On Monday, October 6, 2025, from 7 – 9:30 PM at the Maple Valley Fire Station at 22225 SE 231st St (across from the KC Sheriff’s Precinct) and via Zoom. Topics to be discussed are: (1) King County Grant Applications; (2) Reserve Silica Permit Application Public Comment; and (3) Area Council Annual Train Show.
King County Grant Applications
The King County Department of Local Services has an annual Grant program. Grants fund community projects that help residents in the unincorporated areas participate in and be more connected to their communities and King County. The Area Council plans to apply for two King County Grants: Train Show and Public Relations (including website support).
Grants must support projects that advance the King County Strategic Plan(https://kingcounty.gov/en/dept/executive/governance-leadership/performance-strategy-budget/king-county-strategic-plan) and achieve at least one of the following goals:
- Promote the engagement of unincorporated area residents in community or civic activities.
- Educate local residents about issues that affect them.
- Identify and gather community needs and priorities.
- Carry out a community enhancement project.
- Provide a safe and healthy environment in the unincorporated area during extreme weather events.
- Meet King County’s equity and social justice goals of increasing fairness and opportunity for all people, particularly people of color and those with low incomes and/or limited English.
To apply, a Grant Application (https://cdn.kingcounty.gov/-/media/king-county/depts/local-services/director/programs/alan-painter-grants/alan-painter-grant-2026-info.pdf?rev=c4bb34e2215d4963b37870508e600532&hash=024D25DEDBB64CD1CF9F8801E96F1408) must be completed and submitted to asklocalservices@kingcounty.gov by December 5, 2025.
A total of $90,000 will be reimbursed for projects in 2026. Funding for projects will begin in March 2026. Funds will be provided to selected projects with amounts limited to less than $5,000 each.
Reserve Silica Permit Application Public Comment
On September 5 the King County Department of Local Services—Permitting Division (DLS-P) Released a Public Notice for a Grade Clearing Permit Application GRDE25-0052 (https://aca-prod.accela.com/KINGCO/Cap/GlobalSearchResults.aspx?QueryText=GRDE25-0052) submitted by Reserve Silica in Ravensdale. To prepare a Public response, the Area Council assembled a team of southeast King County organizations: the Enumclaw Plateau Community Association (EPCA), Green River Coalition (GRC), and Waste Action Project (WAP).
In anticipation the Public Notice, several Public Records Requests (PRRs) were submitted in August. These generated 1,000’s of pages of e-mails, reports, memos, letters, maps, figures, tables, etc., which the team reviewed.
Following the 3-week period allowed per the Public Notice, Detailed Comments (gmvuac.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/RS-Permit-Application-Response-Comments.pdf) were submitted to KC DLS-P on September 26. These Comments provided the historical, scientific, engineering, and environmental case for the permit to be denied.
Several Recommendations were enumerated in the Comments including: (1) Ensure reclamation of the existing Inert Waste Landfill site is completed as quickly as practical—including final grading, top-soiling and reforesting; (2) Levy appropriate fines for past and ongoing violations of its permits and for conducting activities without any permits; (3) Restart KC Code-mandated 21A.22.050 Periodic Review of this site; (4) Study, then mitigate, expected traffic impacts in the immediate area and the greater community area in southeast King County; and (5) Require Reserve Silica to immediately follow specific steps regarding its unpermitted 60-ac clearcut.
PRR-related documents continue to to be provided by KC DLS-P to our assembled team. They are under review with the anticipation of preparing and submitting additional comments, if warranted.
Annual Train Show
On the weekend of October 18 – 19 the Area Council will host its 27th Annual Train Show at the Gracie Hansen Mansion at 27132 SE Ravensdale Way in Ravensdale. Times are Saturday from 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM and Sunday from 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM. Suggested donation (sorry, no credit cards) is Adults – $5 and Children (ages 3-11) – $2.
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 our tracks (with approval of participating Clubs)!
Model Train Clubs from the Pacific Northwest make this a family-fun and very memorable event for all. 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 will be displays from the Black Diamond Museum depicting various aspects of our regional history.
This year’s Train Show is expected to be another success with fun had by all.
Next Area Council Meeting
The next Area Council monthly meeting will be held Monday, November 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).
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 arearesidents 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 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 Articlesbox or by using the drop-down menu under Correspondence
