Metropolitan King County Councilmember Dow Constantine said the 2005 County Budget, unanimously adopted today by the Council, ensures that the "three-legged stool" of incentives, education and regulations will be in place when new Critical Areas standards in the county’s unincorporated areas take effect on January 1st.

When the Council adopted landmark legislation in October to protect the county’s unincorporated critical areas, steep slopes and wetlands from the impacts of new development, Council Democrats also introduced companion legislation that responded to citizen calls for improved incentives, outreach and accountability in the implementation of those standards.

“This budget provides assurance that the King County Council will remain accountable for not only the standards it adopted, but the manner in which they are carried out,” said Constantine, Chair of the Growth Management and Unincorporated Areas Committee. “I am very pleased that this budget enhances incentives for property owners, monitors permit efficiency and customer service, and provides free assistance to help property owners apply the new Critical Areas standards and take advantage of property tax breaks. In the coming year the Growth Management and Unincorporated Areas Committee will continue to monitor implementation of these regulations.”

The state Growth Management Act requires King County to review and update its regulations to protect critical areas by December 1, 2004. This budget implements additional measures that help ensure accountability, accessibility and ease of use by property owners, including:

• A new consolidated review for single family residential development that unites required reviews for siting a new home into a single package for a predictable price;

• Staffing changes in the Water and Land Resources Division of the Department of Natural Resources and Parks to help the county better assist property owners in development of Rural Stewardship Plans, Farm Plans and Forest Management Plans that qualify them for flexible application of new Critical Areas standards. Staff will work to provide easy access to information about the new Rural Stewardship Planning option through web-sites, model plans, classes, and technical assistance. These staffing changes are part of a more comprehensive reorganization plan due in 2005;

• Two outreach staff in the Department of Development and Environmental Services (DDES) who can meet informally with rural landowners about new critical areas standards and help owners make informed decisions, without an hourly charge;

• Additional support for the Public Benefit Rating System, which provides tax incentives to land owners to protect forest cover and critical areas; and

• Funding and direction for DDES to contract for anonymous exit interviews with permit customers to gauge customer service, and to report this information to the Council.

The new budget also implements the Council’s 2004 update to the King County Comprehensive Plan, with funds to develop a rural economic development strategy, including strengthening of farming and forestry. This strategy is critical to help protect the character of our rural areas, while encouraging economic development opportunities in rural King County.

Learn more about the 2005 King County Budget at
www.metrokc.gov/council/budget