Chapter Five - Rural Element

CHAPTER 5

BENTON COUNTY-WIDE INTRODUCTION & OVERVIEW Top 4 Planning Issues Road Improvements Growth Management Act Control/limit growth Ordinance to cleanup trash The Growth Management Act requires More sheriff protection counties to include a Rural Element in 1993 Rural Survey Respondents their Comprehensive Plans. • The adoption of policies for the "Counties shall include a Rural Element development and preservation of the including lands that are not designated for rural character of such lands, urban growth, agriculture, forest or mineral resources. The rural element shall permit including: the preservation of critical appropriate land uses that are compatible areas (e.g., fish and wildlife habitats, with the rural character of such lands and water quality etc.,) consistent with provide for a variety of rural densities..." private property rights; continuation of {R.C.W. 36.70A.070 (5)} agricultural use; excavation of mineral resources; The Washington Administrative Code • (WAC 365-195-330 {2}) recommends Encouragement of the use of rural that certain steps be followed in lands for recreational pursuits which preparing the Rural Element, many of preserve open space and are the recommended steps are listed environmentally benign; below: • Adoption of strategies for the • The identification of rural lands; acquisition of natural areas of high • The amount of population growth scenic value; within the twenty-year planning period • Establishment of criteria for which will live or work on rural lands; environmental protection, including • Adoption of policies for the programs to control non-point sources development of such lands; of water pollution and to preserve and • Uses permitted, including a variety of enhance habitat for fish and wildlife. densities for rural, commercial, and industrial use, consistent with the rural What Is Rural and Rural Character? character of the area; The rural areas of Benton County are • P.U.D’s, cluster housing, and innovative techniques for managing places where open space, the natural development within the overall environment and vegetation parameters of rural density; predominate over the built • Establishment of a definition of rural environment. They are discrete areas, governmental services which identifies each having a built environment and the limited public services provided to social texture uniquely created by persons living or working in rural areas; factors such as origin, history, period of • Provisions to regulate the orderly settlement, use capability of the land, inclusion of urban growth areas for and employment base of the future development; residents. The rural area is a place

Benton County Comprehensive Plan Page 5-1 Chapter Five - Rural Element where you can find wildlife habitats, where the natural beauty of the rural and a historic heritage shown by landform is valued and enjoyed. The minimal non-native uses of land that rural residents value property rights, includes small farms or scattered and feel a sense of “freedom” in the homesteads. rural area that provides opportunities to farm, raise children and keep The rural areas or communities within animals. Benton County attest to the observation that each rural area is Homes are buffered from neighbors in different. For example, though there a very low-density setting that include are common physical characteristics five and twenty acre minimum parcel and resident preferences throughout sizes. There are limited areas of more the rural communities in the four intense rural development, where Planning Regions of the county community infill may occur. (Hanford Region excluded), there are also very distinct differences in the Rural is not the center or traditional custom and culture, community hub of commerce and administration, outlook and living environments. with markets, theaters and shopping

with mixed housing. It is not a densely Rural Character embodies a quality of built environment or a sprawling life based upon traditional rural landscape of homes. landscapes, activities, lifestyles, and aesthetic values. The residents that In an urban setting there are higher live and work in the rural areas of the levels of public services, controlled County, through their participation in traffic and lower speed limits. They the Rural Planning Area Committees experience short commutes from prepared visions, goals, and listed home to office, school, or library, and unique and valued characteristics for are close to urban governmental each rural planning area. The services, i.e., police, fire and following descriptive text defines emergency facilities. “Rural Character” using those visions, goals, and perceptions of the County Rural Survey residents, and described as: large Commonalities and distinctions open landscapes where the setting is among rural areas within the county quiet, peaceful, and natural. The are evident in the Rural Visions For residents enjoy a slower pace lifestyle, Benton County 1993-2013 , and the closeness with nature and access to "pie charts" and graphs of the 1993 recreational opportunities. There is a Rural Visioning Survey Report . These strong sense of family and community documents are products of a public and a separation from government participation program conducted in and city. each Rural Area by Benton County planning staff, with the assistance of a In the rural area there is elbowroom, consultant, as part of its GMA less traffic, access to wildlife and planning process. Within these

Benton County Comprehensive Plan Page 5-2 Chapter Five - Rural Element documents are the “ Vision ” citizens THE RURAL PLANNING AREAS OF used to form the base for their Rural BENTON COUNTY Area Plan. Four of the five Planning Regions of Benton County have “Rural Planning Common Rural Preferences Areas” within them (the Hanford Notwithstanding differences between Planning Region does not). rural areas, the Survey and work of the individual Rural Planning Advisory The Rural Planning areas within each Committees identified preferences Planning Region comprise those lands common to all rural areas within the outside of both the Growth county. The most common Management Act (GMA) Agricultural preferences include the following: designation, and Urban Growth Areas. It is the aggregate of these rural areas • the ability to keep livestock and that comprise the Rural Element of the animals; Comprehensive Plan. • location of open space or farming in the proximity of living PATERSON-PLYMOUTH environments; RURAL PLANNING AREA • near unanimous support for wildlife and habitat protection; Location & Geographical Setting • desire for the expansion of public The rural communities of the Paterson- open spaces for outdoor Plymouth Planning Area reside in the recreation; south of Benton County, on the • no urban encroachment; downward sloping terrace of the • desire to preserve open space and Horse Heaven Hills Planning Region. low densities; Both communities overlook the • a desire and expressed need for Columbia River. The rising landform to good to excellent county roads; the north of the communities is • freedom from government predominantly in large-scale regulation, except for enforcement agricultural production. of ordinances that prohibit the accumulation of junk and trash on properties, and prevent residential The setting of each community is sprawl or unmanaged growth; afforded panoramic views of the river • peace and quiet. and the Oregon shore on the river’s south side. The river-shore below and to the east and west of each The Benton County Rural Visioning community is largely owned by the Survey Report Spring 1993 is cited federal government who purchased frequently in the Comprehensive Plan lands along the river to document, and is incorporated into accommodate the rise and fall of river this element by reference. waters pooled by hydroelectric dams. The shoreline and near-shore areas, characterized by sloughs, riparian

Benton County Comprehensive Plan Page 5-3 Chapter Five - Rural Element areas, islands and rocky shoals, is administered by the U.S. Fish and Top 5 Issues/Desired Improvements Wildlife Service and is a valuable Ordinance to cleanup trash recreational resource to the More sheriff protection Animal control community. Road improvements A church Plymouth is the most "up-river" of the Paterson-Plymouth Survey Respondents two rural communities. It lies less than one mile west of the I-82 interchange and bridge crossing at McNary Dam. river. The Indians fished and kept Paterson is approximately 12 miles ponies, and the settlers farmed. downstream of Plymouth, along SR-14. The original settlements pre-dated

Benton County. They were History 1 established by Klickitat County Today, the rural communities of stockmen and farmers some time in Paterson and Plymouth lie on the high the 1870s or 80's. One of the early ground above portions of their historic stockman was Harry Paterson Sr., settlements, which were inundated by whose son became the postmaster at the backwater pool of the John Day Scott. The town of Paterson is named Dam in the late 1960's. Few physical for his father. artifacts from the pre-dam era exist above water. Some of the larger The railroad along the river was houses and buildings were moved to constructed around the turn of the higher ground in advance of the rising century. Over time, the Paterson waters, they were large and made of landscape has been occupied by a wood construction on a landscape ferry landing, school houses, a hotel open to seasonally thunderous skies south of the tracks (converted from and electric storms and were the original Paterson family home), a gradually consumed by fires. cafe (still there), and the fore-runner of the present day Paterson Store. The

original store had two stories with a Paterson's original name was "Scott." dance hall and was destroyed by fire Plymouth, a few miles upriver was and replaced with the present originally called "Crimea," then structure in the 1920s. "Expansion." In 1906 it became Plymouth. Custom & Culture The custom and culture of Paterson Through the latter part of the 19th and and Plymouth residents is rooted in the early 20th century, white settlers commercial agriculture, with ancillary and Indians jointly occupied and lived forays into tourism in the late 1800's on the land and islands along the when services were provided to travelers and Indian artifact hunters 1 Based on information from ABenton County a who came to exploit rich caches of Glimpse of the Past @, Benton County Historical and arrowheads and other artifacts along Pioneer Association, 1967.

Benton County Comprehensive Plan Page 5-4 Chapter Five - Rural Element the river. arrivals.

