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Commissioner warns county against perceived self-favoring in slope reclassification
Summary
One commissioner said approving the county's slope reclassification could create a precedent favoring county economic development over housing projects; other commissioners and staff replied that each application will be judged on its merits and mapping accuracy will be improved.
During debate on ZMA2604, a commissioner expressed concern that approving a slope reclassification when the county is the applicant could be perceived as favoritism and could set expectations for similar exceptions in the future. "I don't feel good about giving favoritism to ourselves for economic development when we're not giving the same considerations to housing developments," the commissioner said, urging the commission to recognize the potential precedent.
Staff and other commissioners responded that previous cases have seen slope reclassifications in both directions, that each application must be judged on its own merits, and that technical mapping and review improvements are being pursued to ensure consistent outcomes. Staff also noted that if site-plan review finds the adjacent stream to be perennial, buffer protections would apply regardless of the slope classification.
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