Future industrial use of isolated rural property prompts County Council to act on review of development in isolated areas

September 22, 2014

Summary

Adoption of moratorium to allow review of potential impacts of development on isolated industrial parcels

Story

The Metropolitan King County Council today gave its approval to legislation that would call for a review of the impact that new construction on isolated industrial parcels could have on rural residential communities within unincorporated King County. Along with the review would come a one-year moratorium on accepting applications for new development on isolated industrial zoned parcels.

The call for the review stems from the potential industrial development of property near the cities of Maple Valley and Covington in unincorporated rural King County. While the parcel is zoned for industrial use, residents have raised concerns about the potential impact construction on the parcel would have on their neighborhood since the infrastructure around the facility has not been developed for industrial use.

“As their ‘local government,’ the Council must act to protect the unincorporated communities we represent,” said Councilmember Reagan Dunn, prime sponsor of the ordinance. “We look forward working with the Executive to study this issue more closely.”

The adopted ordinance would not apply to:

• Parcels located in the Urban Growth Boundary, or directly adjacent to it,
• Parcels located in a Rural Town,
• Parcels along the historic industrial area located along SR-169 as identified in the King County Comprehensive Plan,
• And parcels with direct access from arterials or freeways.

The legislation calls for a one-year moratorium on accepting applications for new development in isolated industrial zone parcels and directs the King County Executive to review:

• Where all of the isolated parcels of industrial land are in the county,
• What they're currently being used for,
• What sort of roadway access they have,
• What the potential impacts to the surrounding area might be if these industrial parcels were to be further developed today,
• And code and/or zoning changes that would address the impacts of potential development of these parcels.