The Bainbridge Island City Council has authorized the transfer of three city-owned surplus properties to the Bainbridge Island Metropolitan Park & Recreation District.

City staff recommended the transfer of six surplus properties earlier this month, and of the six, the council unanimously approved transferring the Lumpkin property, a Blossom/Gazzam Lake parcel and Meigs Farm.

The Lumpkin property is a combined 6 acres at the head of Eagle Harbor.

Located adjacent to Gazzam Lake Park & Wildlife Preserve, the Blossom parcel offers a little more than 3 acres near Sullivan Road.

Much larger, Meigs Farm is about 30 acres in combined lands. One parcel equals about 20 acres.

The property contains a diverse bird population and is a major nesting area for red-wing and tricolor blackbirds. Every year, students from Sonoji Sakai Intermediate School take a nature mapping tour of the property.

The remaining three properties not transferred to the parks district were Lovgren Pit, the Manitou Beach tidelands and three Pritchard Park parcels.

The council decided not to vote for the transfer of those lands because two of the sites have a history of contamination and the third site may require restoration.

Council members decided each would require more extensive discussion before a vote could be conducted.

The parks district will not be required to compensate the city for the transfer.

By transferring the surplus properties, however, the city will avoid operations, maintenance, legal and liability costs for keeping the land within its holdings.