NEW! We have three PDF files of comments on the Draft Plan filed by the Washington Department of Ecology, the Center for Environmental Law & Policy (CELP), and Futurewise. These may be of use to you in preparing your testimony or comments by April 30th.

The Mission of the Department of Ecology is to protect, preserve and enhance Washington's environment, and promote the wise management of our air, land and water for the benefit of current and future generations. In order to fulfill their mission and move Washington forward in a global economy, the Dept. of Ecology has three goals: (1) Prevent pollution, (2) Clean up pollution, and (3) Support sustainable communities and natural resources. See Ecology's comments

The Center for Environmental Law & Policy (CELP) was founded in 1993 to serve as a voice for the public interest water resource management and preservation in Washington state. CELP is the only "water watchdog" advocacy organization dedicated solely to protecting Washington's rivers and streams. Originally affiliated with the University of Washington School of Law, CELP established itself as an organization independent of the University and gained tax-exempt status in May 1996. See CELP's comments

Futurewise is a statewide public interest group working to promote healthy communities and cities while protecting farmland, forests and shorelines today and for future generations. They are the only statewide group in Washington working to ensure that local governments manage growth responsibly. Founded in 1990 as 1000 Friends of Washington, Futurewise has established an impressive track record on growth management issues as the state's primary advocate for smart growth policies since 2005. See the Futurewise comments

Then CSO is for you! Many have worked for years to protect the rural & agricultural character as well as biological diversity in Okanogan County. Our new group is focused on the Okanogan Comprehensive Plan because, if adopted as it stands, our land character will change to suburban development, losing agriculture and natural resources forever in Okanogan County.

Citizens for Sustainable Okanogan mission statement and goals are to:
~ form an organization to investigate, gather, coordinate, and disseminate information on Okanogan environmental, agricultural, and community issues of significance to all.

~ initiate educational literature, programs, and events of agricultural and social significance, and actively coordinate with and support other groups who are carrying out such activities.

~ actively monitor and lobby local government in an effort to influence political decisions that would be of direct benefit to sustaining environments, agriculture, and community social structure.

WHAT'S AT STAKE: FARMLAND

Protection for agricultural land is being abandoned.
(For more on this see #s 4, 11, & 12 on our
Why Care About The Draft Comp Plan? page.)

Ask the commissioners to:

• Restore rural low density of 20 acres or more on farmland.
• Restore previous rural medium density of five acres bordering towns and villages.
• Eliminate rural high density one acre parcels in remote areas.
• Match new development density with availability of water, distance from infrastructure, accessibility, fire danger.

WHAT'S AT STAKE: GROUNDWATER

• Areas with known water shortages should be zoned to require low density development.
• Developers should be required to use Best Available Science to prove water resources are sufficient for development, and will not impair existing wells.

WHAT'S AT STAKE: SUB-AREA PLANS

• Support the designation of Sub-Area Plans county-wide
  (The commissioners have promised to keep the Methow Review District Sub-Area plan in the Comprehensive Plan.)
• The Molson Overlay, which requires 20 acre minimums in the Highlands, should also be placed in the Comprehensive Plan, and expanded to include more of the Highlands.
• The Plan should allow for more Sub-Areas in other parts of the county.

WHAT'S AT STAKE: A VISION FOR THE FUTURE

• Draft Comp Plan has no statement of the high value Okanogan County residents place on clean air, clean water, wildlife habitat, view-sheds, or open space in the Okanogan.
• High density zoning will destroy the very reasons people choose to live in the Okanogan.
• Our Economy increasingly depends on the high value and unique environment that exists here, and does not exist elsewhere.

WHAT'S AT STAKE: DARK SKIES / LIGHT POLLUTION

• Express your wish to protect one of the world's increasingly rare assets: A clear view of the night sky.
• Protect our County's night skies--an increasing source of tourist dollars--while we still have them!

For more information:

• See the Map (9.9MB) and Draft Comprehensive plan at www.okanogancounty.org/Commissioners
• The Map and Draft Comprehensive Plan can also be found in public libraries throughout the Okanogan.
• See our more dialup-friendly reproductions of the Comp Plan MAP
  Read our Why Care About the Comp Plan? page

Email your friends and neighbors and tell them to visit this website; phone the people who don't have a computer and read this to them; visit the folks who don't have phones! :-)