SUBJECT: FoSV Fall Update: Legal battles, SEPA compliance, action against violators
Fall is here! With the changing season our work on the Adult Beverage Ordinance has picked back up. As we wrote in June, King County unfortunately decided to appeal the May 26 WA Growth Management Hearings Board’s (GMHB) Adult Beverage Ordinance Invalidation Order. The County is due in Superior Court with their brief on October 30. Our response brief is due on November 30. [Note that the schedule could change.] While we can never guarantee legal outcomes, the fact that we are defending a strongly worded, unanimous decision by the GMHB is very much in our favor. FoSV will vigorously oppose the County’s appeal, and we are well underway on legal work. Thanks to you we have the funding to defend our position on the appeal.
The County is also assessing the environmental impacts of the Ordinance as required by the GMHB‘s order per SEPA. Once the County completes their assessment, the GMHB will determine if they adequately met SEPA requirements. The compliance deadline is November 6. FoSV attorneys are also involved in this compliance proceeding and the current schedule concludes with a hearing on January 6. Again, dates could change.
This summer the County conducted a mid-term update of the King County Comprehensive Plan. As part of that update Councilmember Rod Dembowski introduced legislation that would have mitigated the need for the appeal and allowed for a fresh start with a new ordinance. Councilmembers Claudia Balducci and Kathy Lambert opposed his legislation, and it ultimately failed. Sadly this opportunity for a sensible off-ramp was shot down, but if you have the opportunity please thank Councilmember Dembowski for his efforts (send him email; find him on Facebook).
While waiting for outcomes on the appeal and SEPA compliance, FoSV is starting legal efforts to specifically deal with the current violators. Much of the data you and other FoSV members have already gathered will be helpful in this effort. We have not funded this legal work yet, which brings us to a bit of good news.
Friends of Sammamish Valley Foundation has received our determination paperwork for 501(c)(3) status! This means the Foundation is tax-exempt and donations to the Foundation are tax deductible. We can also accept Donor Advised Funds, IRA funds, and Matching funds. We are currently set up with Benevity (handles Microsoft, Google and 400 other companies for matching), Schwab, and Fidelity. We can get set up with other fund managers as requested. So now is a great time to make a tax-deductible donation to our cause and help us rid the Valley of code violators. Please remember that FoSV doesn’t provide tax advice, so please speak with your own accountant for specifics on your situation.
In another bit of good news, a newly released documentary called Kiss the Ground shows the ways in which regenerative farming (practiced by many farmers in our own Sammamish Valley) and the earth’s soil may be the key to reversing climate change, replenishing the water supply and feeding the world healthy food. The film is optimistic, clear on what you can do to help, and definitely worth a watch. It’s free on Netflix and the trailer is here.
Last but not least, we are looking for a bookkeeper. If you or anyone you know might be interested please email us at contact@friendsofsammamishvalley.org.
We’ll be back with updates as our legal work proceeds. In the meantime you can send comments or questions to contact@friendsofsammamishvalley.org.
- The Friends of Sammamish Valley Team
