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<body>FYI: I posted a copy of this to SoundPolitics.com on the public blog. I'll be calling our local radio hosts and perhaps sharing with them as well. <BR>
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I may have got my butt kicked on the CAO's but this really hacks me off. This will completely murder the resale of your property. <BR>
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MSRedneck-AKA Andy<BR>
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PS: An MS manager that does live on a working farm with an under median home size. Does anyone have the original copy from Jeff that you could forward to me?<BR><BR><BR>Thanks, <BR>
Andy<BR><BR>
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Date: Mon, 11 Jun 2007 05:19:20 -0700<BR>From: ramvos@yahoo.com<BR>To: capr-announce@lists.celestial.com<BR>Subject: [Capr-announce] Meeting on 1, 950 square feet farm home size restriction<BR><BR>
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<DIV class=EC_MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center><B>More on the Alert!<SPAN> </SPAN>County confines farmers to small houses!</B></DIV>
<DIV class=EC_MsoNormal><B> </B></DIV>
<DIV class=EC_MsoNormal><B> </B></DIV>
<DIV class=EC_MsoNormal><B>What:<SPAN> </SPAN>Agricultural Commission public comment meeting</B></DIV>
<DIV class=EC_MsoNormal><B>When:<SPAN> </SPAN>This Thursday, June 14, at </B><B>4:00 p.m.</B><B></B></DIV>
<DIV class=EC_MsoNormal><B><SPAN> </SPAN>Where:<SPAN> </SPAN>Issaquah fish hatchery, meeting room south of hatchery building</B></DIV>
<DIV class=EC_MsoNormal> </DIV>
<DIV class=EC_MsoNormal>Thanks to Jeff for alerting the CAPR distribution to this crucial meeting.<SPAN> </SPAN>As an Ag Commissioner and CAPR member, it is not appropriate for me to speak on behalf of the Commission.<SPAN> </SPAN>But as a King County citizen and farmer, I will share these thoughts with you.</DIV>
<DIV class=EC_MsoNormal> </DIV>
<DIV class=EC_MsoNormal>This is a must-attend meeting, to have your voice heard.<SPAN> </SPAN>You can make a difference!</DIV>
<DIV class=EC_MsoNormal> </DIV>
<DIV class=EC_MsoNormal>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> </SPAN>Thus 50% of farmers could not build their desired home size.<SPAN> </SPAN>This is not about preventing Microsoft managers from building 20,000 square-foot mansions.<SPAN> </SPAN>It is about the right of a hard working farmer and family to build a home!</DIV>
<DIV class=EC_MsoNormal> </DIV>
<DIV class=EC_MsoNormal>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> </SPAN>This is an attempt to make a farmer’s home look like what they think it should.<SPAN> </SPAN>It discriminates against one specific group of people – farmers.<SPAN> </SPAN>It tries to control the farmer’s lifestyle, and drastically decreases the resale value of his/her property.</DIV>
<DIV class=EC_MsoNormal> </DIV>
<DIV class=EC_MsoNormal>Where will it end?<SPAN> </SPAN>When real farmers are driven out of King County, and replaced with people having no interest in farming, looking for subsidized low-cost housing with a pleasant rural view?</DIV>
<DIV class=EC_MsoNormal> </DIV>
<DIV class=EC_MsoNormal>The stated mission of the Ag Commission is to advise the Council on matters relating to King County agriculture.<SPAN> </SPAN>Several Commissioners have raised concerns about the home size restriction condition.<SPAN> </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> </SPAN>The county government is not serving the people.<SPAN> </SPAN>This is a power play, and it is wrong!</DIV>
<DIV class=EC_MsoNormal> </DIV>
<DIV class=EC_MsoNormal>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 King County.<SPAN> </SPAN>Or perhaps restrict their salaries to the median value in the county.<SPAN> </SPAN>This would be a help in making county government, and our taxes, more “affordable”!</DIV>
<DIV class=EC_MsoNormal> </DIV>
<DIV class=EC_MsoNormal>Whatever your viewpoint, I ask that you attend this public meeting, observe, and make your opinions known.<SPAN> </SPAN>Later will be too late to preserve your freedom, way of life, and property values!</DIV>
<DIV class=EC_MsoNormal> </DIV>
<DIV class=EC_MsoNormal>And I would be happy to talk more with you about details and other Ag issues.</DIV>
<DIV class=EC_MsoNormal> </DIV>
<DIV class=EC_MsoNormal><SPAN> </SPAN>Bob Vos</DIV>
<DIV class=EC_MsoNormal><SPAN> </SPAN>Ag Commissioner</DIV>
<DIV class=EC_MsoNormal><SPAN> </SPAN>360.825.6660</DIV></DIV>
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