Bellingham couple donates undeveloped land to city for expansion of two popular parks

A Bellingham couple’s land donation is adding 7.5 acres of permanent open space to two wooded parks, after the City Council unanimously accepted their offer Monday.

Carol and David Robinson are giving the city two undeveloped properties worth a combined $680,000, one next to the Connelly Creek Nature Area in Happy Valley and the other near Arroyo Park in the South neighborhood.

Parks and Recreation Department Director Nicole Oliver called it a “a very generous donation” in a presentation to the City Council committee on Monday.

“We’re very thankful for these donations and we’re very appreciative of these two, the Robinsons, who are here. They’re big supporters of parks and wanted to urge that as we move forward on the waterfront, that we include more trees and places for people to gather and not just focus on redevelopment,” Oliver said.

Although both sites are zoned for single-family homes, the couple sought a permanent deed restriction that limits use of the land to parks and open space, according to documents at the city’s website:

▪ A 1.2-acre parcel on 32nd Street is an undeveloped lot with wetlands covering about half of the area just north of the Sven Hoyt Community Garden. It is appraised at $280,000.

▪ Several connected parcels on California Street total 6.3 acres and are on a conifer-forested hillside with 280 feet of Chuckanut Creek on the east end. The property is appraised at $400,000.