Property east of Sequim envisioned as a disc golf course got the needed approval by the Clallam County commissioners almost a decade after initial efforts to confirm a course location began.

Following a public hearing held Dec. 8, the commissioners unanimously passed the request from the Clallam County Parks, Fair and Facilities Department to amend the Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Map to reflect the rezoning of 40 acres bisected by Thompson Road off Old Blyn Highway.

Rezoning the property proposed to become a disc golf course will add to the existing recreational opportunities in eastern Clallam County, Commissioner Jim McEntire said, noting the ample access to hiking and the John Wayne Marina.

“This is yet another star in the recreation constellation surrounding Sequim Bay,” he said.

Changing the property from Rural Low to Parks and Recreation was the final step needed to allow county officials to begin building the long discussed 18-hole disc golf course.

“It has been almost 10 years now that we’ve been working on this,” Bruce Giddens, Parks and Fair supervisor, said. “It’s good to see we’ve gotten to the point where we can start construction.”

Honoring of a 10-day ratification period after the public hearing, followed by a 60-day notice of adoption, Giddens won’t start work at the site until mid-February, he said. But, come February, Giddens plans to host multiple volunteer work parties to prep about half of the available 40-acres for the course.

The completion of the course relies heavily on volunteer involvement, thus it’s difficult for Giddens to know when the estimated $20,000 project will be done, but he’s hopeful to complete it by late spring or early summer.

In 2007, the original disc golf course proposal aimed at Robin Hill Farm County Park ceased after public concerns centered on the location arose, but led county officials to turn their attention to the property off Thompson Road.

Being farther east, the future disc golf course location is “even a little better” than the previous option because it likely will attract people from Jefferson and Kitsap counties and the Gig Harbor area, Commissioner Mike Chapman said.

“The course at Lincoln Park here in Port Angeles just continues to get used more and more,” he added.

Disc golf is a game that combines the concepts of golf, basketball and frisbee. It can be played solo or with many, where each individual throws a small disc into baskets scattered throughout a course with natural obstacles, such as trees and hills. The object of the game is to traverse a course from start to finish with the fewest number of throws of the disc.

Supportive of the seemingly increase in use at Lincoln Park, “over the past decade, the game has seen a 12 to 15 percent annual growth rate across the country,” according to the Clallam County Parks, Fair and Facilities 2013 disc golf proposal.

The commissioners’ decision to approve the rezone request is consistent with the positive recommendation given to them by the Clallam County Planning Commission, which completed its review and public hearing on the request by early October.

Reach Alana Linderoth at alinderoth@sequimgazette.com.