Cama Beach cabins to remain closed permanently

CAMANO ISLAND — The cabins at Cama Beach Historical State Park are closed for good.

In a unanimous vote Thursday, the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission voted to permanently shutter the rentable cabins on Camano Island that have been closed since February.

Commissioners said it was not an easy decision.

“In my time during the commission, this has probably been the toughest thing for me to really come to a decision on,” said commissioner Michael Latimer. “When we were there in July and and visiting with the public, you could see there was a lot of emotion.”

The 33 cabins at the site have been closed since Feb. 26 because of a septic system failure, among other issues. State parks staff recommended Thursday’s move because of the park’s native history, sea level rise and the cost of fixing septic issues.

Funding was not the main issue, staff said.

“The poor overall site conditions for the built environment due to flooding and erosion, in addition to the cultural complexities, represent far greater concerns at Cama Beach,” said Michael Hankinson, a program manager with the state, during a staff report Thursday. “These issues cannot be adequately addressed with funding alone.”

On Thursday, staff added water system repairs in cabins and other buildings would also require digging. Staff also said fire suppression pipes in the boathouse burst over the winter.

During a July meeting in Stanwood, public comment was nearly unanimous against the closure. Several nonprofit organizations, including Friends of Camano Island Parks, have come out against it. About 1,500 people signed a petition to keep the cabins open, state parks staff said.

In a letter, Secretary of State Steve Hobbs expressed support for the efforts to keep the cabins open.

“Given the historical significance of the cabins, the tourist draw they have created, and the tremendous outpouring of public support, I believe there must be a way to overcome these difficulties,” Hobbs wrote.

Washington State Parks opened Cama Beach Historical State Park in 2008 after a long legal battle with the Tulalip Tribes. The site is of deep historical importance, with evidence uncovered in 2005 showing Indigenous people used the area up to 1,600 years ago.

In a July statement, the tribes’ Chair Teri Gobin said Tulalip supported closing the cabins and that, “the Tulalip Tribes shares the environmental concerns conveyed by Washington State Parks and opposes any ground disturbing activities in this culturally rich and sensitive area.”

State parks staff said they met with tribal representatives while working on their recommendation to the commission.

“After meeting with tribal staff, we examined laws as well as agency mission and policies, and affirmed that state parks values align with the tribe’s perspectives on this matter,” Hankinson told the commission. “To not reopen the cabins is informed by tribal consultation, but state parks takes full responsibility for this proposal.”

Over the summer, parks officials brought up the sensitivity of the site as a reason to close the cabins. The park drew over 270,000 visitors during fiscal year 2023, staff said Thursday. Over that same period, the park’s revenue was slightly under $1 million.

While the cabins are closed, State Parks Director Diana Dupuis reiterated the park is not closing. State Parks will decide what to do with the land where the cabins currently are.

“We just need to create something new for generations to have a similar engaging experience at Cama Beach State Park, and that’s what we’re committed to as an agency,” Dupuis said.

A projected increase in intense rainfall events and higher sea levels is a major concern there. Snohomish County spent $20 million at Kayak Point to get ahead of similar worries.

Hankinson told the commission, “Beach modeling indicates there is a 50% probability that the majority of the lower park area will face regular inundation by 2050 as a result of sea level rise.”

Jordan Hansen: 425-339-3046; jordan.hansen@heraldnet.com; X: @jordyhansen.