This man hopes to conserve his wife’s grove by drafting a new county code
Just outside the southern edges of Tumwater stands a small sign on Case Road flanked by lofty 110-year-old trees.
“Clara’s Grove. Natural Landmark. Private Property,” the sign says.
Lawrence Jacobson, 76, put up the sign to honor his wife and set an example for the kind of conservation he wants Thurston County to allow.
In July 2020, Jacobson requested the county approve a new code amendment that would permit landowners to voluntarily register small properties for preservation should they be sold in the future.
Since then, his proposal has landed on the county’s preliminary development code docket for next year, making this the closest he’s gotten to realizing his dream.
Clara’s Grove includes a variety of trees and plant life, including dogwood trees, native rhododendron and vine maple. The couple see the grove as an example of a disappearing past — one that’s worth preserving for the wider community.
“As the county becomes more grown up, cuts down more trees and things disappear, it would be nice to save (little areas) before they’re totally gone,” said Clara Jacobson, 73.
Lawrence Jacobson said he started on this endeavor 16 years ago after the county widened Case Road to the detriment of the grove.
“They took out three or four of our trees, and I thought, ‘Holy cow, we’re not going to have a grove here,” Jacobson said.
Later, he noticed a neighbor cut down similar trees around their home. With no grandkids to inherit the property, Jacobson said he became worried a new owner would do the same to his wife’s grove.
“I just felt like the trees were talking to me and asking me to help them,” he said.
Clara Jacobson inherited the land in the early 1970s, she said. Half of the acre came from her grandparents and the other half from a cousin.
The area used to be farmland. With time, roads and new construction divided the open space she used to run through as a child.
“People cut down trees and put things under cement,” she said. “It was just a nicer place when I was growing up.”
Nowadays, the couple are worried the area will eventually be urbanized beyond recognition. With Tumwater so close, they don’t have to look far to see what the future may hold.
“If you go down Case Road, 93rd Avenue looks like a marching band of warehouses and it’s going to continue marching,” Lawrence Jacobson said. He said he thought of selling the property to a nature conservancy, but they declined given its small size.
“Everybody wants big parcels,” he said. “It just didn’t fit in anybody’s program.”
The proposed ordinance
Over the years, Lawrence Jacobson pitched his idea to county commissioners to no avail. Then in 2020, he decided to draft his ideal ordinance for the county.
Jacobson’s proposed code amendment would establish a “Natural Landmark Program” with the aim of preserving “vanishing remnants of the natural environment” and provide small refuge locations for wildlife to rest and eat.
He defines a county natural landmark as a place that has a “scientific, cultural, landscape or historic value that might not be noticed by a casual viewer.”
A landowner could voluntarily register their land in a county database and pay a $25 fee, he said. If an owner wishes to destroy the landmark or remove it from the registry, he proposes they be fined at least $25,000.
He hopes registered landmarks have a sign like his with a brown background and cream tan letters.
Jacobson said he’s open to this proposal being modified, such as by adding a review process for applicants or increasing the penalty for removal. He just wants the program to be an accessible option for those who wish to use it.
“As long as they don’t make it so complex and so expensive that nobody wants to do it,” he said.
The couple don’t think too many people will take advantage of the program because enrollment might negatively impact property values.
Nevertheless, they see a value in preserving a piece of the past for those who call Thurston County home.
“Most people are thinking of making a profit,” he said. “We want people to think of this as their home, Thurston County, so they want to take care of it and preserve it and make it the best they can.”
The docketing processes
For his vision to come to fruition, his proposal must survive the county’s general docket process in the weeks ahead. A 20-day written public comment period started on Jan. 27 and will conclude at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 16.
Once that period concludes, the Board of County Commissioners will review comments and direct staff to prioritize proposals for a final docket, which may take about a week.
Afterwards, the board must approve the final official docket during a regular meeting.
Jacobson said he’s tried to personally speak with Commissioner Tye Menser, who represents his district, but has so far not been able to.
When reached for comment, Menser’s assistant Thomasina Cooper said he could not comment while the board was in the midst of the docketing process.
A complete list of items on the 2022-2023 Preliminary Comprehensive Plan and Development Code Dockets can be found on the county’s Community Planning website.
Residents can submit comments on docket items through an online form or send mail to Thurston County Community Planning & Economic Development Department, c/o Maya Teeple, Senior Planner, 2000 Lakeridge Drive SW, Olympia, WA 98502.
This story was originally published February 14, 2022 at 5:00 AM.
