Commission approves R‑5 zoning for 8 Mile Gap Road parcels with public‑access easement requirement

At its Feb. 24 meeting, the King County Commission approved Ordinance 2026‑03 to rezone parcels off 8 Mile Gap Road from agricultural to Residential‑5, a change the applicant said would allow equestrian five‑acre lots.

Chris Eaton, representing applicant Iron Rock, described the request and noted technical constraints such as clay soils and percolation testing that could affect final lot sizes. Eaton said the applicant is willing to record an ingress/egress easement to preserve public access to state public land south of the property in Arizona: “The client…has agreed to allow access continuing through his property, to that public land in Arizona,” Eaton said.

Commissioners centered their discussion on road quality and long‑term maintenance. Several commissioners expressed hesitation about approving additional lots on a road they described as gravel and frequently in need of maintenance. The commission debated whether it could compel road upgrades as a zoning condition and whether a development agreement or pioneering agreement tied to shared costs would be a better mechanism.

Because preserving public access was raised by neighbors, Commissioner Celeste Myers’ motion included a stipulation contingent upon recording a prescriptive easement to ensure continued public access across the road. The motion carried 2–1. The approval changes the zoning designation; future development will still be subject to feasibility tests (including percolation/septic tests) and any county engineering or platting requirements.

Commission records show the vote was not unanimous: the motion passed with two votes in favor and one against, reflecting continued commissioner concern about road impacts and maintenance responsibilities.