Drafter
Clerk 6/7/2007
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AN ORDINANCE authorizing King County's sale of property at 27605 -78th Avenue South in Kent, also known as the Nelson Bauer farm, within council district seven.
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BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF KING COUNTY:
SECTION 1. Findings:
A. The water and land resources division of King County's department of natural resources and parks is the custodian of an approximately 22 acre parcel known as the South 277th Street Nelson-Bauer farm, located at 27605 -78th Avenue South, in the city of Kent; assessor's parcel number 000680-0004. This property was acquired by King County in fee simple ownership through the farmland preservation program.
B. Ordinance 4341, the Farm and Open Space Preservation Bond passed in 1979, authorizes the county to offer such land acquired in fee title for public sale as soon as practicable. The water and land resources division subsequently declared the property surplus to its needs.
C. Pursuant to K.C.C 4.56.100, the facilities management division determined that the property could not be used for affordable housing due to the restrictive covenants placed on future use by the farmland program.
D. Notices were circulated to other county departments and to various cities, water, sewer, fire, and school districts regarding the county's plan to surplus and sell the property. None of the agencies has any current interest.
E. Pursuant to K.C.C. 4.56.100, in October 2006, the facilities management division declared the property surplus to the county's present and foreseeable needs.
F. An appraisal was performed in May of 2007, giving an estimated market value of $325,000. Ordinance 4341 states that the property must be sold for no less than the appraised value.
G. The farm will be sold subject to restrictions for future use as stated in its reservation of development rights and restrictive covenants document, which will be recorded with the deed. These restrictions limit the use of the land to agricultural and/or open space. One development right will remain with the property.
H. Pursuant to Ordinance 4341 and K.C.C. 4.56.100, King County's facilities management division has posted the farm for public sale. Due to detailed information associated with its marketing, the facilities management division has determined that a request for proposal is the chosen form of public sale best suited to represent history, location, zoning, restrictions, and requirements associated with this property.
I. A promised United States Department of Agriculture federal grant to the water and land resources division for $800,000, associated with water and land resources division's original farm purchase, requires that there be a recorded sale no later than end of September 2007. Time is therefore of the essence, and the executive seeks prior approval from council to sell the farm to a future, qualified purchaser.
J. Pursuant to K.C.C. 4.56.080, the King County council must approve sale of county-owned real property.
SECTION 2. The King County council, having determined that the land described in Attachments A, B and C to this ordinance is surplus to the needs of King County, and also having determined that sale of the Nelson-Bauer farm is in the best interests of the public, does hereby authorize the King County executive to enter into a future sale of the property for no
less than a current, appraised value and to execute the necessary documents to deliver the Nelson Bauer farm to a prospective, qualified purchaser.