The Metropolitan King County Council took action yesterday that will preserve the rural character of the town of Fall City, while allowing for limited growth and commercial development.

"The Fall City Subarea Plan has taken years to craft, but I think we finally have a guideline for growth that reflects the diverse desires of Fall City residents," said Councilmember David Irons, who represents the area.

The existing land use and zoning classifications within Fall City stem from the 1989 Snoqualmie Valley Community Plan, which designated Fall City as a Rural Activity Center (RAC). The 1985 King County Comprehensive Plan defined RACs as towns within the rural areas of the county where higher density housing would locate, along with commercial and industrial development to serve the surrounding rural residential area.

In more recent years, development in the Fall City area has been constrained by the continued lack of public sewers, two salmon-bearing rivers, flooding problems, and the community’s interest in maintaining a rural character and lifestyle. But there has also been interest from citizens in revitalizing the small commercial core and preserving the town’s historic buildings.

"Fall City is unique to our area as one of only a few rural towns left in King County," said Irons. "The plan we approved yesterday ensures this area will not fall victim to suburban sprawl. Yet, it isn’t so heavy handed that it eliminates a common-sense level of growth and use of land by current residents and property owners."

The subarea plan adopted by the council yesterday, by a vote of 8-5, would:

• Redefine the rural town boundaries of Fall City, reducing the density and size of the town as envisioned with the Snoqualmie Valley Subarea Plan;
• Remove urban reserve zoning on several acres of property surrounding Fall City, adopting large lot, rural residential, 5-acre zoning;
• Provide strong policy language stating sanitary sewers are a last resort for solving the wastewater issues in the business community;
• Establish a stakeholder group to study the wastewater treatment needs of the business community and develop recommendations for consideration by King County; and
• Preserve the overall rural character with limited residential and business development.