Most Eastside cities think they have enough density already. The next problem is who gets the boon of selling development rights to forests. That's pure money because the rights will be exercised away from the forest floor. The Department of Natural Resources has much of the land. King County Parks would love to have some extra cash.
Intermediaries also come into play.
Organizations such as the Trust for Public Land and the Land Conservancy are often the brokers between government and developers in land swaps. In the first transfer rights deal ever in King County and likely the first in the state, there appears at first blush to be all winners. Threats, real or improvised, to the greenbelt to Mitchell Hill have been stopped and the forested connector is rendered untouchable. Issaquah Highlands has another half-million square feet of office space to toss Microsoft's way. Other I-90 greenery projects are enhanced by a potential trail link between Grand Ridge and the trail systems that will spread east of Preston.