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KENT WASHINGTON SPECIAL PLANNING COMMITTEE
December 11, 2000
This is to inform you that the City Council Planning Committee will hold a special
meeting in Council Chambers East, Kent City Hall, 220 4"' Ave. S., at 4:00 PM on
Monday, December 11, 2000.
Committee Members: Tom Brotherton, Chair Judy Woods Tim Clark
Action Speaker Time
1. Approval of Minutes of November 6, 2000 YES
2. Accessory Structure Regulations NO Kim Marousek 30 min
Mike Evans
Larry Webb
Bob Hutchinson
3. Agricultural Lands Policy YES Fred Satterstrom 30 min
The Planning Committee meets the first Monday of each month at 4:00 PM in Chambers
East, Kent City Hall, 220 4`h Ave. South, unless otherwise noted. For agenda
information please call Jackie Bicknell at (253) 856-5712.
ANY PERSON REQUIRING A DISABILITY ACCOMMODATION SHOULD CONTACT THE
CITY CLERK'S OFFICE AT(253) 856-5725 IN ADVANCE. FOR TDD RELAY SERVICE CALL
THE WASHINGTON TELECOMMUNICATIONS RELAY SERVICE AT 1-800-833-6388.
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KENT
WAS HI NGTON
MEMORANDUM
COMMUNITY December 11, 2000
DEVELOPMENT
Fred N. Satterstrom,AICP MEMO TO: CHAIR TOM BROTHERTON AND
Director PLANNING COMMIT-IEEMEMBERS
PLANNING SERVICES FROM: FRED N. SATTERSTROM, AICP,PLANNING MANAGER
Chadene Anderson,AICP
Manager SUBJECT: AGRICULTURAL LANDS IN KENT
Mailing Address MEETING OF DECEMBER 12,2000
220 Fourth Ave.S.
Kent,WA 98032-5895
Location Address: Per the Planning Committee's direction at their November 6, 2000
400 West Gowe meeting,attached are maps overlaying sensitive areas, Agricultural Production
Kent,WA 98032 District and Farmland Preservation areas onto the lands zoned for agriculture in the
Phone:253-856-5454 City of Kent. Much of the land in King County's Agricultural Production District
Fax;253-856-6464 south of the Green River has been purchased through the Farmland Preservation
program. There also are a couple of Farmland Preservation parcels west of the
Green River. Further, in the agricultural zoning district are parcels used for or
potentially the sites of City of Kent parks. Staff will point out those parcels to the
Planning Committee at the meeting.
. HISTORY
As stated at the last meeting, the 1995 City of Kent Comprehensive Plan
designates as agricultural "land reserved for agricultural resource uses. Single-
family residential uses may also be allowed, but at very low densities." Under the
Natural Resources Goals and Policies section of the Land Use Element is stated,
"Historically, the commercial agricultural lands in the valley have added to the
City's economic support. Protection and enhancement of these natural resources is
vital to maintaining a sustainable community." This section also contains the
following goal and policies:
Goal LU-27 Ensure the conservation and enhancement of productive
agricultural land via regulation, acquisition, or other methods.
Policy LU-27.1 Designate long-term, commercial-agricultural use districts
which shall not be considered for urban development.
Policy L U-2 7.2 Discourage incompatible land uses adjacent to agricultural
lands.
Policy L U-2 7.3 Mitigate development in order to minimize impacts on viable
agricultural lands.
Policy LU-27.4 Coordinate with King County to provide for purchasing or
transferring the development rights of agricultural land
identified as having long-term commercial significance.
There are a couple of terms in the above goal and policies that have generated
some recent discussion. They are "productive" as in productive agricultural land,
and "viable" as in viable agricultural lands. Webster's New World Dictionmy of
the American Language, Second College Edition defines "productive" as
"producing abundantly; fertile" and "Econ. Of or engaged in the creating of
Brian Ludford
Page 2
December 11, 2000
• economic value, or the producing of goods and services." "Viable" is defined as
"able to take root and grow" and "workable and likely to survive or to have real
meaning, pertinence, etc." These terms would be considered and/or evaluated in
any study of agricultural lands.
The City of Kent has four agricultural zoning districts: 1) A-1 Agricultural, 2) AG
Agricultural General, 3) SR-1 Residential Agricultural, and 4) MA Industrial
Agricultural. There is productive farmland located in the A-1 and AG zoning
districts in Kent. There also are City of Kent parks and golf courses located in
agricultural zoning districts. Mini farms are located in the SR-1 zoning district
throughout the City. For the most part, land in the MA zoning district is developed
as park land and the Green River Natural Resources Enhancement Area.
OPTIONS
Sewer and water service extensions to the land west of the Green River and the
Kentview PUD have placed land use pressure to develop the agricultural lands.
Yet, the City is proud of its historical protection and preservation of these same
areas. There are numerous options that the Planning Committee may consider
regarding agricultural lands.
1. Staff work program to analyze all Agricultural lands in Kent. This
includes potential Comprehensive Plan and Zoning text and map
• amendments. The analysis will include properties zoned A-1, AG, MA,
and SR-1.
2. Staff work program to analyze Agricultural lands located in specific areas,
i.e., west of the Green River, south of the Green River, east of the Green
River, include or not include properties zoned MA and SR-1.
3. No action. Keep agricultural goals and policies, Comprehensive Plan and
Zoning text and map designations as they currently exist.
4. Staff work program to consider overall resource/protected areas in Kent,
including urban separators, sensitive areas, agricultural lands, park lands,
open space corridors.
5. Other limited scope work program regarding agricultural lands.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends Option No. 2, keeping the analysis of agricultural lands
confined to only the A-1 and AG zoning districts.
FNS:CA\cb\S:\Permit\Plan\agripolicyb.doc
cc: Brent McFall, Chief Administrative Officer
Charlene Anderson, Senior Planner
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