Commissioners give special status to the Methow Valley, plan on more restrictive zoning for private owners
Coalition for Property Rights of Okanogan County
Posted 6/17/2010
Methow Valley, WA - During the latest Comp Plan work session, Commissioner Bud Hover defended giving special treatment to the Methow and defended restrictive zoning requirements, saying without them "it's going to turn into a bunch of crap." In stark contrast, several county citizens living in the affected area voiced their strong opposition at the work session to such restrictive zoning expansion, noting among other problems, it would make it more difficult to bequeath land to their children. Excerpts from the Methow Valley News coverage of this revealing work session is below:
"The recommendations came at the Okanogan County commissioners’ comprehensive plan study session devoted to the Methow Valley on Tuesday (June 15), which drew about 40 people over the Loup to listen and ask questions....When commissioner Mary Lou Peterson wondered whether the county should be treated philosophically as one entity with geographic, economic and socially distinct areas, Hover defended the separate treatment of the Methow because it had served the area well by preserving open space and agriculture....The more restrictive planning in the Methow has proven beneficial, said Hover. “People recognize that if we don’t put things in place to create something decent, it’s going to turn into a bunch of crap,” he said.
Several members of the audience, most of whom identified themselves as Gold Creek residents, stated their strong objection to the extension of the Methow sub-area to Black Canyon, largely because it would raise their minimum zoning from one acre to five or even 20, restricting their ability to subdivide their land or bequeath it to their children" (emphasis added).
Read the full article "Commissioners recommend special status for the Methow." here.
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(Editor's note: Okanogan's Methow Valley and the Sequim-Dungeness Valley were the two "models" when watershed planning began.)
According to their website, CPR is a completely volunteer organization and is comprised of families that have lived in Okanogan County for generations and have put blood, sweat and tears into caring for their land and protecting their property from development and government bureaucrats who think they can just take, take, take.
The CPR not only includes these generational families but is also made up of farmers, ranchers, environmentalists, business men and women, orchardists, individual property owners, doctors, nurses, school teachers, renters and numerous other citizens all of whom would rather keep their land instead of subdividing the property, except as a last resort.