Island County’s proposed settlement of a dispute over public beach access in Greenbank isn’t a perfect solution, but it’s better than rolling the dice in court, with the very real possibility that the county could end up with nothing to show for years of research and litigation.

The squabble dates to 2008, when Bruce Montgomery, a pharmaceutical magnate, built a rock wall at the end of Wonn Road. The road end forms the beginning of his driveway and he said the wall was meant to keep people from parking on his drain field.

Montgomery and his wife thought they had purchased the beach next to their home and were paying taxes on it.

Previously, the beach had long provided Greenbank residents with invaluable public access to the water.

It’s one of the very few places in the area where people who don’t own their own beach can slip a kayak into the water or skip rocks.

A group of residents raised an alarm and complained to the county commissioners, who agreed that the beach was, in fact, public property.

Under state law, roads that end at the water are supposed to belong to the public.

In 2009, the commissioners voted to defend the public’s right to the property. After lengthy investigation by public works officials and prosecutors, the county filed a lawsuit against the Montgomerys in 2013. Island Beach Access supported the lawsuit as intervenors and also did extensive research.

Under the complex proposal, Montgomery will give the county a beachfront lot at Ledgewood Beach — definitely not an ideal spot for beach access — pay the county $50,000 for improvements at the park and release a public records request.

In addition, the county will get the Wonn Road beach and tidelands once the Montgomerys have died, or 10 years after the county files the deed to it, whichever comes later. The alternative, however, is, if the couple within 10 years buys and then gives to the county any of four other Greenbank waterfront properties instead, or if the county agrees to accept a comparable public beach access in exchange.

Island Beach Access isn’t happy with the proposed settlement. That’s understandable. It means a long delay in meaningful beach access for the community. And it seems like a big win for “one percenters” who get their way by throwing their money around.

But we should remember that the dispute has gone on for years and there was no end in sight beyond settlement talks. During all this time, the Wonn Road beach is off limits to the public for reasons that are unclear.

The settlement probably isn’t completely satisfying to either side but it’s the safest way for the county to ensure beach access for future generations.