After years of failed bond votes and mounting frustration in Black Diamond, the long promised school in the Ten Trails neighborhood finally has a financial path forward, thanks to an unusual lifeline from the very developer building the community. Oakpointe Communities, the master developer of the 2,200 acre Ten Trails project, has struck a deal with the Enumclaw School District that skips another taxpayer bond and instead leans on developer money and future mitigation fees to pay for design, construction and athletic fields.
How the funding deal works
Under an amendment approved by the district, the Enumclaw School District will give up its interest in a large Ten Trails school site in exchange for $40 million, while Oakpointe will provide up to $25 million in financing that the district would later repay through future mitigation fees, according to the Enumclaw School District. On top of that, Oakpointe is committing $3 million to build two all weather fields, creating a package the district estimates at roughly $68 million for the project. The amendment also specifies that if mitigation fee revenue falls short, the remaining balance is discharged instead of turning into a new district obligation, which district leaders say protects local taxpayers from a surprise bill.
Why the district turned to a developer
This public private workaround follows a string of failed voter referendums that left the district boxed in. A February 2023 bond that included money for new school construction in Black Diamond went down at the polls, leaving the district without a clear way to build classrooms for the rapidly growing Ten Trails community. Local coverage reported that district leaders and the city began negotiating with Oakpointe in late 2023, and the school board approved an amended mitigation agreement in November 2025, according to the Courier-Herald.
Ten Trails growth and local stakes
Ten Trails is a master planned community spanning roughly 2,200 acres that has already added thousands of homes to what was a much smaller town before the development, according to the Ten Trails website. Oakpointe and city officials argue that a functioning neighborhood school is a key piece of unlocking more residential and retail build out in the town center. At the same time, written comments filed with the city show some neighbors are uneasy, questioning whether earlier infrastructure promises have been fully met, according to City of Black Diamond public comments.
Next steps and timeline
The district says planning and design work kicked off in January 2026 using a progressive design build method and that it has begun the process of selecting a combined design and construction team. Early partners named in local coverage include TCF Architecture and John Korsmo Construction, according to the Courier-Herald. The progressive design build approach is intended to speed delivery and help keep costs in check, with officials projecting a roughly two year timeline after full implementation, according to the Enumclaw School District. District leaders say they plan to post project milestones and community meeting dates on the project webpage as work advances.
Why it matters
By structuring the deal around land, mitigation credits and developer backed financing, the district can move ahead on a much needed school without asking voters for another bond and without imposing an immediate property tax hike, a point officials have repeatedly highlighted. Still, the arrangement has become a talking point for people who follow growth and school funding, since it effectively puts a private developer front and center in paying for a public school. The Seattle Business Journal has framed the deal as a relatively rare example of a developer stepping in to underwrite a public school project after voters rejected traditional bond measures.
