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<br />Marian Meadows Rezone and Subdivision Final Environmental Impact Statement 3-21 <br />Responses to questionnaires distributed <br />during the creation of the Upper Kittitas <br />County Vision Plan included consistent <br />statements reflecting the features of the <br />area valued by respondents including: <br /> Wildlife and amenities related to the <br />natural environment; <br /> Rural atmosphere; and <br /> Recreation. <br /> <br />What is an Urban Growth Area? <br />Pursuant to RCW 36.70A.110, “Each <br />county …shall designate an urban <br />growth area or areas within which <br />urban growth shall be encouraged <br />and outside of which growth can <br />occur only if it is not urban in <br />nature. Each city that is located in <br />such a county shall be included <br />within an urban growth area. An <br />urban growth area may include more <br />than a single city. An urban growth <br />area may include territory that is <br />located outside of a city only if such <br />territory already is characterized by <br />urban growth. <br />The Growth Management Hearing Boards have issued a variety of opinions that address rural areas, <br />including lot sizes and allowed uses, consistent with the definition of rural lands. Generally, to be found <br />valid, land uses must meet the following criteria (EWGMB 2008): <br /> Rural lands do not allow development characteristics of “urban growth,” including lot sizes that <br />result in intensive use of land that is not compatible with a rural character and that require urban <br />levels of service. Rural character has often been related to lot sizes of 5 acres or greater. However, <br />this is not a “bright-line” rule, and flexibility for smaller lot size is allowed. <br /> Rural areas must encourage the conservation of productive forest lands and agricultural lands, and <br />discourage incompatible uses through lot sizes that allow at least some agriculture or forest use, as <br />well as not introducing land use that will be incompatible with adjacent resource use. <br /> Rural lands must further open space and recreation goals, <br />conserve fish and wildlife habitat, increase access to natural <br />resource lands and water, and develop parks and recreation <br />facilities that avoid intense urban development and <br />fragmenting of wildlife habitat. <br /> Rural lands must include densities and allowed uses that <br />protect the environment, particularly water quality, through <br />avoiding a concentration of septic systems and <br />individual wells. <br />An important resource in identifying the values that current residents of the community associate with <br />rural character can be found in the results of public input both at public meetings and from survey results <br />from the Upper Kittitas County Vision Plan, developed by the Kittitas County Conference of <br />Governments in 2004 and 2005. <br />The features listed as most important in light of future <br />development included: <br /> Safeguarding wildlife areas and corridors; <br /> Protecting the area’s “dark skies” from sky glow/light <br />pollution; <br /> Preserving areas for forest resource activities; <br /> Preserving important view sheds; <br /> Preserving areas for agricultural activities, including small <br />acreage lifestyles and animal keeping; <br /> Preserving and expanding public trail recreation access to <br />areas with significant natural features; and