In 2010, as a result of a citizens' petition signed by approximately 2000 residents, the Maytown property was rezoned to Rural: one dwelling per twenty acres (R 1/20).
In mid-2019 NorthPoint submitted a request to have the property rezoned to Industrial designation. The Thurston County Commissioners voted to consider the rezone request in 2020.
The purpose of the Rural zoning designation as per County Code is to:
- Protect public health and safety by minimizing development and avoiding incompatible uses in environmentally sensitive and hazardous areas such as the Black River Corridor, the Nisqually Bluff, and parcels completely covered by critical areas;
- Provide greater opportunities for protecting critical areas and creating open space corridors;
- Provide for low density residential uses, agriculture, forestry, conservation and associated uses appropriate for a rural area that do not require urban services;
The Natural Environment Chapter of the Thurston County Comprehensive Plan includes the following policies:
- Protecting wildlife habitat for important species and protecting unique and rare habitats;
- Insuring that land uses that produce air pollutants and odors comply with adopted air quality standards for the region;
- Providing for the peace and quiet of residential neighborhoods through the use of screens, open space and other buffers and noise standards;
- Ensuring that facilities that store, process or utilize hazardous materials use best management practices for the protection of ground and surface waters, and be periodically monitored for compliance, recognizing the hydrologic continuity between ground and surface water;
- Protecting groundwater aquifers, fish and wildlife habitat, and recreational functions of streams;
- Protecting streams from adverse impacts of activities occurring adjacent to their waters or within their wetlands by avoiding degradation of water quality;
- Maintaining the quality and quantity of run-off entering the wetlands and streams, ensuring that storm water systems are adequately maintained, and preventing on and off-site erosion and sedimentation.
AN INDUSTRIAL CENTER IS NOT SUITED TO THE AREA’S ZONING AND CODE REQUIREMENTS.