1000 Friends of Washington applauds important King County Council vote for health and safety
SEATTLE (Oct. 25, 2004)--1000 Friends of Washington, the only statewide group focused on local environmental protections mandated under the state Growth Management Act, on Monday praised the King County Council's adoption of strong yet flexible rules to protect community health and safety from inappropriate development.
The new rules - a major update of the county's Critical Areas, Storm Water, and Clearing and Grading ordinances required by the state growth law - preserve traditional rural uses of farming, grazing, timber harvesting and recreation while ensuring that new development doesn't pollute aquifers, streams and wetlands or increase risks from flooding or landslides.
The Council, under the leadership of Chair Larry Phillips and Growth Management Committee Chair Dow Constantine, successfully balanced 4,000 written comments, 400 pieces of in-person testimony and the interests of diverse interest groups to pass the most important County environmental legislation in nearly a decade.
"The County Council has done a good job of balancing property rights and public and environmental health. They have taken important steps to protect water quality and our quality of life," said Aaron Ostrom, executive director of 1000 Friends of Washington.
"Thanks to their leadership, future generations of King County residents will enjoy healthy rural areas whose uses are consistent with nature's ability to accommodate them. Urban residents will be better protected from flooding from upstream development and landslides and have greater protections for important urban green spaces, such as wetlands."
1000 Friends further commends the Council for its strong commitment to the public's right to be heard. Constantine?s committee held 22 hearings, including five in unincorporated King County. Constantine and the Council made numerous changes in response to public input, making the rules more flexible and less onerous.
1000 Friends of Washington is a statewide public interest group working to promote healthy communities while protecting the land with sensible growth management policies.