Early agriculture was livestock, These agri-businesses as well as other including horse round-ups in the Horse agricultural support industries employ Heaven Hills. Frank Mathews planted residents in a variety of agri-related an orchard along the river after the occupations. The Paterson Store, fire flood of 1894, he also planted currants station and school survive as centers and hay. Beyond Devil's Bend upriver of community activity. of Paterson, George McNeilly raised turkeys and grew cherries which Demographics ripened ten days before even the The Planning Area s have a current early cherries in the upper county. Dr. population of approximately 391 E.A. Bryan, former President of residents who occupy 146 residential Washington State University, partnered dwelling units. Population density is with Dr. Sharples in the Paterson Land one person per 144 acres, or 4.4 Company. Dr. Sharples grew large persons/sq. mile. The population of pear crops and shipped asparagus Plymouth is approximately 265 plants to Walla Walla in 1908. residents, while Paterson has approximately 126 residents. Annual picnics at host farms were major events where homegrown Infrastructure foods were served under open skies Though each is different, Paterson and on long trestle tables, games and Plymouth are rural communities, who dances enjoyed, and crops and have in common, isolation from public politics were discussed. services, low population density, and minimal service infrastructure. Contemporary life in the Paterson and Plymouth communities continues to Plymouth has a public water district be based upon agriculture, though with an established service boundary the rich social fabric which and capacity greatly in excess of characteristically revolved around the current demands. Well capacity is mutual aid practiced earlier by small 1,186,000 gpd with a single reservoir family farming operations has been storage capacity of 250,000 gallons. thinned by the evolution of today's Domestic waste disposal is agriculture to economies of scale. accomplished through individual (private) systems. Principal The Paterson-Plymouth landscape transportation infrastructure consists of today is tilled by private or corporate SR-14 which runs east and west across agri-businesses that farm thousands of the top of the community, and I-82 acres. Much of the area dryland which runs north and south, and wheat and rangeland areas of only 10 provides a full interchange to 15 years ago have been put under approximately one mile to the east of irrigation. Corn, apples, potatoes, Plymouth. SR-14 connects to I-82 at wheat, and wine grapes are major the McNary crossing, and provides a crops. Processing and storage river crossing again 80 miles down river facilities and wineries are recent at Biggs, Oregon. Interior collectors

Benton County Comprehensive Plan Page 5-5 Chapter Five - Rural Element for Plymouth are Christy Road, which As indicated below, land use changes parallels the river south of Plymouth, within the planning region surrounding and Plymouth Road which runs north the Paterson and Plymouth rural from the river intersecting Christy Road communities over the past decade and SR-82. The Plymouth residential show a major trend to convert dryland community is between the river and and rangeland to irrigated agriculture. SR-14. Currently there are approximately 131,800 acres of irrigated agriculture The Plymouth School houses students along the Paterson plateau. in grades K through five. There are currently 30 students enrolled. The The increase in irrigated crop acreage Plymouth School operates out of the has influenced construction of new Kennewick School District. agricultural storage and processing facilities for onions, corn, and Paterson has limited public water potatoes. Vineyards, wineries, and supply capability. The Paterson apple orchards are recent significant Heights Water District has a 525-foot trends. well with a capacity of 140 gpm., and a 50,000-gallon reservoir. Official The Rural Planning Area of Paterson- records indicate that it serves 23 Plymouth encompasses households currently. Paterson School approximately 7,564 acres, or two District has its own public water supply. percent of the Horse Heaven Hills Waste disposal in the community is Planning Region. The Paterson area via individual systems. Principal contains roughly 4,639 acres and transportation infrastructure is SR-14 Plymouth 2,925 acres. Within their (east/west) and SR221, which runs boundaries, these rural communities north from SR-14 across the Horse are sparsely developed at present, Heaven Hills to SR-22 at Prosser in the but have the potential for growth. Yakima Valley. The main residential They have river, rail, and state or community in Paterson is away from federal highway access, the river on high ground north of SR-14. undeveloped industrial acreage, and adjacency to significant accessible The Paterson Elementary School is a public shorelands. modern facility housing grades K thru 6. It currently has 111 students with a Plymouth’s industrially designated staff of seven. The facility includes a acreage (Port of Kennewick and Agri- library and gymnasium. Northwest) on its west side, equals 55 percent of its land area. A natural gas Existing Land Use supply line traverses the community. The largest category of land use in the Paterson has industrial designations Paterson-Plymouth Planning Area is equaling four percent of its acreage. public (Port of Kennewick and federal shoreline ownerships). The next largest Preferred Land Use Plans designation is industrial with The Preferred Land Use Plan Maps approximately 1,712 acres. drafted by the Paterson-Plymouth Rural Planning Advisory Committees in

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1996 were updated in 2006. The PARKS AND WILDLIFE HABITAT following are allocations of principal GOAL: Improve road access into land uses: sloughs for fire and safety equipment, fishing and hunting. PATERSON PREFERRED LAND USE Land Use Acres Action: Approach appropriate Residential 516 agencies to discuss and Commercial 13 pursue better access.* Industrial 145 Public 3,965 GOAL: Preserve, enhance and add to riverfront recreational opportunities. PLYMOUTH PREFERRED LAND USE Action: Keep Crow Butte State Park* Land Use Acres Action: Expand Plymouth Park to Residential 566 include the whole island.* Commercial 198 Action: Construct park and boat Industrial 1,567 launch at Paterson.* Public 594 GOAL: Protect the river in order to preserve wildlife habitats, the desert, The Land Use Maps for Paterson and wetlands, and to provide clean air, Plymouth are shown in the Land Use water, sky. Element, Chapter 4, Maps 4.3 and 4.4. Action: Keep neighboring land uses Paterson-Plymouth Rural Area Vision, compatible. Goals, and Actions. Action: Encourage projects that The Paterson-Plymouth Citizen’s Rural enhance the fish and wildlife Planning Advisory Committee has in and around the river.* identified the following "Vision": MORE PUBLIC SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES GOAL: More protection provided by

“The Paterson-Plymouth rural area the Sheriffs Department for the is...an area that preserves "an endangered Plymouth/Paterson area. species" (rural folks and rural living). Our Action: Slow traffic and speeding. future is our kids. We are involved with our parks and wildlife habitat. We dream of less government intervention, wish for LESS GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION more transportation and housing GOAL: Preserve rural freedom, opportunities, and water and sewer opportunity, and property rights and systems within our established values. communities." - Paterson-Plymouth Rural Committee Action: To support public relations training for the various departments at the county The Citizen's Rural Planning Advisory level. Committee has identified the following Planning Goals and Actions: GOAL: To continue a citizen Note: Where an asterisk*appears, the action involvement program that insures the should be driven by the citizens committee. opportunity for full citizen participation

Benton County Comprehensive Plan Page 5-7 Chapter Five - Rural Element in public decision-making. Action: Prior to development of the Action: Encourage the use of Industrial designated area mailing lists to keep County west of Plymouth, extending residents informed of new from the RR tracks in the projects, ordinances and south to SR-14 in the north, a changes in policy. site plan with operational standards, open space setbacks, and visual RURAL FOLKS AND RURAL LIVING screening to mitigate GOAL: To identify areas for a variety impacts and be compatible of agricultural uses in an effort to with the downwind preserve and maintain productive residential community shall farmlands to the maximum extent be prepared and approved possible. with public involvement. Action: That only compatible land Action: Enlarge the potentially uses should be established develop-able area adjacent adjacent to agriculture to to the west of Paterson. minimize potential problems Action: Zone area between SR-14 caused by incompatible and the railroad tracks land use activity. industrial.

PROVIDE HOUSING IN OUR ESTABLISHED OUR FUTURE (Our kids) COMMUNITIES GOAL: Create a "whole life" living GOAL: Plan for a diversity of living area that allows peace and quiet, and working situations that will provide preserves the farm heritage and rural residents with an opportunity to make character and accommodates economic and lifestyle choices. children, wage earning families and Action: Create a stable, balanced retired people. community economic

situation by promoting industries that are diverse, GOAL: Keep Paterson like it is with agriculturally based and little growth. that process what we produce. GOAL : Grow slowly and in a manner that preserves the existing rural GOAL: Expand employment community and lifestyle. opportunities. Action: Maintain Paterson as a great Action: In 1998, with the Port of place for kids to grow and Kennewick, Plymouth keep it safe for them.* residents, and the U.S. Army Corps, define uses, and A WATER AND SEWER SYSTEM IN OUR develop a Specific Plan for ESTABLISHED COMMUNITIES the island at Plymouth. GOAL : Achieve a household water

Benton County Comprehensive Plan Page 5-8 Chapter Five - Rural Element and sewer system that is affordable It was in 1881 when James Kinney yet is not based on densities which camped overnight below Prosser. change the rural character. Upon awakening the next morning he Action: Complete a water and found his horses had strayed and sewer study.* followed their tracks which led up the hillside and over into an upland plain. There he found his runaway horses RURAL PLANNING AREA cropping the succulent bunch grass. PROSSER-WHITSTRAN “Surely this is Horse Heaven,” he said to himself. Others tried to call the district “Columbia Plains”, but Mr. Location and Geographic Setting Kinney’s name stuck, and that is how The Prosser-Whitstran Rural Planning the name Horse Heaven came to be. Area lies within the southwestern In 1884, “Prosser Falls” as Prosser was corner of the Rattlesnake Planning originally called, boasted a general Region. store, two saloons, one restaurant, and a livery barn. At the same time one- Outstanding geographic features of mile west of Prosser Falls other settlers the Prosser-Whitstran Rural Planning were venturing to start a town. They Area are: the Yakima River, as it cuts called it Kinneyville, which had a through the lower valley; the elevated hotel, several saloons, two restaurants, slope of irrigated croplands on the and one residence. This area was "Roza" as it rises up the southern flank eventually absorbed by Prosser. of Rattlesnake Mountain to the north; Prosser Falls was given a Post Office and the textured slumps and that spring, but because there were so hummocks of the north face of the many “falls” in the state, “Falls” was Horse Heaven Hills, which rise abruptly dropped to prevent further confusion. from the south bank of the river. In the winter of 1884-85 the original History 2 townsite of Prosser was platted. The early Indian inhabitants of the Nelson Rich (who was the namesake Prosser-Whitstran area lived along the for the City of Richland) ran the first Yakima River. In the early spring they store. His residence, which was a camped along both sides of the river mansion in its day, was sited on what is near “The Falls” awaiting the salmon now the Benton County Courthouse run. Prosser’s first citizen, Colonel Square. Mr. Rich was a contractor and Prosser, staked a claim along its banks builder, and was an honored citizen in 1882. who served the community as school director, postmaster, and state representative for the district. Mr. Rich 2 Based on information from ABenton County, a made the first addition to the original Glimpse of the Past @, Benton County Historical and Pioneer Association 1967, and AProsser the townsite of Prosser. He platted the Hometown @, by Pearl Mahoney, 1950. section of Court, Market, and Main

