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Re: Comments on the Kittitas County 2026 Comprehensive Plan updaai�ement #001 <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.12 <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-I90-050(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,13 to "[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 /> 13 RCW 36.7oA.130(i)(a), (e). <br /> L <br />