On Monday, August 5, the Area Council held its monthly meeting. The Area Council discussed:(1) Cedar Hills Landfill; (2) Citizens’ Survey (see: www.gmvuac.org/citizen-surveys to participate); and (2) Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) VISION 2050 Draft Plan. Following the end of the regular meeting, the Area Council held an Executive Session during which it conducted interviews of prospective new members and elected to accept two new members.
Cedar Hills Landfill
The King County Council approved the 2019 Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Plan on April 24. It establishes strategies for managing solid waste in King County over the next six to 20 years. The plan addresses all aspects of the regional solid waste system, including curbside collection, processing of recyclable and compostable materials, and transfer and disposal of garbage. The Plan authorizes the King County Solid Waste Division to consider alternatives to maximize the capacity of the Cedar Hills Regional Landfill to meet the county’s disposal needs.
On July 25, in accordance with the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA), the King County Solid Waste Division issued a Determination of Significance (DS) and has called for Public Comments on the scope of an upcoming Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to address proposed alternatives for maximizing capacity at the Cedar Hills Regional Landfill, see: DS & Scoping.
On Monday, August 12, the King County Solid Waste Division will hold a Public Scoping meeting, at the King County Library System Service Center, located at 960 Newport Way in Issaquah. Between the hours of 3:30 and 9 PM, members of the public can drop in to learn more about the proposed development alternatives, ask questions, and provide written and oral comments.
For approximately six months, between the months of September through February of next year, the King County Solid Waste Division will prepare a Draft EIS to be released for Public review and comment by the middle of next year. A Final EIS will be issued late next year, which will identify a recommended preferred alternative for maximizing capacity at Cedar Hills Regional Landfill.
The Area Council, having heard many concerns from citizens about the landfill and potential expansion, has requested its Environment Committee take the lead on this issue.
Citizens’ Survey
The Area Council Biennial Citizens’ Survey continues to available online at: www.gmvuac.org/citizen-surveys. If you live in unincorporated King County (i.e., outside of any City limits) withinthe Tahoma School District, you are invited to participate—it’s free, quick, and easy!
The survey addresses issues affecting everyone, such as: zoning, development, traffic, environment, economics, water, and sewage. The Area Council welcomes your valuable input, which directly helps to inform it on issues of importance to you. Confidentiality is strictly maintained and only overall responses are collectively summarized for review and analysis.
Also, as part of the Survey, you also may express an interest in becoming either an Area Council member or, if you only have interests in specific issues, a member on any Area Council Committee.
Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) VISION 2050 Draft Plan Earlier this year the Area Council led a team of King County Rural Area Unincorporated Area
Councils (UACs) and Unincorporated Area Associations (UAAs) in conducting an in-depth review of the PSRC’s draft VISION 2050 Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS). Detailed Pub- lic Comments were prepared and submitted to the PSRC on April 29 (see: http://gmvuac.org/psrc/).
On July 19 the Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC)—the regional planning organization for the four-county central Puget Sound region of Washington State—released its draft VISION 2050 Planwith a 60-day Public Comment period. The draft VISION 2050 Planaddresses regional transportation, land use, and economic development planning for the next 30 years.
The Area Council again will lead a team of King County Rural Area UACs and UAAs in conducting a complete review of the draft VISION 2050 Plan and submitting a set of combined comments to PSRC by September 17.
Membership
Adam Sterling of Hobart had his last meeting of the Area Council as he has accepted a Clerkship position with the Alaska Supreme Court. Adam served his community well as an Area Council member during which he served a long stint as its Recording Secretary. We wish Adam well in his soon-to- blossom legal career.
In an Executive Session the Area Council interviewed two prospective members, who later were accepted into membership. The Area Council welcomes the following new members: Andy McDonald and Bob Keller They will be sworn in and take their Area Council seats at the September 9 monthly meeting.
Upcoming Area Council Monthly Meetings (first Monday of the month, from 7 – 9:30 PM, at the Maple Valley Fire Station, located at the SE corner of SE 231st St & SR-169 intersection across from the Police Precinct). All members of the Public are welcome. Each meeting begins with an open Public Comment period.
September 9—Topic: Cedar Hills Landfill October 7—Guest Speaker: Tahoma School District Superintendent Tony Giurado November 4 or December 2—Guest Speaker: Dwight Dively, King County Budget Director
Your Area Council serves as an all-volunteer, locally elected advisory body to King County on be-half of all rural unincorporated area residents living in the Tahoma School District. Please see the Area Council’s web site: www.gmvuac.org.
The sixteen-seat Area Council currently has three open positions. If you have an interest in joining, please indicate same through our Citizens’ Survey (simply click the link to same on our web site’s Home page: www.gmvuac.org) or attend one of our monthly meetings and ex- press such interest for consideration by the Area Council.
