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AN ORDINANCE relating to King County's open space system and adopting the King County Open Space Plan: Parks, Trails, and Natural Areas 2022 Update as a functional plan of the King County Comprehensive Plan and official county policy guiding the future of the county open space system; amending Ordinance 8657, Section 1, and K.C.C. 20.12.380 and repealing the King County open space plan attached to Ordinance 8657, as amended by Addendum 1 and Addendum 2, the King County Park, Recreation, and Open Space Plan attached to Ordinance 12349, Attachment A to Ordinance 14966, Ordinance 16857, Section 1, Attachment A to Ordinance 16857, Ordinance 18309 (part) and Attachment A to Ordinance 18309.
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STATEMENT OF FACTS:
1. The King County Open Space Plan: Parks, Trails and Natural Areas 2022 Update ("the plan") guides the acquisition, planning, development, stewardship, maintenance and management of King County's complex system of two hundred five parks, one hundred seventy-five miles of regional trails, and thirty-two thousand acres of open space.
2. The plan updates the inventory of open space and clarifies that King County is the direct service provider of parks and recreation services to all unincorporated areas of the county, including rural and urban areas.
3. The plan describes how King County's open space system advances priority county initiatives and plans, including Clean Water Healthy Habitat, the Land Conservation Initiative and the Strategic Climate Action Plan. The plan also supports King County's long-term capital program to expand and enhance the regional trails network.
4. The plan is consistent with countywide planning policies, including the King County Comprehensive Plan.
5. The update aligns the plan with Ordinance 18890, authorizing a property tax levy for the funding of the parks system.
6. The plan renews eligibility for Washington state Recreation and Conservation Office grant funding.
7. Adoption of the plan will allow King County to apply for state and federal grants for open space acquisition, development and restoration, thereby leveraging county funds.
8. The environmental impacts of the plan were considered in an environmental checklist and a determination of nonsignificance was issued on February 2, 2022.
9. The plan replaces the open space plan adopted by Ordinance 18309, enacted June 28, 2016.
10. This ordinance also ensures that all previously adopted versions of the county's open space plan are repealed.
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF KING COUNTY:
SECTION 1. The King County Open Space Plan: Parks, Trails and Natural Areas 2022 Update, Attachment A to this ordinance, is adopted as a functional plan of the King County Comprehensive Plan and official county policy guiding the future of the county open space system.
SECTION 2. Ordinance 8657, Section 1, and K.C.C. 20.12.380 are hereby amended to read as follows:
The goals, maps, guidelines and strategies of the King County open space plan, ((attached to Ordinance 8657 as amended by Addendum 1, and Addendum 2,)) Attachment A to this ordinance, are adopted as a functional plan ((implementing)) of the King County ((c))Comprehensive ((p))Plan. As such, they constitute official county policy for the evaluation, protection, acquisition and management of open space lands in King County.
SECTION 3. The following are hereby repealed:
A. The King County open space plan attached to Ordinance 8657, as amended by Addendum 1 and Addendum 2;
B. The King County Park, Recreation, and Open Space Plan attached to Ordinance 12349;
C. Attachment A to Ordinance 14966;
D. Ordinance 16857, Section 1;
E. Attachment A to Ordinance 16857;
F. Ordinance 18309 (part); and
G. Attachment A to Ordinance 18309.