Summary

The King County Council moved forward with legislation that will help preserve the Ballard P-Patch from development.

Story

Ballard’s beloved P-Patch is likely one step closer to being spared. The property where it is located could soon be sold for development, which would mean the end of its existence at its current location. The King County Council on Tuesday voted unanimously to recommend that the Conservation Futures program  award funding to the P-Patch which would be helpful in its purchasing the property, as well as the adjacent property, thus protecting it all as an urban natural area.

Backed by Councilmember Jeanne Kohl-Welles, the legislation does not directly fund the purchase of the property, but instead expresses the council’s interest in preserving the property and directs the CFT program to prioritize funding for the project.

“In so many ways, the Ballard P-Patch is more than just a community garden,” Kohl-Welles said. “It’s a vibrant gathering place where people from all walks of life can come together to grow produce, learn from each other and provide food for some of our most vulnerable neighbors, such as through the Ballard Food Bank. And, importantly, it’s a much needed open and green space in a part of our city that is becoming increasingly dense. With this vote, we are taking a very important step toward preserving this garden for generation to come.”

The CFT program uses parks levy proceeds to conserve open space lands through a public application process. In order to preserve the P-Patch with program funds, a CFT project application will still need to be submitted and then reviewed by the advisory committee. The CFT advisory committee will send its recommendations to the council and the County Executive this summer followed by the recommendations potentially moving forward as part of the 2021-2022 biennial budget. Kohl-Welles has been appointed the Council lead in crafting the biennial budget in her role as Chair of the Budget and Fiscal Management Committee.