From: John R. Venrick <jacksranch@qwest.net>
To: Steve Hammond KingCtyCouncilman <steve.hammond@metrokc.gov>,David Irons KingCtyCouncilman <David.Irons@METROKC.GOV>,Lambert, Kathy <Kathy.Lambert@METROKC.GOV>
Subject: NO Critical Areas Ordinance NO 65-10 There Are Friendlier Alternatives
Date: 07/07/2004 1:30:43 PM
Attachment N1: RE_ NO Critical Areas Ordinance NO 65-10 FOXNews_com - Politics - Private Property May Become Preserved e.eml
Attachment N2: RE_ NO Critical Areas Ordinance NO 65-10 FOXNews_com - Politics - Private Property May Become Preserved e.eml
Dear Council Member Lambert, Hammond and Irons:
Thank you very much for your reply.
I have placed my 10 acres into the King County Open Space in 2002. I found this process to be much more appropriate and painless for preserving and protecting the natural habitat. The main incentive for me was to lower my burdensome and ever increasing property taxes. I retired in 2000 and am on a fixed income. The Public Benefit Rating System method used by King County Department of Natural Resources was very effective in classifying property on a point system (max. 52 points) which results in a pro rata property tax reduction. The property owner agrees to set aside an area of his property for farm use and stewardship in return for property tax reduction.
This process is fair and balanced and voluntary unlike the Critical Areas Ordinance being pushed by Ron Sims and the "1000 Friends of Washington" environmental group. This has been very successful for King County of motivating people to come half way. I suggest this program be expanded and offered as a more voluntary and friendly process of controlling county sprawl than CAO.
The right to own property is a basic freedom in the United States. The Bill of Rights declares no private property shall be taken for public use without just compensation. See https://www.archives.gov/national_archives_experience/charters/bill_of_rights_transcript.html Ron Sims CAO is all about taking for his extreme environmental associations without compensation. It is clearly against the Constitution and the Bill of Rights Amendment V.
I just stumbled across this site; Property Rights Foundation of America, Inc. https://www.prfamerica.org/
They are tracking a nation wide state by state effort of government and environmental agencies to take over and control private property. It appears by their information there is a national squeeze on private property owners! They base their core finding on the State of New York. Why am I not surprised? Here is the members of their Board. Basically New York business people. https://www.prfamerica.org/BoardMembers.html
Here are some very noteworthy links to their site.
1. Positions on Property..........https://www.prfamerica.org/PositionsIndex.html
2. Two Constitutions................. https://www.prfamerica.org/TwoConstitutions.html
3. This site recommended reading list:
Undue Influence?Wealthy Foundations, Grant-Driven Environmental Groups, and Zealous Bureaucrats That Control Your Future, (Free Enterprise Press, Bellevue, Washington, 1999) (This book exposes how the giant foundations work together and set the aggressive agendas of the environmental groups to close down rural America. His influential earlier book, EcoTerror, exposed the terrorism of the radical environmental groups.)
Thank you for your time to stop the Critical Areas Ordinance!
----- Original Message -----
From: Lambert, Kathy
Cc: Aguilar, Olivia
Sent: Wednesday, July 07, 2004 9:17 AM
Subject: RE: NO Critical Areas Ordinance NO 65-10 FOXNews.com - Politics - Private Property May Become Preserved e
Dear Mr. Venrick,
Thank you for taking the time to communicate with me concerning the proposed legislation from Ron Sims which would severely and unreasonably limit the use of your property.
As you know, I am opposed to the legislation because it is not based on sound science and it is unfair to the residents in the rural areas. Furthermore, there is no reason to rush this legislation so I am calling for a stop to this politically motivated and poorly crafted program.
Time is of the essence as the Chair of the Growth Management and Unincorporated Areas Committee tells me he intends for a vote to be taken on this issue at the end of July.
