Subarea plan adds more bureaucracy

Letter to the Editor

Sue Holbink, who wishes everyone to support the Fall City

Subarea Plan as-is, was a member of the Community Advisory Committee for

the Fall City Subarea Planning process. Understandably, Sue supports the

plan “as-is.” Sue is a lovely lady and I

respect her opinion, but my opinion differs from hers.

The recommendations “as-is” create two new government layers:

1. Rural Conservation District, to address rural landscapes, signs,

vistas, historic landmarks, design standards (building and infrastructure), and

land- use controls; and

2. “Create a UAC (Unincorporated Area Council) for the Fall City

area. Defer to the greater Fall City area residents to decide.”

Are these two new layers of bureaucracy necessary? In all, there

are 35 recommendations in Ron Sims’ Fall City Subarea Plan matrix.

Properties outside the rural town of Fall City and in 98024 zip code area are not

exempt in the above cases. How many layers of bureaucracy can we handle?

The majority of committee members did not fairly represent the

true Fall City community. The King County Growth Management

Committee chairperson is bent on pushing the plan through committee and

council by the middle of December this year.

Brian Derdowski made a public promise to Fall City when Ron

Sims presented Fall City with his recommendations in August 1999. He

promised to bring the Growth Management Committee to Fall City and hold

public hearings on the subarea plan. To date, I have received no notice of

such hearings.

In the meantime, let all of the King County Council members know

where you stand on this process while there is still time to negotiate a fair deal.

Audrey Schroeder

Preston