| Public
Letter to the City of Enumclaw:
Tuesday June 2,
2009 I attended the CED
(community economic development) meeting and the issue of
development rights and Thomas Farm (next to Frankie’s
Pizza, across from McDonald’s) came up. The Planning
Commission put forth a recommendation (#2009-1) for the city
to take action in reversing the King County purchase of the
development rights for the Thomas Farm purchased under the
Farmland Preservation Program. The letter had a watermark
of DRAFT and stated the Planning
Commission recommends "the city use any means necessary"
to reverse the development rights on Thomas Farm that are
held by King County. When Mike Thomas (Community Development
Director) was asked what that meant, he commented the city
would use any resources available to them including financial
and or legal. He further stated the city of Enumclaw should
have been consulted prior to the purchase of those development
rights by King County. He conveyed the importance of the city
regaining control of Thomas Farm for zoning purposes, and
the process could take up to 10 years.
As a member of the Enumclaw community and business owner I
am concerned about our city staff, council and committees
using city resources and tax payer money to fight King County.
I also question those on the Planning Committee and what their
vision is for our city. Once I learned some of the facts regarding
this issue it only took me a few phone calls and a bit of
creative thinking to find an alternative solution to “paving
the farm over and putting in light industrial”. That
is what our Planning Commission, administrators and mayor
plan to do if successful in reversing the development rights,
a long shot at best.
“The
Farmland Preservation Program (FPP) began in 1979 when
the voters of King County approved an initiative authorizing
the County to preserve rapidly diminishing farmland by purchasing
the right to develop it. During the 1980's, King County acquired
the development rights on 12,600 acres of high quality farmland
within its boundaries. The County is continuing to purchase
development rights on select properties and there are now
approximately 13,200 acres that are permanently protected.
FPP properties include dairies, beef, horse and other animal
operations as well as nurseries, turf farms, and farms raising
hay, silage, berries, row crops, flowers and Christmas trees.
These protected farmlands are located primarily in the Green,
Sammamish, and Snoqualmie River Valleys and on the Enumclaw
Plateau and Vashon Island.” (King
County website)
Our city attorney Mike Reynolds said reversing the development
rights on the Thomas Farm will never happen. If our city attorney
does not believe these land right decisions can be overturned
then why is our Planning Commission wasting time recommending
the city “use any means possible”. This is not
a “Vision” for Enumclaw, nor is it a suitable
way of using city time and resources when the land is clearly
being held “in perpetuity” for agriculture.
Enumclaw’s
roots are in agriculture. It’s time to embrace that
and help our farmers create more sustainable farms. The Thomas
Farm could be a gem for our community. There are model farms
around the nation (Appleton
Farms) as well as locally (21
Acres Woodinville), providing proof that farming can and
does provide jobs, education, and tax dollars. More importantly
they provide food. A 155 acre farm located within our city
limits could also provide recreation for the public. It could
also tie into the “Equestrian Theme” if that is
the direction our city staff and council are determined to
take.
I see a wonderful
opportunity for the city of Enumclaw to help create a working
and sustainable farm that people from all over the plateau
come to visit and learn about. That spells tax dollars to
me, and in keeping with the history
of our town.
Judy Herring,
FPP coordinator, said King
County had hoped the city of Enumclaw would come up with
a plan to tie the Thomas Farm into the development of the
Expo Center. King County thought the focus of the Expo Center
would be on Agriculture and not just equestrian.
Sylvia
Kantor of WSU
King County Extension also thought finding a way to link
the Thomas Farm with the Expo Center was a fantastic idea
and there are educational resources available through their
agriculture program. WSU Extension works directly with staff
at Green River Community College as well as other education
programs in our area.
Deanna
Burnett Keener, Green
River Small Business Advisor said she has been involved
in legal disputes over these land development issues and knows
of none that have been reversed. Not only does Deanna advise
small businesses she is also a wine producer and teacher.
She works with WSU extension, teaching about the business
of small farming. These programs fill up each semester with
50 students and growing. The Small Business Advisor group
Deanna heads up for GRCC is invaluable to our community.
Mary Embleton
of Cascade
Harvest Coalition and Washington
FarmLink are available to help find solutions to the challenges
of a dairy farm located with city limits. “Washington
FarmLink is the state’s leading program to link aspiring
farmers and landowners and help build sustainable farming
operations. FarmLink addresses barriers that farmers face
in keeping their land in farming and answers the call for
more technical assistance and education.”
The names listed
above are only a few of the resources available to the city
in coming up with a realistic solution to the issue of a fully
operational dairy farm within city limits.
Is city staff aware
of the six farmers outside the city limits partnering with
Daryl Maas from Northwest Farm
Power? In less than two years there will be a fully functioning
Anaerobic Dairy Digester (recycling farm waste into renewable
energy) located between Enumclaw and Auburn. We have two successful
Farmers Markets just beyond city limits and less than 10 miles
away in Buckley there is a CSA (community
supported agriculture) providing food for 130 customers
on a weekly basis. A raw
dairy was certified Grade A, just over a year ago, not
to mention Dell’s Farm Supply located just a few blocks
from city hall and another just across the bridge in Buckley.
Magazines, newspapers as well as the media are featuring stories
about feeding
the world and the future
of small farming.
Not only is agriculture
part of our history and heritage it is also our future. Enumclaw
is a Mecca of small farms from alpaca, dairy, horses to produce…entrepreneurs
abound and thrive when given the resources. A more suitable
use of city staff time would be to help the Thomas family
find solutions for incorporating their farm into the Agricultural
Vision our mayor set forth several years ago.
Eight years ago
I was living in Laguna Beach, CA where I participated in a
city wide visioning process. Two hundred residents attended
sustainability and walk-ability seminars and workshops with
a goal of creating a 30
year vision of our community. I think it’s time
the citizens of Enumclaw step forward and participate in creating
our own vision with a mission to preserve and protect
agricultural. Thomas Farm could be a key component in bringing
tax dollars along with tourism into our community.
As a concerned
citizen I volunteer in helping to create a more sustainable
Enumclaw.
Sincerely,
Jean Hoiland
Intent
Yoga Center
Mindful
Intent magazine
360-825-8282
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