LAND TRADE-OFF
What
about the wonderful idea of saving, preserving 500 acres of ARL land
(Agricultural Resource Land - prime agricultural soils)? Isn’t that what
makes this acceptable? Isn’t that the best idea so this is a “win-win” for
everyone? “They” get to develop 184 acres of farmland and “we” get farmland
saved “in perpetuity.” Isn’t that what we want? Since none of those 500
acres are threatened to be developed, they are not in need of being
“saved.” Since this land is currently being proposed to be developed, it is
what needs to be preserved. Of these 184 acres, 125+ are prime agricultural
soils, the best farmland in the world. Once that’s gone, it is not
replaceable. Preserving 500 acres does not replace this land. This
development can happen on east hill or throughout Sumner and this land could
be preserved for farming in perpetuity. The development rights could be
purchased to develop the east hill area.
TDR QUESTIONS
(Transfer of Development Rights)
EXPLANATION OF TDR
And what about the development rights? What are they worth?
Investco has donated 6 acres to the Y that is claimed to be worth $1.5
million. That makes the development rights worth $250,000 per acre! That
is not what Investco expects to pay anyone. They expect to pay farmland
value. That is stealing. I hope the farmers negotiate from a position of
strength knowing their land is worth $250,000 per acre to the development.
Each development right should be at least $500,000 since each development
right is 5 acres or more. Unless Investco and the other stakeholders
combined have 500 acres of ARL land, they will have to buy development
rights from other landowners. (Investco and Corliss own a lot of land, but
how much is ARL designated?
The timing established for this is that they must have 150
development rights by April 1st. They claim they already have that. They
listed parcels in the Seven Principles Agreement that they expect to use for
those initial 150 TDRs. However, at least one of those does not qualify, as
it is not ARL land. Who is watching over this TDR purchase to be sure they
are actually buying ARL development rights?
And who owns those parcels listed in the Agreement? Guess who.
Investco, the Mayor of Sumner, and Roger Knudson who is a major landowner in
Orton Junction. The three primary stakeholders in this development will be
essentially donating their land to farming to allow this development to
happen.
There is a clause in the Agreement that allows them to trade parcels
in the TDR list. There is nothing in the Agreement that is monitoring the
list or tracking what is being traded and that it all qualifies for this TDR
requirement. I asked that something be included in the Agreement to address
that. Nothing was said and nothing was done.
*The agreement says that the TDRs must first come from land
surrounding the development, then from the greater Alderton-McMillin
Community Plan area and then from the whole of the Puyallup River valley
from South Prairie to the Tide Flats, and then from anywhere else in Pierce
County. So there is a hierarchy of territory that they are to search for
the TDRs. How hard they are going to look in those areas is anyone’s
guess. But I bet they will give only a cursory look in any area where they
do not own property. We’ll have to wait and see how that plays out. But
the big question is, who is going to watch over this TDR acquisition to be
sure they are fulfilling the Agreement?
Puyallup
Valley Preservation Group