Citizens vs. developers helped expand, preserve Lake Sammamish State Park

It has been nearly 20 years since Washington State Parks considered a proposal for commercial development at Lake Sammamish State Park. The community adamantly opposed the idea and the current master plan for the park, adopted in 2007, was the result of a community task force.

But it wasn’t the first time Lake Sammamish State Park was pitted against developers.

In early 1966, State Parks was looking to purchase nearby properties, but didn’t have the funds. At the same time, Seattle was looking to build an NFL stadium and considered 80 acres of LSSP. Many in Issaquah, including the chamber of commerce, liked the idea, but the state park director rejected the notion, as well as another proposal for a golf course. 

At this time, one of the most controversial issues in state park history occurred at LSSP. A development company proposed to build a 500-unit mobile home park in the 50 acres now home to the soccer fields. Boeing was booming and there was a need for more housing. By the summer of 1966, the developer and the city concluded an agreement for the Parkside development. The plan was for the city to annex the property and provide needed utilities, including water.

State Parks had to act fast. This parcel and other adjacent properties were important to the long-term viability of LSSP. By August, Parks made an offer on the land but it was rejected by the developer and the city. Within days, citizens and many civic groups created a groundswell of opposition again the mobile home park and in support of state parks.

“The Issaquah Press printed bold headlines for weeks regarding the controversy,” recalls Richard Benson, former park manager. “City council members admitted they didn’t anticipate the public reaction.”

Public meetings were very antagonistic with some citizens threatening to impeach the mayor and recall the city council, recalls Benson.

State Park’s condemnation effort in the courts and the county’s denial of water service made it apparent the mobile home park wasn’t going to happen.

Besides the mobile home site, there were three other parcels that State Parks wanted to acquire but none of the property owners were willing sellers.

E.M. Greenwood had plans for developing the Tibbetts Beach and baseball field property on the westside of LSSP. The Gibsons owned the property south of the boat launch that would connect to the rest of the park. The Woodsides no longer owned a parcel on the eastside of the park, but were still farming it.

State Parks pursued the same condemnation process but was constrained by a limited budget. They did acquire the Parkside, Greenwood and Gibson properties, but lost the chance to purchase the eastern property where large tech buildings are now located.

Source: Retired LSSP Manager Richard Benson’s history of the park

Office buildings east of the LSSP were desired for state park expansion, but funds were not available at the time.