|
FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday, March 1, 2006
| Contact: |
Don
Krupp, Chief Administrative Officer, 360-786-5440 |
|
Bob Macleod,
Thurston
County
Commission Chairman, 360-786-5440 |
|
Allen Miller, Deputy Prosecuting Attorney, 360-786-5574
X6252 |
State
Supreme Court Will Hear
Thurston
County
Land
Use Case
OLYMPIA
– The State Supreme
Court has agreed to hear
Thurston
County
's appeal of a land use ruling made last summer by the Western Washington
Growth Management Hearings Board, which will expedite a decision on the case. The county is
appealing the ruling that alleged that the county’s growth management plans
were out of compliance. That
ruling came after the organization Futurewise petitioned the Hearings Board
saying that
Thurston
County
’s urban growth areas were too large, that there needs to be more zoning in
the one-unit-per-10 or one-unit-per-20-acre range and that certain denser
growth areas in the unincorporated county needed to be reexamined.
In the decision issued this week, Supreme Court
Commissioner Geoffrey Crooks found that the issues were significant enough to
bypass lower courts and go directly to the state’s highest court.
Part of the ruling says; “Having reviewed that certificate, and the
parties preliminary proceedings, I concur that the matter warrants review at a
court level that can issue a precedential decision, and thus agree that the
case can appropriately bypass Superior Court.”
Thurston County Chief Administrative Officer Don
Krupp says he’s pleased with the decision.
“We believe that there are several issues that local governments
across the state want some clarification on.
Those issues include- how much standing a statewide lobbying
organization has over local planning efforts, what information is the most
valid in making those land use decisions and other matters.
We are looking forward to the outcome of the State Supreme Court
review.”
Thurston County Commission Chairman Bob Macleod
says he is also pleased with the expedited review by the Supreme Court.
“These planning issues are sometimes volatile for the folks who are
directly impacted. Whatever the
eventual ruling from the Supreme Court, it will provide some certainty for
Thurston
County
property owners and for Thurston County Government.
To be able to achieve that quickly will be a benefit for everyone
involved.”
The County hopes to have the State Supreme Court ruling by the end of the
year.
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