Richland 16 Land Bank Exchange

Updated April 10, 2026

For the proposed Richland 16 Land Bank Exchange (DNR #86-102442), DNR proposes to exchange state trust lands no longer suitable for trust ownership with Land Bank properties that have greater revenue potential to support the trust beneficiaries. Following the exchange, the properties no longer held in trust ownership will be positioned for later sale, with the Land Bank properties becoming state Common School Trust properties.

Purpose

The exchange will:

  • Consolidate state trust lands to improve management efficiency and marketing options for the trust revenue.
  • Enhance the sustainability of working trust landscapes to provide for future generations.
  • Facilitate the sale, at future public auction, of properties no longer suitable for trust ownership.

Details

This exchange involves up to 49.95 +/- acres of state trust land belonging to the Common School Trust, located in Benton County; and up to 1,525.50 acres of Land Bank properties located in Benton, Clark, Kitsap, Skagit and Snohomish Counties.

Trust Land Properties

  • Richland 16- Lots 6A, 7A, and 8A in Benton County

Land Bank Properties

  • Arlington in Snohomish Co.
  • Bloedel 90 in Skagit Co.
  • Hathaway in Skagit Co.
  • Jones Creek in Clark Co.
  • North Green in Kitsap Co.
  • Prosser in Benton Co.
  • West Cavanaugh in Skagit Co.
  • West Roesiger in Snohomish Co.

Public Hearing and Written Testimony

DNR will hold a public hearing for the Richland 16 Land Bank Exchange starting at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, in Mount Vernon, Washington, to share information and to receive information and testimony from the public at the following location:

Skagit County Public Utility District (PUD)
Aqua Room – Meeting Room
1415 Freeway Drive
Mount Vernon, WA 98273

Interested parties do not need to attend this meeting in person to testify and DNR will assess written testimony sent in to DNR similarly to any oral or written testimony that is received by DNR at the Mount Vernon meeting.  Written testimony must be submitted to DNR and arrive in the DNR mail in Olympia no later than 5:00 p.m. on June 25, 2026, addressed to the State of Washington, Department of Natural Resources, Asset Management Division, ATTN: Richland 16 Land Bank Exchange, PO Box 47014, Olympia, WA 98504-7014, or emailed to Exchanges@dnr.wa.gov.     

For more information about the proposal, go to https://www.dnr.wa.gov/managed-lands/land-transactions/richland-16-land-bank-exchange or contact Sarah Rice, Property Acquisition Specialist, at 360-742-4133.

In 2022, DNR previously held two related meetings but this proposed exchange has been modified somewhat in scope since that time. The first prior meeting was held on March 9, 2022 in Mount Vernon, Washington, and the second prior meeting was held on March 21, 2022 in Richland, Washington.

Following the evaluation of hearing testimony and a property appraisal, DNR will finalize an exchange proposal to present to the Board of Natural Resources for a final decision at one of its regularly scheduled monthly meetings. The Board meeting provides an additional opportunity for public comment.