Island County commissioners are considering re-evaluating the criteria for the county’s Conservation Futures Program.

Every year, the program provides funding for preserving open spaces, timberlands, wetlands, habitat areas, culturally significant sites and agricultural farmlands within Island County.

In August 2023, the commissioners were supportive of two projects that applied for funding — a wetlands preserve in Freeland and Freund Marsh in Oak Harbor.

But during a work session last week, Department of Natural Resources Manager Jen Schmitz informed the commissioners that the funding for Freund Marsh is in limbo, since the city of Oak Harbor has yet to accept the Conservation Futures dollars.

Though an advisory board is recommending that the county commissioners take a pause on the program in 2024 to work on policy, Commissioners Jill Johnson and Melanie Bacon were not prepared to do so until they heard from the Oak Harbor City Council. They were also curious to learn more about a project that the Whidbey Camano Land Trust had been told to apply for during the Conservation Futures 2024 funding cycle.

Freund Marsh consists of three parcels, one of which is located on beachfront land adjacent to the marsh. The other two parcels are near Freund Marsh trail. The total area of the three parcels is just under four acres and the cost of the acquisition is $582,490.

Bacon expressed concern about unintentionally starting a bidding war for a beachline property. Johnson, however, assured her that she knew the property owner, and that the property is not highly developable “without drama.” She acknowledged that the anxiety is real, and that municipalities applying for the county funding should have council approval and properties negotiated ahead of time.

Bacon wondered how the commissioners are going to be able to justify not spending Conservation Futures dollars for 2023 or 2024 if the program takes a pause. If Freund Marsh falls through, there will be close to $1 million in funding for the program.

In looking at restructuring criteria for the program, Johnson asked if the county could allow for the owners of property that has previously been purchased to be reimbursed with Conservation Futures dollars for the purpose of applying for maintenance and operations money.

Schmitz said the county could also look at possibly expanding other types of approved land uses, such as stormwater parks or green infrastructure.

This topic is expected to come back to the commissioners within a few weeks.