A new patch of land, donated this week by Hinton Development Corp. of Vancouver, will extend the city of Vancouver’s Burnt Bridge Creek Greenway east of Interstate 205 for the first time.
The city has spent years creating a swath of more than 100 acres along the 13-mile Burnt Bridge Creek focused on managing stormwater runoff, meeting state requirements, fixing environmental issues and preventing flooding, said Annette Griffy, Vancouver engineering program manager.
The 8.76 acre site, located at a business park on Northeast 127th Avenue, is the first major such acquisition across I-205, she said.
“We’re working our way upstream, so to speak,” Griffy said.
The land is left over from the development of the business park, and includes a drainage pond, wetlands and other elements.
Donating the land to the city will land the developers a tax break, but how much wasn’t immediately clear. Griffy said prior land values along Burnt Bridge Creek have been about $10,000 an acre.
A representative from Hinton Development did not return a phone call and email for comment Tuesday.
Griffy said there is “very good vegetation and a lot of benefits for surface-water management” on the site. Vancouver assumes the maintenance of the area, but Griffy said it can easily be folded into the city’s greenway management program.
The site will help take stormwater runoff from roads and other impermeable surfaces, filtering the water and helping to even the flow into Burnt Bridge Creek to prevent flooding, Griffy said.
The Vancouver City Council unanimously accepted the donation Monday night.
Andrea Damewood: 360-735-4542; http://twitter.com/col_cityhall; andrea.damewood@columbian.com.
