King County is currently updating the year 2000 comprehensive plan

for the Snoqualmie Valley. They propose down-zoning many rural properties

for the purpose of “providing a transition to the Forest Production

District (Snoqualmie Tree Farm) and protect critical habitat areas.” Many rural

landowners would be affected.

Does a 350,000-acre tree farm need a transition? No, and it is its

own critical habitat.

My land has already been substantially down-zoned, from 4 houses

per 10 acres to 1 per 10. Now these public servants have decided 1 house per

20 acres would be appropriate. This severely limits landowner rights and

opportunities for, of course, no compensation whatsoever.

This current proposal, along with King County’s most recent move

of limiting building permits on legally created lots that do not meet

current zoning, clearly hits large rural landowners hardest. There is no justice

in this. This kind of thing is what the Cedar County movement was

all about.

Same idea with the “transfer of development rights” program

where landowners can sell rights to subdivide. If rights have already been

down-zoned away, then there is nothing to sell.

I am calling on the King County Council to kick this down-zone

proposal right back to staff with a `NO’ attached. I hope other landowners

will write, e-mail or call them with the same message.

Turn out for the public meetings at Tolt Middle School in Carnation on

Monday, Jan. 10, 7-9 p.m. and at Preston Community Club on

Wednesday, Jan. 19, 7-9 p.m.

Preston Drew

Carnation