Summary

King County Council Vice Chair Reagan Dunn on Tuesday introduced legislation requesting a full review of industrial uses and lands in rural areas to be used in King County’s next Comprehensive Plan Update in 2024.

Story

King County Council Vice Chair Reagan Dunn on Tuesday introduced legislation requesting a full review of industrial uses and lands in rural areas to be used in King County’s next Comprehensive Plan Update in 2024. The study would inform the scope of work for the Comprehensive Plan Update, which the Council will adopt in September 2022. 

“Multiple recent industrial permit applications have made it clear that we need to thoroughly evaluate industrial zoning in rural areas in order to make sure we are preserving our rural neighborhoods and protecting our environment,” Dunn said. “The Comprehensive Plan is a key opportunity for the Council to take a step back and re-evaluate our land use policies given the massive growth of our region in the past 10 years.”

In the 2020 midpoint point update for the Comprehensive Plan, the County reviewed policies and regulations related to industrial uses in rural areas, but ultimately, no changes were adopted as they were more extensive than allowed as part of the limited scope midpoint update.

If approved by Council, the evaluation would examine industrial land use classifications, zoning designations and related policies, and permitted uses and development regulations. If the study finds conflicts between industrial uses and Comprehensive Plan policy or other regulations, it will include proposed amendments to mitigate or eliminate the conflicts.

The study would be due to the King County Council by March 1, 2022.