Gardening in and around the Olympia area?

[Eric G.]

Originally Posted by StealthRabbit

yes, $12 k (don't choose Clark county). "most" counties will be about $12 per thousand of TRUE market value. If you pay a bargain price, they will PROVE you paid under market and your taxes will be based on what the assessor can PROVE. (and they will win, or get you next yr... I have fought my assessment for many yrs, as it is nearly 10x my cost basis, but they pull some crazy data from people who pay mega bucks to be in my area (these are often California investors doing 1031's and never live here)

Do go talk to the assessor BEFORE you buy, and even before you look. If I was 30 seconds up the road I would pay 1/4th to 1/5th my current rate. (adjacent county) Some counties vary from $8 to $16 per thousand depending on the region (library, fire, school, EMS levies... special assessments)
.

Thanks for the heads up on assessment. I'm paying a fraction of that now, so I will have to figure higher costs in for that. I guess you don't get charged much when the only thing you're surrounded by is sagebrush.

[Eric G.]

Originally Posted by StealthRabbit

whoops I forgot one of our most important tools here on C-D WA (especially for gardeners!!)
http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/publications...nAnnPrecip.pdf
Precipitation Map for Washington

Okay, through the magic of computer graphics I did an overlay of the precipitation map over google maps so I could see towns and highways:



Although I don't want to be TOO close to I-5, it looks like the towns that are along it are those with the least rainfall. I'd rather have 50" annual rainfall than 100"

Battle Ground and Woodland look good, Kalama might get a little more rain. If we went further North to the Centralia/Chehalis area, Olympia would be our major city instead of Vancouver. Will just have to check the areas out more.

[stonecypher5413]

If you start thinking seriously about land in the Centralia area, be sure to factor in downwind distance from the Centralia Steam Plant, the second largest polluter in the nation after Four Corners.

https://www.city-data.com/forum/washi...dangerous.html

You don't want that stuff in your SOIL, much less in your lungs.

[Eric G.]

Originally Posted by stonecypher5413

If you start thinking seriously about land in the Centralia area, be sure to factor in downwind distance from the Centralia Steam Plant, the second largest polluter in the nation after Four Corners.

https://www.city-data.com/forum/washi...dangerous.html

You don't want that stuff in your SOIL, much less in your lungs.

Ack. Thanks for pointing that out. Where abouts in Centralia is the plant located, and what's the prevailing wind direction?

Also, is this one of those plants that can be smelled from miles away?


EDIT: Never mind, I see those questions were answered by the post you pointed out.

[StealthRabbit]

I'd look up that peninsula of 40" right below Longview. You might find Carrolls, View + good school 10 mi to Longview and ~ 30 min to Portland. (which I would chose over Olympia, just for airport, a tremendous resource + I can get parts and supplies for almost anything in Portland, and it does not take all day to find it or drive to it (which it does in Seattle area). This becomes quite important if you have a machinery breakdown and a crew of folks are sitting around on their thumbs waiting to get it fixed.

[Eric G.]

Originally Posted by StealthRabbit

I'd look up that peninsula of 40" right below Longview. You might find Carrolls, View + good school 10 mi to Longview and ~ 30 min to Portland. (which I would chose over Olympia, just for airport, a tremendous resource + I can get parts and supplies for almost anything in Portland, and it does not take all day to find it or drive to it (which it does in Seattle area). This becomes quite important if you have a machinery breakdown and a crew of folks are sitting around on their thumbs waiting to get it fixed.

Yeah, I definitely have my eye on that area as a place to check out. I read in another thread here that sometimes traffic going across the bridge can be really slow, and it can take like 1/2 hour just to get from Vancouver to Portland. If you add that in to the time from Carrolls to Vancouver, that sounds like it might be more like an hour from Carrolls to Portland. Does that sound right?

We would want to be working in Vancouver as a first choice, but I've read that a lot of people haven't been able to find work in Vancouver, so have to work in Portland instead.

[StealthRabbit]

You will be working from home and wife will need something in teaching or ecology. I would hold out for WA employment for both. You don't want to consider commuting via I-5, tho it is fine non-commute hrs (or working off-shift).

If you expect to work in Portland (9% income tax) then... live nearer I-205, (Camas / Fern Prairie for best gardening). The choices for penetrating Portland are much better from 205 + that is airport connection anyway.

School employment in Oregon is not probable, they have a terrible funding issue for schools.

[stonecypher5413]

Speaking of taxes, it'd be worth your while to check this out for all the 2010 Legislative tax changes that might affect how many packs of seeds and starts you can afford:

Department of Revenue

And these are general tax decisions that might factor into your decision:

Washington Tax Decisions