Report: Point Wells developer seeks plan approval before rules change

By Evan Smith

ShorelineAreaNews Politics Writer

A story in the Everett Herald last week said that the developer planning the condominium project at Point Wells hopes to get it approved under current rules.

        

Herald reporter Noah Haglund wrote that developer BSRE Point Wells has attempted to get Snohomish County to approve the project before proposed State legislation takes effect.

      

State legislators representing Shoreline and Woodway have introduced a bill to limit density at places like Point Wells to that of neighboring cities unless the county that includes the development negotiates with adjoining cities over the impacts of the development.

      

A committee of the State House of Representatives approved the bill last week, just before the deadline for non-budget bills to clear committees.

      

The bill’s principal sponsor, State Rep. Ruth Kagi wrote the bill to apply only to Point Wells.

Haglund wrote that the developer plans to seek approval of the project before the proposed law can take effect.

The Snohomish County Council has already re-zoned the former industrial site to allow the development.

Snohomish County would get property-tax revenue from the project, but the primary impacts would fall on neighboring cities. The only access to and from the site is a two-lane road through the Richmond Beach area of Shoreline.

Woodway officials are concerned about the height of the buildings.

Haglund reported that the developer submitted an application last week to divide the 61-acre property into nine lots. Snohomish County planners accepted the application.

Haglund quoted an attorney for the developer as saying that his client was taking steps needed to preserve the project.

Haglund quoted the attorney as saying that the application allows the project to go forward under current building rules, so that any new zoning or legal changes would not apply.

Haglund said that Shoreline Planning Director Joe Tovar questioned that.

Snohomish County planning director Clay White told Haglund that his staff had not looked into the issue.

Under current building rules, Haglund reported, the project would still have to clear County approval, and the developer would have to submit an environmental impact statement.