Guest Editorial by Sue Forde
Clallam County, WA – Nov. 10, 2019 – The Clallam County Board of County Commissioners is pushing for another property tax – this time for a “Conservation Futures Fund”. The tax, which does not require a vote of the public, would create a county ordinance to increase property tax at a rate of two and three-quarter cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation.
A public hearing will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2019 at 10:30 a.m. at the Clallam County Courthouse ( 223 E. Fourth St., Port Angeles) in the commissioners’ boardroom (Room 160), so the taxpayers can weigh in on the additional tax. (READ and/or DOWNLOAD THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE HERE: Proposed Amended Ordinance, Conservation Futures Fund, 11.12.2019
Mark Ozias (D) and Randy Johnson (I) have expressed they are in favor of the tax, which would be used to acquire interests or rights in real property for the preservation of farmlands, agricultural land, and “critical areas” open areas, as well as the possibility of “maintaining” the set-aside land by the county. On a property assessed at $250,000, the tax would be an extra $6.88. Commissioner Bill Peach (R) has stated he will vote against the tax.
At the BOCC’s worksession on November 4th, there was a discussion of an “Updated” Conservation Futures Fund Ordinance, as submitted by the Planning Commission. There are several changes from the original proposed ordinance, and the proposed ordinance presented at the public hearing will incorporate some if not all of those recommendations.
Once public comment has been completed, if the County Commissioners decide to pass the proposed ordinance, they will first pass a “Resolution” enacting the ordinance for the “Conservation Futures Fund”. While the initial “intent” is to “prioritize the conservation of working agricultural lands ahead of other potential uses,” the Resolution actually states that the funds may be used “broadly” for “maintaining, conserving and otherwise preserving ‘adequate’ open space lands…” The proposed ordinance reads: (item 3) “Whereas while Conservation Futures funds may be used broadly for maintaining, conserving and otherwise preserving adequate open space lands, it is the specific intent of the County Commissioners to prioritize the conservation of working agricultural lands ahead of other potential uses.”
The proposed ordinance itself states as its purpose to “acquire interest or rights in real property in order to maintain, preserve, conserve and otherwise continue in existence adequate open space lands for the production of food, fiber and forest crops, and to assure the use and enjoyment of natural resources and scenic beauty for the economic and social well-being of the county and its citizens.”
The word “adequate” may be considered subjective, and some have asked “who” determines what is “adequate”. The same is true with “scenic beauty for the …social well-being of the county.” Who determines this subjective outcome and defines it? It appears that an Advisory Board appointed by the County Commissioners will be charged with this responsibility and for the selection of project to be funded. There will be five voting and at least seven non-voting members. The non-voting members will have great input due to their “expertise,” and will include the North Olympic Land Trust, which has acquired development rights on much of the land around Clallam County already, and representatives from one or more Tribal Governments, who also own much land, and are acquiring more. The Clallam County “Habitat Biologist or designee” will also serve on the board.
The use of the funds will be to “acquire rights and interests in farm and agricultural land, open space land, timberland, and public access to water on a voluntary basis, as established in Chapter 84.34 RCW [Growth Management Act], and for the maintenance and operation of any property acquired with these funds. The purpose is to “protect, preserve, maintain, improve, restore, limit the future use of, or otherwise conserve the property for ‘public use and enjoyment’.”
The commissioners plan to use funds accrued through taxation to acquire matching funds from other similar organizations such as the North Olympic Land Trust (NOLT). When an owner of farmland, agricultural land, or “critical areas” places their land into this Conservation Futures Program, this landowner relinquishes his rights and interest in it and will receive payment from accrued revenue taken from taxpayers.
If approved, this conservation program intends to create a Conservation Futures Advisory Board of 7 members, one from Clallam Conservation District, the North Olympic Land Trust (non-governmental org i.e. NGO), one representative from each commissioner district and two commissioners at-large. Department of Community Development (DCD) Director Mary Ellen Winborn asks for two more board members, one from the tribes and one from her department.
Winborn commented, “It could be so much broader than preserving farmland. One of the reasons people come out here is because it’s beautiful.” She suggested Commissioner Johnson add language for open space and habitat restoration.
Commissioners will review this programs in ten years to evaluate its effectiveness and they “shall’ conduct another hearing to decide whether to change the programs tax rate, repeal the tax, and whether funding should continue.
Public comments can be submitted before the hearing on the draft ordinance to the Clallam County Board of Commissioners, 223 E. Fourth St., Suite 4 in Port Angeles. Or comments can be presented in person at the meeting.
Proposed Ordinance, Conservation Futures Tax, 11.12.2019
How to contact the County Commissioners:
By PHONE: 360-417-2233
By FAX: 360-417-2493
By Regular Mail:
Clallam County Commissioners
223 East 4th Street, Suite 4
Port Angeles, Washington 98362-3000
BY EMAIL: http://clallam.net/bocc/board_contact.html
DISTRICT 1 (Sequim/Dungeness area)
Mark Ozias (Democrat)
DISTRICT 2 (West of Sequim and Port Angeles area)
Randy Johnson (Independent)
DISTRICT 3 (West Port Angeles and West End)
Bill Peach (Republican)
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