PD-17-00001 Marian Meadows Full Record with Index (2)

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Marian Meadows Rezone and Subdivision Final Environmental Impact Statement 3-26 More than half of Easton’s workforce worked outside the county. This compares with 17 percent for residents of Cle Elum, 15 miles away. Out-of-county workplaces were likely to be located in King County, because the destination was readily accessible to the area via I- 90. Locations could range from Snoqualmie Pass, located 15 miles away, to the greater Seattle urban area, located approximately 60 miles away. Kittitas County’s strongest employment sector is the government, which provides nearly 40 percent of all non-farm jobs. The major government employers are Central Washington State University in Ellensburg, state government offices, county government offices, and school districts. Recent growth in employment has been primarily in the services sector. The largest sector is health care, which includes employment in hospitals, the offices of physicians and dentists, and nursing homes, etc. The amusement and recreation services sector is the next largest, with social services third. Average wages in the service sector are relatively low (Mesick 2002). The choice of housing location depends on a number of factors that are weighed by individuals. For persons in the workforce, primary considerations include:  Cost in relation to their income.  Family space needs, which vary by household size.  Distance to workplace and cost of commuting (which are affected by a variety of personal choices as well as cost and income).  Personal or cultural factors such as proximity to family and social groups (ethnic, religious, or other groups one may identify with).  Factors relating to public services such as the character of local schools and the availability of parks and recreation facilities.  Amenities one may value that relate to the character of the area, such as the size of lots, open space, vegetation diversity, proximity to recreation facilities, and other factors. All of these criteria may play a part in the individual choice of location of residence. It is very difficult to predict the factors that may weigh on an individual and even more difficult to predict the factors that will lead to a choice of specific development and residence. Several characteristics of the Easton workforce from the 2000 census provide some insight on this sector of the community:  The median family income was 82 percent of the state average, as compared to 71 percent for Kittitas County as a whole.  The percentage of the workforce in management and professional sectors was less than the state or county average.  The percentage of the workforce in resource-related jobs was more than twice the county average and over four times the state average, but only approximately 10 percent of the area workforce.