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

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Marian Meadows Rezone and Subdivision Final Environmental Impact Statement 3-137 recreational residents. The number of school buses required to transport that many students would range from about six to two. Student transportation is funded jointly by the state and local districts. The current transportation funding system was developed and incorporated in RCW 28A.160.150 through 28A.160.180. The statute defines specific transportation funding eligibility criteria for students, and prescribes a methodology based on the direct radius mile (“crow’s flight”) distance of each student’s assigned bus stop location to their destination school, the number of students transported, minimum load factors, and weighted distance factors. The allocation amount is ultimately based upon a per-student allocation rate, which is adjusted each year by the Legislature. The school district budgets about $50,000 for transportation of which the state pays about 70 percent. The district’s share of the transportation budget funded from the local operations levy is about 30 percent, although the local share also includes transportation for activities for student trips and athletic trips not funded by the state. School districts can collect local property tax levies for purchase of school buses. Such levies require a 60 percent approval rate. 4 What are the likely cumulative impacts on school facilities and services with development of nearby land at existing zoning or PUD densities? The potential cumulative impacts of development of nearby land in the vicinity were evaluated for the area north of I-90 served by Sparks Road. The state-owned land surrounding the Easton State Airport was excluded from redevelopment scenarios. The area covered totals about 1.5 square miles (excluding the airport). Cumulative projections include both development of land at existing rural zoning densities and at densities allowed by PUD approval. The methodology for calculating future cumulative development is discussed in Section 3.1, Land Use. The methodology for school student population is discussed above. Potential student populations are indicated in Table 3-21. If development reflecting PUD density were applied to the area as a whole, additional student enrollment would vary from around 850 at the high end to around 153 at the low end. At the upper end of the range, this would be equivalent to current student enrollment in the Cle Elum School District. With buildout of the project vicinity at rural density with 3- acre lots, the district would have about three-quarters the number of students as the Cle Elum School District. In general, the impacts on instruction, facilities, and transportation discussed above for the project would occur at a magnitude three times greater. The same need for local school levies to support instruction, facilities, and transportation would be required but at a greater level.