<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">More on the Alert!<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>County confines farmers to small houses!<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></B></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><o:p> </o:p></B></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><o:p> </o:p></B></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in"><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">What:<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Agricultural Commission public comment meeting<o:p></o:p></B></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in"><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">When:<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>This
Thursday, June 14, at </B><?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:time Minute="0" Hour="16"><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">4:00 p.m.</B></st1:time><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><o:p></o:p></B></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </SPAN>Where:<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Issaquah fish hatchery, meeting room south of hatchery building<o:p></o:p></B></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Thanks to Jeff for alerting the CAPR distribution to this crucial meeting.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>As an Ag Commissioner and CAPR member, it is not appropriate for me to speak on behalf of the Commission.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>But as a <st1:place><st1:PlaceName>King</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType>County</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> citizen and farmer, I will share these thoughts with you.</div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">This is a must-attend meeting, to have your voice heard.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>You can make a difference!</div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">The proposed Farmland Preservation Program covenants restrict our farm home sizes to about 1,950 square feet (the current median size on Ag lands).<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Thus 50% of farmers could not build their desired home size.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>This is not about preventing Microsoft managers from building 20,000 square-foot mansions.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>It is about the right of a hard working farmer and family to build a home!</div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Have no doubt, if this restriction passes, the next step in the County Council will be to further downzone our farm areas, restricting home sizes without any compensation whatever.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>This is an attempt to make a farmer’s home look like what they think it should.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>It discriminates against one specific group of people – farmers.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>It tries to control the farmer’s lifestyle, and drastically decreases the resale value of his/her property.</div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Where will it end?<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>When real
farmers are driven out of <st1:place><st1:PlaceName>King</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType>County</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>, and replaced with people having no interest in farming, looking for subsidized low-cost housing with a pleasant rural view?</div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">The stated mission of the Ag Commission is to advise the Council on matters relating to <st1:place><st1:PlaceName>King</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType>County</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> agriculture.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Several Commissioners have raised concerns about the home size restriction condition.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>But those concerns have been ignored by county employees, and we Commissioners are now apparently being asked to “ratify” these covenants on Thursday with no ability to make changes.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The
county government is not serving the people.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>This is a power play, and it is wrong!</div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">You might want to ask the county staff, Council and Executive if they are willing to confine their working space to the median office size in <st1:place><st1:PlaceName>King</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType>County</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Or perhaps restrict their salaries to the median value in the county.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>This would be a help in making county government, and our taxes, more “affordable”!</div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Whatever your viewpoint, I ask that you attend this public meeting, observe, and make your opinions known.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Later will be too late to preserve your freedom, way of life, and property values!</div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">And I would be happy to talk more with you about details and other Ag issues.</div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 6"> </SPAN>Bob Vos</div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in
0pt"><SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 6"> </SPAN>Ag Commissioner</div> <div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="mso-tab-count:
6"> </SPAN>360.825.6660</div></DIV><p> 
<hr size=1>Don't pick lemons.<br>
See all the <a href="http://autos.yahoo.com/new_cars.html;_ylc=X3oDMTE0OGRsc3F2BF9TAzk3MTA3MDc2BHNlYwNtYWlsdGFncwRzbGsDbmV3Y2Fycw--">new 2007 cars</a> at <a href="http://autos.yahoo.com/new_cars.html;_ylc=X3oDMTE0OGRsc3F2BF9TAzk3MTA3MDc2BHNlYwNtYWlsdGFncwRzbGsDbmV3Y2Fycw--">Yahoo! Autos.</a>