Thurston County planning commissioners recommend approval of Gorgas open-space tax application for 76.96 acres

Thurston County planning commissioners on Aug. 20 voted to recommend that the Board of County Commissioners approve the enrollment of 76.96 acres owned by Roland and Cindy Gorgas in the county—s Open Space Tax Program.

Marissa Wissman, a community planner with Thurston County Community Planning, told the commission the applicants sought to enroll the whole parcel under two priority resource categories. "The proposed 76.96 acre property ... the applicants propose to enroll all of their 76.96 acres in open space under the farm and agricultural conservation land and the significant wildlife habitat area categories," Wissman said, citing the Open Space Taxation Act under RCW 84.34 and the county—s program guidelines.

The county staff recommendation described how the applicants proposed placing 15 acres in the farm and agricultural conservation category while continuing…