Sides square off in battle over Woodinville farmland
WOODINVILLE, Wash. -- A battle over farmland, wine and tourism has been brewing for years in the beautiful area surrounding Woodinville, and that battle is finally coming to a head.
Some in the area would like to see the fertile farmland developed, while others are not sold on the idea.
Claire Thomas of the Root Connection has her own opinion about development.
"You have to stop," she said, "because this valley's going to look like Lynnwood."
But just south of Woodinville, where there is a taste for wine, wineries and the money that follows, many say there is a need for development.
"We would like to see these properties developed to better protect the valley and to help promote agri-tourism and tourism," said former Woodinville Mayor Lucy DeYoung.
The matter is complicated by the jumble of city boundaries and county lines and rural zoning. It's an age-old story, where those in favor of development continue to say, "just one more little bit."
DeYoung said the creep of development will have stop soon.
"There can't be any more development because the property owners around this have already sold their development rights," she said.
Those hoping to preserve the area don't believe a word of that.
"That's the way it keeps happening. That's why seven miles of this valley is no longer here for ag production. I mean, that's the rationale that's continually used," Thomas said.
The idea is to build a hotel, restaurants and more wineries on 28 acres of land, so when wine tasters come calling they have a place to eat and stay.
Rural zoning laws currently don't allow for that kind of development, but developers are now asking for the urban boundaries to be moved.
Thomas said that would be a disaster.
"Why can't we be the one valley, the one group of people, that can be smart enough to say, 'No, we're not gonna do it?'" she said.
The county council hasn't set a date for when it will decide the zoning issue. DeYoung said the county and the city need to get together and come up with a plan.
Some in the area would like to see the fertile farmland developed, while others are not sold on the idea.
Claire Thomas of the Root Connection has her own opinion about development.
"You have to stop," she said, "because this valley's going to look like Lynnwood."
But just south of Woodinville, where there is a taste for wine, wineries and the money that follows, many say there is a need for development.
"We would like to see these properties developed to better protect the valley and to help promote agri-tourism and tourism," said former Woodinville Mayor Lucy DeYoung.
The matter is complicated by the jumble of city boundaries and county lines and rural zoning. It's an age-old story, where those in favor of development continue to say, "just one more little bit."
DeYoung said the creep of development will have stop soon.
"There can't be any more development because the property owners around this have already sold their development rights," she said.
Those hoping to preserve the area don't believe a word of that.
"That's the way it keeps happening. That's why seven miles of this valley is no longer here for ag production. I mean, that's the rationale that's continually used," Thomas said.
The idea is to build a hotel, restaurants and more wineries on 28 acres of land, so when wine tasters come calling they have a place to eat and stay.
Rural zoning laws currently don't allow for that kind of development, but developers are now asking for the urban boundaries to be moved.
Thomas said that would be a disaster.
"Why can't we be the one valley, the one group of people, that can be smart enough to say, 'No, we're not gonna do it?'" she said.
The county council hasn't set a date for when it will decide the zoning issue. DeYoung said the county and the city need to get together and come up with a plan.
Keep it as farmland. Last thing any of this region needs is more developments for business that is exiting.
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Anyway, the developer takes their profit and does what? Buys a house out in the country, away from all those nasty crowded developments.Â
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Woodinville, JUST SAY NO.  Keep the farmland. So little is left anymore. Nuts, make it a community farm for those folks living in developments to grow some vegetables. A victory garden for nutrition.
Just let progress happen, they have already ruined most of Western Wa anyways.Â
"We would like to see these properties developed to better protect the valley and to help promote agri-tourism"
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Typical politician, wants you to believe that paving over the existing farmland will somehow "protect the valley and promote agri-tourism". What a crock.
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I live not too far from the area in question. Besides the two major wineries there are dozen of smaller ones in the vicinity. They have plenty of restaurants and places to shop. Granted they could probably use more lodging but besides the Willows Lodge there are several spots in Totem Lake which is only a few minutes away.. Leave the farms alone!!!
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What do you want to bet that Ms. DeYoung stands to gain financially from turning this land over to the developers.
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I didn't realize there was any "farmland" left in Woodinville. When I was in high school, all of it was farmland. A quaint, friendly little town surrounded by lush farmland and great huge stands of trees. Now that entire area is nothing but concrete and cardboard condos surrounded by more concrete and cardboard condos..
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The developers will never stop until there is not one single square foot of green left anywhere. Then if there is, they want to cover that with more concrete and put in what they call "ball fields" - over-lighted paved fields for everything. Litter everywhere, songbirds driven out by gulls, crows and starlings, cars dripping oil and fumes everywhere and all the kids in uniform playing regimented games that have little resemblance to FUN. Wonder why your kids are fat and getting fatter? One of the reasons is there are no longer open spaces for them to play in, no more neighborhood DIRT ball fields, little streams and tree-studded parks with NATURAL landscaping instead of being mowed to death and "landscaped" like little English parks. Â Some areas don't even have sidewalks, but oh well, you can bet where the land developers live, there is plenty of green and outdoors for THEIR kids.
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I once heard a developer at a Bothell council meeting state that to him any land that wasn't developed was "wasted."That's the mindset that must be constantly battled. Â
Pretty simple to stop, someone start up a 10,000 head hog farm on that land. No one will want to rent a hotel room next door. I am amazed when folks can't understand why farm equipment is allowed on state highways. No farms, no food to eat.
 @radioman1952 Or maybe Woodinville's Goood Pig Ribs, for the unbarbecued ones. Yeah.
 @radioman1952 You think local environmental requirements would allow one cost effectively as a startup or expansion? Water and ground pollution are dealbreakers if enough people and base needs already exist there. Then disease risk is high as well if you don't put money into habitat. Don't get me wrong, your idea's great. It would put a serious crimp in the plan.  Someone would have to be willing to give it the try...obviously it would likely be expansion by an area owner or partnership. Maybe a co-op yielding jobs and food production there, especially if they do their own processing.  Woodinville Bbq Ribs sounds like a locally salable product to me.  Run the methane reclaiming to process their own waste into power.
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Developers are a necessary evil. Â I don't personally know anyone who lives in a cave. Â That would be the only non developed living environment. Â
How we regulate development and what is reasonable development is the issue and a tough fight down the road.Â
 @My_Thoughts "That would be the only non developed living environment."
I've seen a couple of "cave" homes...they have better amenities than my house. For starters, there is little need for AC or heating...
So do we stop development short of the 50 story condo high rises being a hundred yards from the boundary of Mt. Rainier National Park? Â
At some point we are going to have to draw a line and nobody is going to be happy regardless of where and how it's drawn.
 @My_Thoughts Development is always about greed. Once you destroy farmland you never get it back. In cases like this the "property rights" argument is also just about greed at the expense of everyone else.Â
Build the Hotels, Restaurants on the hills. Save the farm land!!
 @rockguy Also not a bad idea, but who owns the typical hilltops out there? Farmers or a big logging company like Weyerhauser? Isn't it so cowardly of developers that they won't try working with a corporation first? They have to see if they can put the predator move on the people of the area.  Wussies.
 @rockguy Save the farm land for what?  If the "farm" land is planted in grapevines do they get to build a winery and tasting room to go with it and if so how big?
I agree that agriculturally viable land should be zoned/saved for agriculture but the reality is A LOT more complicated than "Save the farm land!".