Thank you for reading Sammamish Local News. I assume you subscribed because you want to be kept informed about decisions and actions from Sammamish City Hall.
This is why I decided to write Sammamish Local News. The slogan the Washington Post uses, “Democracy Dies in Darkness,” is as applicable to local communities as our entire nation. According to Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism, over half of US counties have little or no access to local news.
While national news draws our attention with its endless breaking news headlines, it's local issues that impact our lives directly. Decisions made in City Hall affect the homes we live in, our safety and security, the roads we travel on, the schools our children attend, and the parks we play in.
That’s why, when Dr. K.C. Thompson, a lifelong Sammamish resident, reached out for help to create awareness about a proposed zoning change in Loree Estates, I agreed to create this Special Bulletin. A notice was put in the Seattle Times, but how many of you saw it?
Even though this is only applicable to Loree Estates, the entire Sammamish community needs to be aware of these proposed changes. This proposal may not affect you today, but a similar proposal may affect your neighborhood tomorrow.
So, in the interest of creating more awareness, please see below from Dr. Thompson about Loree Estates. It has only be edited for formatting. I am also placing this on Sammamish Local News’ Facebook page.
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Proposed Zoning Change from R1 to R4 in Loree Estates
1. This property sits completely in an Aquifer Critical Recharge Area for Group B Water Supply Wells. Also, this property has not been developed in the past due to the rocky surface making septic impossible. So, will a high density development affect the Aquifer Critical Recharge area?
2. Part of this property is in an erosion hazard zone, and the neighboring properties are fully in erosion hazard zones. Specifically, I’m concerned about the increased impervious surfaces from this development, and the fact that this property has a 12% grade, the stormwater runoff downhill into the erosion hazard area could increase the potential for mudslides for neighbors downhill.
3. When was the last time the erosion hazard zone map was updated for that property? Are we sure it hasn’t increased? This should be carefully looked at by the City prior to approval.
4. The entire neighborhood this property feeds into is zoned R1 so it would change the character of our neighborhood allowing for other people to rezone to R4 which will impact property values and the whole reason we moved here. Part of the reason developments like these are able to get approved is if there are higher zoned neighborhoods nearby. As far as I can tell, there are no other R4 zoned properties next to this property. However, if this development is approved it literally paves the way for others to be approved in the future.
5. The problems with this property are very similar to the Parker Plat (which is right by this property) and that development was not allowed to go through. Approving this zoning change would set a precedent in our City. Why would we allow this zoning change to go through?
6. Several neighbors are trying to mobilize quickly, however, we missed our chance to speak at the April 15th City Council meeting and now the next one isn't until May 6th (but the comment period ends on May 1st). It isn't right that we only get 3 weeks to organize and prepare our statements. The City should at the very LEAST double these comment periods. Furthermore, at the moment, notices of rezoning changes only go out to a small area around the proposed development. I think it would be in our best interest if these notices had to be sent out to a wider area of residents.
7. The residents of Sammamish voted on the Town Center because we were told that's where development would stay. By allowing a rezoning of this property, the Sammamish City Council is going back on what they promised and opening the door for other property owners in this neighborhood to rezone their properties too.
8. Finally, we would like to see the Environmental Impact Study and we would like for City staff to carefully review and consider it in light of all of these issues. We feel that the City should order an independent study to be done, especially to carefully examine the Erosion Hazard area limits and potential impacts on the Aquifer Critical Recharge Area.
Link to Online Application Documents: https://spaces.hightail.com/space/TGFXhJ9fXM
Attachments:
Notice of Application-Quasi-Judicial Rezoning / SEPA Notification
Project Narrative: Rezone 19700 SE 17th Street, Sammamish, WA into R-4
