Land Acquisition

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What is Land Acquisition?

Land Acquisition is the process of procuring property through purchase, donation, conservation, etc.

Why is the City Acquiring Land?

The recent increase in private development throughout Sammamish has started conversations about acquiring more land to protect habitat, retain tree canopy, and preserve the natural character of the community. The City Council and City Administration are committed to preserving open space so that future generations may benefit from the natural beauty of Sammamish. The City recognizes that public acquisition may provide the only opportunity to preserve land that is under increasing development pressure as the community grows. The primary goal of the land evaluation process is to guide the preservation of the City’s remaining relatively undeveloped parcels.

Land Acquisition Strategy & Implementation Program

In 2017, the City adopted a Land Acquisition Strategy & Implementation Program. The purpose of this program is to prioritize acquisition efforts and standardize the evaluation process used by City staff to screen properties for Council consideration.

The early stages of this program involved an extensive public outreach process. The intent was to better understand specific community desires regarding new land acquisitions. The results confirmed that the community overwhelmingly supports the acquisition of land for public use. The community’s highest priorities are for new trails, preserving tree canopy, protecting streams and corridors, preserving wildlife habitat and increasing waterfront access. This strategy focuses acquisition efforts on properties that will help to preserve the natural beauty of Sammamish, provide greater recreational opportunities, and contribute to the vision of trail connectivity.

sammamish park land acquisition history

Year Acquired Park Name Acreage
1999 East Sammamish Park 19
1999 Evans Pond Trail 0.5
1999 Northeast Sammamish Park 6
1999 Pine Lake Park 19
2000 Evans Creek Preserve 174
2001 Ebright Creek Park 12
2001 Sammamish Landing 4
2002 Sammamish Commons 27
2002 Beaver Lake Preserve 59
2003 Beaver Lake Park 83
2005 Additional Evans Creek Preserve Parcels 5
2006 Illahee Trail 13
2007 Steve and Rosina Kipper Preserve 17
2008 Additional Sammamish Landing Parcels 6.3
2011 Big Rock Park Site A 16
2011 Thirty Acres Park (Soaring Eagle) 30
2013 Additional Evans Creek Preserve Parcels 28
2013 Additional Parcels Along Sahalee Way 7
2013 Big Rock Park Site B 20
2016 Klahanie Park 64
2018 Additional Parcels Along Sahalee Way 11.15
2018 Property Along George Davis Creek 0.75
2018 Beaton Hill Park 9.32
    TOTAL: 631

Get Involved!

The City is currently accepting site nominations for staff consideration. If you think the City should consider a specific property, please give us more information using the Site Nomination Form.

Staff Contact