Current Issues

These are the top issues in Page County decision-making today (in the opinion of Page County Watch)
Click on the topic you want to learn more about.  Each topic has its own page.  Click HERE if you are looking for our BLOG.

1.  The Land Use Map.  A consultant has been hired to help us prepare a land use map, which will be a guide for writing zoning ordinances.  This is very, very, very important.  You can see what is going on with that at the consultant's special website.

2.  Page County is in the process of changing the By Right Subdivision Ordinance.  To that end, a subcommittee of the Planning Commission has met, and will report their work to the Planning Commission.   

3.  Real Estate and Personal Property Tax Hikes.  
As we all know, an appraisal company came in and redid all our property tax values.  Much to our surprise, we were far richer than we thought.  Our houses were practically gold mines!  Run quick and get a home equity loan on your new value, because your property tax just went up close to 50%.   If you thought you had no reason to be involved in county government before, this should have convinced you to get interested.  Why is this still important when it's over?  Because the Capital Improvement Plan is still growing.   The jail is overcrowded, the new Emerald City Government Complex is being planned, and the schools don't have athletic fields or furniture.  Plus, the middle schools have to be renovated.  All of this stuff will cost bigger bucks than we have budgeted.  AND, the landfill is still bleeding.  We don't have a growing population to cover these costs, so this activity comes out of YOUR taxpaying pocket.   

2.  Zoning Ordinance Rewrite. 
Did you know a consulting company has been hired to rewrite our county zoning ordinances?  I wonder what that will do.  I guess it's going to be something that's aligned with the Comprehensive Plan.  That better be a good plan, then.  Oh, wait.  Isn't that the Plan where the Goals just changed?  I wonder what they changed to.  Hope it doesn't affect me and mine.  If you weren't worried enough about your right to quiet enjoyment of your private property, maybe you'll wake up one day and find out it's not going to be legal to build that shed in your back yard after all.  The Watch will be watching this one with a magnifying glass in the near future.  It's already started with the By Right Subdivision ordinance.  Be sure to go to the public hearings and learn about the consultant you are paying for.

 3.  Business in Page County, or rather Lack of Business.  Nothing to say, no business to talk about.

 Go to the Blog to see what's been going on at the Planning Commission with new business applications.