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FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday, April 19, 2004
Contact:
Jennifer
Hayes, Senior Planner, 360- 786-5477
Volunteers
Sought for Rural Rezone Project.
OLYMPIA
--
Thurston
County
residents are invited to attend a public meeting to find out about
volunteering their property for rezoning.
Thurston
County
is
seeking rural residential property owners who wish to volunteer their land for
rezoning to lower development density - in other words, to reduce the number
of houses that can be built on their land in the future.
“Zoning” determines how property can be used
and developed. Most of
Thurston
County
’s rural residential lands are zoned so that property owners can build up to
1 house per 5 acres, and have other rural uses such as agriculture and
forestry. Rezoning under the Rural Rezoning Volunteer Program would change
that to 1 house per 10 or 1 house per 20 acres.
Senior Planner Jennifer Hayes says people who want
to see less development on their own property may be interested.
“Rezoning to a lower density would limit future
subdivision potential of the land and provide for larger lots in the rural
area for natural resource or large home site uses.”
This may appeal to some property owners who:
-
Have
no interest in subdividing land into 5-acre lots.
-
Have
long-term investment in agriculture or forestry use.
-
Want
to preserve their land for conservation purposes.
In addition, a fee is usually required for
rezoning, but under the Rural Rezoning Volunteer Program, that fee is waived.
Thurston
County
is
seeking volunteers in order to help achieve compliance with the Growth
Management Act by rezoning some rural lands to lower residential
densities. The County is currently studying rural lands to find areas that can
be “re-zoned” to 1 unit per 10 acres or 1 unit per 20 acre. Many citizens
have asked the County to seek volunteers for rezoning during the County’s
work on the Rural Rezoning Project.
You can find out more about the Rural Rezoning
Project and Volunteer Program by visiting http://www.co.thurston.wa.us/permitting/gma/rural-rezoning.htm.
The Rural Rezoning Volunteer Program deadline is May 15, 2006.
The public meeting for property owners interested
in volunteering their property for rezoning
will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday, April 24, 2006 at the
Expo
Center
, Thurston County Fairgrounds,
3054 Carpenter Rd. SE
, Lacey.
Those who have questions can call 360-786-5490 Or
email gma_mail@co.thurston.wa.us
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