Benton County Comprehensive Plan Page 5-9 Chapter Five - Rural Element

Streets by compass and not by the Mr. Heinzerling was also a bridge railroad (as many cities did at the builder. The original bridge across the time), so the streets run north and Yakima River leading to the south and the avenues east and west. Rattlesnake Hills was his creation, as Construction of the Northern Pacific well as the original Sixth Street Bridge Railroad did not get underway until also over the Yakima, built in 1906. the mid 1870's. The track between Spokane and Ainsworth (Pasco) was The first of two public roads in what is completed in 1880, and during the today Benton County was authorized summer and fall of 1884, the railroad by the Territorial Legislature in 1882. made its way through Prosser and the The first was a short stretch of road on Yakima Valley. During the early 80's the north bank of the Yakima River many pioneer families filed claims across from Prosser. The second along the route of the Northern Pacific started at the ferry landing opposite Railroad line up the valley, sheltering Wallula, running through the Hover- themselves in tents, shacks, and Finley area, then west past Coyote covered wagons. Springs, then up and across the Horse Heaven plateau and down to Prosser. Development of the railroad Five miles of this road falls within the construction camps was soon present State Route 221 and the followed by new schools. The Prosser County Well Road, and a short School District, established on expanse remains as the Locust Grove February 2, 1884, has the distinction of Road. being the oldest school district in what is now Benton County. Shortly after Washington became a state in 1889, people in southeastern In the late 1880's, Lewis Heinzerling Yakima County began to complain arrived in what was then Prosser Falls. about the distance they had to travel Impressed with the opportunities the to Yakima City to transact business. It area offered, especially the river, the was in 1901 when talk began of the falls, and the potential water power it formation of a new county, naming could produce, he envisioned a flour Prosser as the county seat. Then State mill at a particular spot on the river Representative Nelson Rich was bank and spoke of his aspirations to instrumental in passing a measure in Colonel Prosser. On Heinzerling’s the state legislature in 1905 that behalf, Prosser negotiated with the created the new unit of government chief of the Indian tribe then camped that is Benton County. along the river for permission to build the mill. Mr. Heinzerling brought his Prosser’s roots are deeply embedded family and a number of neighbors in agriculture. Much of the success in from Missouri in the spring of 1887 to agriculture is due to the harnessing of assist in building the mill. water and applying it to the fertile soil: “irrigation”. As early as 1889, Northern

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Pacific Railroad completed a study in and private service sector, and a retail connection with the Sunnyside canal. sector. A relatively new opportunity In 1908, the government began to established upon agriculture is the show interest in the project, and in cultivation of tourism related to the 1916, the Northern Pacific Railroad growing local and regional wine made another survey on the present making and specialty crop industries. location, but due to WWI nothing Another opportunity, unrelated to came of the activity. agriculture, is the City's expansion of the highway service industry at the Then in 1919, landowners formed a Gap Road. interchange with I-82. district and immediately entered into a contract with the government for The Roza is among the most canal surveys, and contracting for productive irrigated areas in the water in 1921. Six years later, a joint 600,000 acre Yakima Valley irrigation economic study was prepared at a project. Crop production is diverse cost of $10,000 which was shared and focused on the specialty markets. equally by the landowners and the Farmed holdings range from those government. The study justified the with thousands of acres to those of project, and the storage dam at Cle less than a hundred. Farmers target a Elem was promoted. Actual work was global market with products including finally underway in 1936 for 99 miles of wine grapes, wine, juice grapes, mint, canal, serving 46,000 gravity acres numerous types of apples, hops, called the Roza Canal. Today the cherries, currants, apricots, pears, Roza District is one of the most some forage crops, livestock, and productive farming areas in the State dairy products. of Washington. The Horse Heaven Hills contain Custom & Culture approximately 500,000 acres. It is The custom and culture within the almost entirely put to cultivated Prosser-Whitstran Rural Area is agricultural use, with steep and predominantly agricultural based. It marginal soils in rangeland. Dryland revolves around the agricultural wheat is the predominant crop, with products grown on the "Horseheaven some barley production. On its Hills" to the south and the "Roza" to the southern slope, above the Columbia north. River, production of irrigated crops is expanding by virtue of access to the Upon a base of agricultural land and river as a water source. Crops include: a water supply from the Yakima River, wine grapes, corn, potatoes, carrots, the residents of the Prosser-Whitstran onions, apples, and irrigated wheat. Rural Area, and those of the City of Prosser itself have historically nurtured Area residents are employed in local an economy primarily associated with agricultural industries which store, agriculture related industry, a public process, package and market

Benton County Comprehensive Plan Page 5-11 Chapter Five - Rural Element products such as wine, juices, corn, printing, barbershop, child care, potatoes, and orchard fruits. veterinary services, computer sales, auto dealerships and parts stores, Also serving the agricultural industry groceries, restaurants, plant nursery, are the WSU Cooperative Extension, feed and grain, farm supplies, and arts the U.S. Department of Agriculture's and crafts stores. The City has a full Natural Resources Conservation interchange with I-82, and through the Service, and Agricultural Service 1980s to the present, a complex of Center, all located within Prosser. Five highway service businesses providing miles north of Prosser, on the Roza, is an expanding range of fast food, the Washington State University’s lodging, recreation and truck services. Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Service (IAREC), where state Major and minor centers of farmer and federal agencies and local interaction within the Planning Area farmers jointly research problems are at meetings such as those of the associated with irrigated agriculture. Cattleman's Association, Association of Wheat Growers, and the Farm A significant number of residents Bureau. On a more routine basis, residing in the Prosser-Whitstran rural local meeting places at Prosser community are engaged in public locations include the Buena-Vista and service employment and activities. Horse Heaven Granges, the Barn Many of these employees are from Restaurant on Wine Country Road, local families who either own or have and Northwoods Restaurant at the I-82 spouses working in agriculture. The Interchange. City of Prosser, County government, IAREC, the Prosser School District's Top 4 Issues/Desired Improvements Elementary, Middle and High Schools, Road improvements Prosser Library, Benton County More sheriff protection Historical Museum, and the Prosser Ordinance to cleanup trash Control/Restrict growth Memorial Hospital provide Prosser-Whitstran Survey Respondents employment, public service and support. Demographics The City of Prosser, which is the County The Prosser-Whitstran Rural Planning Seat, has a population of Area has a current population in the approximately 5,000. It has a defined unincorporated area of business and retail center anchored approximately 4,216, who occupy by banking, insurance and real estate 1,573 residential dwelling units. The services, and city and county average residential density is one administrative centers. Within the city dwelling unit per 16.5 acres. is a range of retail/service enterprises including law offices, Infrastructure pharmaceuticals, auto re-upholstery, The principal infrastructure within the

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Prosser-Whitstran Rural Planning Area is storage, processing and value found within the City of Prosser, which added industries within and has the full range of municipal adjacent to the city; services and infrastructure for a • the regional transportation corridor, municipality of its size. which parallels the river and contains I-82 and the Burlington The Prosser School District provides Northern Railroad; and, facilities for students K-12. The school • the small community of Whitstran facilities include a high school, middle with a cluster of homes, the school, and three elementary schools Whitstran Elementary School, and a (one of which is located in Whitstran small store are located several for students K-5). The student miles to the north and east of enrollment for the 2004-05 school year Prosser. was 2,836. Outside of the City of Prosser, the land Outside of the city, infrastructure uses within the Prosser-Whitstran rural consists primarily of the county road community are either commercial network, which serves the rural and agriculture, or low density rural agricultural community, the irrigation residential, depending upon any facilities of the Roza and Sunnyside given area's suitability for Valley Irrigation Districts, and the commercially viable farming. Areas IAREC facility. with poor or marginal agricultural suitability are either used for livestock Existing Land Use grazing and/or housing. There is The predominate land uses within this pressure in the Prosser-Whitstran Rural rural planning area are: Area to convert suitable farming ground to residential housing. In some • the rich and diversified irrigated measure this is because a significant crop cover on the Roza and river amount of acreage has constraints to terraces overlooking the Yakima both agriculture and housing use due River; to poor soil drainage characteristics. • areas of low density rural residential development and small The Rural Planning Area of Prosser- farmed lots located generally to Whitstran incompasses approximately the west and north of Prosser on 23,357 acres, or thirteen percent of the lands having soils which range Rattlesnake Planning Region. There is from rich and deep to marginal or roughly 22,577 acres designated for poor relative to agricultural rural residential land use. purposes; • the City of Prosser, which is the Preferred Land Use Plan Benton County Seat located The Preferred Land Use Plan Maps adjacent the Yakima River; drafted by the Prosser-Whitstran Rural • the complex of agricultural related Planning Advisory Committee was

Benton County Comprehensive Plan Page 5-13 Chapter Five - Rural Element adopted in 1996, and updated in CONTAINED RURAL GROWTH 2006. The following are allocations of GOAL: Contain rural growth in order the principal land uses: to preserve farmland. Action: Enlarge existing city limits to PROSSER-WHITSTRAN PREFERRED LAND USE accommodate growth. Land Use Acres Action: Include a provision in the development regulations Residential 22,577 that allows cluster Commercial 193 development as a tool to Industrial 587 preserve farmlands.

