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Appendix Ill <br />DE VELOPMENT OF THE WASHINGTON STATE HORSE PARK AU THOR ITY <br />The history of the Washington State H9rse Park Authority is succinctly summar:ized in a <br />Janu~ry 16, 1998 memo From Cleve Pinnix, Director of the Washington State Parks and <br />Recreation Commission: <br />In 1990 the State Parks and Recreation Commission acquired land adjacent to Lewis <br />and Clark State Park for development of an equestrian facility. Subsequent detailed <br />evaluation determined that the amount of wetlands on the property made it unsuitable <br />for an equestrian facility. The property remains in Parks ownership. <br />The Commission next authorized staff to hire a planning consuttant to design a <br />schematic master plan alternative for an 1,120 acre site near the town of Ethel, on <br />Highway 12 about nine miles east of Interstate 5. The Commission approved the <br />consultant's recommended plan In January 1993. Staff was. also authorized to begin <br />acquiring needed land through use of funds previously designated for a horse park <br />facility and through public-private land exchange authority. Staff was also authorized to <br />work with private parties to develop support for a legislf;!tive package for equestrian <br />center development through a quasi-governmental entity to be chartered by the <br />legislature. Land ~cqulsHion was conditioned upon receMng legislative authorization <br />for the managing and ·development entity by ·september 30, 1994, a deadline later <br />extE!nded to September 30, 1995. Because several of the landowners were unwilling to <br />sell their land the project stalled. <br />On May 1, 1995 the Governor signed SSB 5403, creating the Washington Horse Park Authority. <br />59