On July 11 the Area Council held its regular monthly meeting at the Hobart Church and online via Zoom. The Area Council now holds hybrid meetings that provide the opportunity for members of the Public to attend either in-person or virtually.
Topics discussed were: Recent King County Council proposed 1-year Moratorium on new adult beverage facilities and tasting rooms in the Rural Area; State Department of Commerce (DOC) proposed changes to the Growth Management Act (GMA); and Community Outreach, Public Relations, and Recruiting new Members and Associate Members.
Tahoma School District (TSD) Update
Area Council Associate Member and former TSD Board Member, Valerie Paganelli, discussed recent TSD Board meetings.
New TSD boundaries. Using the updated census new boundaries were unanimously approved via consent agenda at the last TSD Board meeting. Val suggested the Area Council request a copy of the revised maps—Warren Iverson, Area Council Schools Focal, will do so. The TSD Board now is more open to invite urban representation in all five districts, potentially reducing/eliminating rural constituent representation. During Public Comments Val expressed this concern to the board before the vote. The Area Council expressed concern with this and asked Val the percentage breakout of TSD students between Rural and Urban addresses. Val stated she didn’t know that breakout, nor a similar breakout in each of the five districts. Val also stated she did not know the relative property assessed values for tax revenue purposes represented in each of the five districts.
New Equity Policy. This was approved unanimously in a recent TSD Board meeting (which was held on a Monday—not the typical Tuesday (Warren Iverson stated he tried to attend the meeting and was surprised it had convened the day before). Val stated that Public Comment was limited to 20 minutes at the meeting. Many who attended and signed up to offer public comment were not able to do so; many voices went unheard in the overall process. This has prompted voices to come forward among constituents in the district who may have wished for more clarity, different language, content and/or intent in the policy. Only one board member expressed concern, but voted in favor nonetheless. The Area Council requested Warren Iverson to obtain the final approved language in TSD’s new Equity Policy.
Adult Beverage Facilities and Tasting Rooms
On June 13 the Area Council submitted Written Testimony (gmvuac.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/GMVUAC-Written-Testimony-61422-KC-C-Public-Hrg-ABO.pdf) on its proposed Adult Beverage Ordinance (ABO) written to meet the January 3, 2022, Growth Management Hearings Board Order.
On June 28, after much Public testimony against the proposed ABO. the King County Council re-referred it to its Local Services and Land-Use Committee. It also proposed an Ordinance that would place a one-year Moratorium on “applications for: (1) the establishment of new or expansion of existing wineries, breweries, distilleries; (2) remote tasting rooms, as primary uses or as home occupations or home industries; and (3) prohibiting temporary use permits for wineries, breweries, distilleries and remote tasting room.”
On July 10 the Joint Team of Rural Area UACs/UAAs/Organizations submitted Comments (gmvuac.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Draft-Proposed-WBD-Moratorium-COMMENTS.pdf) on the KC Council’s proposed 1-yr Moratorium (https://kingcounty.gov/depts/local-services/permits/planning-regulations/~/media/depts/local-services/permits/legislation-public-review/draft-proposed-adult-beverage-moratorium-public-notice-of-intent-to-amend.ashx) on new Adult Beverage businesses.
State DOC Proposed Changes to the GMA
The Department of Commerce (DOC) is reviewing and updating the administrative rules for the Growth Management Act (GMA). DOC works with local governments to provide guidance on comprehensive plans and development regulations that affect cities and counties across the state. Effective implementation of the GMA supports strong, resilient, and equitable communities.
Changes to Washington Administrative Code (WAC) rules based on legislative changes, new case law, and the need to clarify any statutory requirements that the existing rules do not adequately address. DOC plans to finalize such rulemaking by December 31, 2022, so that local governments have clear guidance on how to implement GMA requirements before the 2024 major updates to local plans and regulations. The last major WAC update was completed 12 years ago in 2010, along with other minor amendments in 2015 and 2017.
