King County Allows Herbfarm To Rebuild

The Herbfarm restaurant, known for creative cuisine with homegrown ingredients, can be rebuilt nearly twice as large as it was before being destroyed by an electrical fire, the King County Council has decided.

Council members unanimously approved a zoning change Monday to allow the project without upsetting most neighbors who wanted to avoid opening the largely rural area near Fall City to development.

Under the ordinance, Herbfarm owners Ron Zimmerman and Carrie Van Dyck may build a 1,750-square-foot restaurant to replace the 32-seat, 900-square-foot structure that burned down Jan. 6. Besides eating space, the Herbfarm could add classrooms and overnight lodging.

The measure, drafted by council members Cynthia Sullivan, Louise Miller and Brian Derdowski, whose district includes the Fall City area, allows buildings damaged more than 50 percent by fire or natural event to be rebuilt and expanded by 65 percent of the original floor area.

Van Dyck and Zimmerman said the expansion was essential to restoring their operation, which grew from a roadside stand into a four-star restaurant that booked 75 percent of its reservations in two days each year and charged as much as $150 a person for nine-course, fixed price meals with five wines.