On Monday, March 5, the Area Council held its monthly meeting. Our Guest Speaker was Dis- trict 43 Fire Chief Aaron Tyerman. Major topics discussed were: (1) King County Cedar River Sites Industrial Moratorium (CRSIM) Study (related to the proposed Asphalt facility move); (2) Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) VISION 2050; (3) King County Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Plan (CSWMP), and (4) PSRC Regional Open Space Conservation Plan (ROSCP).
Fire District 43
Fire Chief Aaron Tyerman provided an update on Fire District 43 finances. Contract discussions have begun with Puget Sound Regional Fire Authority to try to reduce District overhead and help stabilize funding. Chief Tyerman plans to continue support 911 service and other critical services as priorities. There will be no reductions of service needed by the community.
Cedar River Sites Industrial Moratorium (CRSIM) Study
On February 28 the Area Council submitted a point-by-point letter to the King County Council rebutting the King County Department of Permitting & Environmental Review’s 3-mo Study (released on February 9). As part of a 6-month Moratorium (on Industrial-zoned sites along the Cedar River put in place by the King County Council), the 3-month Study looked at the proposed parcel where Lakeside Industries plans to move its Asphalt Facility from the City of Covington in the Urban Growth Area to the Rural Area along SR-169 and the Cedar River.
The Area Council found the Study was both factually and legally deficient and defective in several significant ways that affect the manner in which the King County Council should consider its responsiveness to the clear findings and directives it set forth in its own Ordinance 18611 establishing the 6-month Moratorium in mid-November 2017.
In its Rebuttal Letter, the Area Council recommended the King County Council reject the recommendations set forth in the Study and enforce the provisions of King County Comprehensive Plan Policy R-513, which states: “Rural Public Infrastructure Maintenance Facilities, and agriculture and forestry product processing should be allowed in the Rural Area. Other new industrial uses in the Rural Area shall be permitted only in Rural Towns and in the designated industrial area adjacent to the Rural Neighborhood Commercial Center of Preston.”
It was further recommended the King County Council refer to the Hearing Examiner the matter of rezoning the Lakeside Industries site back to its original RA-5 land use and zoning designations.
The Area Council Rebuttal Letter can be found at www.gmvuac.org.
PSRC VISION 2050
The PSRC, the State-authorized four-county regional planning organization, is preparing for growth of 1.8 million more people and 1.2 million more jobs by 2050. VISION 2050 will build on the region’s existing VISION 2040 plan to keep the central Puget Sound region healthy and vibrant as it grows.
As the first step in a multiyear process, PSRC has released a draft Scoping Statement for Public Comment. PSRC is seeking community input on the following: What important regional issues should be the focus of the update? How should the region’s growth strategy be updated to plan for 2050? What impacts and actions should be evaluated through environmental review?
The Area Council discussed a set of Comments and voted that they be finalized by the Chairs of the Area Council’s four major subject-matter committees: Economic Development, Environment, Growth Management, and Transportation. Highlights include: (1) Ensure PSRC maintains its regional focus to bring different jurisdictions together to solve regional problems of growth, transportation, etc.; (2) Keep the Rural Area rural by ensuring largely urban-serving facilities be sited in the Urban Growth Area; and (3) Enforce agreed-to Growth Targets to ensure jurisdictions do not unduly burden their neighbors.
Area Council Comments will be submitted to PSRC by its deadline of March 19 and then posted at www.gmvuac.org.
King County CSWMP
The draft CSWMP outlines goals, policies, and recommended actions to manage waste and recyclables for King County and 37 of 39 cities (Seattle and Milton have separate systems).
The Area Council’s Environment Committee developed a set of Comments for final approval. Two key issues of importance to local residents are: (1) Possible policy changes such as instituting mandatory recycling, a new 70% recycling goal, and new construction and demolition debris recycling and disposal policies and (2) Extending the life of Cedar Hills Regional Landfill (expected to be full by 2028) by optimizing development of the site for landfilling.
The full Area Council discussed the Comments and agreed on a final set to submit to King County by its March 8 due date. Highlights include: (1) Support for waste prevention and reuse as highest priorities; (2) Use of educational methods to produce more informed consumers and producers of solid waste; (3) No expansion of the Cedar Hills Landfill; (4) Consumer and producer incentives to keep recyclable items out of the waste stream; and (5) Support to explore viability of Waste-to-Energy or Waste Incineration methods.
Area Council Comments can be found at www.gmvuac.org. Visit www.kingcounty.gov/solid- waste-comp-plan for more information on the King County CSWMP.
PSRC ROSCP
The draft ROSCP provides a regional plan for conservation of open space. Open space includes a wide variety of public and private, urban and rural, natural and working lands, such as trails, forests, farms, wetlands, floodplains, and shorelines. The ROSCP seeks to ensure these open spaces continue to support our greater region’s economy and quality of life. The ROSCP identifies the region’s open space network, parts already protected, remaining conservation needs and an action plan going forward.
The Area Council’s Environment Committee developed a set of Comments for final approval. The full Area Council discussed the Comments and agreed on a final set to submit to PSRC by its March 8 due date. Highlights include: (1) Identification of conservation priorities to sustain our open spaces and ecological systems; (2) Use of a “watershed” approach as critical to addressing key ecological factors; (3) Recognition open spaces help directly and indirectly support our Rural Area economy; (4) Concern for the loss of working farmland as development pressures continue to be exerted; and (5) Coordinated planning among and within agencies and jurisdictions.
Area Council Comments can be found at www.gmvuac.org. Visit https://www.psrc.org/our- work/regional-open-space-conservation-plan for more information on the PSRC ROSCP.
Next Area Council Monthly Meeting
Monday, April 2, from 7 – 9:30 PM, at the Fire Station located at the SE corner of SE 231st St & SR-169 intersection, across from the Police Precinct. All members of the Public are welcome. Each meeting begins with an open Public Comment period.
Our Special Guest Speaker will be King County Department of Transportation Director Harold Taniguchi who is leading King County Executive Constantine’s effort to create a new Department of Local Services for the Unincorporated Areas and the Rural Area. This probably will be one of our most important meetings of the year, as we discuss the far-reaching impact of the new department.
Your Area Council serves as an all-volunteer, locally elected advisory body to King County on behalf of all rural unincorporated area residents living in the Tahoma School District. For more information, please visit: www.gmvuac.org.