The Land Use Map for Prosser- GOAL: Preserve and improve the Whitstran is shown in the Land Use existing visual/auditory character of the area. Element, Chapter 4, Map 4.1. Action: Support a county ordinance to clean up trash and junk.* PROSSER-WHITSTRAN RURAL AREA Action: Lower nuisance noise. VISION, GOALS AND ACTIONS Action: Enlarge the existing The Prosser-Whitstran Citizen's Rural ordinance’s dog control Planning Advisory Committee has zone to include the Prosser- identified the following "Vision": Whitstran Planning area.

"The Prosser-Whitstran area is an area of GOAL: To provide adequate, balanced employment opportunity, with a convenient roads that safely handle full spectrum of housing, offering rural anticipated traffic. freedom and opportunity, with good Action: Provide adequate road neighbors and good living while maintenance. containing rural growth to preserve natural spaces for use and enjoyment." Action: Control traffic and Prosser-Whitstran Rural Committee speeding.

FULL SPECTRUM HOUSING GOAL: Plan for a diversity of living The Committee has identified the and working situations that will provide following The Citizen's Rural Planning residents with an opportunity to make Advisory Planning Goals and Actions: economic and lifestyle choices. Note: Where an asterisk* appears, the action Action: Allow 50, 20, 10, 5, acre lots should be driven by the citizens committee. in rural areas. Action: Improve housing standards. RURAL FREEDOM AND OPPORTUNITY GOAL: Preserve rural freedom, BALANCED EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY opportunity and property rights and GOAL: Create a stable, balanced values. community economic situation by Action: Control trespassing on promoting industries that are diverse, private property.* agriculturally based and that process

Benton County Comprehensive Plan Page 5-14 Chapter Five - Rural Element what we produce. Action: Designate public Action: Agricultural related industry recreational facilities and permitted in lands identify source of public and designated for agriculture. private funds for their acquisition, construction, and maintenance. GOAL: Promote and protect winery tourism. Action: Farmlands and commercial areas to include wineries. THE BENTON CITY-KIONA RURAL PLANNING AREA GOOD NEIGHBORS/GOOD LIVING Location And Geographical Setting GOAL: Create a "whole life" living area that allows peace and quiet, The Benton City-Kiona Rural Planning preserves the farm heritage and rural Area lies within the eastern portion of character and accommodates the Rattlesnake Planning Region. The children, wage earning families and Planning Area includes the rural area retired people. surrounding the City of Benton City. Action: Maintain the Prosser rural areas character and lifestyle The lands within the Planning Area by allowing 2-5 acre rural form a remarkable landscape, the densities.** principal features of which are basaltic uplifts rising from a point ** In 2007, the Board of County Commissioners generally rejected designations of where the Yakima River makes a “hair- less than the RL 5 as inconsistent pin” turn to the north from its 200 miles with the GMA. long downstream direction of southeasterly.

NATURAL SPACES USE AND RECREATION To the east and south of the Yakima's GOAL: Preserve open spaces in hair pin turn rise Goose Hill, Badger order to protect wildlife habitats, the and Candy mountains; to the river, the desert, wetlands, wildlife and southwest rise the escarpments of the to provide clean air, water, sky. Horse Heaven Hills; and to the Action: Provide access to public northeast, Red Mountain rises sharply. natural areas. To the northwest the long flank of Rattlesnake Mountain reaches across GOAL: Plan for a system of the Roza down to the Yakima River; recreational opportunities (trails, parks, the City of Benton City rests on this boating, hot air balloons, etc.) that flank. Across the River from the city to connect communities and allow the south is the small residential cluster public access yet provide protection of Kiona. Kiona lies below the Horse for the environment. Heaven Hills escarpments at the point Action: Establish a low maintenance where they turn south down Badger bike and walking path with Canyon. In prehistoric times the resting areas, with a horse Yakima River flowed through the trail alongside, using the canyon on its way to the Columbia abandoned railroad line. River.

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History 3 township. Sometime in the early In 1882, an early pioneer, Billy Kelso, 1890s, the N.P. constructed a canal filed a claim on land in the Horse and a pumping plant on the river to Heaven Hills above Kiona, and pump water to apple and pear initiated an operation that grew into a orchards in the highlands. This later large wheat ranch. In 1883 a small became a part of a 2,000-acre tract railroad camp sprung-up where Kiona acquired by Calhoun, Denny, and is today. People were filing claims as Ewing of Seattle. The land was fast as they could along the route of divided into 10-acre lots and sold to the Northern Pacific’s line up the people of all walks of life from Seattle, valley and also on the Horse Heaven the Bremerton Shipyards, and other Hills plateau. Many of these West Coast cities. “homesteaders” were men working in A glowing picture of rural life was the railroad construction camps. painted to the prospective buyers by these real estate operators, “Retire for The town of Kiona was the original life to watch the apples grow”. The settlement on lands overlooking the new purchasers, many from the city, bend in the Yakima River. soon learned that there was a lot more to fruit growing than simply In 1885, a school was opened in Kiona "watching the apples grow," and it for the four children of William Neil, the was harder work than many had ever rail line section foreman. The first done. teacher was Miss Libbie Ketcham, who with her sister Olive began a grocery store. About that time, a In 1909, a 48-room Benton City Hotel townsite was laid out by Billy Kelso and was erected at a cost of $35,000. In his brother Clint. The Kelso brothers the spring of 1910, there were later married the Ketcham sisters and persistent rumors of a town being built; the grocery store was expanded into orders for nursery stock were pouring the Kelso Brothers General in, and the new townsite set to fruit. In Merchandise Store. At that time a 1911, W.A. Dudley became the owner post office and a large wooden hotel and publisher of the Benton City News were built in Kiona. at Benton City.

Land speculation schemes triggered Mr. Robert Strahorn, a promoter of the by representatives of rival railroads are North Coast Railway, arrived in the recorded in Benton City history. Kiona, hopes of developing a rail route that a Northern Pacific (NP) town, had would bring Spokane and Walla Walla been the civic center since 1884, but closer to Portland, Tacoma and the N.P. also owned a township of Seattle. The North Coast Railway land in the plateau north of the river Depot was built (at a location just that had never been put on the south of the present day US Bank in market. The name of “Benton Benton City), and a large turntable Highlands” became attached to this was built about a quarter of a mile east of the depot. By the time Benton City came into being, the Harriman 3 Based on the information from ABenton Lines in the Northwest and the North County a Glimpse of the Past @, Benton County Historical and Pioneer Association 1967. Coast Railway was consolidated as

Benton County Comprehensive Plan Page 5-16 Chapter Five - Rural Element the Oregon-Washington Railroad and Hanford. Navigation Company; but the link from Benton City to Spokane was With the economic cycles driven by never built. The train depot was later Hanford, platting and breaking down dismantled with its pieces stored, and of acreage for sale as smaller then lost track of. All that remained residential lots has in itself become a was the track through town, which means of livelihood for individuals ceased being used in 1994, and was living both within and outside of the removed entirely in 1995. Planning Area. These speculative actions were most prevalent during Custom and Culture the 1970s, 80s and early 90s, and were The custom and culture of the Benton driven by Hanford Site projects such as City-Kiona Rural Planning Area, the Washington Public Power Supply though historically rooted in System (WPPSS) nuclear power plant agriculture, has been also influenced constructions, then the federally by non-farm characteristics in recent sponsored Basalt Waste Isolation decades. This is largely as a result of Project (BWIP), and most recently, the the close proximity of the Planning Hanford Clean-up Project. Area to Hanford Site and the Tri-Cities metropolitan area. Successive years of these activities have influenced a contemporary Prior to the establishment of the custom and culture which deviates Hanford Nuclear Reservation, the from the traditional one of long term custom and culture of the Planning reliance on commercial farms as the Area was orchard, forage crops, principal means of financial support. asparagus, concord grapes and livestock production. Within the last half decade however, as the certainty of sustained Hanford However, for the last 50 years, program levels ebbs and flows, the employment and the use of land and custom and culture of the Planning resources within the Planning Area Area may be reinvigorating its have been influenced strongly by agricultural roots. Landowners and Hanford Site programs. Employment users within the Planning Area appear statistics for the City of Benton City to be thinking and acting "agriculture." indicate that on a per capita basis, In large measure the focus is on the population within the Planning specialty crops such as cherries, Area has the highest percentage of apples, and wine grapes. Urban Hanford dependent employment encroachment on agricultural land is countywide. being opposed by some orchardists.

