Chuckanut Mountains Park District Advisory Board
DATE: March 12, 2007
CONTACT: Joanne Peterson, 676-7573
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Park district petition drive continues through March 31
Petitions to place the establishment of a Chuckanut Mountains Park District (CMPD) on the November 2007 general-election ballot will be available for voter signature through March 31. Members and supporters of the non-profit CMPD Advisory Board will continue to canvass neighborhoods within the district through that date in order to obtain the required 15% of registered voters within the proposed park district, which includes voting precincts in both Whatcom and Skagit Counties.
In Bellingham, petitions are also available to sign at Eclipse Bookstore, 1104 11th St.; and the Community Food Co-Op, 1220 N. Forest St.
As allowed by Washington State law, a Metropolitan Park District may levy property taxes, acquire matching grants, participate in development impact fees and real-estate excise taxes, issue bonds, accept monetary and land donations, and support other related jurisdictional functions. The CMPD is specifically being organized to provide land stewardship serving citizen conservation and outdoor recreation priorities in this unique geological area of the Chuckanut Mountains, where the Cascades meet the sea. The district itself is not a park and has no regulatory authority over private property or publicly owned lands.
Although the law allows for a higher tax levy rate, the CMPD Advisory Board has committed to recommending a maximum levy of $.25 per $1,000 of assessed property valuation. If voters approve the establishment of this park district, five elected park district commissioners will be accountable to represent district residents.
More information about the petition drive is available from Joanne Peterson (Whatcom County), 360-676-7573; and Frank Eventoff (Skagit County), 360-766-8800. Detailed information about the park district is available at the CMPD website, www.chuckanutmpd.org.