Fort Worden State Park was established in 1973 and by 2008 long range planning for the Fort and the park had begun, including the need to engage a partner in bringing the lifelong learning center aspect of the park to life. In 2011 the Fort Worden Lifelong Learning Center Public Development Authority (FWPDA) was created by a charter of the City of Port Townsend to meet this need. The Washington State Parks Commission executed a 50-year lease designating the FWPDA as the manager and operator of the 90 acre Fort Worden Campus, encompassing the lifelong learning center mission, while State Parks continues to maintain the 434 acres that make up the rest of Fort Worden Historical State Park.
Included here are the documents outlining the governing and management authority of the Fort Worden Public Development Authority.
This is the 50-year lease with State Parks granting management authority to the FWPDA over the 90 acres of the Lifelong Learning Center.
This is the ordinance of the City of Port Townsend that created the governance structure of the FWPDA.
This is the section of the city's municipal code that relates to the FWPDA.