January 2006 Meeting Summary

Area Council discusses Comprehensive Plan Update

      By Peter Rimbos, Corresponding Secretary

The Greater Maple Valley Area Council represents all unincorporated area residents living in the Tahoma School District. It serves as an advisory body to the King County Council. On Monday, January 9, the Area Council held its first regular monthly meeting of 2006. The following topics were discussed: (1) King County Comprehensive Plan Updates and (2) Rural Economic Strategies.

Public Comment

An Open Comment period precedes regular Area Council agenda topics to allow members of the public to speak. Superintendent Mike Maryanski addressed the Area Council and other attendees about the upcoming February 7 Tahoma School District levy public vote. There will be two levy measures. One will continue an existing levy to support education programs and operations. The other will re-establish educational technology funding. Each levy is for four years and, if approved, would go into effect beginning in 2007. Both levies need a 60% “yes” vote to pass, under the state’s supermajority voting requirement. Area Council member Warren Iverson encouraged passage of both levies.

New Members and Election of Officers

The Area Council is comprised of four elected members from each of four Community Areas: Francis, Hobart, Ravensdale, and River Heights. This past November unincorporated area residents elected four new members to the Area Council to replace retiring members or to fill open seats. The Area Council welcomes new members Claudia Brisendine and Eric Harris both from Francis; Rob Morris from Hobart; and Patrick Seiver from River Heights. Each were present and sworn in for their full terms.

Each calendar year the Area Council elects members to fill officer positions. For 2006 Dick Bonewits was re-elected Chair; Steve Hiester was elected Vice Chair; Les Dawson was re-elected Recording Secretary; Peter Rimbos was re-elected Corresponding Secretary; and Kevin Daoust was re-elected Treasurer.

Comprehensive Plan Revisions

The King County Comprehensive Plan, adopted in 1994, is the guiding policy document for all land use and development regulations in unincorporated King County, as well as for regional services throughout the County including transit, sewers, parks, trails, and open space. Each year updates for the Comprehensive Plan are proposed and considered by the King County Council. Every fourth year major revisions are proposed and considered for adoption. This was last done in 2004 and will again be done in 2008. The Comprehensive Plan can be found at: http://www.metrokc.gov/ddes/compplan/.

Paul Reitenbach, Senior Policy Planner from the Department of Development and Environmental Services (DDES), serves as the Comprehensive Plan Project Manager. Mr. Reitenbach summarized the 2006 Comprehensive Plan update, which consists of: (1) modifications to development codes and policies, (2) an update of the Transportation Needs Report and the Regional Trails Needs Report, and (3) changes to four arterial classifications. The proposed amendments appear to be relatively minor.

The Proposed 2006 King County Comprehensive Plan Amendments Public Review DRAFT can be found at http://www.metrokc.gov/ddes/compplan/2006/PubRevDraft/index.htm. A four-person committee comprised of one member from each of our four Community Areas was appointed by the Area Council to study the Public Review DRAFT and provide recommendations and comments to the full council.

Rural Economic Strategy

Julia Larson of King County’s Office of Business Relations and Economic Development discussed the status of the Rural Economic Strategies study conducted in 2004. The Rural Economic Strategies Report was just released. The report outlines initial steps to strengthen the rural economy while preserving rural character in King County. The report surveys current economic conditions in the rural areas and identifies strategies and action items that can be implemented. The report can be found at http://www.metrokc.gov/exec/news/2006/0105rural.htm.

The Area Council provided detailed comments to Ms. Larson during her study. Those concerns were again voiced at the meeting. In general, members questioned the need for such a study and what problem it is meant to solve. There were concerns voiced it could bring unwanted development to the rural areas. Finally, concerns were identified regarding the economic viability of the strategies proposed. Ms. Larson acknowledged these concerns, but stressed the strategies were voluntary and not King County policy. Ms. Larson described the report as a starting point that can be used to help local communities identify what makes them unique and what strategies they may or may not want to pursue.

A two-person committee was appointed by the Area Council to continue to study the Rural Economic Strategies Report and provide additional recommendations and comments to the full council in time to support King County Council testimony on this subject, which may come as early as February.

Next Meeting

The Area Council meets on the first Monday of each month (except on legal holidays) in the conference room of Sheriff's Precinct # 3 Headquarters (intersection of 231^st St and SR-169 across from Fire Station). The public is invited to attend. An Open Comment period is scheduled at the beginning of each meeting to allow members of the public to address the Area Council and speak about issues of concern. Our next regular monthly meeting will be held on Monday, February 6, 2006, at 7:00 PM. Comments on Area Council business may be submitted to GMVAC, P.O. Box 101, Maple Valley, WA  98038, or to Dick Bonewits, Chair, at gmvac_chair@hotmail.com.