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FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, October 14, 2005
Contact:
Diana
Smith, Associate Planner, 360-709-3013
Thurston
County
Growth Management Web Pages Launched
OLYMPIA
–
Thurston
County
residents may have an easier time finding out about growth management issues
by visiting the
county
web site
. Several new pages have been
added to the site containing information about growth issues that have been in
the news lately.
The changes to the web site come in the wake of a
ruling by the State’s Western Washington Growth Management Hearings Board
that the county’s growth planning was out of compliance.
The County has declared a moratorium on new subdivisions in the rural
areas until the issues are worked out. The new web information deals with
areas where the state has asked for revisions including-
q
Rezoning of some of the rural lands for less dense development
such as 1 unit per 10 acres or 1 unit per 20 acres.
q
Reviewing of rural residential areas that are denser than one
dwelling unit per five acres to see if they meet the
Washington
State
criteria for Limited Areas of More Intensive Development (LAMIRDS).
q
Resizing of the Urban Growth Areas outside the cities and towns
in the county to better meet 20-year growth projections.
q
Revising the County criteria for future designation of
agricultural lands in the rural areas.
Associate Planner Diana Smith says the web-based
information will provide a central location for citizens to find out more
about these complex issues. “We
are trying very hard to get complete and accurate information to folks about
these planning issues. These web
pages will give people a one-stop-shop to find out about the state’s ruling,
the moratorium, the major issues and what the county is doing in reaction to
the ruling.”
The pages contain a question and answer format to
clarify the issues, information on what lands may be affected, an explanation
of the process, contact information and a lot more.
To access the new web pages, simply visit the
Thurston
County
web site at- http://www.co.thurston.wa.us/permitting/gma
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