Community

Emergency Info

Call 911 for ALL EMERGENCIES.

ISLAND MANAGER	(253) 320-7621 (business hours)
ON-ISLAND CONTACT	(253) 320-7621 / Ext 6 (emergencies only)
Pierce County Sheriff	(253) 798-4940
Fire Department - Station 55	(253) 851-3111
Pierce County Emergency Management	(253) 798-6595
2012 Pierce County Emergency Mgt - Winter Weather Info
Raft Island Hazard Mitigation Plan 2015 - 2020

Emergency Management Planning

Please feel free to use the following web sites as a starting point for developing your personal family emergency plan. These links will lead you to a wide range of helpful suggestions, resources and organization your family can utilize. By a vote of the membership, the Raft Isand Improvement Association (RIIA) does not have a formal emergency plan for the island. as a community we rely on each member to develop and share their own personal plans with friends and neighbors. While informal, this approach has proved valuable in extending aid and assistance to those in need during periods of emergency.

• Washington State Emergency Management Plan
• Washington State Geological Survey Interactive Map
• Pierce County Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan
• Pierce County Emergency Alert System
• Washington State Emergency Alert System
• Peninsula Emergency Preparedness Coalition

Member Dues

• Payment Options

  Effective July 1, 2015, you will notice some changes with the RIIA monthly payments. We are now using a payment processing center in Nevada. Effective July 1, 2015, the monthly assessment is $165.00 per month. Your assessment is due the first of each month and late after the 10th. Read the payment directions

  You can set up recurring payments, pay by electronic check, or pay by credit card (a 3% charge is added for credit card payments).

• Pay Your Dues Online

• Dues are assessed per lot. The amount includes the cost for functions of the RIIA, such as maintenance of the island's assets ( bridge, roads, drainage, tree trimming, parks, the tennis court, etc.)

• The amount varies annually. Dues can be paid annually in June or in monthly installments. If you have questions or input, please contact the Island Manager or RIIA Board President.

• Raft Island's Collections Policy

Security

As a private Island, we follow "neighborhood watch" rules. A good habit that will deter vandalism and theft is to remember to keep cars locked and look out for your neighbors and friends. Keep your yard/parking area well-lit and report anything suspicious to the Island Manager. Thank you

To ensure safety for the general and boating public, jumping off the Raft Island Bridge is prohibited.

A Raft Island Security Committee manages all security and safety considerations for the Island. In case of an emergency, call 911.

Island Policies and Rules

• Raft Island Policies

• View or download a copy of the 2010 TREE & VEGETATION PLAN.

• Burn Ban

  Pierce County Fire Station #55 serves Raft Island and the Rosedale Area. Contact Pierce County to review current air quality and Burn Ban Status or to acquire a Burn Permit for all outdoor burning at (253) 851-3111.

• Parking

  Parking for the South Beach is located just above the Park entrance and requires a Current Parking Sticker.

  Note: Vehicles without a current sticker will be towed at the owner's expense. During the summer season, the limited number of parking spaces available to Island residents makes this policy especially important to honor. If you have guests with cars, please ask them to park on your private property and walk to the Park. Call the Island Manager to receive your Parking Sticker.

  • All vehicles parked at the South Beach parking area must display a Raft Island Parking Permit affixed to the glass on the driver's side of the windshield in the lower corner. Any vehicles without a permit properly displayed will be towed at the owner's expense.

  • Do not stick the permit to a piece of plastic, laminate it, tape it or use any other method of display other than sticking the permit itself directly to the glass.

  • If you need to get a permit, please call HOA Community Solutions at 253-985-3812. Each property owner is allowed a maximum of two permits per lot owned.
    If you have lost a permit, replacements can be purchased for $5 each and the lost permit will be inactivated. Damaged or worn out permits will be swapped out for no charge, but you must bring in the old permit with you.

  • Owners with tenants are responsible for providing their tenants with the parking permits for that property. We will not issue permits to tenants directly.

• Jumping or Diving off the Bridge / Dock Railings

  Jumping off the Raft Island Bridge or the railings on the dock walkway is prohibited. Read the policy.

Island Roads

For reference, your can examine the Raft Island Plat Map.

Lot owners may wish to review the bid package and contract (in blank) for the upcoming road project.
These documents are for Raft Island lot owners' information only. Contractors who desire a copy should contact Raft Island's consultant: Richard Day rjdassoc@centurytel.net 253.279.4905

Current and historical maintenance and cost summary through March 2016.

Here is an estimate from our roads consultant, Richard Day for the breakout of the road pavement costs per each private roadway on Raft Island.

You can also examine his final report, along with supporting exhibits and a revised budget.

View the final version of the roads survey results.

See the current Roadway, Roadside & Ditch Policy. Raft Island Right-of-Way Vegetation and Tree Management Plan for information on the current policy, which supercedes previous policy statements.

There is a great deal of information about the Island roads in the Spring 2015 Newsletter.

Or, you can examine the 2010 policy.

Also see the Roads Ballot Q&A for additional information.

Please contact Roads Chairman Scott Wood (c/o the Island Manager) if you have any comments or questions on roads.

Excerpt from the Tree Management Plan:

"With the advent of underground utilities executed on the Island some 10 years ago, cessation of power line right of way clearing and maintenance created a general lack of maintenance for our roadway’s vegetation and tree growth. Since that time, the right of way for many of our road ways paths and right-of-ways has been encroached to the point where the usable roadway allows only single car access or prevents the use of some of our designated pathways."

Parks and Recreation

• Parks

  There are two Community Parks on Raft Island. The South Beach (below) is located next to the Bridge on the south side of the Island and includes a members-only boat launch, dock and ramp, boat storage, picnic tables, water fountain, benches and community BBQ's. During the summer months, a port-o-potty and dumpster are positioned for seasonal use.

