The Area Council held its regular monthly meeting virtually on Monday, August 2. Major topics discussed were: (1) Search and Rescue Facilities; (2) Countywide Planning Policies; (3) King County Redistricting; (4) Erickson Trench-filling; and (5) Cedar Hills Regional Landfill.
Public Comment
Two members of the public attended: Lisa Clair of the Ravensdale Community Area and Heather Erickson of the Francis Community Area. [Note: The Area Council territory is comprised of four Community Areas: Francis, Hobart, River Heights, and Ravensdale.]
Tahoma School District (TSD) Update
TSD Board member and Area Council committee member, Val Paganelli, provided an update. The 2021-22 Budget has been approved. District leadership teams will be meeting first week of August to prepare for students returning full-time, in-person, K-12 and to begin integrating TSD’s five-year goals into the system. In-person board meetings are expected to begin again coincident with the start of school. TSD is required to follow state-level direction for use of masks by staff and students in the schools.
The Area Council decided to invite TSD Superintendent Hanson to an upcoming meeting to share updates and to answer questions. An invitation will go out and, if possible, this could happen at the Area Council’s next regular monthly meeting to be held on Monday, September 13.
Public Relations Committee
The committee has been in contact with Maple Valley Fire Station #81 and was told its large Meeting Room, where the Area Council typically meets, might not be open to the Public again until January of next year.
The Area Council is exploring combining a food truck rodeo with the Area Council’s Annual Train Show in late October. The Area Council plans to have a booth at the Maple Valley Days celebration on October 9 and 10.
The Area Council’s Bi-Annual Survey mailer will be sent this Fall to each person on the voter rolls, within the Area Council territory—the rural unincorporated area of the Tahoma School District (i.e., minus the City of Maple Valley).
During the week of August 2 Post Cards will be sent to four voting precincts (Matthew, Maple Hills, McDonald, and Arthur) north of the Area Council’s territory (~1,100 households) to gauge interest in participating on the Area Council and to better understand issues of import, including the Cedar Hills Regional Landfill, Cedar Grove Compost, and Queen City Farms.
Search and Rescue Facilities
The Area Council coordinated and led a team of King County Rural Area Unincorporated Area Councils (UACs) / Unincorporated Area Associations (UAAs) / Organizations [*] to review the King County Department of Local Services (DLS) Permitting Division’s Determination of Non-Significance (DNS) on King County Council-proposed Ordinance No. 2021-0163.2. The proposed ordinance would change County Code Title 21A Zoning with regards to the location of Search and Rescue (SAR) “training facilities” in the Rural Area (RA).
Following the Area Council’s vote at its July 12 monthly meeting and the approval of each of the other organizations, the Joint Team submitted a Comment Letter on the DNS to DLS Permitting on July 21 (see: http://gmvuac.org/letters/). A King County Council Public Hearing is scheduled for August 17. The Joint Team will present Oral Testimony at the Hearing. Also, The Joint Team will submit Written Testimony prior to the Hearing.
[*] EPCA: Enumclaw Plateau Association; FoSV: Friends of Sammamish Valley; GMVUAC: Greater Maple Valley Area UAC; GV/LHA: Green Valley/Lake Holm Association; HHA: Hollywood Hills Association; SCAR: Soos Creek Area Response; and UBCUAC: Upper Bear Creek UAC.
Countywide Planning Policies (CPPs) Update
The CPPs serve as the guiding principles and policies for all Comprehensive Planning for King County and its Cities. The CPPs, which cover Environment, Development Patterns, Housing, Economy, Transportation, and Public Facilities & Services, currently are undergoing an update (Update).
Over the past year the Area Council again lead a Joint Team of eight Rural Area Unincorporated Area Councils/Associations (UACs/UAAs) to review draft policies developed by the King County Executive’s Office and an Interjurisdictional Team. The Joint Team prepared and submitted multiple sets of Comments on the Update to King County (see: http://gmvuac.org/countywide-planning-policies/).
