With King County’s agreement to purchase the Mukai barreling plant and, in exchange, allow its owner to purchase land currently occupied by the Vashon Forest Stewards, talks are underway to determine the Forest Stewards’ future.

Earlier this month, Vashon Forest Stewards (VFS) Managing Director Dave Warren met with officials from King County’s Department of Natural Resources and Parks (DNRP) to discuss where the organization will go. The nonprofit has been renting 5 acres of land just west of Sawbones from the county since 2004, and pays only the tax on the undeveloped land — $100 per month, according to Warren. But it will no longer be theirs come the new year.

Both Warren and DNRP Director Christie True said the Nov. 2 discussion went well, and True said it was “productive,” though the organization’s future is still unclear. In an email following her meeting with Warren, she said her hope is that VFS can reach an agreement with Frank Zellerhoff, the current owner of the barreling plant who will soon own the organization’s land.

“While we hope that they could still work out an arrangement with Mr. Zellerhoff, we are prepared to assist them in finding a new location, including potentially leasing other property owned by King County,” she said. “If they are not able to work out an arrangement with Mr. Zellerhoff, then they will need to vacate they property when we close, which will most likely be sometime during the first quarter of next year. Depending on what the Vashon Forest Stewards decide to do, King County may be able to provide some financial assistance for their relocation.”

Over the past 12 years, VFS has built on the land near Sawbones, creating infrastructure in the form of buildings, a sawmill and electricity, increasing the land’s value from the $110,000 that was being asked for in 2004, to more than $500,000, according to Warren.

“The county has suggested we buy the Kimmco property, which is around $1 million I think,” Warren said. “It’s always weird when you do improvements and then they start charging you for the improvements you made. You’d think the county would understand there is no one else like us in the county, but it hasn’t been like that. It’s been like you’re on this property, and we need it.”

True said the barreling plant is “a very significant historic landmark” that the county has wanted to ensure is preserved for a long time, and this has been the only way to get it under public ownership.

Warren said that Zellerhoff has made it clear he is open to the idea of renting to VFS’, but only temporarily.

“It doesn’t sound like he’s into doing that long-term,” Warren said.

Reached last month when news of the barreling plant sale was made public, Zellerhoff said that he is not trying to kick anybody off the land, but has been looking for industrial-zoned land on which to conduct his stump-grinding business for many years. The 5 acres occupied by VFS is zoned for industry — one of a few places on the island to have such zoning.

He has made it clear that he was not going to give up the barreling plant unless he is offered industrial land in return, True said.

“We have tried for more than two years to buy the (barreling plant) property offering a cash sale and also offering a portion of the county-owned parcel behind the bone factory. We had proposed subdividing the parcel so that Frank Zellerhoff could own 3 acres and the remainder could continue to be leased to Vashon Forest Stewards. Neither offer was accepted by Mr. Zellerhoff,” True said in an email. “The only option for acquiring the barreling plant is to purchase it and then surplus the 5 acres of industrial zoned land to Mr. Zellerhoff.”