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facilities would be additive to a recreation system already at capacity. This wording <br /> could easily be the basis for development regulation or permit changes to allow <br /> facilities that would not otherwise be approved. <br /> Section 2.1.1...This section would add new policies to the County Comp Plan <br /> encouraging Second Houses and Recreational Housing Growth and sets the stage <br /> for new development regulations specific to this new "non-permanent" land use <br /> (implied to have lesser impacts). However, in reality no housing should be <br /> considered as permanent 2nd housing, because it's simply a temporary use which <br /> can be converted to year round occupancy at will. In fact since covid in 2020, upper <br /> county has seen a significant portion of it's existing 2nd housing and recreational <br /> housing stock converted to year round occupancy with year round impacts. But even <br /> if it were assumed that 2nd houses could actually stay 2nd houses in perpetuity, they <br /> would still be occupied during the peak summer months when public services are <br /> already stressed. From an impacts perspective all houses are equal and can be <br /> covered by existing zoning and development regulations, a new category of housing <br /> is not warranted. <br /> Section 2.2.1...Strike the last sentence in the last paragraph... "By recognizing these <br /> shifting land-use patterns, the County can better align its zoning and resource <br /> protections with the modern economic realities of both the agricultural and <br /> recreational sectors.". If no changes to existing zoning and development regulations <br /> are desired then any language contemplating potential "better alignment of zoning" is <br /> not needed as it implies the county contemplates or encourages changes. <br /> Section 2.2.2 Under Urban Growth Areas - last paragraph "Recreational Residential <br /> and Second Home Communities" - see comments on Section 2.1.1 above <br /> Section 2.2.6 Sub-Area Plans last paragraph "To effectively manage the impacts of <br /> thisgrowth and the unique challenges posed by the county's varied terrain, the County <br /> will continue to develop and implement subarea planning. This localized planning <br /> approach allows the County to direct land usage and resource management more <br /> precisely, ensuring that both the natural environment and anticipated population <br /> increases are managed in a sustainable and orderly manner." This verbiage strongly <br /> implies a desire to re-plan rural areas to accommodate "population" increases. Sub- <br /> area planning is by definition an opportunity to change zoning and development <br /> regulations, increase density and population. Population growth should be <br /> accommodated inside the UGA. <br /> Section 2.2.7 Private Property and Water Rights under Utilities - Urban style sewer <br /> systems, even private ones, especially systems that include actual sewage treatment <br /> plants, serve to encourage urban style housing and urban style densities in rural <br /> areas that would not be feasible otherwise. They are expensive to build and operate <br /> and therefore, in the long run, often encourage additional development densities to <br /> pay for them. In the event of failures, which is not uncommon, it is likely that the <br /> county will be drawn in by state regulators as the guarantor of last resort. Urban <br /> sewer systems should not be encouraged in rural areas. <br />