Washblog

Where to call today about Dev. Loophole Initiative

Right now (1pm), Ross Reynolds is taking calls on his show, The Conversation, on the developer's loophole initiative that the Farm Bureau has just filed. That's at 94.9 KUOW/NPR. You can call the show at 1-800-289-5869. They also take emails (conversation@kuow.org).

At 3pm, Dave Ross will be covering the issue on KIRO which is at 710AM. The phone number there: 1-877-710-5476.

As Brian says in his post, just below:

Oregon's Measure 37, which was thrown out in court last year, was the basis from which the developers crafted this initiative. Simply put, it will kill protections for everything from salmon spawning areas in streams to green space, and will forever ruin the rural lifestyle. Because most local governments will not have the kind of money necessary to compensate what this mandate demands, they will choose not to enforce those regulations, and allow the stripmalls and housing tracts to be built without any public comment.

Things to say when you call or email?   Well, one of the most destructive aspects of this is the way it will take away the property rights of those who live near undeveloped land. You can bet your bottom dollar that many of these properties will be built on by their owners -- and that even those owners who hold off will be the targets of developers who will pressure them to sell. We'll be seeing radical changes in our environment and our neighborhoods.

So, for example, in Oregon, where measure 37 passed, farmlands have been lost and the people who lived near those farms now have to deal with their immediate neighborhoods changing radically and drinking water being unprotected. An owner of land which contains Indian artifacts and is near Chief Joseph's burial site, for example, has already begun cutting roads through that property and plans to build an RV park there unless the state pays him $1 million.

Do we really want to entrust that wetland up the hill from us to our neighbors who will be tempted to sell it to Walmart? Do we really want large housing developments to go in up the street from us -- and not have the developer's be responsible for providing the extra transportation capacity (roads to handle the traffic, etc.?)

Dear Washblogians, please call or email these shows! And take a look at the site of Futurewise for more information.

< Developer Loophole Initiative filed by 'Farmers' | Reaching the crescendo on SB 6356/HB 2517 >
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what it seeks to do, is that in King, Pierce and Snohomish counties, in that order, having this on the ballot in a house and senate election year will help the R's in a huge way. This will not be the first time that an initiative will get much of its funding for the simple reason that as its profile increases the suburban R voter turnout will go up and rural d's will cross party lines or withhold votes for democratic candidates.
Booth Gardiner's death with dignity measure though a good one, will have the same effect.
Do the R's think they are at risk? You bet they do. We will see every trick in the book. This is just the start.

by Particle Man on Thu Feb 09, 2006 at 02:16:43 PM PST

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Thanks Noemie for the contact info. The lack of altruism in this initiative is absurd - you'd think we were living in a time of corruption and societal degredation. They even claim that protecting the environment against uncontrolled development is not a necessity nor is it worthwhile to the people living there. Jackasses is right!

by JesseNelson on Thu Feb 09, 2006 at 02:06:58 PM PST

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The concept of the state paying residents for denying their grand ideas is ludicrous.  The cost of implementing such legislation would surpass the state's education costs.  Every land owner in the state would dream of an illegal land use plan and then petition the state to pay for not implementing the restricted plan.

In Oregon a similar initiative, Measure 37, passed and then was ruled unconstitutional.  But the state is now reeling from the effects of this outlandish idea.

Land restrictions exist for valid reasons.  Paying individuals for invalid wishes is a seriously flawed concept.

by Bill Taylor on Thu Feb 09, 2006 at 03:59:36 PM PST

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I missed it but was wondering if anyone did hear it.

by botch on Thu Feb 09, 2006 at 04:24:05 PM PST

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Aaron Ostram, the Executive Director of Futurewise.org spoke and really nailed it -- how this will play out for people who live near the affected properties, how expensive it'll be for WA, etc.

I called in and spoke about our property -- woods shared with a number of other residences with a stream with salmon on it and connected to the Soos Creek trail.

If this passes, it is probable that our neighbors will be able to clearcut their properties -- resulting in de facto theft of my property value and rights.  We bought the property because of its rural nature and the woods behind it that are not allowed to be developed.

by noemie maxwell on Thu Feb 09, 2006 at 04:46:39 PM PST

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