On Monday, January 6, the Area Council held its first monthly meeting of the new year.
Area Council Officer Elections
At its first monthly meeting of the year the Area Council conducts internal elections for its Officers. The positions and duties are: Chair: Maintain Council operations and interfaces and preside at all meetings; Vice-Chair: Serve in the absence of the Chair and Chair the Public Relations Committee which manages Area Council member elections; Recording Secretary: Prepare and distribute Council meeting minutes; Corresponding Secretary: Prepare and transmit all Council correspondence, author articles on activities, and control web site content; and Treasurer: Receive and be accountable for all Council funds, maintain accounts, and pay all obligations.
For 2020 the Area Council elected Steve Hiester as Chair; Andy McDonald as Vice-Chair; Luke Hansen as Recording Secretary; Peter Rimbos as Corresponding Secretary; and Sue Neuner as Treasurer. All officers immediately assumed their positions and duties for the new year.
King County Comprehensive Plan (KCCP)
The KCCP is routinely updated. Every fourth year, a “Mid-Point Update” is undertaken to conduct a complete review. King County is in the midst of a “Mid-Point Update” in which the Area Council has led an effort with other King County Unincorporated Area Councils (UACs) and Unincorporated Area Associations (UAAs) to submit detailed comments in 2019 and work towards final adoption in 2020. Finally, every 8 years there is a “Major Update” to the KCCP in which everything is up for potential revision. The Area Council has been deeply involved with these major updates as well.
The KCCP also can be amended annually to address technical updates and make revisions that do not require substantive policy changes—sometimes to change land-use, zoning, etc. This is called the annual Docket process, whereby anyone can propose changes (within a set of guidelines). The GMVUAC has participated in this annual Docket process by both submitting Docket Item (D.I.) Requests and commenting on those submitted.
King County has just published the 2020 Docket Submittals Report (posted on the Area Council’s web site under KC Links). Included are eight “Docket Item (D.I.) Requests” (please note #6 and #7 were submitted by the Area Council on 12/7/19). Of the other six, of particular interest are D.I. Request #2—to change zoning of two adjacent parcels along SR-169 just south of the Cedar Grove Rd intersection from Neighborhood Business (NB) to Industrial (I) and D.I. Request #5 to use a Four-to-One process (i.e., ~20% increased density in exchange for ~80% Open Space) on a ~34.5-ac, Rural Area (RA)-2.5 zoned site (1 Dwelling Unit [DU] per 2 1/2 ac) just northwest of Lk Desire and adopt urban-designated development of R-6 (6 DUs/ac) over 20% of the site (~7 ac), creating ~41 lots.
The Area Council decided to study these two D.I. Requests and prepare/submit Comments to King County later this Winter prior to the King County Executive submitting his recommendations on all eight D.I. Requests in his Docket Report to the King County Council by April 30.
For more information please see the Area Council’s KCCP web page: http://gmvuac.org/kc-comprehensive-plan/.
King County Department of Local Services (DLS)
DLS provides vital services to King County unincorporated area residents. It is comprised of the Permitting Division which provides land use, building, and fire regulatory and operating permits, code enforcement, and a limited number of business licenses and the Road Services Division which is responsible for all county-owned roads, bridges, and related infrastructure in the unincorporated King County. DLS also manages the Community Service Areas (CSA) Program. The UACs and UAAs, although each is an independent, non-profit organization, work through the CSA Program.
DLS Director John Taylor is establishing an Advisory Committee and has invited several Area Council members to serve. Citizens from all nine unincorporated areas of King County have been invited to serve.
The purpose of the committee is to gather feedback about DLS projects, priorities, and King County service levels. The committee will provide an opportunity for unincorporated area communities to comment on DLS decisions and direction.
The committee plans to meet quarterly to discuss upcoming projects within unincorporated King County. The committee will advise the DLS director and staff. The task of committee members is to provide two-way communication between DLS and local residents. The committee is an opportunity to guide our outreach efforts, give feedback on the services DLS provides, and identify other needs within unincorporated area communities that King County may be able to address.
The first DLS Advisory Committee meeting will take place on February 11. As information becomes available, it will be posted on the Area Council web site.
Upcoming Area Council Meetings
February 3—State Department of Ecology’s Tim O’Connor and Alan Noell will provide an update on the Reserve Silica Mine Site Model Toxics Control Act (MTCA) Cleanup project.
All regular monthly meetings are held on the first Monday of the month, from 7 – 9:30 PM, at the Maple Valley Fire Station (SE corner of SE 231st St & SR-169 intersection directly across from the Police Precinct). All are welcome with each meeting beginning with an open Public Comment period.
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 currently has open seats. If you have an interest in joining please send an e-mail to: info@gmvuac.org or attend a monthly meeting and express your interest. Citizens who are not members of the Area Council or do not live within the Tahoma School District are eligible to join and serve on any of the Area Council’s four major subject-matter Committees: Economic: Environment; Growth Management; or Transportation. For information on each of these committees please see the Area Council’s web site: www.g- mvuac.organd use the drop-down menu under Committees. Thank you.
