PD-17-00001 Marian Meadows Full Record with Index (2)

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Marian Meadows Rezone and Subdivision Final Environmental Impact Statement 3-109 3.3 PARKS AND RECREATION 1 What park and recreation facilities and services are currently provided in the area? Recreational use of the site by the public was established when it was owned by Plum Creek Timber Company, which has an “open lands” policy allowing the public to use its lands in Washington and Oregon for passive recreation uses such as hiking and hunting. Recreational trails for snowmobiles and off-road vehicles were established through the site on the BPA transmission line easement and on logging roads. Recreational use of the site has continued despite the sale of the land to the current owner and posting of no trespassing signs at some access points. The project is located in a predominantly rural area, surrounded by a number of recreational opportunities. Many of the facilities and services offered in the area are unimproved or not solely dedicated as park land. However, there are several opportunities in the immediate vicinity provided by the National Forest Service and Washington State Parks. Facilities in the immediate vicinity of the site include an informal trail along the BPA easement on the site that that was established under the “open lands” recreation practice of the previous owner, Plum Creek Timber Company. This informal trail is used extensively by ORVs and snowmobiles. The trail extends to the north into current Forest Service land and to the south across former DNR which was recently sold to a private party. It extends over both private and Forest Service lands to the south. There also is extensive ORV and snowmobile use of former logging roads on the steeper eastern portion of the site. ORV use on old logging roads may continue over Easton Ridge to the north into National Forest Land, including the Roslyn watershed. There is a system of informal horse trails on private land, on the Easton State Airport site owned by Washington State and on adjacent federal Forest Service lands. The horse trails are used by local residents and by visitors of Silver Creek Ranch, a private facility that provides equestrian oriented camping and recreation (Silver Creek Ranch 2008). DNR land around the Easton Airport allows ORV use on roadways (WAC 332-52-400) and allows snowmobiles use when there is adequate snow cover to prevent resource damage (WAC 332-52-420). Snowmobile use is allowed by KCC 10.32 on a number of county roads in the area, including Railroad Street (from Easton State Park eastern), Sparks Road, and West Sparks Road. Use of ORVs not licensed for use on public roadways is not legal on public roads. The project site is bordered to the north and east by the Wenatchee National Forest (WNF) (Figure 3-1). Hiking Trails: There are numerous hiking trails throughout the WNF. The portions of the WNF near the site include two formal trails that begin near the Silver Creek Dam. The Katchess Ridge Trail (No. 1315 extends to the north. The Easton Ridge Trail extends to the southeast and is tangent to the northwest