VMICC Land Use & Natural Resources Committee Meeting
March 21, 2001 at McMurray School Library=20

Attendees:, Jack Barbash, Enid Dolstad, John Gerstle (Chmn), Susie Kalhorn,=20
Joel Kuperberg, Lorin Reinelt, Carol and Mark Salkind.
=20
Discussion with Susie Kalhorn on future King County Land Use action

Susie said that King County=E2=80=99s foremost concern is the impact of the=20=
$40M=20
budget crisis. Programs affected will be those supported by the General Tax=20
Fund, such as Dockton Park, Maury Regional Park, and the swimming pool. Cod=
e=20
enforcement is likely to be reduced. If the Criminal Justice budget is left=
=20
alone, the other cuts could be on the order of 25%. The Department of=20
Development and Environmental Services (DDES) permit services are now funded=
=20
by fees and would not be affected, but other services such as code=20
enforcement and education will likely be cut.=20
=20
Since this is an election year, major land use ordinances are likely to be=20
delayed. ( The Sensitive Areas Ordnance updated and conveyed to the King=20
County Council 3 years ago has not been acted on by the Council.) The Count=
y=20
administration may use existing ordinances to write administrative rules suc=
h=20
as larger buffer requirements for salmonid bearing streams. Susie expects=20
that there will be diminishing opportunities for public input in the future,=
=20
but as a community,Vashon has been quite successful in the past in getting=20
action from the County and she urged that the Community strongly articulate=20
its priorities to the County.=20
=20
Discussion with Jack Barbash on overlapping interests with the Forestry=20
Committee.
Jack briefed us on Forestry committee activities and inquired if more than=20
just a small public notice could be given to land use changes, such as the=20
articles that Nancy Silver used to write for the Beachcomber. Lorin=20
suggested that a topic of overlapping interest is the proposed 65% forest=20
retention requirement ( outside the no-touch zone for stream buffer zones)=20
for implementation of the Endangered Species Act. (The forest retention zon=
e=20
would allow selective harvesting.)
=20
Short Reports
Rural Drainage Program =E2=80=93 No Vashon steward yet due to the hiring fre=
eze. The=20
first round of groundwater samples (from 21 sites ) are being analyzed. KC i=
s=20
seeking volunteers to monitor additional sites. The Phase II effort on=20
Shinglemill Creek has been scoped, but Phase I is being held up due to a new=
=20
property owner=E2=80=99s unwillingness to grant a drainage easement.=20
=20
Equestrian Ordinance =E2=80=93 The KC Council did not pass the ordinance tha=
t was the=20
subject of so much discussion on the Island and for now, has made the=20
equestrian trail program voluntary. A task force is being set up which will=20
eventually report to the Council=E2=80=99s Natural Resources Committee. Mic=
hele =20
McFadden (296-1677) will probably again be a key staffer. If any of you have=
=20
an interest in serving on this task force, who have not already volunteered,=
=20
please let David Foster or me know. You can also call Rick Bautista=20
(296-0329) or Beth Mountsier (296-0319) for more information.=20
=20
Next meeting 7:30 pm on May 16 at the Mc Murray School Library.=20
( Please note =E2=80=93 no April meeting)=20
=20