GRAND RIDGE lies north of I-90, ranging east
from the top of the gravel pit to the ridgecrest at the High Point
interchange. Issues on Grand Ridge are dominated by the results of the
1990's decisions to proceed with the "Issaquah Highlands" development
under terms of a "4 to 1 agreement" that provided four acres of King
County park land for every one acre allowed for urban development. The
result of this agreement is that 3,250 new homes are now under
construction on Grand Ridge as the "Issaquah Highlands," a large new
interchange and Sammamish plateau access road are under construction
at Sunset interchange (Exit 18) on I-90, and approximately 1,400 acres
of land was donated as park land as part of the agreement. Combined
with Duthie Hill Park and Fall City Park, this acreage totals
approximately 1,700-acres in King County Parks ownership. These lands
currently have numerous trails running through them, many of which
will be destroyed or cut short by the planned development, and all of
which have become a favorite playground for mountain bikers.
King County Parks is intending to begin a Master Planning Process for
these parklands to determine how they will be managed, what trails
will remain open, what trails are needed, and which users will have
access to various trails.
In addition to these 1,700 acres, the recent successful acquisition of
the Grand Ridge-Mitchell Hill Connector parcels (475 acres) provides
an east-west forested connection between the Grand Ridge Park lands to
over 1,000 acres of State DNR forestland above Preston, creating a
total public land acreage of over 3,000 acres between Grand Ridge and
Preston.
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