The Nisqually Land Trust sought approval of an amendment to the Whitewater Reach Protection Project at the September NRC meeting.

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Dedicated to acquiring and managing
critical lands to permanently benefit the water,
wildlife, and people
of the Nisqually River Watershed.
Nisqually Land Trust
MEMO
To: Ashley Von Essen, WRIA 11 Lead Entity Coordinator;
Nisqually Salmon Habitat Working Group;
Amber Moore, Puget Sound Partnership;
Elizabeth Butler, Recreation and Conservation Office - SRFB Grants Manager, and
Salmon Recovery Funding Board Technical Committee
From: Joe Kane, Nisqually Land Trust
Date: 8/8/2016
Re: Amendment Requests for Whitewater Reach Protection Project #15-1238
Requests:
• Scope Change: Expand the project scope to protect an additional 2.65 acres and 760
shoreline feet to total 43.2 acres and 4,280 shoreline feet by including acquisition of the
entire Hart property, and afford demolition of structures included in the Hart
acquisition. The project will also target protection of the Bridges, Wood/Park, and
Schmauder properties as originally proposed in the SRFB grant application.
• Cost Increase: Increase the project agreement amount by $255,963 of SRFB funding and
$82,800 of sponsor match to total $735,963 in order to acquire the entire Hart property;
cover demolition costs for structures on the Hart property; and meet higher-than-
expected appraised property values on the Bridges, Wood, and Schmauder properties.
Original Budget Requested Budget Increase
SRFB Funds: $300,000 (76%) $555,963 (76%)
Sponsor Match: $97,200 (24%) $180,000 (24%)
Total: $397,200 $735,963
• Time Extension: Extend project end date to 12/31/2019 to allow time for all acquisition
and demolition tasks to be completed.
Original Project Description:
Nisqually Land Trust proposes to acquire up to four parcels along the Thurston County side of
the Nisqually River mainstem in the Whitewater Reach. These properties are adjacent to lands

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owned and managed by the Land Trust and the City of Yelm. The goal of this project is to
protect naturally functioning habitat-forming processes; existing high-priority salmon and trout
rearing habitats; and an important transport corridor that is used by all salmonid species in the
Nisqually River.
The Land Trust will first seek to acquire the top three priority parcels that total nearly 35 acres,
including seven acres of riparian habitat, eight acres of forested wetlands, and 2,480 linear feet
of river shoreline. If there is sufficient funding, an additional seven acre parcel, including 3.5
acres of riparian habitat and 1,320 linear feet of river shoreline, will be protected. These parcels
are four of the ten unprotected parcels that are equal to or greater than five acres along this
reach of the river that total over 40 acres and 3,800 linear feet of river shoreline.
Justification:
Scope Change: The Land Trust is working closely with the landowners of all of the
properties included in this project. In the course of this project, the Hart property was
listed for sale in an active market and the Land Trust engaged in negotiations to
purchase it. While our original proposal was to acquire 7 acres of this property and leave
the remaining 2.65 acres and the structures with the landowner, the landowner was in a
short-sale situation and unable to accept an offer for a portion of the property. Also,
acquiring the additional 2.65 acres and the structures greatly increases long-term
protection for this entire property, including a substantial length of river shoreline, in
particular by removing the threat of significant further development of the homesite.
Acquiring the entire parcel protects 2,080 linear feet of shoreline, which is 40% more
shoreline than originally proposed. The proposed scope change includes demolition of
the structures on the property, and the Land Trust will manage the property to maintain
and increase riparian forest habitat. The Land Trust closed on this acquisition on July 8,
2016.
Property Proposed
Acres
Actual
Acres
Proposed
Shoreline
Actual
Shoreline
Estimated
Value
Appraised
Value
Demo
Costs
Bridges 15 15 580 ft. 580 ft. $85,000 $130,000 $0
Hart 7 9.65 1320 ft. 2080 ft. $52,000 $250,000 $30,000
Schmauder 4.9 4.9 940 ft. 940 ft. $51,250 $110,000 $0
Wood/Park 15 13.65 680 ft. 680 ft. $90,000 $125,000 $0
Budget Increase: The Land Trust commissioned appraisals for all four properties in the
fall of 2015, which resulted in values significantly higher than previous project costs
indicated. These higher land values are reflected in the 7/27/2016 revised budget, which
includes increased SRFB requests and match for land acquisition. The Hart property
acquisition cost includes an additional 2.65 acres, including a small house and
outbuildings. In addition, the revised budget includes a request for demolition and

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cleanup costs for the Hart property. The budget has been adjusted to reflect actual costs
for appraisals, appraisal reviews, and surveys.
The Land Trust proposes that the request for increased SRFB funding for the project be
met with potential unused funds from other Land Trust projects funded in the 2015
grant cycle. The Land Trust will maintain the match ratio in the current grant agreement,
and if necessary to secure the target properties, we are willing to use Land Trust reserve
funds in advance of SRFB funds being available.
We anticipate a high likelihood of unused funds remaining in at least two 2015 projects
when they are completed:
• 15-1232, Mashel Eatonville Phase III Conservation Easement: $129,370 in PSAR
funding. After initial negotiations the landowner suspended discussion of granting the
proposed easement, in part due to a dispute over the existing land boundary. The Land
Trust will make one more attempt at continuing the negotiations but will end the
project if it does not receive what it considers a good-faith commitment to achieve an
agreement; such a commitment seems unlikely.
• 15-1233, Mashel Shoreline Protection Phase IV, now incorporated into 14-1480,
Mashel Phase IV & Busy Wild Shoreline Protection. Grant 15-1233 included $724,165 in
PSAR funding toward purchase of 372 acres in the Middle Reach of the Mashel River.
After the project was proposed the property was sold to another buyer as part of a
much larger commercial-timber transaction. The new owner has indicated willingness to
complete a conservation transaction but at a smaller scale than originally proposed: The
first owner had required the Land Trust to acquire a portion of adjoining commercial
timberlands along with the core conservation property being targeted, but the new
owner prefers to sell only the conservation portion, which should result in a lower
acquisition cost.
Time Extension: The Land Trust would like to extend the project end date to allow for
completion of all acquisition activities and demolition and site cleanup tasks. Acquisition
activities have been slowed for a variety of reasons, including title issues, the deaths of
two owners and ownership transfer of their property to an estate, and the need for the
Land Trust to secure additional funding to complete acquisition of all four properties.
Property Estimate Closing Date Estimated Demolition Date
Bridges 10/1/2016 NA
Hart 7/8/2016 End of 2018
Schmauder 6/1/2017 NA
Wood/Park 4/1/2017 NA