July 18, 2006
Public comment sought on proposals to give rural businesses more flexibility
In response to suggestions from rural residents, rural business owners and a County Council committee, county staff have developed draft regulatory changes designed to give more flexibility for agriculture, rural home businesses and forestry management. A public meeting on the draft changes will be held Tuesday, July 25, 7 p.m. at the Preston Community Center. Written comment is being taken through August 10. Public comment will help shape a final proposal that will be sent to the County Council late this summer.
The changes are designed to expand economic opportunities for rural residents and promote rural economic vitality, especially in the agricultural value-added and home occupation areas as well as for land owners with forest management plans who want to thin forests.
Several of the changes are a result of direction from the Metropolitan King County Council’s Growth Management and Natural Resources Committee and others are from public feedback to the county’s Rural Economic Strategies Report.
In addition to the public meeting, staff presentations are being made to the rural Unincorporated Area Councils and at rural chambers of commerce meetings during the next few weeks. Public comment will help shape the final proposal that will be completed later this summer.
“This is a working draft that includes ideas from a council committee and from rural residents and rural business owners,” said Ray Moser, manager of King County Economic Development. “It is important that we now hear from a broad audience as we work to balance economic vitality with preserving the rural quality of life.”
The Rural Economic Strategies Report calls for the enhancement of agricultural and forestry and the promotion and encouragement of compatible home-based businesses.
The draft staff review proposal makes code changes that:
- Increases the square footage permitted for wineries and breweries without a conditional use permit;
- Increases the amount of agricultural worker housing allowed on agricultural zoned property;
- Recognizes the increasing interest in animal specialty services, such as dog day care;
- Increases the square footage permitted for agricultural product sales without conditional use permit; and
- Increases the square footage allowed for nurseries without a conditional use permit.
The draft home-based business code proposals from the County Council Growth Management and Natural Resources Committee would make the following changes to home occupation requirements in rural areas:
- increases from one to three the number of non-resident employees allowed on site;
- allows drop-in patrons – no longer by appointment only;
- increases the number and size of vehicles allowed on a site (depending on lot size); and
- removes landscaping requirement for outdoor storage.
The draft forestry code change:
- allows forest thinning in critical area buffers to maintain forest health, if identified in a forest management plan, without a six year development moratorium.
A summary report and text of the draft suggested code changes can be found online.
Learn more about the proposal and make comments about the draft changes at a public meeting Tues., July 25, 7 p.m., at the Preston Community Center, 8615 310th Ave. S.E., Preston.
In addition to briefings during the last two weeks to several rural stakeholder groups, staff will give presentations on the draft proposals to the following groups:
Meetings at which the code changes will be discussed. |
|
July 18 |
Enumclaw Chamber of Commerce – 1 p.m. |
July 19 |
Four Creeks Unincorporated Area Council Meeting – 7 p.m. |
July 20 |
Agriculture Commission Meeting – 4 p.m. |
July 25 |
Public Meeting – Preston Community Center – 7 p.m. |
August 3 |
Duvall Chamber of Commerce Monthly Meeting – Noon |
August 7 |
Greater Maple Valley Area Council Meeting – 7 p.m. |
For questions call or email Julia Larson, Coordinator for the Rural Economic Strategies, at
206-296-1062.