Kittitas County 20 year Comprehensive Plan Update
2037 Comprehensive Plan Audit
Rural Lands Element
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GPO # |
General Goals | Policies |
Remove | Move | Revise | Goal/Policy |
Justification |
Implementation |
| Goals | |||||||
| 8.1 | Preserve and protect rural lands characterized by a lower level of services; mixed residential, agricultural and open space uses; broad visual landscapes and parcels of varying sizes, a variety of housing types and small unincorporated communities, and rural commercial activities. | These are fancy words wich provide little context to means. KC needs to provide descriptions for us to better understand what is targeted here. | |||||
| 8.13 | Encourage development activities and development standards which enhance or result in the preservation of rural lands. | We need to understand the context and meaning for these terms. | |||||
| 8.18 | Limit development in rural areas through density requirements that protect and maintain existing rural character, natural open space, critical areas, and recreation areas. | How does this relate to 8.13? Limiting development in rural classifications will only drive the cost of rural land ownership higher. | |||||
| 8.40 | Research new land use techniques that provide economic incentives to encourage continuation of agriculture activities. | This will not take place with 8.13 & 8.18. | |||||
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GPO # |
General Goals | Policies |
Remove | Move | Revise | Goal/Policy |
Justification |
Implementation |
| 8.47 | Kittitas County will encourage voluntary farm conservation and agriculture preservation activities, and support activities engaged in agriculture preservation. | I believe this is something we can support provided incentives are in place of non ag land development. | |||||
| Policies | |||||||
| 8.2 | Rural lands shall be limited to service provided by septic systems, individual wells small community water systems, or mitigated water. | Rural lands are s[designations which should have no link to service levels. Example: any land that can be serviced by a Group A or municipal water system and can meet state septic requirements should be classified with the highest density available within the County’s rural class. | |||||
| 8.3 | The County shall establish Comprehensive Plan categories and zoning classifications that preserve rural character identified to Kittitas County. | This can only provide meaning when the County provides clear definitions and intentions of rural lands. | |||||
| 8.4 | When considering development in rural areas continuation and preservation of all agricultural and recreational activities within the County shall be central in land use decisions | How is this intended for forest lands of the upper county. | |||||
| 8.7 | Innovative land use that preserve rural character and resource land uses are encouraged. | Again, what does this mean. | |||||
| 8.10 | Allow for extraction of adequate supply | ||||||
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GPO # |
General Goals | Policies |
Remove | Move | Revise | Goal/Policy |
Justification |
Implementation |
| of rock and gravel resources which does not negatively impact rural character. | |||||||
| 8.14 | Allow for a variety of rural densities which maintain and recognize rural character, agricultural activities, rural community and development patterns, open spaces and recreational opportunities. | This should be closely associated with zoning designations. Lands that can be services via municipal services should carry higher densities. | |||||
| 8.15 | Uses encumbering priority land uses commonly found in rural areas of Kittitas County, such as agriculture uses in Lower Kittitas and recreation uses in Upper Kittitas shall be allowed only after land use review | ||||||
| 8.19 | Adequate buffer distances and appropriate vegetation shall be considered for proposals in order to reduce incompatibility between differing rural land uses. | Why is it being required/suggested for similar land uses. | |||||
| 8.20 | Cottage and home occupations which are rural in nature and have minimal impact upon the rural nature of the county should be encouraged within all rural land use designations. | Agreed and should be emphasized by county staff. | |||||
| 8.22 | Encourage agricultural activities which |
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GPO # |
General Goals | Policies |
Remove | Move | Revise | Goal/Policy |
Justification |
Implementation |
| sell and market local agricultural products and tourist activities. | More focus on upper county activities within this section. | ||||||
| 8.23 | Municipal, or public urban services will not be extended outside of urban growth areas except to a Master Planned Resort which is approved by the County and when expenses for such extension are fully borne by the resort or community. | This is counter-productive to long range planning within all of the County. | |||||
| 8.24 | Capital Facilities and Utilities may be sited, constructed, and operated within a Master Planned Resort (MPR), or Limited Area of More Intensive Rural Development (LAMIRD)) on property located outside of urban growth areas if such facilities and utilities are located within the boundaries of such approved resort or community. Per RCW 36.70A 070 (5)(d). | It is my understanding that LAMRIDs cannot be expanded but services can be extended from these areas (if 8.23 is not included within this doc.). Which leave only MPR’s as options for large developments. County code for PUD is far too limiting for multifaceted or innovated land planning. | |||||
| 8.28 | Clustering of development can only occur where it results in the protection of open space and will not negatively impact farming activity or preservation of other resource lands. | Generally, clustered platting is a preferred innovative technique for land planning. It appears that KC does not share this opinon. | |||||
| 8.28 | When clustering of development is |
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GPO # |
General Goals | Policies |
Remove | Move | Revise | Goal/Policy |
Justification |
Implementation |
| proposed on land that shares boundaries with public lands and provides existing public access to recreational uses on adjacent public lands, easements for public access connections shall be considered during development review. | The development community has supported this for the past 20 years but included a reason for a land owner to include this. This was a large part of the 2006 plan which provided for bonus densities. | ||||||
| 8.28 | The open space portion of the cluster development shall be located to protect wildlife habitat and migration corridors and shall be the responsibility of potential residents. | An integrated part of innovative platting and should include bonus densities to entice inclusion.
