Our rural lands are at risk

large lots impact farms and forests

Policies guiding growth in rural, agricultural, and forest resource zoned lands encourage single-family home construction on large (5-80 acre) lots.  This pattern of growth leads to a number of unfavorable conditions, including:

• Removal of large areas out of agricultural and forestry use.

• Increasing traffic congestion and inefficient use of public  resources for roads.

The problem is growing

Working forest and farmlands are rapidly being converted to other uses:

• More than 18,000 acres of the region’s forests and farms are converted to development each year. 

• Over the region, 3-5% of the annual growth is occurring in the rural, agricultural and forestry zoned lands.  At this rate of conversion, the 400,000 acres of rural agricultural zoned lands in King, Pierce, and Snohomish Counties will be entirely developed by the end of the century. 

The current pattern of growth is costly:

• We cannot afford to pay for sprawl: A national study indicates that sprawling residential development costs $13,000 more per unit than compact development.

Population pressures will continue:

• Looking forward 100 years, population is expected to double in King, Pierce, and Snohomish Counties, adding the equivalent of six cities the size of Seattle. Across the Puget Sound region, population over the same period will add the equivalent of 15 new Seattle’s.

There are alternatives

The Cascade Land Conservancy supports examining and implementing new options for meeting the need for growth on zoned rural, agricultural, and forest resource lands that:

• Accommodates the expected increase in population.
• Results in the permanent conservation of forest and farmlands.
• Leads to compact, connected and complete communities.
• Contributes to meeting Washington’s goals for climate change and restoration of Puget Sound.