A petition signed by 750 Whidbey Island residents in 2000 has finally paid off.

That year, members of the public interested in bringing a park and public beach front to Clinton urged the Port District of South Whidbey to spent $1.4 million on less than an acre of commercial property north of the Clinton Ferry Terminal. At the time, the answer was “no,” as Port commissioners found the price unreasonable.

But this week, that price officially dropped by more than half. According to Port commissioner Lynae Slinden, Phil Pearl, a Langley land conservation consultant working for the Port, convinced the property owners to drop the price to $650,000. So on Wednesday, the Port entered into exclusive option to purchase the “Kenmir Property” from Charles and Patricia Kenmir and Conrad and Barbara Hanson. The port now has until Dec. 31 to complete the purchase.

“I think it went terrifically,” said Pearl. “It will be a great resource for the community of South Whidbey and a first-class park.”

On Tuesday Pearl said the $650,000 asking price was supported by an appraisal. To reserve its option, the Port put up $25,000 this week, money that will be credited towards the purchase price should the Port chose to move forward.

At a special meeting Tuesday, Port commissioners Gene Sears, Rolf Seitle and Slinden examined a preliminary design for the park that could be built on the Kenmir Property. The design comes courtesy of Taproot Design of Langley.

At the request of South Whidbey residents for a beach park in Clinton — something that has been missing from the town for decades — the Port intends to remove the commercial building and asphalt on the property and create a park.

The project, which is in the Port’s current six-year plan, would have a natural beach and grassy areas.

The land includes seven tax parcels and 180 feet of shoreline and associated tidelands. Also included in the plans is a viewing platform, picnic and beach recreation areas, a small concession and restroom building, and areas for storage of bicycles and kayaks.

On Tuesday, Pearl said Clinton has lacked a beachfront park since 1968. Thomas and Bertha Orr had donated beach property to South Whidbey residents for use as a park in 1938, but, according to Pearl, Island County quietly gave the property to the Washington Toll Booth Authority, which was predecessor to Washington State Ferries.

Pearl said money to buy the land and create the park would come from the Port’s general fund. The project is something the Port has been planning to do for some years.

The entire bill for the park may not be charged to South Whidbey taxpayers, who fund the Port through property taxes. Pearl said the Port has applied to Washington’s Interagency Committee (IAC) for a grant that could add up to $300,000 of state funding out of the boat fuel tax. The Port will make a presentation to the IAC in September with final plans for the project.

Pearl said that if a grant from the IAC comes through, it would reimburse the Port for part of the purchase price of the land. He estimated Tuesday that the total project could cost approximately $850,000.

“I think we did exceptionally well,” said Pearl.