The Washington State Legislature adopted a capital budget on Sunday, April 27th that includes $3M of Local Community Project funds for site work at the Pea Patch Community Campus and $2M from the Building Communities Fund program for the Resource Center and Food Bank.
“We are grateful to our sponsor, Representative Debra Lekanoff, for making this her top project priority this year,” said OPAL Executive Director Lisa Byers. “With Representative Alex Ramel and Senator Liz Lovelett advocating for the funding in both houses, the whole District 40 team was unified in their support. We extend our thanks to Governor Ferguson for his support – and look forward to working together for years to come for the benefit of our island community.”
The Pea Patch team has created a phased plan to start site work as soon as land use permits are issued. The first phase will include a new entrance driveway off Enchanted Forest Road, underground utilities and stormwater management for the housing. Once site work is installed, OPAL will start construction on the twenty townhomes at the north end of the property.
Funding through the Building Communities Fund requires a 75% match of private donations and grants. The Pea Patch team is applying for numerous private foundation grants and will be seeking donations over the summer in order to secure enough funding to complete the site work phase of the project. The project phases are:
1) Campus Site Work – 2026
2) Housing Construction – 2026-2027
3) Food Bank and Resource Center Building Construction – 2027-2028
4) Solar Microgrid and Greenspace Improvements – post 2028
Pea Patch Project Lead Suzanne Olson led a delegation of islanders with lived experience to Olympia this winter to share their personal stories of hardship with lack of access to food, shelter and wellbeing.
“When people think of Orcas Island, they don’t necessarily realize the needs of residents who are earning a wage and trying to make ends meet in our rural, remote area,” said Rep. Lekanoff. “Wages in San Juan County are among the lowest in the state, while property values and the cost of living are among the highest in the state. The Pea Patch Campus will help the Orcas community to thrive for the next 50+ years, giving all islanders a chance to experience stability, resilience and wellbeing.”
There will be a celebration of ground turning once permits are granted and site work is scheduled to begin. Stay tuned!
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