Farrens Easement Assessment

This project completed some of the necessary prerequisites to establish a permanent conservation easement on 63.5 acres of riparian land and 3.2 acres of farmable uplands on both sides of Upper Mill Creek, located approximately 10 miles from downtown Walla Walla in a rapidly developing area. The proposed riparian easement would average 360 feet wide and encompass roughly 1.25 streambank miles of creek. Planned restrictions on the easement include: no buildings, structures, or roads of any kind, farming, grazing, timber harvest, disturbance of the river other than for habitat projects, and area must be kept in natural habitat condition. These restrictions would have ensured the existing buffers on the site stay in place forever. 114 acres of associated farmable uplands were planned to also be placed in a permanent easement which restricts development, but allows continued farming, through the Farmland Preservation Program. However, the Farmland Protection Program did not fund the 114 acre portion and that component was dropped.

An appraisal, survey, and draft easement language were completed. Unfortunately, the appraised value of the property was less than the landowner was willing to accept. Therefore, remaining prerequisites were not pursued.

The goal of this project is to complete all the prerequisite paperwork for a voluntary land preservation agreement that will protect about 56 acres of shoreline on both sides of upper Mill Creek, about 10 miles from downtown Walla Walla.