Rural King County Residents Unhappy with Property Regulations

New property regulations in King County, Washington have prompted opponents to gather signatures in an effort to stop what they believe is an attempt to steal their land. Members of the Citizens Alliance for Private Property Rights have collected more than 8,600 signatures required to seek a referendum on land use measures. These new regulations, called the Critical Areas Ordinance, affect citizens in the rural parts of King County. The CAO regulates land use in critical environmental areas such as wetlands, and puts controls on surface water runoff and grading and clearing. The regulations require that property owners leave 50 percent or 65 percent of their land in its natural state. Residents with undeveloped property in these areas say these rules deny them the right to do what they want with their private land. Though the city is required under Washington?EUR??,,????'???s Growth Management Act to review and update environmental regulations, members of the Citizens Alliance for Private Property Rights insist the county?EUR??,,????'???s existing rules are sufficient and should be left alone.