The next step is for the King County Council and all the King County Cities to review and approve the Update prior to final submittal to PSRC by the end of the year. The King County Growth Management Planning Council (GMPC) recommended approval of the Update at its June 23 meeting. The King County Council’s Mobility & Environment Committee plans to take up review of the Update at its August 25 meeting with full Council review in September. The Joint Team will present Oral Testimony and submit Written Testimony.
Erickson Trench-filling
The Area Council submitted a Comment Letter on Permit Application GRDE21-0004 to King County DLS-Permitting on July 15. Specific concerns highlighted were: Past permits and remedies for past problems; Sediment runoff related to any expansion of any of the trenches; Wetland identification and adherence to all buffer requirements; Reclamation/Restoration of the site to forestry use; and Traffic impacts on the already congested SR-169 and the Issaquah-Hobart Rd. The letter opposed proposed expansion of the Erickson Trench-filling (see: http://gmvuac.org/letters/).
King County Redistricting
King County Council district lines are being redrawn per WA State law (RCW 29A.76) and the King County Charter (Section 650). Redistricting, which occurs every 10 years with updated population distributions, determines which areas, neighborhoods, and communities are grouped together into a district for purposes of electing King County Councilmembers. The Committee is tasked to complete its work by the end of 2021. For more information, please see: https://kingcounty.gov/independent/districting.aspx.
Cedar Hills Regional Landfill (CHRLF)
King County Councilman Dunn has proposed an Ordinance No. 2021-0267 to establish a Waste-to-Energy (WTE) Advisory Committee to look into WTE technology, etc. The King County Council referred it to the its Regional Policy Committee, which could discuss it at its September 8 meeting. The Area Council will monitor this activity. To view the proposed Ordinance, please see: https://mkcclegisearch.kingcounty.gov/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=5024004&GUID=09FB9900-2846-4DCF-8136-A550D374CD37&Options=Advanced&Search=.
Upcoming Area Council Meetings
The next Area Council monthly meeting will be held Monday, September 13 (one week later than the normal “first Monday of the month” due to the Labor Day Holiday). It will be another “virtual” meeting via Zoom. Access information will be posted on the Area Council’s website www.gmvuac.org.
The Area Council might not hold in-person meetings until the first of 2022 and it will be based on State and County COVID guidelines. Once decided, meetings again will be held at the Maple Valley Fire Station—SE corner of SE 231st St & SR-169 intersection across from the Police Precinct.
All regular monthly meetings are held on the first Monday of the month (except for Holidays, when they are held on the second Monday), from 7 – 9:30 PM. Meeting announcements are published in the Voice of the Valley, the Area Council’s website (www.gmvuac.org) and local NextDoor platforms. You can also find us on Facebook. Each meeting begins with an open Public Comment period.
Area Council Membership
Your Area Council serves as an all-volunteer, locally recognized advisory body to King County on behalf of all rural unincorporated area residents living in the Tahoma School District (i.e., minus the City of Maple Valley). The Area Council’s Vision Statement is:
“Our community’s Rural Character will be supported by facilitating strong local ties and communication between the public, organizations, and government; promoting locally owned businesses and supporting quality education; protecting the environment, and maintaining landowners’ rights and responsibilities; promoting controlled and well-planned growth with appropriate infrastructure; ensuring proper representation for rural interests and needs; and supporting the health and safety and the privacy of our vibrant community.”
The twelve-seat Area Council currently has three open seats. If you have an interest in joining please send an e-mail to: info@gmvuac.org or attend a monthly meeting and express your interest.
Citizens who are not members of the Area Council or do not live within the Tahoma School District still are eligible to join and serve on any of the Area Council’s three major subject-matter Committees: Environment, Growth Management, or Transportation, as well as the Ad Hoc Economic, Public Relations, and Train Show Committees. The Area Council welcomes your participation. For information on each of these committees please see the Area Council’s web site: www.gmvuac.org and use the drop-down menu under Committees. Again, if you have an interest in joining any Area Council committees, please send an e-mail to: info@gmvuac.org. Thank you.
