Executive/Council Action Form (ECAF)
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Open Space General Application #3320 - Barrick & Sheila Benson
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DEPARTMENT: Assessor
ORIGINATOR: Andie Whitewing
EXECUTIVE RECOMMENDATION: Approved by Ken Klein 5/2/25
PURPOSE: Ongoing compliance with RCW 84.34, enacted by the state legislature to "maintain, preserve, conserve and otherwise continue in existence adequate open space lands for the production of food, fiber and forest crops, and to assure the use and enjoyment of natural resources and scenic beauty for the economic and social well-being of the state and its citizens" and that "assessment practices must be so designed as to permit the continued availability of open space lands for these purposes."
BACKGROUND: 5.0 of the 9.3 acres of this parcel has historically been classified as Open Space General - Timberland (OSG-T), while the remaining 4.3 acres has not historically been in classification.
The 5.0 acres of wooded area on this parcel is irregular in shape. As the property owner entertains the possibility of a BLA with a neighboring property, any removal of wooded area would render the parcel no longer eligible for OSG-T classification, which requires a minimum of 5.0 acres of managed woodland for classification. Reclassification of the 5.0 acres of OSG-T to OSG-Land would allow a future BLA to take place without loss of eligibility for classification.
Additionally, the property owners seek to classify 2.3 of the 4.3 acres not currently in classification into the OSG-Land classification, reserving the remaining 2.0 acres for potential future residential development. The current use of the entirety of the property complies with the requirements for Open Space General - Land from an assessment perspective.
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