Publication Summary

This technical guidance document is for voluntary application by local governments who are implementing watershed protection goals and objectives and wish to improve landowner stewardship of natural resources. The natural lands or "open space" component of Current Use Assessment Programs under the Open Space Taxation Act, RCW 84.34, provides a powerful incentive to private landowners to preserve important natural resources, by offering direct property tax relief for retaining natural features in their undeveloped condition.

This technical guidance document is for voluntary application by local governments who are implementing watershed protection goals and objectives and wish to improve landowner stewardship of natural resources. The natural lands or "open space" component of Current Use Assessment Programs under the Open Space Taxation Act, RCW 84.34, provides a powerful incentive to private landowners to preserve important natural resources, by offering direct property tax relief for retaining natural features in their undeveloped condition.

The guidance in this report provides technically based property selection criteria designed to augment existing open space efforts with protection of key natural resource features which directly benefit the watershed. Communities can choose to use any portion, or all, of these criteria when tailoring a Public Benefit Rating System to address the specific watershed issues they are facing.