Sims Outlines Rural Business Strategy Report
Derek Wang
01/06/2006
THE COUNTY’S PLAN OUTLINES IDEAS ON HOW TO HELP INDUSTRIES IN RURAL KING COUNTY, SUCH AS FARMING, TIMBER, HOME-BASED BUSINESSES, AND TOURISM. COUNTY EXECUTIVE RON SIMS SAYS THE REPORT REFLECTS WHAT RURAL RESIDENTS SAY THEY NEED.
Sims: "Rural areas were assumed to have their own economy. We just shed the light on it and realized that there were a lot of barriers there. This removed those. Needs for infrastructure, this established those. So there’s going to be a rural focus. And now we think that every part of King County will benefit from economic growth."
THE REPORT CALLS FOR THE COUNTY TO CONSIDER PROVIDING SMALL-BUSINESS LOANS FOR A POULTRY PROCESSING FACILITY AND A COMMUNITY KITCHEN FOR SMALL FARMERS. OFFICIALS HOPE THOSE FACILITIES WOULD MAKE IT EASIER FOR SMALL FARMERS TO GET THEIR GOODS TO THE MARKETPLACE. CRITICS SAY THE REPORT DOES NOT INCLUDE A DETAILED STRATEGY TO STREAMLINE UNNECESSARY REGULATIONS. PRESTON DREW IS WITH THE CITIZENS ALLIANCE FOR PROPERTY RIGHTS. THAT’S A GROUP OPPOSED TO COUNTY LAND-USE REGULATIONS. HE SAYS CURRENT POLICIES IMPEDE SMALL BUSINESSES IN RURAL AREAS. FOR EXAMPLE, HE SAYS CURRENT REGULATIONS FORBID A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER FROM PARKING A TRUCK ON HIS PROPERTY IF IT WEIGHS OVER 2 TONS.
Drew: "So if a dumptruck or a backhoe, say if he’s got a rockery business, maybe they’re a contractor who has a pile of lumber from his last project that he did, those are all code violations and King County has been running around issuing many code violations for these things and really creating trouble for people."
DREW SAYS SIMS REPORT IS WRITTEN BY URBAN POLICY MAKERS WHO DON’T KNOW ABOUT LIFE IN RURAL AREAS. A KING COUNTY SPOKESPERSON SAYS THEY’RE REVIEWING SOME OF THE REGULATIONS. SIMS SAYS THE COUNTY WILL SPEND THE NEXT FEW MONTHS CONSIDERING HOW TO IMPLEMENT THE IDEAS IN THE REPORT. I’M DEREK WANG, KUOW NEWS.
© Copyright 2006, KUOW
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