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Re: Comments on the Kittitas County 2026 Comprehensive Plan update <br />March 2, 2026 <br />Page 6 <br />Similarly, the U.S. Department of Agriculture regulations define farmlands of <br />statewide importance soils as: <br />Additional farmland of statewide importance. This is land, in addition <br />to prime and unique farmlands, that is of statewide importance for <br />the production of food, feed, fiber, forage, and oil seed crops. Criteria <br />for defining and delineating this land are to be determined by the <br />appropriate State agency or agencies. Generally, additional farmlands <br />of statewide importance include those that are nearly prime farmland <br />and that economically produce high yields of crops when treated and <br />managed according to acceptable farming methods. Some may <br />produce as high a yield as prime farmlands if conditions are <br />favorable.11 <br />As these U.S. Department of Agriculture regulations provide, prime farmland and <br />farmlands of statewide importance soils are high quality agriculture soils. That is <br />why WAC 365-190-050(3)(c)(i) calls for these high -quality soils to be designated <br />and zoned as agricultural lands of long-term commercial significance. We <br />recommend that the criteria be based on prime and unique farmland soils and <br />farmland of statewide importance soils in designating agricultural lands of long- <br />term commercial significance. <br />Detailed Comments and Recommendations on Chapter 4. <br />Housing <br />Table 4-2 on page 81, the comprehensive plan, and development regulation <br />updates must identify sufficient land for housing affordable to families <br />earning zero to 30 percent, 30 to 50 percent, 50 to 80 percent, 80 to 100 <br />percent, and 100 to 120 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI). <br />The Growth Management Act in RCW 36.7oA.070(2)(c) requires the county <br />comprehensive plan, and the county development regulations,�3 to 11 [i] dentif [y] <br />sufficient capacity of land for housing including, but not limited to, government - <br />assisted housing, housing for moderate, low, very low, and extremely low-income <br />households, manufactured housing, multifamily housing, group homes, foster care <br />facilities, emergency housing, emergency shelters, permanent supportive housing, <br />and within an urban growth area boundary, consideration of duplexes, triplexes, <br />and townhomes[.]" RCW 36.7oA.070(2)(d) requires the county comprehensive <br />12 7 CFR § 657.5(c)• <br />�3 RCW 36.7oA.130(1)(a), (e). <br />L <br />