The following is a message from Maurice Robinette, a local Spokane County rancher, about a threat of cluster growth and what that development could potentially do do local agricultural land. Because we are NOT directing our growth to our urban centers, and NOT protecting our rural areas, Spokane County farms are being crowded out. Read Maurice's letter below, and hopefully you're compelled to help out.

This message comes courtesy of Futurewise:

Howdy, My name is Maurice Robinette.

I am a rancher in Spokane County. Like many local farmers and ranchers, I am concerned about the threat incompatible development poses to my ability to produce food on my land. Thank you to those of you who signed the rural clusters petition in August and September.

I would like to invite you to attend a couple of meetings of the Spokane County Commissioners who will be deliberating on how to reform the county's rural clusters regulations. The public is not able to comment at these meetings, but I would like to show our commissioners that there are a lot of folks that aren't happy about the way these clusters are interfering with farming and failing to protect open space. We will wear bright green badges declaring "I support farms and open space" to let them know how we feel.

WHAT: Rural Cluster Development Deliberations
WHEN and WHERE: 1) Thursday, October 29, 2009 from 1:30 pm to 4:30 pm in Room 2B - Public Works Building 2nd Floor. 2) Wednesday, November 4, 2009 from 1:30 pm to 4:30 PM in the HR Training Room.
WHO: county commissioners, planning staff, local farmers, you. (The public will be welcome to attend and observe only.) My neighborhood (Malloy Prairie) is the victim of another cluster development scheme (73 units on 73 acres). We are all very concerned about the impacts to our area. We are also very concerned about the concept of clustering, its intent, and how it is actually being used.

Thank you for your help,

Maurice Robinette

For more info about rural clusters visit www.futurewise.org/spokane.

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