During the Hanford era, the Planning New plantings for agricultural Area has been populated by many production are evident on the non-farming households seeking quick landscape. Prime soils and housing to meet transitory labor microclimates to the west and north of opportunities, or seeking to support a Benton City early provide cherry crops "rural lifestyle" through employment at for the affluent California and Japan markets. Soil, slope, and rainfall

Benton County Comprehensive Plan Page 5-17 Chapter Five - Rural Element conditions on Red Mountain across the Yakima River to the east of the city Top 5 Issues/Desired Improvements are favorable for the growing of red Road improvements wine grapes of sufficient quality that Enforce zoning restrictions an application for designation as a Ordinance to cleanup trash special wine growing "Appellation" Protect right to farm More police protection has been made to the federal Benton City-Kiona Survey Respondents government as new vineyards are planted. There are new orchard plantings on Goose Hill lands leased from the Department of Natural Kiona is a residential cluster Resources. Orchard plantings and overlooking the City of Benton City circle irrigation is expanding from the from the high ground on the south north end of Badger Canyon southerly terrace of the river. All physical signs to the Badger Interchange. of it origin as the first town at the bend in the River have vanished to the casual observer. The population is less The City of Benton City within its than 100. There are no commercial, means, is the nucleus of the Planning private sector service or retail Area. It has approximately 2,840 amenities, nor are there public residents within its corporate limits. services located within Kiona. Many of the rural residents utilize the Residents rely on services in Benton services available within the city. City for their routine needs, or those within the Tri-Cities. Kiona is within the The Kiona-Benton (Ki-Be) Elementary City of Benton City's Urban Growth and High Schools, along with the Area. many churches in the city, are the major centers of social and cultural Demographics inter-action. There are two restaurants The population on unincorporated which serve as informal meeting places for area farmers and rural lands designated as "Rural" (i.e., does residents. Commercial, retail and not include lands zoned Agriculture), other private sector services in the city within the Planning Area is currently which include: banking, grocery, estimated at 4,261 persons, residing in restaurants, child care, farm supply, 1,590 households, at a density of one two gasoline-convenience stations, dwelling unit per 15 acres. This density auto repair, beauty salon, mercantile is low, evidencing the fact that the store, tannery, hardware, and a U.S. predominant land use within the rural Post Office. designation is agriculture. A significant

portion of this acreage has Just outside the city, to the north, is the Benton Junior Fair & Rodeo grounds, development constraints related to owned by a private non-profit topography, flood areas, or association which hosts numerous availability of potable water events through the year, including a resources. The single family housing family rodeo event in August as part type is predominantly mobile or of the City's annual Benton City Daze manufactured home (58%). celebration.

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Infrastructure intersection of SR-225 and SR-240. The With the exception of county roads park does not have infrastructure or serving the rural and farming areas, facilities at this time. principal infrastructure within the Planning Area is provided by the City Principal county roads in the Planning of Benton City, the Ki-Be School Area are: Lower River Road, which District, and the Washington State extends through the city's north Department of Transportation boundary and parallels the west side (WSDOT). of the Yakima River to converge with SR-225 just upstream of the Horn Municipal Services The city provides Rapids County Park; Old Inland Empire municipal water and sewer services, a Highway, which parallels the north city street network, and has two small side of the Yakima River extending public parks; one with tennis courts westerly from SR-225 in Benton City to across from the elementary school, Whitstran and Prosser; SR-224 a and one behind City Hall with western route from the I-82 benches, tables and a concession Interchange with SR-225 to West stand. Richland, and Badger Canyon Road, which extends south from I-82 through Kiona and Badger Canyon to the School Facilities There are cities of Richland and Kennewick. approximately 1,653 students within the Ki-Be School District, which has Elementary, Middle and High School Existing Land Use facilities located within the city limits. The Benton City-Kiona Rural Planning The Ki-Be School District provides the Area has a total of 23,708 acres (37 sq. aforementioned grades in facilities off mi.) which represents twelve percent of Horn Road (SR 225). The of the land use in the Rattlesnake elementary and middle schools are at Planning Region. The predominate a location separate from the high land use is agriculture (88%). school. However, within that category approximately 55% is rangeland or undeveloped and only about 20% is Major Transportation WSDOT provides irrigated agriculture. and maintains a Park-and-Ride lot at the full interchange of State Highway 225 and I-82. This interchange serves Within the Planning Area, lands as the main entrance to the city. A currently designated for bridge on SR-225, adjacent to the unincorporated rural residential use interchange, carries traffic over the total 18,451 acres, and range in Yakima and north through the city. density from one dwelling unit per North of the city, SR-225 converges acre to one per five acres. Acreage with, and parallels the river on its west within the City of Benton City and its bank, all the way to SR-240 on the Urban Growth Area total 1,949 acres. Hanford Reservation's southern Land use within the city is boundary. Horn Rapids Park is a characterized by low-density county park located on the river. The residential development located Park extends along approximately around a defined urban center. seven miles of river frontage to the

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The Preferred Land Use Plan GREEN FIELDS The Preferred Land Use Plan Map GOAL: Preserve rural and drafted for the Rural Area by the agricultural living. Benton City-Kiona Rural Planning Action: Maintain rural residential Advisory Committee was adopted in densities. 1996 and updated in 2006. The following are allocations of the GOAL: That the rural and principal land uses: agricultural character of the Benton City-Kiona rural planning area be

maintained and protected. Action: That non-agricultural related BENTON CITY-KIONA PREFERRED LAND USE industry be located on sites unsuitable for food Land Use Acres production and in areas Residential 18,451 where access problems will Commercial 0 be at a minimum. Industrial (light) 24 Action: In the event of a conflict Public 5,233 between residential uses and the normal agricultural The Land Use Map for Benton City- activities of a preexisting Kiona is shown in the Land Use agricultural use, county Element, Chapter 4, Map 4.2. support should be in favor of the agricultural use to the BENTON CITY-KIONA RURAL AREA extent practicable. VISION, GOALS, AND ACTIONS GOAL : Expand employment The Benton City-Kiona Citizens Rural opportunities. Planning Advisory Committee has Action: Create a stable, balanced identified the following “Vision”: community economic situation by promoting non- polluting industries that are "The Benton City-Kiona Rural Planning Area diverse, agriculturally based, is a friendly, cooperative rural living area and that process what we with green fields surrounded by preserved produce. pristine environments, spare time recreation areas and a community of involved citizens GOAL: Preserve the natural beauty with civic pride." and character of the Benton City- Benton City-Kiona Rural Committee Kiona rural area. Action: Designate low density living The Citizens Rural Planning Advisory areas (2, 2.5, 5, & 10 acres) Committee has identified the which provide for small following Planning Goals and Actions: scale agricultural use**. Action: Include a provision in the Note: Where an asterisk* appears, the action Rural Lands Element of the should be driven by the citizens committee. Comprehensive Plan that encourages cluster development and provides

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open space. Action: Acquire the abandoned Action: The inclusion of landscaping Union Pacific Railroad techniques into the County’s Property for use as a Administrative Design pedestrian, equestrian and Manual that includes various bike path. low maintenance desert landscaping and lists trees CIVIC PRIDE and vegetation which is GOAL: To assure residents will live in adaptable to the County’s areas that are clean, quiet, and non- arid climate . polluted. ** In 2007, the Board of County Commissioners Action: County Commissioners generally rejected designations of less than enact and enforce an the RL 5 as inconsistent with the GMA. ordinance to clean-up trash and hulk vehicles and SPARE TIME RECREATION equipment. GOAL: Preserve and enhance the Action: Prohibit the burning of area's regional parks and natural household garbage. areas that provide a variety of Action: Designate a county dump outdoor recreational activities. (landfill) and recycling Action: That excess county land center. should be traded or sold to Action: Yard lights should be acquire additional shielded or directed in a parklands or to provide way as not to cause a necessary maintenance or nuisance. improvements to the county's existing parks. FRIENDLY, COOPERATIVE RURAL LIVING Action: That state park enhancement programs GOAL: Create a "whole life" living and grants be utilized to area that allows peace and quiet, leverage private donations preserves the farm heritage and rural to support and maintain character and nurtures children, park projects. families and retired people. Action: Enforce litter laws and keep parks clean. INVOLVEMENT GOAL: Preserve rural freedom, GOAL: Plan for a system of opportunity, property rights, and recreational opportunities (trails, parks, values. boating, etc.), that connect communities and allow public access GOAL: To continue a citizen yet provide protection for the involvement program that insures the environment. opportunity for full citizen participation Action: That county parks and in public decision-making. recreation programs be Action: That citizens be provided coordinated with those of with information through the city to avoid duplication mailing lists and the news of services. media to allow maximum

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citizen involvement during Mountain Planning Region, which is the land use decision- the most intensely populated region of making process. the county.

PRESERVE PRISTINE ENVIRONMENT The Planning Area contains the cities GOAL: Recognize and protect the of West Richland, Richland and areas Yakima River as a wonderful and of southwest Kennewick. Due to the important resource. size of the urban boundaries in this Action: Protect the banks and Planning Area, and their less than undergrowth of the river. coherent configuration, the rural lands are scattered enclaves of Action: Stop industrial and unincorporated lands whose residents agricultural pollution of the live in relative geographic isolation river. from those in other unincorporated Action: Keep cattle off the river, areas. except for designated water sources. The lands and terrain within the Action: Conserve water, use new Richland-West Richland Rural Planning techniques to irrigate. Area are varied and rich in natural Action: Keep density to rural features, wildlife, and beauty. The standards. Yakima River is a primary feature which flows through the Planning GOAL: Preserve the river in order to Area. Visually, the river is a green protect wildlife habitats, the river, the ribbon starkly contrasted against a desert, wetlands, wildlife and to horizon of golden desert, textured by provide clean air, water, sky. plays of light and sky. The river lays Action: Protect and enhance below a pattern of basaltic uplifts riparian corridors. known as Rattlesnake, Badger, Candy and Red Mountains, Thompson and Goose Hills, and the north face of the GOAL: Protect the desert Horse Heaven Hills as it slumps and environment. fans downward to the ancient river Action: Keep off-road recreational bed of Badger Canyon. vehicles off shrub steppe habitats. Action: Designate significant shrub At Horn Rapids on the Yakima River, steppe areas and protect the relatively thin riparian corridor them by performance characteristic of the river's upper standards. reaches within Benton County gives a last concession to the encroaching desert sage and bunch grass, then THE RICHLAND-WEST RICHLAND RURAL expands into a wide complex of PLANNING AREA floodways and floodplains overlain by a weave of remnant meanders, wetlands, and riparian thickets. These Location And Geographical Setting characteristics remain and expand in The Richland-West Richland Rural width through the Barker Ranch and Planning Area lies within the Red West Richland area, thinning

