February 2008 Meeting Summary

February Meeting Highlights

By Peter Rimbos, Corresponding Secretary

The Greater Maple Valley Area Council held its regular monthly meeting on Monday, February 4, with all 15 members present and 1 position open. The following items were addressed:

1) Update from King County Councilman Reagan Dunn;

2) King County DDES Code Enforcement Update;

3) Countywide Community Forums; and

4) Proposed Revisions to King County Comprehensive Plan Update for 2008.

The Area Council serves as an all-volunteer, locally elected advisory body to the King County Council and represents all rural unincorporated area residents living in the Tahoma School District.

Sheriff’s Precinct-Level Community Involvement Program

Major Dave Germani of our SE Sheriff’s Precinct summarized the program to provide citizens the opportunity to voice issues and concerns. The Area Council provides a forum once each quarter to hear and discuss current community problems identified by members of the public related to policing and public safety and to provide input to the Precinct Commander. Members of the public present did not raise any issues for Major Germani to address. The next quarterly opportunity for the public to raise issues with the Sheriff’s office will be at our May 5 regular monthly meeting.

Reagan Dunn

King County Councilman Reagan Dunn provided his year-end report. Major topics included: property owner breakdown of property taxes; non-partisan Director of Elections and consolidation of Elections office in Renton; Pratt River Wilderness designation (in work in Wash., D.C.); and DDES fee reform (Advisory Committee formed).

For 2008, Councilman Dunn will chair the King County Council’s Regional Transit Committee and serve on the Growth Management & Natural Resources Committee. Councilman Dunn mentioned that for 2008 items of direct interest to area residents will include: $300K Issaquah-Hobart Road Study; establishing a Deputy Executive for Rural & Unincorporated Affairs; stemming illegal dumping; and expansion of Unincorporated Area Council (UAC) responsibilities and/or increasing the number of UACs to cover more of the Rural Area.

DDES Code Enforcement Update

King County Rural Permit Coordinator, Joelyn Higgins, discussed the reduced fees as of January 1, 2008, for agricultural buildings (i.e., structures other than a residence, that are used in the operation of a farm) in both the Agricultural Production District and the Rural Area. Ms. Higgins can be reached at 206-296-7159, if you would like to discuss your proposed project in detail.

King County Code Enforcement Officer, Holly Sawin, discussed her focus on protecting community residents from irresponsible development, unsafe properties, and illegal land uses. They are a 100% complaint-driven organization. Ms. Sawin mentioned that most complaints in our area are either building related or deal with clearing and grading. The complaint phone line is: 206-296-6680. The 24/7 Urgent Complaint Hotline is: 888-437-4771. Complaints also can be submitted online at www.kingcounty.gov/ddes/ce/ceform.htm. Other important numbers are: Illegal Dumping: 206-296-7483 (SITE) or 866-431-7483; water quality and drainage concerns: 206-296-1900; and abandoned vehicles on roadway: 206-205-0969.

Countywide Community Forums

Past Area Council Chair, Dick Bonewits, discussed the new Countywide Community Forums. Any King County citizen can register as Citizen Councilor. Citizens will meet informally, in small groups, a few times each year, to consider important issues, to listen to the opinions of other Citizen Councilors, and to provide their anonymous opinions on issues back to the auditor, King County Council members, and the general public.

When at least 1,000 people have registered to act as official citizen councilors, Countywide Community Forums will begin with the first round of small group discussions to be held in locations throughout the county. The topic of the first such forum will be Transportation. Any person who lives, or works in County can participate in a forum group located in their area.

Details and sign-up information can be found at http://www.countywidecommunityforums.org/. Sign-up can be accomplished online. Area citizens wishing to participate in these forums should mark their online registration form with Group Code 008. Since Group Code 008 will be filled quickly, participants should further mark their registration form with the name of their neighborhood, i.e., City of Maple Valley, Ravensdale, Hobart, Spring Lake, etc., so that the forum administrators can subsequently group them by their neighborhoods.

Annual Maple Valley Operating Model Train Show

The Area Council will again be sponsoring the Annual Maple Valley Operating Model Train Show. The show will again be held at the Gracie Hansen Community Center in Ravensdale in October. It will be our eleventh year. The show, which has been highly popular, continues to be one of the largest model train shows in the Pacific Northwest.

By-Law Amendment for “At-Large” Members

The Area Council changed its By-Laws to allow the appointment of “At-Large” members. As the need arises the Area Council may vote to designate past members as "At Large" non-voting members for the remainder of the calendar year. "At Large" member duties are being drafted by our Executive Council, but could include: Policy Strategist, Advisor, and/or Spokesperson. At any time the Area Council can revise or revoke an "At Large" membership.

Proposed Revisions to King County Comprehensive Plan Update for 2008

The Area Council discussed recent proposed revisions to the King County Comprehensive Plan Update to address Transfer of Development Rights (TDRs). For specific details on the proposed changes, visit http://www.metrokc.gov/permits/codes/CompPlan/2008/#materials. King County DDES is accepting public comment on these proposed changes through Friday, February 8.

The Area Council voted to submit a letter to DDES by the deadline above that included the following comments, which include references to specific Comprehensive Plan paragraphs: (1) Support for the TDR changes contained in R-212 to R-215 and R-216 as they offer Rural Area landowners additional options should they wish to use them; (2) General opposition to the 4:1 program described in R-222, but support for considering each proposal on its own merits; (3) Support for the "receiving" urban site climate change policies contained in R-223; and (4) Support for the TDR changes for assessory dwelling units contained in R-223d as they provide greater flexibility for Rural Area landowners.