King County, Washington about to enact most Restrictive Zoning ordinance in US

FOX News (TV) | June 30, 2004 | Jeff Blogworthy

[Jeff Blogworthy]

I just saw a report on FOX News about King County, Washington. They are about to enact an unbelievably restrictive zoning ordinance. The citizens are up in arms as they should be. If I have it right, the ordinance specifies that a land owner who owns over 2.5 acres can only build on 10 percent of their land. The remaining acreage is basically condemned as a nature preserve. The owner cannot even erect a barn. These events are of particular interest to me, since I am a land surveyor in the state of Tennessee. Freepers having any more information please contact me with as much detail as possible. Do we have any freepers in Washington who can give more information? This is an outrageous encroachment on all of our individual liberties.

[sgtbono2002]

Is Mugabe the Governor of Washington State? Sounds like a good old fashioned African land grab to me.

[Jeff Blogworthy]

There was no mention of compensation. In my view this is a clear violation of the 5th Amendment. These property owners should be compensated for their loss, period. This kind of thing really pisses me off. I want to know what the limit is on local Government power. It seems limitless at the moment. Jeff Blogworhthy

The Takings Clause of the Fifth Amendment of the United States Constitution, made applicable to the States through the Fourteenth Amendment, provides: "Nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation." One of the principal purposes of the Takings Clause is "to bar Government from forcing some people alone to bear public burdens which, in all fairness and justice, should be borne by the public as a whole."

[Ramius]

Yah know... I've said this here before but it needs said again:

We all sit and complain and moan and worry about the Federal government and usurping of power and such... but the real concern that's gone un-checked has been the power grabs by local government. City and County councils that are outta control power grabbers like this are in reality a much more immediate and direct threat to our liberty and property than even the Feds could be.

This stuff needs more attention and more reaction by people who care about liberty and property.

Hey Kirby! You listening to this???

[IslandJeff]

Ping

[cmsgop]

I live a few miles away from Kirby, and everyone here is Cutting Down Tree's All Over The Place, Nonstop. Can't say I blame them, I already live on a Salmon Spawning Creek so the %65-%35 effect is what I knowingly bought into.

[NRA2BFree]

This is outrageous! The environmental wackos are at it again!

[NRA2BFree]

This is outrageous! The environmental wackos are at it again!

[blanknoone]

That is hardly the most restrictive. Have you seen the NJ highlands bill?

[DaiHuy]

Uh where do you live, so I know not to move there.

[Ramius]

These people just utterly fail to recognize that private property is perhaps one the *best* ways to preserve and not destroy.

I happen to live on a marine shoreland that abutts a wetland. I live there. It is *in my own self interest* to make sure that the quality of the marine shoreland is preserved. I live there. That's WHY I live there. I want to preserve it becuase that is what I enjoy about the place.

Somebody in a county office in a cubicle somewhere has *nowhere near* the interest in this place that I have. There is simply no point in having them make rules about how I can improve or change the property, and it's not even like we have competing interests. We don't. I, in fact, have a heck of a lot more interest in this place than some bureaucrat has.

[Mr. Mojo]

You can say that again.

Big gov't at it again....

[cmsgop]

Great Post! WE ARE THE BEST STEWARDS OF OUR OWN LAND!

[Ramius]

Roger that.

People pee in public pools, but not their own pool. 'Nuf said.

[Koblenz]

The whole open-space or anti-sprawl movement is what is contributing to certain areas' housing price growth. While this is good for existing owners, the younger people or renters are pretty much screwed, as they won't be able to afford housing.

[CyberCowboy777]

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[The Bandit]

Not a bad idea really. I wish my little hometown had very restrictive zoning for now it is it is so overwhelmed with ugly buildings, congested streets, crime, over population...none of the beutiful 20-200 ac orchards exists anymore. All subdivions. It it is truely a humn tragedy my home town. All it took was 8 years, and it was destroyed.

[The Bandit]

The whole open-space or anti-sprawl movement is what is contributing to certain areas' housing price growth. While this is good for existing owners, the younger people or renters are pretty much screwed, as they won't be able to afford housing.

This is good, really, because it might open the eyes to local govt. planning that they need to plan smart and not allow over polulation to screw everyone.

[Ramius]

Yah. "I got mine... so screw everybody else".

[freeasinbeer]

Bay Area... ugh

[philetus]

sounds like they're trying to steal 90% of everyones land.