The subject of possible rulemaking includes: WAC 365-196 — Procedural Criteria for Adopting Comprehensive Plans and Development Regulations; WAC 365-190 — Minimum Guidelines to Classify Agricultural, Forest and Mineral Lands and Critical Areas; and WAC 365-195 — Best Available Science. Please see: https://www.ezview.wa.gov/site/alias__1996/37685/library.aspx.
The Area Council is leading the Joint Team of Rural Area UACs/UAAs/Organizations to prepare and submit Comments by DOC’s July 27 deadline.
Community Outreach, Public Relations, and Recruiting
The Area Council has served the greater Maple Valley Area since 1977. It takes a leading role with all other recognized King County Rural Area unincorporated area councils (UACs) and unincorporated area associations (UAAs). It addresses State, Regional, County and Local issues of import to Rural Area residents and represents and advocates for them. It does not do this in a vacuum. It welcomes Public participation and comments at all its meetings and through its website e-mail (info@gmvuac.org).
The Area Council’s Public Relations Committee discussed several mechanisms it has used to engage with the greater community to explain what the Area Council does and why its work is important. These include:
Ongoing 2022 Public Survey (http://gmvuac.org/public-survey/)
Post-Card Mailings
Booths at local events like Maple Valley Days
Meeting Announcements and Meeting Summary Articles (like this one) published in the Voice of the Valley, posted on the Area Council website
(www.gmvuac.org), and posted on its Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/GMVUAC/).
The Area Council held an open discussion of ideas to help promote and recruit new Members and/or Associate Members for its Committees. These included:
Advertising in Voice of the Valley
Advertising in the North Maple Valley Living Magazine
Including Area Council information in “Welcome Packets” for new residents
The Area Council’s Public Relations Committee will continue this discussion at its next committee meeting. It will propose specific actions to aid promotion and recruitment at the Area Council’s next Regular Monthly meeting on August 1 (see section immediately below).
Next Area Council Meeting
The next Area Council monthly meeting will be held Monday, August 1 from 7 – 9:30 p.m. at the Hobart Church. As a hybrid meeting, people will be able to attend either in-person or virtually via Zoom.
All regular monthly meetings are held on the first Monday of the month (except for Holidays, when they are held on the second Monday), from 7 – 9:30 p.m. Meeting announcements are published in the Voice of the Valley, the Area Council’s website (www.gmvuac.org) and local NextDoor platforms. You can also find us on our https://www.facebook.com/GMVUAC/ page. Each meeting begins with an open Public Comment period where anyone can voice concerns, comments, etc.
Area Council Membership
Your Area Council serves as an all-volunteer, locally recognized advisory body to King County on behalf of all rural unincorporated area residents living in the Tahoma School District. The Area Council’s Vision Statement is:
“Our community’s Rural Character will be supported by facilitating strong local ties and communication between the public, organizations, and government; promoting locally owned businesses and supporting quality education; protecting the environment, and maintaining landowners’ rights and responsibilities; promoting controlled and well-planned growth with appropriate infrastructure; ensuring proper representation for rural interests and needs; and supporting the health and safety and the privacy of our vibrant community.”
The twelve-seat Area Council has four open seats. If you have an interest in joining, please send an e-mail to: info@gmvuac.org or attend (either in-person or virtually) a monthly meeting and express your interest. To be eligible to join the Area Council as a member you need to live within the Tahoma School District.
Anyone—even those who do not live within the Tahoma School District—are eligible to become Associate Members who can serve on any Area Council Committee: Environment, Growth Management, Transportation, Public Relations, or Train Show. Each committee votes for its own Chair and Vice-Chair and Area Council Associate Members are eligible for those positions.
The Area Council welcomes your participation. For information on each of these committees please see the Area Council’s web site: www.gmvuac.org and use the drop-down menu under Committees. Again, if you have an interest in joining any Area Council committees, please send an e-mail to: info@gmvuac.org. Thank you.
