1 day left as the county violated SEPA board notification

Press Release Sept. 3, 2026

From: Save Petrovitsky Park Community Coalition

Contact: Dr. Hugh Brown hbrown@bsu.edu, 765 730 8037

King County Parks has proposed building a disc golf course in the natural area of 
Petrovitsky Park that is opposed by most of the residents in neighboring communities 
because of the project’s environmental impacts. The land is currently covered by a mature 
forest of towering Douglas fir, western red cedar and other trees and a rich understory of 
wildflowers, ferns, and mosses. The natural area is home for animals ranging from black 
bears to hummingbirds and is part of a County-designated wildlife habitat network.

Because of the environmental issues, along with public safety and noise concerns, the HOA 
Boards of Trovitsky Park and Woodside (representing 644 households) both voted 
unanimously to oppose the project. A petition requesting that King County Parks halt the 
proposed development has over 800 signatures. 
https://www.change.org/p/protect-petrovitsky-park-and-mcgarvey-open-space-s-criticalwildlife-corridor-wetlands

James Hutchison (from Trovitsky Park) did a survey that had 459 responses from 367 
households in surrounding neighborhoods and found that an overwhelming majority 
(76%) of respondents oppose moving forward with the disc golf course (63% strongly do 
not support and 13% do not support).

See at: https://savepetropark.org/

The Critical Areas Assessment done by the consulting firm ESA in 2025 alerted the County 
that a wildlife habitat network runs through the park, but the legal requirements of that 
corridor are being ignored.
King County maps a wildlife habitat network as occurring near the northern extent of the 
stream in the northwest portion of the project area. Per KCC 21A.06.1424, these are defined 
as an area that links wildlife habitat with critical areas, critical area buffer, priority habitats, 
trails, parks, and other areas to provide wildlife movement and alleviate habitat 
fragmentation. The wildlife habitat network travels through the center of the park, providing 
a connection from Lake Youngs, approximately 0.6 to the south of the park, with Lake Desire, 
approximately 0.4-mile to the east of the park. Excerpt from the Critical Areas Assessment 
by ESA done in 2025. 

The proposed Petrovitsky Park Disc Golf Course project has potential to have a negative 
impact on mammals, birds, fisheries, and other species in the wildlife habitat network, and 
should be evaluated with a Wildlife Habitat Assessment prepared by a qualified biologist. 
King County Code also requires a wildlife management plan for networks and limits what 
activities can be done within the corridor.

The County reduced the area proposed to be cleared from over 120,000 square feet to less 
than 7,000 square feet in an apparent attempt to avoid additional requirements contained 
in a letter from Zoe Vierling-Coulter, Engineer II, KC Dept. of Local Services Permitting to 
Charlie Hohlbein (the project manager and author of the checklist). That letter states 
“However, if this project does propose more than 7,000 square feet of land disturbing activity 
then it meets the threshold for Full Drainage Review.” The County is required to complete a 
Full Drainage Review with a Technical Information Report…

The contention that a 27-hole disc golf course with 54 tee pads and 60 basket locations 
connected by fairways (typically 15 feet wide on other courses) will disturb less than 7,000 
square feet is just absurd. This disturbance will include removal of understory vegetation, 
shrubs, and dead trees that are important wildlife habitat. Additional disturbance to 
wildlife (and trail users) will come from the noise associated with discs hitting baskets and 
trees which the SEPA Checklist on page 16 shows being as loud as 95 decibels (the King 
County Noise Ordinance for residential areas is 55 decibels).

Brandy Bilyeu (President of the Trovitsky Park HOA) has made repeated Public Records 
Act document requests from King County, but important information has not been 
provided in a timely manner. The incomplete productions received to date have omitted 
specific documents referenced elsewhere in the County's own records (e.g., arborist’s 
report, archeological report, etc.) and emails between the County and the disc golf 
association.

The Save Petrovitsky Park Community Coalition wants the project terminated, but if it is 
built it should comply with all King County regulations, especially laws relating to grading, 
clearing, wildlife habitat networks and noise. King County iMap showing elevations, steep slopes (darkgreen), coal mine hazard (crosshatching), and the wildlife habitat network corridor (yellow line).See photo.

Proposed disc golf course plan.

Source: https://kingcounty.gov/dept/dnrp/nature-recreation/parks-recreation/kingcounty-parks/grants/cpg-projects The only part of the natural area that is not being used for the course is the wetland and its surrounding buffers (shown in red). Many of the basket targets (yellow) are close to the 
existing trail system (white line) creating the potential for injury to hikers from errant discs. Several baskets are also close to the Trovitsky Park neighborhood to the south and the noise generated by course use would diminish quality of life for nearby residents.Existing vegetation conditions in Petrovitsky Park. The County claims that no living trees would be removed, but that seems dubious given the tree density on the property. Also, note the nearly continuous groundcover (much of which would be cleared if the disc golf 
course is constructed).