September 2023 Update

King County is actively engaging with Vashon-Maury Island residents about future community use of the Wax Orchard property, which was acquired as public open space in October 2022. An initial community outreach effort in March 2023 resulted in clear guidance on future public uses:  

• Multi-use trails - Overall, there was strong public support for multi-use trails. Concerns were raised about muddy trail sections, duplicative trails, trail users accessing neighboring properties, off-leash dogs, and potential trail user conflict (especially between mountain bikers and other trail uses). King County plans to continue operating the trail system for multiple uses while evaluating and addressing specific challenges as they arise. 

• Sheepdog trials - This event can continue at the site, and King County Parks is working with the Sheepdog Classic organizers to plan for a future event. 

• Ecological concerns - The forested area of the site contains a significant patch of Alaska Rein Orchids, the only known occurrence on Vashon and possibly in King County. Vashon Nature Center and King County staff investigating the plant’s population found it to be larger than previously known, leading the experts to determine that the risk to the overall plant population was low. No major actions are recommended at this time, though the orchids should be periodically monitored for potential impacts, and the larger property could be a great location for future community stewardship activities such as weed removal.  
   

• Off-leash dog park: This proposal received significant public support in March, as there are no dedicated off-leash dog areas on Vashon. However, since this initial outreach some who initially supported the use have shared concerns after visiting the site. Concerns raised included appearance, cost, compatibility with equestrian uses, and environmental impacts. 

 
King County Parks plans to engage the community in further discussions this fall to make an informed decision about including an off-leash dog park. This outreach would focus on potential designs and impacts, including reviewing more rural design models for dog parks, better understanding impacts associated with existing dog parks such as Marymoor, and learning from other organizations such as SODA. 

 
King County Parks is proposing code updates to the rules that govern its parks system and that would be necessary to allow off-leash dog parks on King County parks property. Current code only allows off-leash dog parks in two locations, Marymoor Park and Luther Burbank Park, a former county park now managed by Mercer Island. King County Parks anticipates that the County Council process to update the rules will not conclude until early 2024. 

• Agriculture activities: Without water rights, the property is limited in how it can support agriculture activities. There is a high demand for Vashon-grown hay, and the King County Agriculture program is working with other departments to determine if a process to lease the southwest field starting in 2024 is feasible, including researching reactivating water rights on the property. Meanwhile, King County Parks is exploring options to address short-term mowing needs for both pastures in 2023.  

• Site name: “Wax Orchard” is an interim site name, and the March survey showed some support for that as a permanent moniker. Other top recommendations include naming the property in the local Lushootseed language to reflect its importance to tribes, naming the property after the site’s geography, or possibly after its former owners. King County is working on how a final decision will be made about the site’s permanent name.