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<br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Page 108 <br />RR-P130: The County should develop incentives for farming and ranching to continue as significant land <br />uses, for example, innovative cluster platting, transfer of development rights, and planned unit <br />developments, and agricultural commercial binding site plan for agriculture-supporting uses. <br />RR-P131: The County should work with landowners to ensure waters in naturally occurring ponds and <br />springs (with no surface connection to a stream) are retained for stock water uses when they are on or <br />adjacent to lands used as pasture or range for livestock. <br />RR-P132: Where appropriate, Kittitas County will exert its influence to help provide the delivery of water to <br />all lands within the County. <br />RR-P133: Encourage all development to incorporate drought tolerant or native vegetation as a major <br />component of their landscaping plan (i.e. xeriscaping) <br />RR-P134: To the extent possible the Board of County Commissioners shall promote processing facilities for <br />the products produced upon those lands designated as Commercial Agricultural under this Chapter and <br />WAC 365.190.050 (6). <br />RR-P135: All plats, short plats, development permits, and building permits issued for development activities <br />on, or within five hundred feet of, lands designated as agricultural lands, forest lands, or mineral resource <br />lands, shall contain a notice that states that: “The subject property is within or near designated agricultural <br />lands, forest lands, or mineral resource lands on which a variety of commercial activities and mineral <br />operations may occur that are not compatible with residential development for certain periods of limited <br />duration. Commercial natural resource activities and/or mineral operations performed in accordance with <br />County, State and federal laws are not subject to legal action as public nuisances.” (RCW 7.48.305) <br /> Commercial Forest Land Use <br />Commercial forestland, approximately 800,380 acres, claims approximately half of the Kittitas County land <br />area. A checkerboard pattern of private, State, and federal land ownerships characterizes the County forests. <br />The primary land use activities in commercial forest areas are commercial forest management, forest <br />recreation, agriculture, mineral extraction, sand and gravel operations and those uses that maintain and/or <br />enhance the long-term management of designated commercial forest lands. <br />Traditionally forestlands in the County contributed regional economic value by providing employment and <br />income from resource management, which includes: harvesting, fishing, hunting, mining, grazing and <br />recreation. Even though revenue has diminished from forest products, it is recognized that forestlands <br />provide other public benefits and values such as: watersheds, wildlife and fish habitat. It is recognized that <br />the designation “Commercial Forest Lands” has been used to encompass all forested lands that do provide a <br />variety of public benefits including non-productive and high elevation lands within ownerships. <br />It is clear that the Legislature intended that counties planning under the GMA should consider land <br />characteristics and economic factors when designating commercial forest lands. As stated by the <br />Washington Supreme Court, “the GMA is not intended to trap anyone in economic failure.” Lewis County v. <br />Western Washington Growth Management Hearings Board, 157 Wash.2d 488, 505 (2006).