a value consistent with its “current use” rather than the “highest and best use.” PBRS is an effective way to expand on King County’s 175 hundred miles of trails without the cost of acquiring additional property.

The PBRS authorizes property owners to receive a property tax break for providing trail linkages between existing trails and public rights-of-way. The ordinance adopted by the Council expands the program to include linkages to public points of interest, such as transportation hubs, arts and cultural facilities, retail centers, recreation and open space, and residential concentrations.
The adopted ordinance advances the Council’s priority of Environmental Sustainability