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AN ORDINANCE updating the inventory of high conservation value properties to add new properties, expand on existing properties, correct administrative errors, and reflect changes in site names, parcel boundaries and numbers, as specified in K.C.C. 26.14.010 and Section 897 of the King County Charter.
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STATEMENT OF FACTS:
1. King County has acquired interests in open space properties in the form of fee simple ownership, conservation easements and development rights. The county has done so using funds from various funding sources, including conservation futures taxes, parks levy regional open space funds, Forward Thrust, real estate excise taxes, surface water management fees, the salmon recovery funding board, the recreation and conservation board (formerly the interagency for outdoor recreation), voter-approved open space bond funds and state and federal conservation-oriented grants.
2. The primary purposes of acquiring open space properties are to conserve, preserve, protect or enhance natural or scenic resources, timberland devoted primarily to the growth and harvest of timber for commercial purposes, streams, rivers, wetlands, soils, beaches, tidal marshes, fish or wildlife habitat, water quality, passive recreational opportunities, visual quality along highway, road and street corridors, and scenic vistas, for current and future generations of King County residents.
3. Preserving the character of open space properties also reduces urban sprawl, provides natural corridors in urban areas and serves to mitigate the effects of human activities that contribute to climate change.
4. In July 2009, Ordinance 16600 authorized submission to the qualified voters of King County a proposal to amend the King County Charter to add a higher level of protection to certain high conservation value open space properties in which the county has real property interests. This measure was approved by the voters in November 2009 and the King County Charter was...

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