Rockport State Park Area Land Classifications

[Rich McVey]

Dear Rockport CAMP Stakeholder,



On March 29, 2010 Washington State Parks issued an addendum to the February 12, 2010 Determination of Nonsignificance (DNS) for the Rockport State Park Area Land Classifications and Long-Term Boundaries plan.

The long-term park boundary for Rockport State Park is revised to remove property located immediately to the west (see map in the attached SEPA Addendum).

The proposed long-term park boundary still includes Skagit County’s Howard Miller Steelhead Park and lands linking it to the core old growth area of Rockport State Park.

After consulting with the County, staff believes that the County park provides adequate overnight camping opportunities in the Rockport area.

Additional camping to the west of the existing park is not necessary to meet regional needs.

The nature of the camping experience previously provided by standard sites in an old growth setting is not replicated by the County park experience, nor would it be replicated by the property west of the current state park.

Thus, the current recommendation removes all land west of the park from the long-term boundary, while retaining the long-term capability to provide trail linkages northward to federal lands.

The revised proposal either has no effect or reduces potential environmental impacts identified in the environmental documentation prepared for the previous proposal.


The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission is expected to take action on the land classification and long-term boundary for Rockport State Park at their next regularly scheduled meeting on May 6, 2010 at the Montesano City Hall located at 112 North Main Street, Montesano, WA.

The meeting will begin at 9:00 a.m.

Please submit email comments to Derek Gustafson, Northwest Region Parks Planner, at rockport.planning@parks.wa.gov.

Additional information can be found on the agency’s website at http://www.parks.wa.gov/plans/rockport/ .



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Planning and Research
Parks Development Service Center
Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission
1111 Israel Road SW
PO Box 42650
Olympia WA 98504-2650
planning@parks.wa.gov
(360) 902-8638
Fax: (360) 586-0207