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| 8.30 | Residential development on rural lands will not be approved without adequate water and sewer/septic systems as required by the State and local standards. | County should be supportive of development that promotes conservation and implementation of water reuse and recycling. | |||||
| 8.31 | Residential uses, where permitted, shall be located where farming and forestry activities and opportunities are not negatively impacted. | But current rural zoning makes development of non ag areas high unlikely. | |||||
| 8.33 | Planned Unit Developments (PUD) in rural areas can only be established where such developments will not require urban services and reduce maintenance of rural character. | PUD should be encourage in rural lands adjacent to urban service levels. |
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GPO # |
General Goals | Policies |
Remove | Move | Revise | Goal/Policy | Justification |
Implementation |
| 8.37 | Plats and short plats, development permits and building permits, within 500 feet of land designated as Rural Working lands or Resource Lands shall contain a notice to potential buyers and residents as directed within RCW 36.70A.060(1)(b). | ||||||
| 8.44A | Development in rural areas considered commercial or industrial shall be compatible to the rural environment, and must be developed as determined necessary to not significantly impact surface and groundwater. | Rural based commercial and industrial development should be encouraged in all rural zoned lands. Allowed uses should be identified and open to these uses. | |||||
| 8.44C | New commercial/industrial development shall be required to meet any measures found needed to protect existing surface and groundwater users from impairment and contamination. | ||||||
| 8.48 | Encourage education activities for
non-farming residents on the practices of farming so that they are aware of the non-urban activities and impacts that occur in the agricultural environment. |
Should this also be accompanied by education of non-farming resident into farming violations. | |||||
| 8.53 | Future development in the Liberty | Clearly identify the Historical limits of Liberty and |
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GPO # |
General Goals | Policies |
Remove | Move | Revise | Goal/Policy |
Justification |
Implementation |
| historic district shall be residential and be consistent with any existing or new design review standards. | Liberty and prohibit any further expanding of zoning overlays. | ||||||
| 8.54 | Convenience and motorist services, when permitted near highway, freeway and major arterial intersections, shall be designed to be compatible with surrounding rural character. | Promote new freeway interchanges and provide for commercial possibilities. | |||||
| 8.56A | Proposals in Rural Recreation areas within any land use shall have design or buffering provisions to assure compatibility with adjacent rural environments. | ||||||
| 8.57 | Developers shall design new projects a to visually enhance the rural environment character of Kittitas County which may include preserving open spaces, providing adequate buffering between development and natural areas, and preserving critical areas and forested lands. | Should be accompanied by bonus densities. | |||||
| 8.58 | Promote rural recreation development where there is potential for limited infill of seasonal recreation structure, in areas where seasonal structures are not uncommon, and upon soils and | Include bonus densities |
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GPO # |
General Goals | Policies |
Remove | Move | Revise | Goal/Policy |
Justification |
Implementation |
| geologic conditions which can support structural development. | |||||||
| 8.60 | Consider incentive programs that create active and passive open space. | Bonus densities | |||||
| 8.61 | Uses proposed for development to service recreational tourists and residents will be permitted in spaces when found to be suitable to surrounding rural areas. | And can provide needed service levels. | |||||
| 8.62 | International Wildland-Urban Interface Code shall be enforced when approving a recreational residential structure for greatest protection of life and property. | IWUI will be curbed/restricted and inclusive of fire related provisions for the preservation of life safety. | |||||
| 8.65 | Potential impacts from natural hazards in rural recreation areas shall be evaluated before allowing habitable or residential structure. | Should apply to all rural zones and be receptive to offsetting measures. | |||||
| 8.92 | A full-range of commercial services should only be provided within the urban growth areas of the surrounding region. | Disagree and support commercial services where they are appropriate in all zones. Appropriate areas would include rural areas with infrastructure to support commercial uses. | |||||
| 8.106 | Allow for designation of LAMIRDs in the rural area, consistent with the requirements of the GMA. | We need to research this more. | |||||
