An Oak Harbor woman with an eye for public access has donated a beach to a land conservation group.
In a recently hammered out land agreement, Beatrice Morgan signed over 19 undeveloped tideland lots, which extend more than a quarter mile along the Strait of Juan de Fuca near West Beach and Fort Nugent roads, to the Whidbey Camano Land Trust.
The 90-year-old Scenic Heights resident began setting her assets in order for her two sons last year. It was through that process that she decided it would be best if the 16.5 acres of beach and tideland were left for public use.
Morgan has owned the shoreline property since 1954 but it has seen little use by her family in recent years. She said she doesn’t see why her donation would be cause for a fuss but was glad that others might enjoy it.
“I just wanted to get it out of the way,” Morgan laughed. “But if people can use it, I’d like it to be maintained for the public.”
The donated land is located below high-bluff properties in the Sea View subdivision. The area was developed in the early 1970s by Morgan’s late husband, Hubert, a longtime and respected surveyor. He passed away in 2003.
Morgan said she isn’t sure why, but Hubert separated the beach and tidelands from the above residential lots. It turned out to be a great decision, however, as it can now be protected and benefit many, she said.
Danielle Rideout, a conservation associate with the land trust, said the donation of a beach and tidelands is likely the first for the 26-year-old nonprofit group. It’s also an especially important property because it links two existing publicly owned tideland tracts.
Collectively, the three pieces form just over two miles of continuous beach protected for public use. Morgan’s donation ensures that no future owner could restrict access and separate that connection.
“It’s guaranteeing that link will always be there,” Rideout said.
Access to the donated land is tricky. While it does provide one, unbroken stretch of beach that can be used by everyone, the nearest public access point is about one mile north at the parking lot and viewpoint at West Beach Road.
The value of Morgan’s donation is difficult to tabulate. Rideout said she doesn’t believe the property can be developed and an appraisal has not been done. The property will not be protected with a conservation easement, but will instead be held in trust by the land conservation group.
With only about one-third of Island County’s 214 acres of marine shoreline in public hands, donations such as Morgan’s are a high priority for the group and extremely important, according to Land Trust board member Dyanne Sheldon.
“This generous donation assures that current and future generations will always have access to this remarkable beach,” Sheldon said.
