Bonney Lake plan pits greenery against growth
AARON
CORVIN; The News Tribune
11/15/03
Pierce County, WA - Pierce County might face a legal battle over
issues of suburban sprawl and protection of farmland as it tries to
wrap up a review of its comprehensive growth plan.
At issue is the City of Bonney Lake's request to use five land-use
proposals to add 496 acres to its urban growth area for residential
development.
The seven-member County Council on Tuesday is expected to decide on
the city's request as part of a package of 30 proposals to change
the county's growth plan. The plan outlines growth and transportation
policies affecting cities and unincorporated areas where more than
700,000 people live.
But state and local environmentalists are urging the council to refuse
Bonney Lake's request to add more land for development. They single
out 333 acres north of Highway 410, including farmland, wetlands and
Fennel Creek.
Tim Trohimovich, planning director for 1000 Friends of Washington,
said the land is "poorly suited for development with primary
agricultural soils and a creek with important habitat running down
the middle of it."
Trohimovich said that marking the land for suburban development won't
help curb sprawl or protect farmland, which the state Growth Management
Act's requires.
If the County Council grants Bonney Lake's request, Trohimovich said
his group will probably appeal the decision. Any appeal would be heard
by the Central Puget Sound Growth Management Hearings Board, one of
three boards appointed by the governor to resolve land-use disputes
under the GMA.
Bonney Lake officials said the land-use proposals will lead to more
logical city boundaries and prepare the rapidly growing city for additional
transportation services and housing. The 333 acres north of Highway
410, for example, can support more than 550 houses, according to county
estimates.
"We settled on a fairly modest set of proposals that were really
just squaring off city boundaries," said Bob Leedy, planning
director for Bonney Lake.
But county planners and the county Planning Commission recommended
the County Council reject Bonney Lake's land-use proposals.
Likewise, the state Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development,
which reviews growth policies under the GMA, urged the council to
deny the city's requests.
Those local and state officials cited the need to protect Fennel Creek
and to conserve farmland. They also pointed to Pierce County's Buildable
Lands Report, which shows Bonney Lake already has enough room to absorb
population growth without adding more land to its urban growth area.
The GMA requires cities and counties to draw urban growth areas to
accommodate growth. The areas are based on 20-year population forecasts.
Inside these areas are jobs, houses and stores - the growth. Outside
them are farms and forests - protected from development.
Last month, the County Council's five-member planning and environment
committee decided to include Bonney Lake's proposals in the final
package the council will review Tuesday.
Councilman Calvin Goings (D-Puyallup), chairman of the planning and
environment committee, said the 333-acre area "is not the Garden
of Eden, as some people would like to portray."
He said the area is "surrounded on three sides by the City of
Bonney Lake" and is "the next logical area for growth."
Councilman Shawn Bunney (R-Lake Tapps) said the area "is not
a working farm."
Both Bunney and Goings noted the county and the city are working on
an agreement to ensure that development treads lightly on Fennel Creek.
"There is a realization among everyone that that (333-acre area)
should become a part of Bonney Lake," Bunney said. "Our
efforts in doing that with an interlocal agreement is to preserve
its environmental character."
The County Council will take up several other land-use proposals Tuesday.
One new policy would require developers to prove to the county early
on that an adequate supply of water is available to serve new housing
projects. Another proposal seeks to promote farming in the Puyallup
and Orting valleys in part by adopting a new "rural farm"
zone in which farmers could build farm-related retail businesses.
The council's decisions Tuesday will produce only broad new growth
policies and revisions. Next year, officials will take public testimony,
then decide the details of those policies and how to enforce them.
Pierce County reviews growth policies and entertains proposals to
change them every two years under the GMA. The current review began
in February when the council began whittling the original list of
66 proposed land-use changes.
Aaron Corvin: 253-552-7058
aaron.corvin@mail.tribnet.com
How to get involved
The County Council is expected to decide 30 proposed changes to the
county's comprehensive growth plan during its 3 p.m. public meeting
Tuesday in Room 1045 of the County-City Building, 930 Tacoma Ave.
S. in Tacoma.
For information about the land-use proposals, call Anna Graham, research
analyst, 253-798-6253 or e-mail her, agraham@co.pierce.wa.us.