Islanders will have a chance to comment on the first draft of the entire Community Service Area Plan at an open house meeting next week.
The plan, slightly more a year in the making, is intended to guide development on Vashon for the next 20 years. It includes several chapters focused on a variety of issues, from land use and the environment to transportation and natural resource lands, all focused on Vashon and Maury Islands. The most discussed — and contested — issues that arose in the planning process were related to affordable housing, and the most recent written comments the county has received will be reflected in the draft of the plan presented on April 18.
Bradley Clark, a planner with King County who led the process, said the meeting will provide an opportunity for people to comment on elements that affect the whole island — not just concerning housing in the town core.
“We are hoping to get more comments about topics and areas outside of the rural town,” he said.
A preview of the plan’s outline shows that in each of the chapters, a variety of detailed topics will be included, such as agriculture and forestry policies, climate change and sea level rise, and island poverty and workforce development. Additional information will be featured as well, including island demographics and a summary of the public outreach process.
The meeting, an open house format, will include poster boards at stations around the room, each pertaining to a different topic, Clark said. Maps and graphs will also be posted, and laptops will be available for writing comments. Feedback received that evening will be included in the final version of the plan, which will be posted online May 15 and go to the King County Council June 15.
Written comments received about the final draft posted on May 15 will be sent to the council with the final draft of the plan, Clark said. Dates have not yet been set for a council hearing on the plan and subsequent decision on it. Once the council has adopted the plan, it will become part of King County’s Comprehensive Plan, which guides land use and planning throughout the county.
— Susan Riemer
