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TO: We are providing you all with a brief overview of the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program (WWRP) and a list of policy questions to consider ahead of the 2015 interim stakeholder process. This interim process, to be facilitated by the Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO), will focus on improvements and modifications to the WWRP statutes to transmit to the 2016 Legislature. The RCO will be required to utilize input from stakeholders with subject matter expertise regarding the WWRP and its program categories. As we prepare to engage in this process, we want to make sure you all have information on both the Program and the Local Parks categories within WWRP, and we wanted to flag possible policy changes you may wish to raise during the interim process. General Overview of the WWRP: As many of you know, the WWRP was started in 1990 with the intent to “acquire as soon as possible the most significant lands for wildlife conservation and outdoor recreation purposes before they are converted to other uses…and meet the needs of present and future generations.” Here is some general data on the WWRP: Since the program began, $742 million in WWRP grants have been awarded, with $475 million in local match. The Local Parks category has received about 15 percent of the WWRP grants, with the “recreation categories” (local parks, state lands development, state parks, trails, water access) receiving 47 percent of the grants since the Program began. Funding is appropriated biennially to the WWRP, and it is split equally between the Outdoor Recreation Account (where the Local Parks category is located) and the Habitat Conservation Account. What is left is distributed equally to the Riparian and Farmland Preservation Accounts. The Local Parks Category: This section focuses on the eligibility and application requirements; the grant distributions, match requirements, and other constraints; and the evaluation criteria within the Local Parks category of the WWRP. Eligibility and Application Requirements The grants within the Local Parks category may be used to fund the acquisition, development, or renovation of local lands and park facilities and may contain both upland and water-oriented elements. Cities, counties, towns, tribes, and other political subdivisions are eligible to apply for grants within the Local Parks category. The application process takes place during even-numbered years, with project lists developed based on an extensive evaluation process. A comprehensive outdoor recreation plan must be submitted by the local agency by March 1 of the even-numbered year in order for its project to be considered eligible to apply for a grant. That eligibility lasts for six (6) years. Grant applications are due in early May of the even-numbered year. For acquisition projects, the city or county must review the proposed project, and the jurisdiction must provide a letter to the RCO providing its assessment of the project. This review and letter submittal must be done for each acquisition project, even if an agency is re-applying for an already-approved project. The landowner must also be made aware of the local agency’s intent to purchase the property. Once project lists are developed and the Recreation and Conservation Funding Board (RCFB) has recommended a funding level to the Governor’s Office/OFM, the Governor then develops a Capital Budget proposal with a WWRP funding level to fund many of (but usually not all of) the projects on the project list. The WWRP funding proposal and project lists are then decided upon in the biennial Capital Budget that is developed in odd-numbered years of the Legislature. Grant Funding As noted in the general overview, the overall funding level for WWRP varies by the biennium, and is distributed differently to each category depending on the overall funding level. The Local Parks category is within the Outdoor Recreation Account. When the overall appropriation is $40 million or less, half of that goes to the Outdoor Recreation Account. Of that amount, 30 percent goes to the Local Parks category. When the overall appropriation is over $40 million, $20 million plus 10 percent goes to the Outdoor Recreation Account, and an amount greater than or equal to 30 percent of that goes to local parks. Regardless of the appropriation level, the funding in the Local Parks category is split 50 percent for acquisition grants and 50 percent for development and renovation grants. There are limits on these grants for local agencies. Acquisition projects are limited to $1 million per grant. Development and renovation grants are capped at $500,000. When the project includes a combination of acquisition and either development or renovation, the grants are capped at $1 million with no more than $500,000 allowed for the development or renovation costs. Local agencies must also provide a 50 percent match to the WWRP grant. WWRP funds cannot exceed half of the project’s total cost. Evaluation Criteria There are two sections of evaluation criteria: questions evaluated by an advisory committee and criteria evaluated by RCO staff. The scores from both sections are combined to come up with the final score for the project. Applicants in the Local Parks category are required to give an in-person and graphic presentation to the advisory committee to assist the committee with its evaluation. There are several factors that the advisory committee evaluates. Public need is assessed to determine the availability of current outdoor recreation facilities and the need for new or improved facilities. Project scope and design must fill the identified need within the community and provide the best use of the site. The project must create a sustainable recreation opportunity while also protecting the surrounding environment, which includes a plan for long-term stewardship and maintenance of the facility. There must be evidence of support for the project from the public, whether that is through outreach efforts, voter-approved levies or referenda, or involvement in the planning effort. Each of these pieces is evaluated by the advisory committee on a points scale. The criteria evaluated by RCO staff are: the progress toward meeting Growth Management Act requirements by developing and adopting a comprehensive plan; and the proximity of the project to the population center, assessed using a map provided by the applicant that shows the relationship between the project boundaries and the urban growth area. Policy Questions: Below are some policy questions that we have either discussed before or may want to take a position on. These questions are probably not all-inclusive and WRPA Board and Legislative Committee members may have others they wish to raise. The policy questions we prioritize and decide to take a position on can guide the WRPA in forming its recommended statutory and program changes within the RCO stakeholder process.
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