DUVALL, Wash. - The day of the small family farm in King County has come and gone for a lot of families. Many of the farmers left find ways to lure city residents to their farms, through the growing agri-tourism industry.
One would-be farmer near Duvall says King County's burdensome rules are costing him his agricultural dream, with regulations favoring the rich who want to build huge homes, instead of helping farmers grow their businesses.
"This is a great place to grow healthy nutritious food," said Steve Capeder.
Capeder, a vegetarian and self-proclaimed fitness "nut," can already grow food. But the problem is Capeder's big dream is made of lots of little dreams.
"This is a great spot to have weddings, on the open grass ... up on the hillside would be a place for a goat dairy. We have a little place over there, by the blueberry fields, would be a great place for a winery. Where the big barn is, we could sell produce there," explains Capeder.
What Capeder is talking about is agri-tourism and demonstration farming, not the stereotypical small family farm of years past. He says the old-fashioned way of farming puts a modern farmer out of business. But the process of developing Capeder's agri-business dream is hugely expensive: in time, in money, and in permit fees. Thousands and thousands of dollars of permits fees. It's a permit and zoning process he claims is squeezing farmers out while favoring the rich.
"You can build one 'McMansion,' and the rules allow one McMansion, the rules allow one big house ... I'm watching all these farms go to billionaires, millionaires and to me these farms are a precious resource we've lost," says Capeder.
But King County says the rules exist for a reason: to protect the environment and the community at large.
" He (Capeder) has tremendous vision for his property. At the same time, how do we preserve an area that has known landslides, is on a steep slope, and much of which is in a flood hazard zone?" questions John Starbard, King County's Director of Development and Environmental Services.
King County recently surveyed rural residents and agrees that reasonable reforms are needed.
"Is the ultimate fee structure correct? That's what we're looking at right now," says Starbard.
Additionally, King County Executive Dow Constantine has called the permitting process "daunting," and says he supports simplifying it.
But changes in rules will likely come too late to save Capeder's agri-tourism dreams.
"I've already got it (his 89 acre Duvall farm) subdivided into four, 20-acre lots. The thought is to go to a county that's more conducive to farming," says Capeder.
Recent statistics show there are still about 1,800 farms in King County.
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