On Monday, January 6, 2025, the Area Council held its first regular monthly meeting of the new year at the Maple Valley Fire Station and via Zoom. Major topics discussed were:(1) Greater Maple Valley/Cedar River Community Service Area Subarea Plan and (2) 2024 King County Comprehensive Plan Major Ten-Year Update.
Subarea Plan
Subarea Planners Kaitlin Harris, Kaelene Nobis, and Katharine Shaffer from the King County Department of Local Services (DLS) discussed the ongoing Greater Maple Valley/Cedar River (GMV/CR) Community Service Area (CSA) Subarea Plan.
In December an Engagement Report (https://kc1.sharepoint.com/:b:/s/DLS-Planning-anonymousaccess/ETFt4h2b18lMqu3-3vqY-bcBnvUt6caLRwqAv9JIj2rNVg?e=GKsZwp) was published. It described five Top Themes from Phase 1 Public feedback: Preserving Rural Character & Open Spaces; Interest in Transportation; Desire for Local Services & Amenities; Managing Land Use & Zoning; and Commitment to Sustainability & Conservation
The Subarea Planners stated they would build on Phase 1 feedback to create: A Vision Statement that reflects community values; Guiding Principles to shape decision-making; and Scope or Policy Focus Areas for each chapter of the subarea plan.
For the first half of 2025 Preliminary Plan Concepts will be developed as follows: Chapter Drafting—Existing Conditions; Community Preferences; and Policy Concepts; Land-Use Map Amendments; Equity Impact Review; and Performance Measure Development.
At the conclusion of the discussion the Area Council decided to assign each of its subject-matter committees to focus on each of the Plan’s individual chapters:
•Growth Management Committee: Land-Use; Services & Utilities
•Economic AdHoc Committee: Economic Development; Housing & Human Services
•Environment Committee: Environment; Parks & Open Space
•Transportation Committee: Transportation
Each of the above four Area Council committees will meet in the next several weeks to begin their work. The King County Subarea Planners agreed to support these meetings and include key King County subject-matter experts, many of whom participated at the September 2024 Kick-Off Meeting at the Hobart Church.
As the Plan develops, each Area Council committee will work to ensure the following key policies are adhered to:
Puget Sound Regional Council VISION 2050 Multi-County Planning Policies
(VISION 2050 applies to the four-county region: King, Pierce, Snohomish, and Kitsap)
RGS 13 “… avoid … conversion of rural land into commercial uses;”
RGS 14 “Manage and reduce rural growth rates over time …;”
DP-37 “Ensure … development … is rural in character;
PS-5 “Do not provide urban services in rural areas.”
King County Countywide Planning Policies CPPs)
(The CPPs apply to all of King County)
DP-46 “… Growth levels should not create pressure for conversion of nearby Rural or Natural Resource lands;”
DP-47 “Limit growth in the Rural Area to prevent sprawl and the overburdening of rural services…;”
DP-52 “… limit new nonresidential uses located in the Rural Area to those … demonstrated to serve the Rural Area.”
For more on the subarea planning process please see: Subarea Planning (https://kingcounty.- gov/so-so/dept/local-services/buildings-property/development-planning-regulations/subarea-plans). For specifics on the GMV/CR CSA Subarea Plan, please see the Area Council’s GMV/CR CSA Subarea Plan (http://gmvuac.org/gmvcr-csa-subarea-plan/) webpage.
2024 King County Comprehensive Plan Update
The Area Council coordinates a Joint Rural Team (JRT) of nine Unincorporated Rural Area Councils. In December the JRT completed its 3-yr effort on the 2024 King County Comprehensive Plan Major Ten-Year Update (Update).
At King County Council Public Hearings on December 3 and 10 the JRT provided testimony:
At the December 3 hearing the JRT provided Oral Testimony (gmvuac.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Oral-Testimony-KC-Council-Public-Hrg-12-3-24.pdf).
On December 5, ahead of the December 10 hearing, the JRT submitted Written Testimony (gmvuac.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Written-Testimony-2024-KCCP-Maj-Upd.pdf) including two attachments: Preserving Rural Lands (gmvuac.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Preserving-Rural-Lands.pdf) and Proposed Line Amendments (gmvuac.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Joint-Rural-Team-Proposed-Line-Amendments-to-KC-Council.pdf).
At that December 10 meeting, following all Public Testimonies and deliberation, the King County Council voted to approve the Update.
Following final passage of the Update, on December 17 the JRT prepared a Scorecard (gmvuac.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/2024-KCCP-Maj-Ten-Yr-Upd-SCORECARD-1.pdf) of how major items were addressed in the final adopted version of the Update.
There were many JRT Submittals (gmvuac.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/JRT-Submittals-2024-KCCP-Maj-Upd.pdf) made to King County officials during the 3-yr Update process. All JRT work on the Update can be found on the Area Council’s website on its 2024 KCCP Major Update webpage (http://gmvuac.org/kccp-major-update-2/).
More information can be found at: Update (https://kingcounty.gov/so-so/dept/council/governance-leadership/county-council/useful-links/comprehensive-plan/2024).
Next Area Council Meeting
The next Area Council monthly meeting will be held Monday, February 3, 2025 from 7 – 9:30 PM at the Maple Valley Fire Station at 22225 SE 231st St (across from the KC Sheriff’s Precinct). Our Guest Speaker will be Terry Lavender on the King County update to the Critical Areas Ordinance.
Meetings are held on the first Monday of the month (except for Holidays, when they are held on the second Monday). All meeting announcements, agendas, and Zoom information are posted on 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.
Area Council Membership
Your Area Council, founded in 1978, is one of the longest continuously active local councils. It 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 (TSD). The Area Council, in “working to keep the Rural Area rural,” collaborates regionally with other King County Rural Area organizations through both the Joint Rural Team 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: GMVUAC (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 TSD.
Residents, even those not living within the TSD, are eligible to become Associate Members who can serve (including as Chair or Vice-Chair) on any Area Council Committee: Environment, Growth Management, Transportation, Public Relations, or Train Show. 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 can be found on our Home page in the 2025/2024 GMVUAC Monthly Meeting Articles box or by using the drop-down menu under Correspondence.