  Use of the park is reserved for members and their guests only. Parking within the gated area is prohibited. A gate key is required for access to the boat launch. Use of the launch is on a first-come / first-serve basis. Park hours are from sunrise to 10pm. The dock is for pick-up and drop-off only with no transient moorage allowed. Remember, jumping off the Raft Island Bridge is prohibited.

  

  The North Beach (below) is located on the far north side of the Island facing Henderson Bay with spectacular sunsets and views of the Olympic Mountains. Amenities include benches, a stairway to the beach, a BBQ, and picnic tables. Please note that this is a "walk-in" area with only two community parking stalls. There are no garbage receptacles on-site so please plan on carrying out waste.

  

• Tennis Court

  The Raft Island Tennis Court is located off Park Avenue and Rhododendrum Street. It is open to all members in good standing on a first-come / first-serve basis. The recreation space includes a fenced play area, bench, basketball hoop and one court. There is also on-site parking for two vehicles. Please contact the Island Manager for more information or to report any problems with the Tennis Court.

  Please keep animals off the courts. Their messes require clean-up that others are forced to do. Help keep the court in good shape for everyone. Thank you!

  View the Projected Plan for restoration and enhancement of the tennis court, developed May 2022.

  

• Boat Launch

  Use of the Raft Island Boat Launch is reserved for community members in good standing only. One Gate Key is provided upon request for $5 per lot. Use of the boat launch is on a first-come / first serve basis. Parking within the Park is prohibited. Help protect the area by keeping the gate closed and locked. Call the Raft Island Manager to arrange for payment and mailing or pick-up of a gate key.

  Please report any problems or issues that require immediate attention to the Security Chair and/or Island Manager.

  

  Parking for the South Beach (below) is located just above the Park entrance and requires a Current Parking Sticker.

  Note: Vehicles without a current sticker will be towed at the owner's expense. During the summer season, the limited number of parking spaces available to Island residents makes this policy especially important to honor. If you have guests with cars, please ask them to park on your private property and walk to the Park. Call the Island Manager to receive your Parking Sticker.

  

• Water and Boating Safety Guidelines

  Read the Washington State and Pierce County boating and safety guidelines.

• View More Images

Volunteers

The community of Raft Island has raised hundreds of families over the years. A recent poll shows that the average home ownership is 18+ years. That says a lot about our neighborhoods.

As a private island, WE keep our neighborhoods safe and our parks clean. If you live here and can help, we need you! A current TO DO's & NEEDS LIST will be posted here. If you can contribute or have items to add, please contact the Island Manager.

The South Beach is the focus of an annual 4th of July Fireworks Display and the summer draws boaters, picnics, parties and beach-combing every year. In order to make our island even more enjoyable, there are a number of opportunities available to residents. All it takes is you.

If you are an old-timer on the Island or just looking for an opportunity to meet your neighbors, please consider becoming a volunteer. If you’d like to initiate a new Holiday Event, Island-Wide Swap Meet, Clean-Up Day, or any other community event, please call the Island Manager for more information

In the meantime, we could use volunteers for:

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

This group will be facilitated by Pierce County Emergency Management Services. In the event of a natural disaster (fire, earthquake, landslide, etc.), "block leaders" will have access to contact information and critical details regarding unattended pets, our elderly, on-island generators and equipment, a list of block captains, notification standards and emergency protocols that could be life-saving in case of an emergency. Please contact the Island Manager for more information.

Roads

Under the direction of the Co-chairs. Please contact the Island Manager for more information.

Parks

Under the direction of the Co-chairs. Please contact the Island Manager for more information.

To Do's & Needs List

• CULVERT CARE

  Please remember to keep the culverts that border your property clear of debris. Standing water can undermine the roads and breed mosquitoes. Trenching is a once-a year event that depends on lot-owner maintenance the rest of the year. Please contact the Island Manager if you have questions or input.

• TRIMMING & PRUNING

  When each lot owner maintains their streetface vegetation and growth, we all benefit. Please do your share by keeping the trees and vegetation on your property trimmed for safe vehicle access and visibility.

• TENNIS COURT SURFACE CLEANING

  Pressure washing seems like the best idea... a commercial hot water / steam unit would be ideal. Any one with access to one of these, please let the Island Manager know!

• ISLAND WIDE SWAP MEET

  If you are interested in organizing this event, please contact the Island Manager for a list of other participants.

Maps

• Road Map

  

• Lot Map

  
• For reference, your can examine the Raft Island Plat Map.

Social Media

External Links To Useful Resources For Island Residents

• Raft Island Community Connection Lost and Found, Free Stuff, Whatever you'd like to talk about with your friends and neighbors.
• Take a look at these pictures taken at the 2016 Raft Island Halloween Party.

History

Excerpt from The History of Raft Island

"The first written record of Raft Island came in 1792 when English Navy Captain Peter Puget, on his exploration of the entire Sound south of present-day Seattle, wrote in his journal that he had landed on a small island off the mouth of Horsehead Bay. Later in the late 1830's a U.S. Navy expedition under the command of Captain Charles Wilkes named the island Allshouse Island after Joseph Allshouse, a crew-member of the U.S.S. Vincennes. Allhouse's good fortune was short-lived, however. On October 30, 1841, after the Vincennes had completed its expedition, a storm arose while the ship was in San Francisco Bay. At 4am Allshouse was coming out of the hatchway to go on watch duty when a loose wooden spar pinned him to the hatch combing. It took five minutes before the spar could be removed and although it did not appear he was seriously injured at first, Allshouse died of internal injuries at 7:30 am. Despite the honor given to Allshouse by Wilkes, the name that came to be placed on maps was Raft Island. This name was given to the island because people thought it looked like a raft floating on the water right next to the mainland."