The Area Council held its regular monthly meeting virtually on Monday, February 7. Major topics discussed were: Fossil Fuel Facility Permitting; 2022 PSRC Regional Transportation Plan Update; 2024 King County Comprehensive Plan Major 8-Year Update; and State Legislator Transportation Meetings.
Tahoma School District (TSD) Update
TSD Board member, Val Paganelli, provided a summary of recent TSD activities:
1. Housing Committee Update provided to the Board in January.
2. Capital Project Fund infrastructure proposal consideration totaling $20M for updating HVAC systems, plumbing, lighting in existing buildings.
3. Board consideration of ad hoc Finance Committee to support the TSD’s strategic budgeting process.
4. Retirement announcement of Tahoma High School principal, Terry Duty, effective end of the school year; selection process underway. With public input, the hiring committee will be in a stronger position to recommend a principal who will best embody our community and Tahoma values. A survey is open to all students, families, staff, and community members through February 14: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/THS-Principal.
5. Resignation of Val Paganelli, School Board Director No. 5, effective February 28, 2022, with willingness to retract if able to reach collegial resolution; applications for appointment are being accepted by the Board from February 10 thru March 1.
King County Fossil Fuel Facilities
Nicole Sanders, Green Building Principal Planner, of the King County Department of Local Services, Permitting Division, (DLS-P) stated the King County Council has asked DLS-P to research whether it should require large projects to “mitigate” Greenhouse Gases (GHGs), i.e. reduce or counterbalance with offsets. The Councilhas asked DLS-P to research possible impacts of new fossil-fuel facilities, whether they have financial coverage for those impacts and, if not, identify possible financial coverage requirements (i.e.,enough insurance, bonds, etc. to cover the full extent of potential impacts).
Of the fossil-fuel facilities covered by potential legislation, only Gas-Electric Plants (i.e., non-hydroelectric) can be sited in the Rural Area under a Special-Use Permit.
DLS-P will be releasing its proposal for Public comment on March 30, with a 2-week review period through April 14. After review of Public comments, DLS-P will draft an Ordinance and submit it to the Council on June 30 for review and possible action.
2022 PSRC RTP Update
The Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC), the State-designated Regional Planning Organization for the 4-county Puget Sound area, is updating its Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) through the year 2050: https://www.psrc.org/our-work/rtp. It is meant to respond to the priorities of VISION 2050: https://www.psrc.org/vision and describe how the region will meet transportation needs out to 2050. The plan outlines investments the region is making to improve all aspects of the transportation system—from roads, transit, rail, ferry, bicycle and pedestrian systems—and ensure the safe and efficient movement of people and goods.
The Area Council again is leading a Joint Team of Rural Area UACs/UAAs/Organizations in an in-depth review of the draft RTP released by PSRC in early January. The Area Council voted to proceed. Detailed Comments are in work and will be finalized and submitted by the Joint Team to PSRC by the end of February 2022. Please see the “Major Issues” box on the Area Council’s Home page (www.gmvuac.org).
2024 KCCP Major 8-Year Update
Every eight years King County conducts a major update of the King County Comprehensive Plan (KCCP). The 2024 major update has begun with “Scoping.” The Joint Team held a Zoom Meeting with KCCP Manager, Chris Jensen, on February 4 to discuss scoping ideas.
The Area Council again is leading a Joint Team of Rural Area UACs/UAAs/Organizations in this multiyear effort through June 2024. The Area Council has been involved in all KCCP updates since 2004. Please see the “Major Issues” box on the Area Council’s Home page (www.gmvuac.org).
State Legislator Transportation Meetings
Joint Transportation Initiative (JTI) Chair, Susan Harvey, summarized meetings with State Legislators in SE King County Districts 5, 41, and 47. These meetings were a great opportunity to help legislators better understand pressures on Rural Area roads and for JTI members to better understand what the Legislature can do to alleviate such pressures.
Upcoming Area Council Meetings
The next Area Council monthly meeting will be held Monday, March 7. This meeting again will be held “virtually” via Zoom.
Once all meetings are in-person, they again will be held at the Maple Valley Fire Station—SE corner of SE 231st St & SR-169 intersection across from the Police Precinct. The Fire Station’s large meeting room remains closed to the Public.
All regular monthly meetings are held on the first Monday of the month (except for Holidays, when they are held on the second Monday), from 7 – 9:30 PM. Meeting announcements are published in the Voice of the Valley, the Area Council’s website (www.gmvuac.org) and local NextDoor platforms. You can also find us on Facebook. Each meeting begins with an open Public Comment period.
Area Council Membership
Your Area Council serves as an all-volunteer, locally recognized advisory body to King County on behalf of all rural unincorporated area residents living in the Tahoma School District (i.e., minus the City of Maple Valley). The Area Council’s Vision Statement is:
“Our community’s Rural Character will be supported by facilitating strong local ties and communication between the public, organizations, and government; promoting locally owned businesses and supporting quality education; protecting the environment, and maintaining landowners’ rights and responsibilities; promoting controlled and well-planned growth with appropriate infrastructure; ensuring proper representation for rural interests and needs; and supporting the health and safety and the privacy of our vibrant community.”
The twelve-seat Area Council currently has two open seats. If you have an interest in joining please send an e-mail to: info@gmvuac.org or attend a monthly meeting and express your interest. To join you need to live within the Tahoma School District.
All, even those who do not live within the Tahoma School District, are eligible to join and serve on any of the Area Council’s three major subject-matter Committees: Environment, Growth Management, or Transportation, as well as the Ad Hoc Economic, Public Relations, and Train Show Committees.
The Area Council welcomes your participation. For information on each of these committees please see the Area Council’s web site: www.gmvuac.org and use the drop-down menu under Committees. Again, if you have an interest in joining any Area Council committees, please send an e-mail to: info@gmvuac.org. Thank you.
