Initial results are back from Snohomish County’s growth management survey, and the public policy questionnaire shows most residents feel strongly about shutting down development on farm and forest lands.
A clear majority, 62 percent, also said the county should have tougher design rules for development in urban growth areas.
Historically, builders have opposed stringent design standards for their projects, saying that increased regulations drive up the cost of building homes. Even so, the survey shows that most residents think all development – including sidewalks and schools, homes and businesses – should have such rules.
The survey results weren’t completely one-sided, however.
Most residents, 59 percent, said they support the idea of allowing built-from-scratch towns called fully-contained communities.
Such developments have been controversial in other parts of the state, largely because they are built in rural areas where roads and other infrastructure is lacking.
Still, 82 percent of those who took the survey said they’d like the county to reduce the number of homes that can be built on farms and timberland.
Survey results show a split verdict on taxes.
A majority said they’d support higher taxes to buy and build parks. It was a closer call on whether taxes and fees should be raised to improved roads; 47 percent said no, while 48 percent said yes.
About 5 percent of the surveys, approximately 3,000 of them, were mailed back.
Interesting note: 83 percent of the people who filled out the questionnaires have lived in the county for more than 10 years. And more than half of those who responded – 53 percent – live outside cities.
Public paychecks: The group that reviews salaries for elected county officials will begin meeting this week. The committee will eventually make recommendations for pay changes. The group’s meetings are open to the public, and the first will be held today Future meetings will be June 10, June 24, July 8, July 15, July 22 and July 29.
All meetings begin at 2 p.m. in Conference Room 2 in the old county administration building.
Claims of the week: The county has been hit with two claims within a week – both from car crashes involving sheriff department vehicles – that total more than $800,000.
An Everett woman wants $500,000 because she broke her back and had other injuries after a sheriff deputy’s car T-boned her vehicle on 128th Street SW in March. And a Seattle man wants $304,893 because he was hurt when a sheriff’s department vehicle collided with his car on U.S. 2 in July 2002.
Next week: Two public hearings on the comprehensive plan, the county’s guide for growth for the next two decades, are coming up. The comprehensive plan details how and where the county will grow, and includes policies for protecting the environment and stopping the spread of urban sprawl into rural lands.
How you can get involved: The hearings will be from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Monroe High School June 1 and at Gold Creek Community Church in Mill Creek June 2.
Reporter Brian Kelly covers county government for the Herald. He can be reached at 425-339-3422; kelly@heraldnet.com.
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