| 8.107 | The following factors shall be |
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GPO # |
General Goals | Policies |
Remove | Move | Revise | Goal/Policy |
Justification |
Implementation |
| (a) | considered in designating a LAMIRD and establishing boundaries:
a) Existing development pattern, potential for redevelopment and infill, and for Type 1 LAMIRDs the ability to establish a logical outer boundary; b) Rural character of the potential LAMIRD and surrounding area; c) Existing and potential mix of uses, densities and intensities and potential impacts to the surrounding area; d) Presence/location of infrastructure and other “man- made” facilities e) Distance from other LAMIRD, UGA, designated resource land or other special land use designation. If in close proximity, consider the potential for sprawl, and/or land use conflicts; f) Feasibility, cost and need for public services; |
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GPO # |
General Goals | Policies |
Remove | Move | Revise | Goal/Policy |
Justification |
Implementation |
| g) Significant natural constraints or features to be preserved; and
h) Public input and comment. |
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| 8.108 | Once LAMIRD boundaries are established, geographic expansion is not permitted unless needed based on one or more of the following criteria:
a) to correct for mapping errors, or b) to correct for other informational errors, or c) when otherwise consistent with the requirements of GMA. |
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| 8.109 | Allow inclusion of undeveloped land in LAMIRDs for limited infill, development or redevelopment when consistent with rural provisions of the Growth Management Act. | ||||||
| 8.113 | The LAMIRD designation will not be applied to designated resource lands. Development within the LAMIRD designation and adjacent to designated resource lands will minimize potential conflicts and not lead to potential conversion of farm |
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GPO # |
General Goals | Policies |
Remove | Move | Revise | Goal/Policy |
Justification |
Implementation |
| and forest land to non-resource uses. | |||||||
| 8.115
(a) |
Designation and development standards in Type 1, Rural Activity Centers:
a) For the purpose of establishing the outer boundary, existing development is considered to be any commercial, industrial, residential or mixed-used development in existence on July 1, 1990. b) The scale and type of new development and redevelopment should be primarily to serve local residents and secondarily to support the traveling public. |
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| 8.116
(a) |
Type 2 LAMIRDs, Rural Recreation Centers should allow:
a) Intensification of development or new development of small scale recreational or tourist uses that rely on a rural setting is permitted; b) Proposed uses which may serve the limited surrounding |
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GPO # |
General Goals | Policies |
Remove | Move | Revise | Goal/Policy |
Justification |
Implementation |
| rural population and the traveling public;
c) Facilities that may not adversely impact natural resource production in the surrounding vicinity; d) Proposed uses consistent with the surrounding rural character, not leading to low- density sprawl. |
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| 8.117
(a) |
Designation and development standards in Type 3, Rural Employment Centers should allow:
a) Intensification of development on lots containing isolated nonresidential uses or new development of isolated small scale businesses; b) Businesses should providing job opportunities for rural residents, and local residents; c) Small scale employment uses appropriate in a rural community, such as (but not limited to) independent contracting services, incubator |
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GPO # |
General Goals | Policies |
Remove | Move | Revise | Goal/Policy |
Justification |
Implementation |
| facilities, home-based industries, and services which support agriculture; and
d) Development conforming to the rural character of the surrounding area. |
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| 8.118 | Conserve important natural resource lands with the implementation of a Transfer of Development Rights program, or other a market-based tools which may encourage conservation of natural resource lands. | ||||||
| 8.127 | Support activities which educate populations on rural living and agricultural activities of long term significance. | ||||||
| 8.129 | Allow development projects which promote or enhance conservation of farmlands and natural resources. | ||||||
| 8.153 | New uses, such as residential and commercial uses, conflicting with existing commercial mining activities in designated mineral resource areas shall be required to locate away from such mining activities. |
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