Washblog

 
  to oppose the Witte 10AC to 5RR zoning change.  They also have letters on file with the Planning Department and Planning Commission opposing the proposed rezone.  Some of the neighboring landowners were not notified because their property is more than 400 feet away other that were notified were hesitant to respond due to concerns about direct or indirect retaliation from developers involved in the rezone proposal.  

This kind of change affects a much wider area and all affected farmers need to be aware that the Public Hearing in front of the County Commissioners is FEBRUARY 5th at 10:00am in Waterville.  The Witte's are represented by Charles Zimmerman and this change has the attention of the local developers.

The Planning Department opposed the proposal and recommended Denial and the Planning Commission, after several reviews, voted 5 to 2 to deny the rezone application. Yet the Douglas County Commissioners chose to override both planning groups decision to deny  approval of  the proposed rezone.

Two neighboring orchard owners have sold easements to the Witte's to gain access to the 80 acre parcel they want rezoned and so have an interest in how the changes go.  If the Witte rezone is approved one of these two land owners will more than likely apply to have their orchard land changed from 10AC to 5RR which will further change the nature of our area and take more land out of agriculture.

Much of Witte's proposed 80 acres is not buildable, only approximately 30 - 35 acres is level, the rest is gully and sand banks, so by creative lot layout 16 houses will be built on 30 acres of flat land (per the commentary at the Planning Commission meetings, the 30-35 acres could hold as many as 26 houses) and all of these houses will be near active orchards.

We are all aware of what will come next with housing next to orchards.  It is well documented what the effect of higher tax bases is and the averse effect created by home owners near orchards that need to be sprayed.

While the county commissioners tout this change as a benefit to orchardists and agriculture anyone that is actively involved in farming knows that denser development is the death pall for neighboring farms. Douglas County residences also need to remember that if approved the rezone can and will affect ALL of Douglas County as developers buy up cheap farmland and put in RR5 developments.

Developers have actively lobbied commissioners for denser development while the agricultural community has done very little to protect farm land from encroaching development, mainly because most farmers believe in the right of property owners to use their land as they see fit.  Now it is time for farmers and orchardists to stand up for their private property rights! You have as much if not more right to continue Your way of life Your livelihood and Your property in a way that You see fit as the developers do. You must remember that other's private property rights end at your property line. Developers, realtors and county commissioners that continually put your livelihood in jeopardy so that risky land speculation can be forced upon you need to be stopped.  

It is Your land, Your lives, Your right as an American to protect what is Yours. Please take the time to attend the Commissioners meeting FEBRUARY 5th at 10:00am in Waterville (call your neighbors and ask them to attend to show solidarity with you and other farmers) Stand up (if you unable to attend please call, email or write your commissioners) and tell them that farming and agriculture is as important and more profitable to Douglas County than residential developments (for every dollar of revenue they generate, farm, forest and open land only cost 51 cents. Residential developments overall do not pay for themselves, requiring $1.25 in services for every dollar of revenue generated) and that not all farmers want to be run out of business. Tell the commissioners that it is time for them to represent the best interests of agriculture and of the county in general and not special interests groups.

Thanks for your interest.

Douglas County Coalition for Responsible Government