Sims to WRECO: No go on Phase II

The King County Department of Development and Environmental

Services (DDES) held a public hearing on the King County

comprehensive Plan 2000 Update on Monday night, Nov. 8. The meeting _ the second

of four scheduled public forums for cities and communities around

the county _ drew a standing-room-only crowd of over 160 to the

lunchroom of Tolt Middle School in Carnation.

King County Executive Ron Sims made a brief introduction and

then moderated the public portion of the session. He and DDES staff

listened and took notes as several participants spoke out about issues affecting

the rural portions of the county. As could be expected, much of the emphasis

of the citizens involved concerns about growth, traffic, environmental

protection and preserving the rural character of the county.

During her briefing, DDES Senior Planner Betty Renkor stressed

that modifications to the Urban Growth Boundaries (UGB) in the county

consisted of "minor border adjustments."

However, when asked about Weyerhaeuser Real Estate

Company's request to push out Snoqualmie's UGB, therefore enabling

development and annexation of the proposed Snoqualmie Ridge Phase II, Sims

was more direct.

"We are opposed," he said.

"Phase II is inappropriate, and we have indicated to Weyerhaeuser that we will

not support it.

"That (proposed development) will hurt the urban character

of Snoqualmie. I will not approve it."

DDES developed the Public Review Draft 2000 Update of the

Comprehensive Plan in accordance with the state's Growth Management Act.

The update represents the first major review and proposes the first set

of changes since the 1994 adoption of the King County Comprehensive

Plan. The last of the four public meetings concerning the 2000 update will

take place at Chatauqua Elementary on Vashon Island next Thursday, Nov.

18, with the public comment period ending in January. Sims will submit

the complete Executive Recommended Amendment to the Metropolitan

King County Council on March 1, 2000.

Full coverage of Monday night's meeting in Carnation and the

2000 Update _ including Sims' and participants' comments on rural issues -

will appear in next week's edition of the Snoqualmie Valley Record. Copies

of the Public Review Draft can be accessed via the county's Web site,

at www.metrokc.gov/exec.orpp/compplan/2000/2000prd.htm

.

As for Snoqualmie's budget, Mayor Fletcher says there will be

an impact, but he feels the city will not be hit as hard as some other

small towns.

"Council held a public hearing on Monday night (Nov. 8) and we

will be taking all those public comments and the I-695 issue to a council

budget workshop in a week or so," he stated early Tuesday. "I feel we

will have a true and realistic idea of the exact effects of I-695 in a couple

of weeks."

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