A land deal to create new campgrounds on the South End has slowed but is still under negotiation, according to South Whidbey Parks and Recreation Director Doug Coutts.
District commissioners are still interested in the 30-acre property, but discussions are awaiting results of an appraisal by the land owner, the Dora Gabelein Trust. It’s looking at specific appraisers provided by the Whidbey Camano Land Trust, an organization with experience in appraising timber acreage, Coutts said.
The Dora Gabelein trust is paying for the appraisal.
At a district meeting Wednesday, Coutts told the board he hopes to know soon when more headway will be made. Once the appraisal is complete, the district will be provided a timeline and can move forward from there.
“We’re hoping to have an agreement in place fairly soon,” said Coutts, in a follow-up interview Thursday.
He added while negotiations are still underway, district officials are already looking into expanding water and septic systems on the property for camp sites and bathrooms.
District commissioners are looking at establishing campgrounds to fill the gap left by the closure of the campgrounds at South Whidbey State Park earlier this year. They believe it could boost tourism and be a boon for the economy.
Similarly, the board wants South Whidbey to become a more attractive locale and is considering a partnership with the South Whidbey Rotary Club to improve outdoor concert possibilities with a new amphitheater. Coutts told the board that the Rotary Club is interested in helping fund the project.
Two potential locations for the amphitheater have been identified, Coutts said. The first would be where concerts are currently held in Community Park. The second would overlook the Sports Complex Field 4.
“It might be nice to have an actual amphitheater in the woods kind of thing,” Coutts said. “That might be a draw and we could do some additional concerts that would not impact field usage.”
The proposed amphitheater is a part of the district’s Comprehensive Plan. The project would likely be built as a multi-use structure, doubling as a picnic shelter and usable for other activities.
