CITY OF SEATTLE
ORDINANCE __________________
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AN ORDINANCE relating to the City-owned real property known as the Red Barn Ranch and to the future North Rainier Park; authorizing the Superintendent of Parks and Recreation to execute documents removing recreational covenants from the Red Barn Ranch; and placing a restrictive covenant onto the North Rainier landbanked development property.
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WHEREAS, in 1970 The City of Seattle ("City") acquired a rural property of approximately 39 acres located approximately 30 miles outside Seattle city limits for the purpose of operating a youth outdoor recreation camp; and
WHEREAS, to pay for the acquisition, the City accepted funds from state and federal open space programs administered by the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO) granted to the City on condition that the Red Barn Ranch property be used permanently for public outdoor recreation and the property be restricted to this purpose by recording against the property a Deed of Right to Use Land for Public Recreation Purposes ("Deed of Right") as to the state funding program and an additional deed as to the federal program (together, the "Recreational Deeds"); and
WHEREAS, the Red Barn Ranch property was placed in Seattle Parks and Recreation's (SPR) jurisdiction, and SPR renovated the property from 1971 to 1972, and afterward operated the youth camp until 1983, when operating costs, logistical challenges, and budget constraints required closing the camp; and
WHEREAS, the property remained closed and minimally maintained after 1983 because of the difficulty and expense of operating the property, in part due to its distance from Seattle, until the City began engaging outside entities to operate the Red Barn Ranch property for the purpose of providing ongoing recreational and educational programming; and
WHEREAS, as part of this ongoing effort, the City contracted with a private entity to operate a conference and recreation center from 1985 to 1...
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