Benton County Comprehensive Plan Page 5-22 Chapter Five - Rural Element somewhat at the Van Giesen Bridge in area was producing the hay for a West Richland, but persist all the way freight and stage line that ran through downstream to enlarge again before what today is Franklin County. spreading massively as an alluvial delta into the Columbia River. The In 1875, Smith Barnums Place at the delta is a complex of channels, mouth of the Yakima was made a islands, wetland/riparian areas and station on the mail route running from open waters periodically turned to Wallulla up the Yakima Valley. In mud flats by the rise and fall of the anticipation of the Northern Pacific McNary Dam pool. This complex branch, Ben J. Rosencrance brought extends all the way downriver to the his bride Mary to his homestead near area known as "The Wye." the Richland “Wye” in 1880. There they developed a stagecoach station. Ben began accumulating the History 4 horses to be used on the “scrappers” The early Indian inhabitants of the that turned dirt in the railroad Richland-West Richland area lived construction. He was one of the first to along the Yakima River known by the raise horses on a large scale. The railroad also was selling land from its Indians as “Tapteil”, meaning narrow grant at 50 cents per acre and Ben river. The first white men of record to bought up a sizeable chunk of that visit this area were those of the Lewis where the City of Richland stands and Clark Expedition. They mapped today. this great western branch of the Columbia River for which they The early settlers along the river adopted the Indians’ name “tapteil”. conceived the beginnings of irrigation by putting in water wheels with Early fur traders ferried across to the ditches leading from them that west bank of the Columbia River to carried water from the river to gardens and orchards. Landowners on the cut hay on the lowland meadows and north side of the Yakima between its to graze horses on the lush bunch mouth and the Horn worked out a grass. They followed a trail on the cooperative plan to build a canal that west bank northward along the would serve them all. Among the “Indian road”. Today the north sponsors were the McNeills, the Souths, Hanford Highway (SR-240) follows this the Lockwoods, Joe Baxter, and Dr. route north from the Horn of the Charles Cantonwine. Yakima River. The trail lies in the valley of Cold Creek which crossed through Two new school districts were formed what the pioneers called Pleasant in 1889, the Richland district and the Valley and led to the Selah Valley and White Bluffs district (the town of White the upper Yakima River. Bluffs being on what is now the Hanford Reservation and not a part of Cattlemen began arriving in the fall of this Planning Region). 1860. In what we know today as the

Richland area they grazed their cattle in “Grants Meadows”. By 1861 the Richland was known at the time as Grants Meadows and was a point on the riverboat schedule where they 4 Based on information from ABenton County a picked up bailed hay for downriver Glimpse of the Past @, Benton County Historical and markets. In 1892 Nelson Rich of Prosser Pioneer Association 1967. and Howard Amon of Richland

Benton County Comprehensive Plan Page 5-23 Chapter Five - Rural Element formed a “Benton Land and Water However, there are a few seemingly Company”. common cultural characteristics June 7, 1905, a plat for the town of throughout this rural area. For “Benton” was filed, and the following example, there seems to be an October the first post office was unequivocal insistence upon a low started, with William R. Lamb as density rural development pattern postmaster. Records show the name and lifestyle; there is also a recognition “Benton” was changed January 3rd that residential property values are in 1906, to Richland, after a civic leader large measure dependent upon the and stalwartly gentleman from maintenance of visual and aesthetic Prosser, Nelson Rich. In 1906, T. E. quality; and there is a desire to enjoy a McClosky started The Richland rural lifestyle, but within a relatively Advocate, a newspaper that stayed close proximity to urban services and in business until the original town of employment centers. Richland was absorbed in the Hanford Project in 1943. El Rancho Reata , on the south limit of the City of Richland, overlooking the Custom and Culture Badger Rd./I-82 Interchange, is a The custom and culture within the discrete residential enclave of Richland-West Richland Rural Area is approximately 200 site built homes on as diverse as the landscape over 1.25 to 2 acre lots laid out over a which it exists. Though historically its landscape of small canyons and roots were in agriculture like the rest of hilltops within a broken pattern of the county, today it is distinctly orchards and vineyards. In large different than that of the other four measure the employment base here is Rural Planning Areas of the county: Hanford or WPPSS. Though marginally commercial agriculture is not a of urban character relative to lot size, foundation stone; to a large extent the encroaching urban proximity, and its employment base is non-farm; public water supply, Rancho Reata on average income is relatively high; and balance is a rural rather than urban the percentage of site built versus lifestyle. Rural characteristics are: the manufactured or mobile homes is adjacent agriculture, along with the higher than in other rural planning lack of domestic waste disposal areas. Because the rural areas within systems, lack of sidewalks and gutters, the Planning Area are widely and the number of horse pastures, dispersed and isolated from each outbuildings, and hay stacks. other by the pattern and size of three intervening cities, there is not a Directly south of Rancho Reata, across coherent "sense of community", such the I-82 corridor lies the south end of as within the Paterson-Plymouth, or Badger Canyon . The canyon extends Prosser-Whitstran Areas. Instead, roughly ten miles to the west. Though there are numerous and distinct rural there are concentrated pockets of enclaves or neighborhoods, often with smaller lots within the canyon, it is homeowners associations to sparsely developed with large rural collectively look after the residential lots (e.g. 5 acres) amidst neighborhood interests. much larger acreages of forage and row crop production under irrigation circles or wheel lines.

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down slope of Columbia Drive just Approximately two miles north of downstream of the Queensgate Road Rancho Reata, on the north side of Interchange with I-82. The bench is the interchange of I-182 and I-82, isolated from its larger surroundings by within the lee of the north slope of a steep slope rising to its west, and by Candy Mountain , lies another large lot the publicly owned lands that rural enclave just south of the City of constitute the undeveloped riparian West Richland. Here, open slopes and and wetland environment of the river specialty crop agriculture on 5, 10 and delta to the east, southeast and 15 acre parcels is a rural characteristic northeast. Two small wineries with which has only recently emerged; its vineyards are to the west. The fulfillment being hindered by the slow community is approximately 80 acres pace of gaining irrigation water well in size, and currently contains 35-40 permits from the state. homes on parcel sizes ranging from 2 acre (right at the edge of the bench), to over 4 acres. The lifestyle is rural: A bit further to the northeast, across livestock pasture and outbuildings, Kennedy Road and surrounded on small orchards, gardening, and three sides by the City of West wildlife watching. The roads into Richland, lies the partially developed Valley View dead-end within the Willamette Heights ; a rural residential community. neighborhood of site built housing on unimproved roads. The Willamette Heights extends to the bluff The Grosscup/Snively Road, Twin overlooking the river, where below lies Bridges unincorporated area lies the rural community of Riverside Drive. upstream of the West Richland This is a built-out area of more Municipal Golf Course. Much of this established homes on one and two area is characterized by older homes acre lots in a narrow strip of land and dispersed forage or livestock “backstopped” by the Willamette production on river bottomlands or Heights bluff and fronted by the terraces. Overall density is relatively Yakima River. Water and sewer is low due to the size and configuration provided by individual wells and of the Yakima River floodway and septic systems. Access can only be floodplain, which extend considerably gained through West Richland to the upland of the normal high water line north, as the Willamette Heights bluff is of the river, especially on the north a formidable obstacle to road side of the river where the old Barker construction, though there is an Ranch of 2,400 undeveloped acres is irrigation district canal right-of-way predominantly in the floodway. which traverses the base of the bluff Throughout this area (outside of the upslope of Riverside Drive. The right- Barker Ranch) there are scattered of-way could eventually be areas of high ground upon which converted to a road and/or non- residences are typically located. motorized trail, should the irrigation Water and sewage disposal is private. district ever eliminate the canal. This is an area of frequent flooding The Valley View residential community brought about by spring thaw in the is an established residential area lying Cascades, or when Chinook winds on a bench of land overlooking the melt the Cascade snow pack under Yakima River Delta. The bench lies conditions of freeze in the lower

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Yakima Valley. Top 5 Issues/Desired Improvements Road Improvements The Horn Rapids rural area lies Plan/organize growth generally on the south bank of the Slow/enforce speeds Yakima between the river and the city More police protection limits of West Richland. Access is via Water/sewer services Yakima River Drive and Harrington Richland-West Richland Survey Respondents Road. Water and sewer service is provided on individual lots. Density The single family housing type is pre- varies from 1.25 acres to 5 and 10 dominantly site built (75%), which is the acres. largest percentage of site built homes in the unincorporated county. The Ruppert Road/Red Mountain area lies on the north slope of Red Infrastructure Mountain. A few subdivisions of one acre plus lots has occurred within the With the exception of county roads Ridgecrest area, however water serving the rural and farming areas, availability and poor soil conditions principal infrastructure (municipal have limited rural densities to larger lot services) within the Planning Area is sizes. provided by the cities of West Richland, Richland, and Kennewick. The Washington State Department of Demographics Transportation (WSDOT) provides The population on lands designated regional infrastructure (182, I-82, State as "Rural" (i.e., does not include lands Routes 224, 225 and 240). Burlington zoned GMA Agriculture, or lands Northern Railroad provides track through Badger Canyon. There are within the city or its UGA), within the private water companies serving Richland-West Richland Planning Area Rancho Reata and the Ruppert- is currently estimated at 4,291 persons, Ridgecrest Road residential areas. residing in 1,601 households, at a Kennewick, Badger Mountain and density of one dwelling unit per 15.8 Columbia Irrigation Districts serve the acres. This household per acre density irrigation needs of the area. is low, evidencing the fact that The Richland School District is the significant acreage within the rural primary provider of school services. designation has development The district provides K-12 facilities at constraints related to topography, numerous venues: Tapteal Elementary flood areas, or availability of potable school in West Richland, Jason Lee, Chief Joseph, Sacajewea, Carmicheal water resources. Some lands are also and Badger Mountain Elementary, in productive agriculture. and Hanford and Richland High schools in Richland.

