January 2008 Meeting Summary

     By Peter Rimbos, Corresponding Secretary

The Greater Maple Valley Area Council held its regular monthly meeting on Monday, January 7, 2008, with 12 members present, three absent, and one position open. The following items were addressed:

1) Area Ball Field Needs

2) DDES Revisions to King County Comprehensive Plan Update for 2008;

3) Area Council Officer Elections; and

4) Citizens’ Advisory Issues Survey Results. 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.

Member Changes

Don Butler was sworn in as a new member from the River Heights Community Area following his election last November.

Long-time member and current Chair, Dick Bonewits, who is stepping down, was applauded by Area Council members for his long and distinguished service to the community. King County representatives presented Mr. Bonewits a Certificate of Appreciation signed by King County Executive Ron Sims. Fortunately, Mr. Bonewits will stay active in the community and continue to attend Area Council meetings from time to time.

Area Ball Field Needs

Rob Nist and Mike Anderson, Directors of Rock Creek Sports and the Cedar River Baseball Council, discussed the results of a study on area ball field needs. In response to past Area Council questions Mr. Nist and Mr. Anderson conducted detailed review of lists of participants in local Little League, Fast-Pitch Softball, Football, Lacrosse, and Soccer to assess current demand for ball fields throughout the Tahoma School District area.

One of the Area Council’s biggest concerns has centered on the specific needs of Rural Area participants in light of King County Parks’ proposal last year to develop a Regional Sports Complex at Ravensdale Park. Mr. Nist and Mr. Anderson provided detailed data that shows approximately about 35% of the participants come from the rural area and about 65% are urban participants. The Area Council considers this data important with regards to Ravensdale Park, which currently is a local rural park and many, if not most, rural area citizens believe that it should remain a local rural park. At the Area Council’s request Mr. Nist and Mr. Anderson will provide this data to King County Parks.

Also at the Area Council’s request Mr. Nist and Mr. Anderson have been holding discussions with the Maple Valley to impress upon city leaders the need for new ball fields in the urban area to meet their existing and growing needs.

The Area Council applauds the work that Rock Creek Sports and the Cedar River Baseball Council have done to better understand the needs of both Rural Area and city participants and in identifying how the cities of Maple Valley and Black Diamond can better meet their ball field needs.

DDES Revisions to King County Comprehensive Plan Update for 2008

Paul Reitenbach, King County Department of Development & Environmental Services (DDES) Policy Planner, discussed proposed revisions to the Draft King County Comprehensive Plan for 2008--the guiding policy document for all land-use and development in unincorporated King County. DDES staff have continued to assess additional changes that, along with public comments already received, will help form the Executive’s draft to be submitted on March 1 to the King County Council for review.

Mr. Reitenbach provided a preview of some proposed revisions under development. These focus on two major areas:

1) Transfer of Development Rights (TDRs), and

2) Agriculture and Forest Production District climate change credits.

The proposed revisions that would most affect the Rural Area and, thus those on which the Area Council will work with Mr. Reitenbach, deal with resurrecting the 4-to-1 program by using TDRs as the mechanism. For example, it is proposed that upzones in the urban incorporated areas seek to purchase development rights from Rural Area landowners. Another proposed change would affect the permitting of Accessory Dwellings within the Rural Area.

King County DDES will hold a public meeting at the Northwood Junior High School (just off Petrovitsky Rd SE) in the lake desire area at 7:00 PM on Wednesday, January 30. Rural landowners can request notification of this and other related meetings by writing to DDES Attn: Mr. Paul Reitenbach at 900 Oakesdale Ave SW, Renton, WA  98055-1219. Alternatively, Mr. Paul Reitenbach can be contacted via e-mail to request your name and address be added to the DDES mailing list for notification of all proposed Rural Area Land Use and Zoning Policy changes.

As these proposed revisions are formed, Mr. Reitenbach will provide detailed information to the Area Council’s Land-Use Committee. In turn the Area Council will provide comments to the process prior to the Executive releasing his Draft King County Comprehensive Plan for 2008 to the King County Council for review. King County Council final approval of the Comprehensive Plan is expected late this year. Citizens can review information on the Comprehensive Plan, the update process, and the current Public Review Draft by clicking here.

Area Council Officer Elections

The Area Council elected its officers for 2008. The positions, duties, and new officers for 2008 are: Chair: Maintains Council operations and interfaces and presides at all meetings - Steve Hiester;

Vice-Chair: Serves in the absence of the Chair and plans and conducts Council election and citizen advisory surveys - Warren Iverson;

Recording Secretary: Prepares Council meeting minutes and keeps major records - Beverly Tonda;

Corresponding Secretary: Prepares and transmits all Council correspondence, authors articles on activities, and controls web site - Peter Rimbos; and

Treasurer: Receives and is accountable for all Council funds, maintains accounts, and pays all obligations - Kevin Daoust.

Citizens’ Advisory Issues Survey Results

Results of the Area Council’s Bi-annual Citizens’ Advisory Issues Survey conducted during the November elections have been compiled by an outside independent auditor. Past trends have reconfirmed that citizens want to keep our Rural Area rural. A summary of the results is being published in a separate article in the Voice of the Valley.

Next Meeting

The Area Council meets on the first Monday of each month (except on legal holidays) at the Sheriff’s Precinct # 3 Headquarters located at 231^st St & SR-169 (across from Fire Station). The public is invited to attend. Each meeting begins with an Open Comment period allowing citizens to voice issues of concern. Our next regular monthly meeting will be held on Monday, February 4, 2008, at 7:00 PM. Guests speakers will include: King County Councilman Reagan Dunn and King County DDES Code Enforcement Officer Holly Sawin.