On Monday, September 11, the Area Council held its monthly meeting at the Maple Valley Fire Station at 22225 SE 231st St and online via Zoom. Major topics of discussion were: (1) 2024 King County Comprehensive Plan Update; (2) 25th Annual Model Train Show; (3) King County Community Needs List Program; and (4) On-Site Sewage Systems.
2024 King County Comprehensive Plan Update
The Area Council continues to lead a Joint Team of ten Unincorporated Rural Area Councils in participating in the Update—a 3-yr effort from January 2022 thru December 2024. As a followup to the Detailed Comments (gmvuac.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/PRD-Comments-7-14-23.pdf) the Joint Team submitted to the County on July 14 on its Public Review Draft (PRD) the Area Council discussed Comments on Proposed Code Changes (gmvuac.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/KCCP-PRD-Proposed-Code-Changes-COMMENTS.pdf) submitted to the County on August 29. These included proposed Code on: Destination Resorts, Materials Processing Facilities, Mining Operations and Reclamation, and Neighborhood Business Zones and Mixed Uses. The Area Council voted its full support for these Comments.
As part of the Update the County’s Growth Management Planning Council (GMPC) has been conducting an in-depth review of the 4:1 Program. Earlier this year the Joint Team submitted Comments to the GMPC. The Area Council discussed Additional Comments (gmvuac.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/GMPC-9-1-23-Addl-Comments.pdf) and SUPPLEMENT to Additional Comments (gmvuac.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/GMPC-Recomd-Chgs-1994-vs.-JPA-UGA.pdf) submitted on September 1 and 5, respectively. These called for use of the 1994 Urban Growth Area boundary as the basis for all 4:1 transactions—in agreement with a July 12 letter provided to the GMPC by the WA Dept. of Transportation (WSDOT). The Area Council voted its full support for each of these sets of Comments.
The next major step in the Update will be the release of the County Executive’s Recommended Plan to the County Council this December.
Train Show
The Area Council is hosting its 25th Annual Model Train Show at Gracie Hansen Community Center in Ravensdale on the weekend of October 21 and 22, from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Suggested Donation (sorry, no credit cards) is: Adults—$5.00 and Children (ages 3-11)—$2.00.
There will be operating model trains, trains, and more trains featuring creative operating layouts in most gauges! Attendees can bring their own trains (Lionel / HO / other) to run on all our tracks (with approval of participating Clubs).
The show is held in a full-sized gymnasium filled with many operating model trains and train-related items. Model Train Clubs from the Pacific Northwest make this a family-fun and very memorable event for all. Attendees can enjoy trains of most scales, including an entire village, and trains made entirely of Legos.
The creativity and ingenuity of the Club Members is truly amazing and a sight to behold by all ages. It is in a very relaxed atmosphere where people can wander about and enjoy the trains at their own pace.There also will be trains with live steam engines (based on availability). There also will be displays from the Black Diamond Museum depicting various aspects of our regional history.
King County Community Needs List Program
The King County Community Needs List (CNL) effort seeks the opinions of residents who live in unincorporated areas (areas that lie outside of city limits) on what would make their communities better places to live. The CNLs include potential services, programs, facilities, and capital improvements that communities would like King County to prioritize. The County conducted the online Survey through the end of August and is reviewing the results. Community Workshops are planned for October.
On-Site Sewage (OSS) Systems
The WA Department of Health (WADOH) has been reviewing On-Site Sewage System Rule, Chapter 246-272A of the WA Administrative Code (WAC). Priority issues included local management plans, property sale inspections, treatment levels, ultraviolet disinfection, and licensing of operations and maintenance providers.
WADOH convened an advisory group to evaluate the rule and make recommendations. Area Council member and OSS Focal, Warren Iverson, was a member and participated in many meetings.
WADOH has now finalized work on proposed rule revisions and is working to finalize policy and cost analyses. WADOH will brief the State Board of Health on the draft revisions at the Board’s meeting in Wenatchee on October 9. The draft revisions, a summary of changes, and a revised rule revision process timeline, as well as materials related to the overall process, can be accessed on the department’s On-site Rule Revision webpage (https://doh.wa.gov/community-and-environment/wastewater-management/rules-and-regulations/onsite-rule-revision).
Next Area Council Meeting
The next Area Council monthly meeting will be held Monday, October 2, from 7 – 9:30 PM at the Maple Valley Fire Station at 22225 SE 231st St (across from the KC Sheriff’s Precinct). As a hybrid meeting, members of the public will be able to attend either in-person or virtually via Zoom.
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 PM. Meeting announcements, Agendas, and Zoom information 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 FaceBook page (https://www.facebook.com/GMVUAC/). Each meeting begins with an open Public Comment period where anyone can voice concerns, comments, etc. to the Area Council.
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 works to keep the Rural Area rural. The Area Council also works regionally with other King County Rural Area organizations through both Joint Planning and its Joint Transportation Initiative.
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.
Residents, 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-Chairs and 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 Website (www.gmvuac.org) and use the drop-down menu under Committees.
All Monthly Meeting Summary Articles, such as this, can be found on our website’s Home page in the 2023/2022 GMVUAC Monthly Meeting Articles box or by using the drop-down menu under Correspondence.
