Gov. Gregoire honors Snohomish county's land preservation efforts
EVERETT - Snohomish County's program to preserve farmland north of Arlington received a governor's award on Wednesday evening.
Gov. Chris Gregoire honored seven programs for creating livable communities in Washington. Wednesday's event in Tacoma marked the 15th anniversary of the state's Growth Management Act.
"I am pleased to recognize the important work our communities and their partners are doing to keep Washington a great place to live," Gregoire said.
Snohomish County received a special recognition award for the Transfer of Development Rights Program.
The program "is an innovative approach that preserves our agricultural lands for the purpose of future food production and economic development," Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon said Thursday.
The program, adopted in December, is designed to keep 3,400 acres of Stillaguamish Valley farmland from development. The county acts as a broker between developers and farmers. Developers are asked to negotiate with farmers, buy and transfer the right to build houses elsewhere. As a result, farmland would be set aside from future development.
Compared to similar programs in King and Whatcom counties, Snohomish County's program was unique because it focused on a specific area, said Leonard Bauer, managing director of the state's Growth Management Services.
"It's a very creative and realistic approach," Bauer said.
This article is republished courtesy of the Everett Herald:
Gregoire honors county's land preservation efforts