Please know that I am doing all that I can to serve you well, and to protect both you and your property rights. I greatly appreciate your personal communication to me as well as to the Committee Chair Dow Constantine. I hope that you will continue to keep me informed about your feelings on this or any other matters.
Sincerely,
Kathy Lambert
-----Original Message-----
From: John R. Venrick [mailto:jacksranch@qwest.net]
Sent: Monday, July 05, 2004 12:43 AM
To: Jan WAStateRepShibro; Dan WAStateRepRoach; Sims, Ron; Edmonds, Carolyn; Ferguson, Bob; Lambert, Kathy; Phillips, Larry; Pelz, Dwight; McKenna, Rob; von Reichbauer, Pete; Constantine, Dow; Hammond, Steve; Gossett, Larry; Hague, Jane; Irons, David; Patterson, Julia
Cc: KVI KVI; John Carlson KVI; Bill O'Reilly; info@proprights.org
Subject: NO Critical Areas Ordinance NO 65-10 FOXNews.com - Politics - Private Property May Become Preserved e
Dear Ron Sims, Steve Hammond, Council Members and my WA Representatives:
The proposed ordinances commonly known as the CAO are extremely unfair to the property owners of rural King County. It is unconscionable to ask them alone to foot the bill for 150 years of environmental damage caused by the urbanization of King County. I agree with the testimony submitted by Citizens' Alliance for Property Rights and urge that you read it and act accordingly. There is no emergency that requires this legislation nor is it mandated by the Growth Management Act. King County already has the strongest restrictions on land use in the state. Rural property owners have already paid much more than their share through multiple down-zonings.
Just vote NO to CAO.
----- Original Message -----
From: John R. Venrick
Sent: Saturday, July 03, 2004 12:24 AM
Subject: FOXNews.com - Politics - Private Property May Become Preserved
King County Council and Ron Sims is receiving the dubious distinction on national news - see article below.
P/ease email this to other King County property owners you know.
My suggestion is to email AND fax or mail your comments to at least your King County Council Representative if not all of them including Ron Sims and your State District Legislators ASAP. Also include your favorite radio and TV stations.
Tim Trohimovich "1000 Friends of Washington" seems to be behind this proposal. He was interviewed on the radio and lives in a condo down town Seattle. This appears to be an anti sprawl environmental group trying to impose their views on those of us living in the country.
Here is some comments about them from a Public Policy Institute. https://www.urbanfutures.org/031802.html
King County Council Members
https://www.metrokc.gov/mkcc/members/members.htm
King County Council Executive Ron Sims
King County Courthouse
516 Third Avenue, Room 400
Seattle, WA 98104
Phone: (206) 296-4040
Fax: (206) 296-0194
TTY: 711
Office hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
WA State Legislature
https://www.leg.wa.gov/DistrictFinder/Default.aspx
https://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,124358,00.html
KING COUNTY, Wash. - Residents of King County, Wash., will only be able to build on 10 percent of their land, according to a new law being considered by the county government, which, if enacted, will be the most restrictive land use law in the nation.
Known as the 65-10 Rule (search), it calls for landowners to set aside 65 percent of their property and keep it in its natural, vegetative state. According to the rule, nothing can be built on this land, and if a tree is cut down, for example, it must be replanted. Building anything is out of the question.
Most of the residents who will be directly affected by the regulations - those who own property in the rural areas of the country - are fuming. They see the new regulations as a land grab and a violation of their property rights.
"My take is it's stealing - out and out stealing," said county resident Marshall Brenden. "They're taking 65 percent of your land that you fought for years to pay for, paid mortgages on and now you can't use it."
But supporters and environmentalists say personal property rights do not trump the rights of a larger community to save the eco-system (search).
"We're trying to keep the rural area a place that isn't just McMansions and ball courts, but instead has those natural processes," said Tim Trohimovich of the group 1000 Friends of Washington (search), which aims to promote healthy communities and cities while protecting farmland and forests.
Here's what the Seattle Times has to say:
https://seattletimes.nwsource.com/text/2001931464_tobynixon18.html