[boomop1]

The communist state is alive and well, can this be appealed to the supremes?

[EggsAckley]

In my county in California, the zoning in the mountains is one house per twenty acres. THAT'S pretty restrictive, if you ask me.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

There was a recent piece in the WSJ about Seattle Yuppies buying pieces of forest lands owned by paper companies. They can build on their "acreage" or sell the timber to the mill. Wonder if this is a reaction ?

[deport]

If you are interested then Google is a good place to start... Here's one link for the King County Comprehensive Plan......

http://www.metrokc.gov/ddes/compplan/

[freeasinbeer]

In my City, the ratio is 2.5% in the open space areas, now THAT is restrictive!

Oh, and to build your home you need City Council approval

[Rose in RoseBear]

Pingpingping!

[freekitty]

The alleged leaders of this county should be thrown out of office pronto as should others like them.

[Eva]

First of all, there aren't many 2.5 acre pieces left in King County, but this would not surprise me. The PETA freaks are a pretty big influence there. They passed a state law making it illegal to use rodent traps. It was one of those backward worded referendums that if you voted no, you were really voting yes, and got it through. Of course you can't use poison either, because the eagles or the spotted owls might eat it.

[grimalkin]

This is not new to the area, unfortunately. My dad lives in Pierce County (south of King) and owned a bit of land there at one time. More than half was dubbed a "wetland" and he couldn't do anything to it. It was a friggin swamp that bred bugs and disease and probably still is.

[Gator113]

Welcome to the State of Washington.....if it's not a fruit, or a nut, it's a flake!

[ezo4]

king county is king county - Doesn't suppose me in the least

[HairOfTheDog]

Jeepers. King County is already beyond saving anyway. They are shutting the barn door after the horses have all run out. Pity the poor souls who thought their bit of land near the city would be worth enough to retire on. They've got to be just livid.

[Brilliant]

Hopefully, this will trigger a backlash against the lefties.

[ezo4]

suppose = surprise....note to me - use spell check slowly

[Dog Gone]

It's your land, but you're not allowed to actually use it. Cool.

The opposite extreme is Houston, where there is no zoning at all. It's worked out pretty well if you like things like jobs and growth.

[Boazo]

We have millions of Hitlarys and sKerrys living out here in commie world!

[sgtbono2002]

Is Mugabe the Governor of Washington State? Sounds like a good old fashioned African land grab to me.

[Jeff Blogworthy]

There was no mention of compensation. In my view this is a clear violation of the 5th Amendment. These property owners should be compensated for their loss, period. This kind of thing really pisses me off. I want to know what the limit is on local Government power. It seems limitless at the moment. Jeff Blogworhthy

The Takings Clause of the Fifth Amendment of the United States Constitution, made applicable to the States through the Fourteenth Amendment, provides: "Nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation." One of the principal purposes of the Takings Clause is "to bar Government from forcing some people alone to bear public burdens which, in all fairness and justice, should be borne by the public as a whole."

[blanknoone]

That is hardly the most restrictive. Have you seen the NJ highlands bill?

[Koblenz]

The whole open-space or anti-sprawl movement is what is contributing to certain areas' housing price growth. While this is good for existing owners, the younger people or renters are pretty much screwed, as they won't be able to afford housing.