About the Open Space Amendment

Much of the appeal of King County as a desirable place to live and visit is the natural beauty and accessibility of the county’s open spaces. As the population and prosperity of King County grows, however, there is increasing pressure to develop these irreplaceable natural lands.

The Open Space Amendment (OSA) responds to this situation by providing additional protection for over 100,000 acres of open space land owned by the county. These lands are among our most treasured natural spaces, and were originally acquired for their high conservation value.

This amendment to the county Charter strengthens protections against the sale or transfer of protected properties by the county. The conservation-oriented uses of the lands would also be permanently preserved. There would be no change in how residents currently use these spaces.

The specific properties protected by the Amendment were chosen for their high value in safeguarding the county’s drinking water, habitat, recreation opportunities, and rural economy:

Clean drinking water – protects the water quality of rivers, lakes, streams, and aquifers that county residents rely upon for their drinking water.

High-quality habitat – provides some of the best habitat in the county for native vegetation and wildlife, including salmon, that are threatened by urbanization.

Recreation – provides open spaces for recreation opportunities such as hiking, biking, horseback riding, and wildlife viewing.

Rural economy – commercial timber production maintains a vibrant rural economy, as well as large open spaces important for recreation, wildlife habitat, and water quality.

A few of the over 100 open space properties that the OSA would protect include: Black Diamond Natural Area, Cougar Mountain Regional Park, Fall City Park West, Green River Natural Area, Maury Island Marine Park, Middle Fork Snoqualmie Natural Area, Moss Lake Natural Area, Snoqualmie Forest, Upper Raging River Forest, and Tiger Mountain/Squak Mountain Corridor.

No new land would be purchased under this amendment. King County already owns the OSA-protected land, or the development rights. No direct costs are associated with OSA.

The OSA creates a strong barrier to the sale, transfer, or change of use of properties protected under the Charter. A majority vote of the people would be required to remove a property from Charter protection. The lands protected by the Amendment would remain as natural, open spaces unless an exception must be made for the public good, such as a utility project or in the event of a natural disaster.

For the OSA to take effect and protect the initial list of properties from sale, transfer, or change of use, a majority vote of the county council and the voters will be needed. In the future, the council may recommend additional properties, such as conservation land recently acquired by the county, for inclusion on the list,. A vote of the people would then again be required to add the OSA's protection.

Photo credit: Middle Fork of the Snoqualmie River, American Whitewater