KING COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBERS IGNORING LAWS THAT REQUIRE
PROPER PUBLIC PROCESS.
On April 4th 2024, King County Council members Teresa Mosqueda, Sarah Perry, Girmay Zahilay, and Reagan Dunn held a public meeting on Vashon to discuss the once-a-decade Comprehensive Plan update process. Two islanders who asked about the proposed Thunderbird project were told that the subject was not up for discussion as it was not part of the comp plan consideration. They were gaslighted. It is, and it is the target of this zoning change.
On May 14, 2024, an amendment for the new zoning was released affecting all unincorporated parts of King County (including Vashon). ANY residential property or lot zoned like an apartment building on Vashon can be turned into a drug rehab or psychiatric hospital.
Land use attorneys, hired by concerned islanders, asked the King County Committee to hold off on their vote about changing zoning until there was proper public process as required by the Growth Management Act, which mandates “early and continuous public participation” and requires the county to "provide 30-days notice of public hearings on amendments."The proposed new zoning was released on May 14, ONE DAY before the final public meetings May 15th and 16th. The public had 1 day to review 700 pages and provide comments. ONE DAY.
On June 5, 2024, all council members - except Reagan Dunn - disregarded The Growth Management Act and pushed the zoning change forward anyway.
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