The search for a north Puget Sound campus for the University of Washington continues. The family who owns land in the proposed Lake Stevens site pulled their 30-acre property out of the running this past Friday.

Losing the 30 acres also cut off 28 acres of property owned by the Lake Stevens school district, so just about 40 acres of useable land remain. Deb Merle, higher education adviser to Gov. Chris Gregoire, said the remaining property offered by the county is still large enough to keep it in consideration.

"I do not know why the private landowner decided not to sell at this time," Merle said. "But we will continue to evaluate the site."

County officials noted that if the Lake Stevens land is not used as University property, it will be turned into a county park as planned.

The Lake Stevens property is one of four possible campus locations in Snohomish County, including two in Everett and one in Marysville. The new UW campus will focus on business and health sciences, increasing education options in north Snohomish County.

The best campus option will be submitted to state Legislature next week.

In the meantime, Snohomish County officials remain committed to a university campus in the area.

"The executive is very supportive of a four-year university in Snohomish County," said Katie Kuciemba, executive analyst for Snohomish County.

Kuciemba described the county's vision for the campus.

"This needs to be a first-class university regardless of where it's located. ... We feel that there needs to be some amenities provided to really attract these students ... recreation space, full building capacity, the ability to expand, dormitories and the ability for it to be unique," she said.

She stated that Aaron Reardon, Snohomish County executive, came out in support of the Marysville site last Wednesday. Reardon believes the Marysville site could best accommodate the county's goals for the campus.

Although county officials hope that the campus will be more than a satellite campus, like UW Bothell or UW Tacoma, and will have a "much more traditional, four-year university" feel, they support a UW campus at any location.

"I will work with the UW no matter what site they choose," said Snohomish County Councilman Dave Somers. "I will trust the analysis being done by the UW to select the best site."

Kuciemba echoed Somers.

"Overall, we are just 100 percent focused on the University of Washington in Snohomish County," she said.

[Reach reporter Erika Cederlind at news@thedaily.washington.edu.]