Residents protect land and save money
August 4, 2009
By J.B. Wogan
Raymond Pedrizetti wasn’t in it for saving the environment, necessarily, but he considers it a plus.
“I wouldn’t say I’m a big advocate of that. But I do want to see the horse farms stay in the area. They keep getting pushed farther and farther out,” he said.
Pedrizetti and his wife Louise were one of three Sammamish property owners in July who had private land reclassified as protected open space under a King County program called the Public Benefit Rating System.
Residents agree not to develop the land set aside as protected. They can have passive-use trails and, in special cases, farm-related structures.
In all, 7.5 of the Pedrizetti’s 10.25 acres are now listed as protected.
The Pedrizettis have a large pasture and small forest in the protected area. In return for the reclassification, their annual property tax in 2010 will be reduced by 50 percent.
Charles and Lucy Mullen had 1.66 of their 2.65 acres reclassified as protected open space, giving them a 60 percent reduction in their 2010 property tax. The Mullens own part of a wetland, plus some trees and native shrubs.
David Kampp had 21.93 of his family’s 23.20 acres reclassified, resulting in a 70 percent property tax reduction.
Like the Pedrizettis, Kampp’s property has a large pasture, a small forest and some native plants and shrubs.
Each time a Sammamish property owner seeks the reclassification, the Sammamish City Council and the King County Water and Land Resources Division must approve the application.
The City Council approved this latest slate of applications unanimously at the July 7 meeting.
The county has 872 property owners participating in the program, constituting a combined 7,742 acres of protected open space, according to the county’s Public Benefit Rating System’s Coordinator Ted Sullivan.
The city has 15 property owners participating in the program, representing 52.29 acres. Kampp’s 2009 contribution doubled the amount of protected acreage.
The program allows for property tax reductions of 50 percent to 90 percent. There is a caveat with the saved money though: If property owners decide they don’t want the protection anymore, they have to pay back the reduced portion of their property taxes, plus interest.
In the case of a developer buying the land, a similar penalty would apply.
Charles Mullen said he sought out the open space protection for the same financial boon that motivated the Pedrizettis.
“The major purpose was to get some tax relief. We’re going to save a couple thousand dollars on our property tax,” he said.
But Mullen added that he and his wife are tree lovers, too, and they value the privacy their trees provide.
“We just like to be surrounded by trees and not have the neighbors too close,” he said.
While some property owners are seeking property tax relief through the open space program, there hasn’t been a big influx in applications this year, in spite of a reported recession, Sullivan said.
“I’m not receiving a noticeable change in calls,” he said. “I think certain things scare people away.”
Sullivan observed that the idea of a penalty for backing out of the program dissuaded many potential applicants.
Reporter J.B. Wogan can be reached at 392-6434, ext. 247, or jbwogan@isspress.com.
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