Not everyone will know where/which pierce county you are referring to, or what changing from UGA to rural means.

What are the benefits of UGA?

What are the drawbacks of UGA?

UGA - Unicorns Gone Ape?

Pierce Country Washington--Urban Growth Area.

Since any purchaser already knows about the possible reduction in development density, your goose is already cooked.

Ugly Goose Area

Unless I’m missing something, it seems very desirable to me to build a home where less development is allowed.

I would dump it I wouldn't get a place that has no sewer

By the looks of the link worthy gave... they aren't doing anything yet. It's a study. It's not uncommon for a municipal entity to regularly review their zoning and planning. Prior to making any plans, it's not uncommon for a study to be done.

It looks like if you wanted to build a house, you can. Rural does not mean farmland only, or building homes is not permitted. It could mean building restrictions to more urbanized building, like apartments, other multi units, commercial rentals, ect. It may mean not having municipal sewer, or perhaps not being allowed to build in a mulit-unit or commercial septic system. It may not mean being restricted from having a personal septic for a family home.

Going a bit more into the plan... there are a lot of sections under review. I have no idea what section you are in. But the reasons for those sections to be in the UGA removal consideration are listed. A lot of them seem to be under review for various developmental reasons. Some of them in relation to sewer, some not. You can look it up and find out why your area is being considered in the study.

Also... you can still comment or ask questions about it from the office for a few more days. Till the 26th of this month. If you like, you can sit in on the meeting on the 30th.

I am sure some of you are being sarcastic but UGA - Urban Growth Area. Benefits are hopefully for sewer, transit and other facilities but you also pay tax for all these. Not having a sewer is not end of the world. In the house we built we paid pretty penny for sewer. Not sure if it’s worth all the fuss

It says "if you want to use your land to build new homeS, fewer homes would be allowed. If you are going to build a single residence, I am not sure what sort of effect this would have.

If you decide to sell, make sure you talk to the right sort of realtor, too. I had a largish parcel (rural, well, septic) that I wanted to sell, and a local realtor was very lukewarm about pricing and whether it would sell at all in the short term. He named a very low recommended price. A few months later I was contacted by a realtor who specialized in rural properties, hunting, farming, recreation, timber, and he named a price that was 4 times what the local realtor named, and I had two offers within couple weeks.

I wouldn’t give up on your retirement dream just yet particularly if you like the piece of land and the location. As many people have pointed out being designated rural is not necessarily a disadvantage. I’ve lived for years with a well and septic system it’s not rocket science.

I didn't know what a UGA was either. I was thinking University of Georgia...

i don't think it is a common abbreviation - we don't use it in my area/state.

So it sounds like you realize that sewer has an alternative. So is the issue about transit and other facilities? Where you expecting road improvements or a rail line? Obviously these would be big deals.

People vary on how rural they want to be and there is a bias towards rural here because of the type of forum. Are you wanting to be more urban and this is a big change? Then, yes, you should dump it.

You should absolutely attend the meeting on the 30th about this and ask questions. You need to understand what sort of impact that this change will have on your lot specifically. So ask them specific questions like "We recently purchased a set of building plans and would like to start building on our lot. Can we do so or what new restrictions do we need to follow?"

Thanks all. It’s not as rural as typical rural is. South Hill in puyallup is where the lot is located. So it’s 10 minutes to major shopping, I believe emergency services are covered by the county. There is a current road to the street but it’s single lane, trash is collected but we have to drag to the Main Street which is about 5000 fr away. We didn’t mind some of these but just wasn’t sure what else we don’t get being classified as rural

Looks like Puyallup has four sections under consideration, three for UGA removal and one for a zoning revision that wouldH remain in the UGA. The section being considered for rezoning may have gotten the same postcard as the other three sections. Since I don't know which section you are in, here are all four of them:

PU-01 Consider for removal from the UGA

This area is characterized by farmland and flood hazard areas. There

are salmon-bearing streams to the south. City utility infrastructure has

not been extended into this area and there are challenges to providing

both sewer service or septic systems. Puyallup has identified this area

as a rural buffer in their future land use map.

PU-02 Consider for removal from the UGA

This area includes significant constraints including flood hazards,

wetlands, and potential conservation areas. Clark Creek frequently

floods, making development unlikely to develop at urban levels of

intensity. Beyond the first layer of parcels on River Road that are zoned

for mixed use development (MUD), the character is more rural and

there are no sewers.

PU-03 Keep in the UGA, but update the zoning to reflect Puyallup’s future land use map

This area is the site of a major warehousing project that is currently

proposing 2.6 million square feet of building. Puyallup is reviewing and

EIS on this proposal. This area does contain flood hazards and other

constraints that will be addressed in the development proposal. There

are also development proposals for the residential portions of this

area.

PU-04 Consider for removal from the UGA

This area is a rural buffer area in Puyallup’s future land use map. There

are flood hazards. Parcels range from suburban lots to five acres in

size. There is limited infrastructure, but the city has a long-term plan to

extend sewer south from Pioneer Ave up Fruitland Ave, which could

provide sewer access eventually. Property owners in this area are

opposed to annexation and don’t want to be part of the City.

This is the relevant map. The sections are mostly to the left corner, in pink, marked with PU-#. The yellow PU-03 is the one that is being considered to remain in the UGA and be rezoned.

Hope this helps.

You may not have the dedication to build a final home. Dump is a harsh term, perhaps sell the property vs dumping it.

Is this a remorse excuse thing?

Well when I say dump, mean dump from our portfolio and sell :-)

Well, I do not think you know what ”dump” means means.

@beesneeds you are amazing for finding that we are right there at SU-01

Lol A Mat, SMH.

Dhana V, you are welcome. If you are right by SU, and in Puyallup, that would be PU-03, the yellow section. The one being considered for rezoning and being kept in the UGA. Not one of the sections being considered for dropping from the UGA and into Rural status.

If you meant you are in the pink SU-01 area, then it's in Sumner.

SU-01 Consider for removal from the UGA

Sumner asked for the UGA to be expanded in this area in 2012. The

area is adjacent to some commercial development to the north and

could potentially be served by sewer. Adjacent land is agricultural. This

area is characterized by large lot residential development and there

are constraints. Sumner may want this land to meet affordable

housing targets, but the area is separated from other residential areas

in the city, auto oriented, and unlikely to provide a high-quality

residential area.

Dhana V,

I live pretty close to this area, in Bonney Lake. I agree with the other posts that encourage you to strongly attend that meeting later this month to ask questions. And as beesneeds asked, is the parcel actually in Sumner, or is it in Puyallup?

It is in south hill.

If you are not in one of the afore mentioned sections, then the study and potential change might not apply to your property. You might have gotten the post card simply because you are in that mailing area.

I would extra suggest just calling in or emailing the office on the first page of the study. Find out for sure what area you are in, if it is within one of the study areas.