Existing Land Use The Red Mountain Planning Region contains 72,368 acres (113-sq. mi.). Of this, approximately 23,220 acres, 36-sq.

Benton County Comprehensive Plan Page 5-26 Chapter Five - Rural Element mi., or 32% of the region are considered "rural" (i.e., lands outside of RICHLAND-WEST RICHLAND RURAL AREA incorporated areas or Urban Growth VISION, GOALS , AND ACTIONS Areas). The predominate rural land The Citizens Rural Planning Advisory use is rural residential dispersed with Committee has identified the agriculture and open space; some of following Planning Goals and Actions: the latter is used for livestock grazing. Note: Where an asterisk* appears, the action should be driven by the citizens committee. Preferred Land Use Plans The Preferred Land Use Plan Map QUALITY OF LIFE drafted for the Rural Area by the GOAL: Promote high quality rural life Richland-West Richland Rural Planning by preserving the rural character. Advisory Committee was adopted in Action: County to respond to 1996 and updated in 2006. The problems, identify violators in following are allocations of the publications. principal land uses: Action: County enjoins cities to restrict industrial or industrial RICHLAND-WEST RICHLAND areas to urban growth PREFERRED LAND USE areas. Land Use Acres Action: County to notice all Residential 22,504 property owners within 1,000 Commercial 113 feet and posting notice re: Industrial 175 land use actions. Public 428 Action: Rigid zoning: 2.5 acre minimum lots for single

The Land Use Map for Richland-West family, no apartments.** Richland is shown in the Land Use Action: Establish criteria for Element, Chapter 4, Map 4.5. evaluating land use decisions. Richland-West Richland’s Citizens Action: Permit minimum lot sizes Rural Planning Advisory Committee consistent with land use and has identified the following Vision: lot sizes. Action: Require new commercial "The Richland-West Richland Rural Planning and retail development to Area is a place with a sense of community that site design projects in a preserves the rural setting and lifestyle. It is environmentally sensitive and preserves natural manner which mitigates habitat, including the desert. The citizens here land use incompatibilities. ask: how aesthetically pleasing is my community? ** In 2007, the Board of County Commissioners -and are proud of the quality of life and variety of generally rejected designations of less than recreational opportunities geared for rural life. the RL 5 as inconsistent with the GMA. They proclaim "no additional bridges over the river," realizing that there will be growth in the cities, they plan for the pressures of future GOAL: To assure residents will live development". within areas that are clean, quiet and Richland-West Richland Rural Committee non-polluted. Action: County Commissioners to

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enact an ordinance use creative site design restricting nuisance noise, planning which yields open visual and light pollution . space. Action: Control dust and noise.* Action: Provide consistency in Action: Require development location, quality, type of standards which recognize homes, outbuildings and and protect the visual grounds within specific prominent geographical locations. features, i.e., Candy Mountain, Red Mountain, GOAL: Develop a comprehensive Horseheaven Hills, Badger plan that implements state planning Mountain. law, has stakeholder involvement, and Action: Require underground utilities includes development regulations. where feasible. Action: Low density Action: Require yard light shields or Action: Space/buffer zones deflectors in new between agricultural land, developments that address urban growth zones and light pollution. city; preservation of open Action: Require ordinance space, wildlife and procedures where residents vegetation in critical areas; filing complaints shall be types of industry. noticed by mail of the Action: Address regional progress and results of infrastructure needs (roads, enforcement actions. sewage, power, water, etc.)

GOAL: Efficient use of groundwater RECREATION to maintain quality and quantity. GOAL: Develop and improve Action: Seek state assistance and Benton County parks for the daily technical resources to enjoyment of county residents and facilitate a groundwater visitors. study. Action: County take action now to improve existing parks GOAL: Maintenance and including shade trees, large development of areas similar in grassy areas, improved appearance and in land use. roads, designated parking Action: Encourage area property areas, toilets and garbage owner associations by collection sites. including information on Action: Develop large parks (Horn how to form them in the Rapids etc.,) for camping, County's Administrative with play areas, fishing Design Manual to be docks, nature trails for referenced by developers walking, jogging, biking or and interested parties. horseback riding. Action: Upgrade the existing mobile home standards. GOAL: To have country roads wide Action: Encourage developers to enough or provide off-roads for

Benton County Comprehensive Plan Page 5-28 Chapter Five - Rural Element walking, jogging, horseback riding, concerning earth moving from one area to another safely. and farming practices along Action: County to assure that new the river. roads or road rebuilding/ Action: Budget manpower and repaving include 10 ft. wide money. shoulder on each side. Project bids to include these design parameters. TRANSPORTATION Action: Require that all new GOAL: New construction and development be required to improvements to the Transportation add such shoulder widths to Element and other county public the plat layout and works projects be designed to be development costs. compatible with the rural character. Action: County to develop a use THE ENVIRONMENT agreement with Ben Franklin Transit and school district GOAL: Reserve wildlife and bus service for the use of vegetation by maintaining carrying transit on scheduled routes capacities of the floodway and with service funded by user floodplain. fees (passbook coupon Action: Establish database for system recommended). critical areas. Action: Ordinances and procedures Action: Maintain the diversity of which require adequate habitat types: desert, river, space for roadway widths, wetlands, wildlife. paths, buffers for noise, Action: Preserve shrub steppe visual screening, shelter habitat of significant belts, and pedestrian resource value both crossings that protect biological and visual. wildlife habitats and Action: Incorporate all mitigates significant development standards into impacts. the Comprehensive Plan. GOAL: No more bridge GOAL: Transition of the Yakima to a consideration until Benton County Class B river with greenbelts. circulation plan for Richland-West Action: Identify problems and Richland is fully funded. potential solutions. Action: Use tax dollars for Action: Identify polluters and work maintaining and improving with them to control runoff current roads instead of new (divert to holding ponds, construction. more efficient irrigation methods, proper application KENNEWICK-FINLEY of pesticides and herbicides, RURAL PLANNING AREA and planting greenbelts with plants that will filter waste products). Location and Geographical Setting Action: Enforce regulations The Kennewick-Finley Rural Planning

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Area lies within the Finley/Hover Chief” of the Walla Wallas, and the Planning Region, which covers Lewis and Clark Expedition, in October southeast Benton County below the 1805. They declined Chief Yelleppits invitation for a celebration, but Horse Heaven Hills from Columbia promised to do so on their return Center Boulevard in the north to Hover journey in the spring. Upon their return Park on the Columbia River in the in April, Yelleppit met the party and south. renewed his invitation. He brought with him gifts of roast “mullets” and The geographic setting of the wood. The expedition stayed two Kennewick-Finley Rural Planning Area nights at Yelleppit’s village on the is spectacular, having been banks of the Columbia opposite the sculptured by the massive glaciation, mouth of the Walla Walla River. repeated flooding and tectonic uplifting which formed the landscape Two Rivers was a lively community in of the entire Central Basin. 1910-1922. It had two post offices (one for the Snake and one for the Straddling the river just to the south of Columbia River traffic) which were Finley stand the sentinel promontories closed in 1937. The streams provided of the Wallula Gap. The regulated irrigation for the Two Rivers and its flows of today's Columbia River neighbors, Burbank and Attalia. Peaches, grapes and alfalfa were languidly pass between them without produced abundantly. hint that for prehistoric ages the

Wallula Gap was the floodgate which Finley was named in 1906 after its first alternately backed and released settler, George Finley. Finley was one glacial waters of the cataclysmic of the first assigned poll tax collectors Missoula floods. for Benton County, and did much of the grading for the Spokane, Portland Directly across the Columbia to the & Seattle Railroad. The line followed east is Lake Wallula and the delta of the Columbia River in the area the Snake River, whose forceful southeast from Kennewick. Its merging with the Columbia created a passenger and freight stops lined the miasma of backwaters, gravel bars horseshoe around Benton County via and sediment mounds which underlies Hover, Yelleppit, Tomar, Mottinger, Berrian, Plymouth, Longview, today's lowland scape of the Finley Coolidge, Paterson, Sage, Whitcomb, shore and near-shore areas. and Carley. Finley was a community of twenty-five families who bought their land from the Washington Realty History 5 Company. At that time a four-room Early history of the Finley Area records schoolhouse was built and a the meeting of Yelleppit , “The Great stagecoach ran through Finley with a route running from Kennewick to 5 Based on information from ABenton County, a Hover. Glimpse of the Past @, Benton County Historical and Pioneer Association 1967, and, Prosser the Home Town, Pearl M. Mahoney, 1950. The railroad arrived in Finley in 1907,

