Point Wells Update: It’s not Over til it’s Over
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Come to Richmond Beach Community Association’s special June 11 meeting to find out why
By Jerry Patterson, RBCA Vice President
Point Wells Subcommittee
Because of the flurry of happenings swirling through Point Wells, the Richmond Beach Community Association Board has scheduled a special June meeting: Tuesday, June 11, 7:30pm, Richmond Beach Congregational Church, 1512 NW 195th Street, lower level.
Invited to the meeting are City of Shoreline officials, Save Richmond Beach (SRB) officers, Town of Woodway officials, representatives of the developer Blue Square Real Estate (BSRE) and Councilmember Rod Dembowski of Metropolitan King County Council District 1. Given what’s been happening, this promises to be an informative session for all Richmond Beach residents.
So what’s the big deal all of a sudden?
A couple of dramatic things have happened. First, on June 4, we learned that the Washington State Supreme Court has agreed to hear SRB and Woodway’s appeal. The Court will review the Court of Appeals decision that ruled the Point Wells developer has vested rights to build three thousand plus units. Second, in late May, the Governor signed a bill, approved by both chambers of the legislature, that could dramatically affect the issue of Point Wells annexation.
Senate Bill 5417 would give the Town of Woodway the ability to annex Point Wells. This would give it control over the development process for Point Wells. Right now, that power sits in the lap of Snohomish County officials, and they have seemed reluctant to address the myriad of concerns expressed over the impacts to both Shoreline and Woodway.
The City of Shoreline has been working with the developer (BSRE) on a traffic study but they acknowledge that, with the exception of counting cars, they have very limited leverage to get BSRE to reduce the scale of the project. If Woodway annexes the Point Wells property, they would assume control of the development process and, in their view, would have much more leverage than Snohomish County or Shoreline in trying to limit the impacts of the development’s size.
The City of Shoreline opposed Woodway’s annexation efforts and argued the City should have the right to annex. With the battle lines drawn, from May 18- 21, both the City of Shoreline and Town of Woodway engaged in a frenzy of lobbying efforts to persuade the Governor to see the issue from their respective positions.
In addition, on May 16, the Town of Woodway issued a letter to the City of Shoreline that said the Town is prepared, in the event of SB 5417 being signed into law, to meet with the City to begin negotiations on an interlocal agreement. More specifically, Mayor Nichols stated in the letter, “The agreement would include our commitment to ensuring that the impacts to your transportation infrastructure created by the development at Point Wells are appropriately mitigated, both on a one-time and ongoing basis.” We have not heard of any communication by the City of Shoreline with Woodway in response to the Woodway letter.
If you’ve been snoozin’ you’ve been losing!
Within the past month, several RBCA Board members have heard from the community that either “it’s a done deal. Nothing we can do to change things,” or to the other extreme, “It’s not going to happen. The Courts have taken care of things.” Clearly neither perspective is accurate. As the Richmond Beach Community News has repeatedly reported over the past year, a lot is happening, and it is not “over til it’s over.” And snoozing is no excuse for inaction.
We urge community members to stay on top of what’s transpiring. We urge you to come to our June 11 RBCA Community Meeting to hear the most up-to-date news on where things stand and where things are likely headed. See you there!
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4 comments:
The people of Shoreline are opposed to this development and have not been supported at all by our elected representatives. When Mike Jacobs and the Innis Arden board realize they're going to become the Point Wells/Richmond Beach escape route we may see some teeth from our local government.
Until then, we all sit here with our hands tied.
It is hard not to snooze when publication of the Richmond Beach Community News is a week late (and don't give me that 3-month summer issue excuse, or the fast-breaking news excuse), the City's online Currents (and attendant alerts)is nearly a week late, and the City remains silent on their maneuvering in Olympia, etc. etc.
As for this upcoming RBCA meeting being an "informative session," don't count on it. With so many speakers, there will be little or no time for real Q&A, just lots of grandstanding and another campaign stop for Dembowski. We've hear from the City and our appointed advocates ad nauseum about Point Wells. It is time the community stopped listening to (or snoozing through) all the crap, and started speaking their mind. This coalition movement is a sham.
Dear Citizens of Shoreline. Mr. Patterson's article omits the most important development related to Point Wells at this time. It happens to be HB 2068, a bill introduced in the State House of Representatives last Monday, June 3, a bill the City of Shoreline wants passed, a bill which will keep either Woodway or Shoreline from annexing Point Wells until years from now when its first village is sold and occupied, a bill which gives the best possible bargaining advantage to the Point Wells developer, a bill which the City Manager and City Council failed to mention at all at their City Council meeting on Monday evening, June 3, a bill which passed today in the House. If you wait to act until after the 'dog and pony' at the RBCA meeting next Tue, June 11, you will have missed your chance to protect your interests and our community.
Next Monday, June 10 at 9:30 AM there will be a public hearing in Olympia on HB 2068, by the Senate Committee on Governmental Operations. Senator Pam Roach is the Chair. She wants input.
If you want to influence the outcome at Point Wells, you must act now. Time is of the essence. Why? Because local and state elected officials are rushing around to change your future before you get wise. The State Legislature is arguably in its last special session for this legislative year. It will come to end next week. This is why this legislation is being rushed through, under your snoozing noses. SB 5417 was introduced last January. That's right, last January. There was plenty of time then, to discuss this all calmly, like the ladies and gentlemen and we want to be, and want our children to become. But we were kept in the dark, and so no we need to thump our chests and appear to be anti-government, though we are anything but.
Today the HB 2068 passed the House. If this bill becomes law, it will effectively undo the annexation advantage granted to Woodway by SB 5417, which Governor Jay Inslee signed into law on May 22, which Save Richmond Beach and Woodway supported, and which the City of Shoreline and the Point Wells developer, BSRE opposed.
The new bill would affect the Point Wells situation in the following way: It would require the annexing city to have a 100% contiguous boundary with the unincorporated territory. Currently, only an 80% contiguous boundary is required. Woodway has a 97% contiguous boundary with Point Wells. Shoreline has the other 3%. Since neither Woodway nor Shoreline has a 100% contiguous boundary with Point Wells, it would effectively mean neither Shoreline nor Woodway could annex Point Wells until the first planned village has residents. This was the situation before the serendipitous SB 5417 became law. BSRE, the Point Wells developer, opposed SB 5417. They support HB 2068. SB 5417 put them in the worst negotiating position. HB 2068 puts them in the best position.
What then must we do? We must contact Senator Pam Roach, Senator Maralyn Chase, Rep. Cindy Ryu, and Rep. Ruth Kagi, telling them what we think, how we feel, and what we want them to do about HB 2068. If you want to be on BSRE's side, tell them to pass it. If you are against BSRE, tell them not to pass it.
Then contact your City Council and let them know how you feel about their continual lack of engagement with the community about Point Wells in general, about their recent lack of engagement about SB 5417 and HB 2068, and about their audacity in presuming they may decide what is important for us to know and not to know about the actions of the government agencies that serve us. Tell them how mad you are and that you aren't going to take it anymore.
Then contact the Richmond Beach Community News, the voice of the Richmond Beach Community Association. Ask them why they delayed publication for a week of the June issue which highlights the Point Wells story at a critical chapter in that story.
Then go to the June 11 meeting of the Richmond Beach Community Association and share with your neighbors what you did this week to help save your community.
This story should be tagged "Politics." It is now buried by other stories on the home page.
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