"SmartGrowth," Ron Sims' attempt to keep Seattle the main political force in the Puget Sound region by denying development of more suburbs becomes even more ambitious. When are we going to start COMPENSATING these people for depriving them of THEIR property rights?

Proposed downzones anger landowners 'Moms and pops' protest county executive's growth plan

David Quigg;

South King County

SIDEBAR: King County will be host to a public meeting (A5)

It's the same old devil-in-the-details story: There wasn't much fuss over King County Executive Ron Sims' latest plan to slow rural growth until recently, when it got down to specifics.

Specific downzoned lots. Specific angry property owners - some, the very people Sims set out to spare.

"We'll be targeting large landowners in this case, so we won't have the moms and pops to fight with," Sims said in October when he unveiled his draft update of the county's growth management plan.

But, "We had a roomful of moms and pops last night," said Karen Wolf, a senior policy analyst for Sims, referring to a Monday public comment session on the plan. "It really affected me. That wasn't our intention."

The next public forum is Thursday night in Black Diamond. Based on input at these sessions, Wolf said she and others will make sure there isn't a more painless way to achieve Sims' basic goal.

"I think we all have the same goals," she said. "And that's why the policy meetings went so well. The rural residents want to keep rural areas rural."

The question, though, is whether they want to see any changes on their own property.

Elizabeth Ljungdahl most certainly does not. A property owner in the unincorporated Cumberland area east of Black Diamond, her development rights would be reduced on four properties:

* Three small lots now allow construction of one dwelling unit per five acres. Sims' plan would reduce that to one per 20.

* Her 34-acre lot would switch from one home per 10 acres to one per 20 acres.

Ljungdahl fears these and other regulations would "render the property totally useless."

"This is a lot more insidious than people have any idea," she said.

She hopes neighbors will turn out and speak their minds Thursday. She believes county officials think they can pick on her area.

"They're not hitting Issaquah and Bellevue and some of those big guys that would really put the boots to them," she said.

In addition to Ljungdahl's area, Sims' plan calls for downzoning in Vashon Island, Newcastle and the Snoqualmie Valley.

The goal is to stop sprawl by discouraging rural development and encouraging more efficient use of urban areas.

The public comment period ends Jan. 21. On March 1, Sims will forward an updated proposal to the County Council for consideration.

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* Staff writer David Quigg covers King County government. Reach him at 206-467-9845 or david.quigg@mail.tribnet.com. http://www.tribnet.com/

-- (zowie@hotmail.com), January 12, 2000