Benton County Comprehensive Plan Page 5-30 Chapter Five - Rural Element and shortly after a hotel, store, located in south Finley. Accordingly, barbershop, and lumberyard were a significant element, though not the opened. In 1908 the train depot was major portion of the custom and built and a new two-story brick school, culture of the area is related to farm which was destroyed by fire in 1917. production and industry. Many Finley Hover was another thriving town along residents however, have non-farm jobs the west bank of the Columbia River. within the Tri-cities and at Hanford, The first ferry at Hover began and seek the country residential operation in 1880. Wheat wagons environment as a lifestyle choice from the Horse Heaven Hills made the separate from circumstances of long dusty trip to Hover to deliver their employment. cargo to the “Harvest Queen” for markets downstream on the Columbia Top 4 Issues/Desired Improvements River. road improvements ordinance to clean up trash control/limit growth Hover was platted in 1907, and water/sewer improvements named after Herbert Hover, a pioneer businessman who lived in Kennewick. Kennewick-Finley Survey Respondents It reached a population of 600. The town boasted a 32 room hotel (Hover Hotel), an opera house, which burned in 1916, a meat market, grocery store, three saloons and a school. The Hover There are several centers in Finley townsite is submerged under the where farmer and resident interaction McNary Dam pool. can be found. One such area is the community center area found in the One of the first granges established in heart of Finley at the intersection of Benton County was the Finley Grange, Game Farm Road and SR- 397. The in 1910. several block area includes the Riverview High and Middle schools, a Custom And Culture small store, the Finley Grange Hall and The custom and culture of Finley is several churches. There is also a varied and difficult to characterize as commercial area at the intersection of of one characteristic or another. This is Bowles Road and SR-397. because Finley residents pursue a variety of occupations throughout the Demographics county and beyond. Relative to other The current population within the areas of the county, the number of Kennewick-Finley Rural Planning Area Finley residents employed at Hanford is approximately 7,578 people. Finley appears small. is a stable community, with a surprisingly high percentage (76%) of Agriculture is a predominant land use, residents having lived in the especially orchards on the sloping community more than 10 years 6. The elevations rising to the Horseheaven housing supply numbers 2,526 units crest. Cold storage facilities as well as and is a mixture of old and new industries that manufacture, sell and transport agricultural chemicals are 6 Benton County Rural Survey 1993

Benton County Comprehensive Plan Page 5-31 Chapter Five - Rural Element manufactured and site built homes, which serve the collectors and with manufactured homes neighborhood streets to and within the predominating 7. The average density interior of Finley. The SR-397/B.N. is one dwelling unit per 5.7 acres. The corridor is the only direct ingress and average household size is 3.0 persons. egress to rural Finley. It is virtually the only truck route. Infrastructure School Facilities Due to the recent and projected Sixty-five percent of the Kennewick- increased industrial activity in South Finley Planning area reside in the Finley, and the overall increase in Finley School District #52. The current regional rail traffic, to which B.N. has population in the district is 4,925 responded to by adding an additional residents in 1,641 households. The line parallel to the existing track in Finley School District operates three Finley, both truck and rail traffic along schools serving 1,030 students. The the SR-397/B.N. corridor are expected Riverview High School located on to increase significantly within the next Lemon Drive, serves grades 9-12. Finley decade. Middle School accommodates grades 7 and 8, and is located on The close proximity of the railroad line Game Farm Road. The Finley to SR-397, and the intersection of the Elementary School houses the corridor by a narrow arterial at less Kindergarten through sixth grade, and than perpendicular angles on sharply is located on Cougar Road, off Nine elevated railroad crossings, restricts Canyon Road. To further ease crowding, the district has plans to "sight" distances, and leaves little room build an additional 14,000 square feet for crossing vehicles to "queue" up at the Middle School site. outside of the traffic lanes. These factors, coupled with the fact that Transportation Facilities much of the truck and rail transport is Major transportation infrastructure carrying toxic chemicals and by- within the Kennewick-Finley Rural products, makes the corridor Planning Area consists principally of inadequate and potentially the Highway SR-397 and the Burlington problematic relative to safety. The Northern (B.N.) railroad line, which safety problems inherent to the parallel each other in a narrow existing roadway geometry of the SR- corridor extending from the 397/B.N. corridor must be addressed Kennewick City limits in the northwest by Washington State Department of through the Finley rural area. South of Transportation. Finley Road the railroad line trends south and west to follow the Columbia River shoreline to the coast. A recently constructed road The SR-397/B.N. corridor is intersected development serving the Finley area at various points by east-west aligned extends SR 397 west and connects to arterial roads including 10th Street, I-82 at the Locust Grove Exit. At a cost and Haney, Finley, and Bowles Roads, of $21 million, the “Intertie” stretches 11 miles through the remote areas of 7 1,540 units/or 61% Benton County connecting to the

Benton County Comprehensive Plan Page 5-32 Chapter Five - Rural Element several businesses along the river in Finley. The road is constructed to Land uses consist of irrigated WSDOT standards with two 12 foot agriculture; including livestock, rural lanes and six foot shoulders. In the residential use, minor acreages of more urban area of Finley, a center commercial lands, significant turn lane has been added and an acreage of publicly owned shoreline overpass constructed at the Burlington (US Army Corps), and the largest Northern railroad crossing at Riek and resource of industrial uses and Piert Roads. industrially designated acreage (1,432 acres), in the unincorporated county This new route, SR 397, provides an outside of the Hanford Reservation. alternate truck route for industrial and The rural residential land use is the farm-to-market truck traffic to the largest land designation in the Finley and south Kennewick industrial planning area with 13,354 acres. and agricultural areas, relieves traffic congestion in Kennewick by bypassing A rail corridor servicing the industrial the populated Tri-Cities area, and also uses is also an important land use serves as a secondary within the Planning Area. access/emergency route for the residents of Finley. In 2009, the road PREFERRED LAND USE PLANS extension was assumed by the state The Preferred Land Use Plan Map drafted for the Rural Area by the highway system. Kennewick-Finley Rural Planning Advisory Committee was adopted in The Citizen's Rural Advisory Committee 1996 and updated in 2006. The requested that several road links in following are allocations of principal north and west Finley area be land uses: completed for routine circulation and KENNEWICK-FINLEY PREFERRED LAND USE emergency access purposes. These, and the newly constructed access Land Use Acres route SR 397 are shown on the Residential 13,354 “Transportation Map” for the Finley Commercial 35 Planning Region, Figure Map 8-3. Industrial 1,432 Public 685 Barge facilities for waterborne transportation exist in south Finley as The Land Use Map for Kennewick- part of the existing infrastructure Finley is shown in the Land Use serving industry. Element Chapter 4, Map 4.6.

Existing Land Use The Kennewick-Finley Rural Planning Area encompasses approximately 15,506 acres, or 53% percent of the Finley Planning Region.

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KENNEWICK-FINLEY RURAL AREA GOAL: Create a land use plan with VISION, GOALS, AND ACTIONS map, policies, and objectives which The Kennewick-Finley Citizens Rural defines and facilitates the Finley rural Planning Advisory Committee has area vision. identified the following Vision: GOAL: Preserve surface and groundwater for the beneficial use of the rural area's citizens and wildlife. "The Kennewick-Finley rural area is a Action: Determine the capacity of healthy community that wisely manages its the local groundwater basin assets and resources and preserves its and develop a plan for rural character and country living." living within its limits . Kennewick-Finley Rural Committee GOAL: Enhance and protect our natural assets. The Kennewick-Finley Citizens Rural Action: Recognize and encourage Planning Advisory Committee has the growing diversity of our identified the following Goals and flora and fauna.* Actions: Action: Set aside and/or preserve Note: Where an asterisk* appears, the action our wetlands. should be driven by the citizens committee . Action: Encourage the preservation of habitat. QUALITY OF LIFE Action: Mitigate conflicts between lands of contrasting uses by GOAL: Preserve and improve the the use of buffers or other visual character and quality of our suitable methods community lands. Action: Allow for "naturalization" of Action: Educate and encourage habitat (in addition to native awareness of sound land species, habitat can consist use practices;* of species not indigenous to Action: County Commissioners the area, but which enact and enforce an produce food and cover for ordinance to clean-up trash birds, animals, reptiles, and hulk vehicles and etc.).* equipment;

Action: Organize and hold public GOAL: Preserve rural character. seminars on good land use practices;* Action: Consider the feasibility of replacing the Board of Action: Promote media sponsorship Adjustment and use a of articles and professional hearing commentaries on land use examiner to enforce zoning laws and practices;* laws;* Action : Encourage adult education Action: Develop a base rural classes on land use laws and residential density of 2.5 to 5 practices;* acres with specific areas Action: Enforce existing land use designated one acre;** plan and ordinances. Action: No annexation to Kennewick; stay a rural

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community.

** In 2007, the Board of County Commissioners generally rejected designations of less than the RL 5 as inconsistent with the GMA.

GOAL: Healthy sense of community. Action: Community bulletin board (at stores) and also community newsletter.* Action: Create a map of historic events.* Action: Establish incentives for community clean-up. Action: Ease of disposal/free disposal days. Action: Fences or trees for storage yards.

GOAL: Comfortable transportation with urban/rural linkage. Action: Study feasibility of a taxi feeder service; Action: Roads constructed, or reconstructed wide enough to include paths for jogging, biking, and horse back riding; Action: Park and ride lot; Action: Keep SR-397 (Chemical Drive) a rural community road); Action: Reconfigure Chemical Drive (SR-397) to improve safety.

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