the 2023 Petition we sent to the county

Joshua Machen Project Manager

Snohomish County Planning and Development 

Cc:  Snohomish County Council, County Executive Dave Somers

Subject: 22-102098-000-00 SPA + all related permits to 228thMultifamily Development

We, the undersigned, reside in Snohomish County in close proximity to the above referenced project.  We have expressed our concerns, regarding the planned development, to the county with 100's of individual letters, and with a 500-signature petition last August, 2022.

We are now joining with SaveBothell to express our concerns again.

1. 11th Ave W must permanently remain a cul-de-sac in the Eastglen neighborhood, and not be connected in any manner for vehicular traffic. (Site plans indicate future potential connection that we are asking not be allowed.) Emergency vehicles can access the Apartment complex from 228th.  A pedestrian/bicycle walkway should connect from the Apartment complex only and not from 228th, as shown in present site drawings; we believe that presents additional safety issues.
2. Community Transit service must be in place and serving this complex before plans are made to permit such a development.  Residents must have community transit service closer than over ½ mile up a steep hill.  
3. In addition to adequate public transit, prior to permitting, adequate measures must be in place to accommodate apartment residents when the 228th hill is often closed in winter. 
4. The extent of the methane contamination is unknown and unattainable to know.  This hazard, that resulted in a large intrusive ash-dumping fire blanketing the surrounding neighborhoods some years ago, and more recently exploded when an employee entered a manhole, needs to be resolved prior to any permitting, so that no methane contamination is affecting the neighborhoods.
5. In order to resolve the following list of issues, an Environmental Impact Statement, EIS, needs to be required of NorthPoint by Snohomish County Planning before any permitting. We are very concerned that we, the tax-paying citizens, are not being heard on many issues that we have continuously written to you about.  Our concerns are that while Snohomish County code is established, that it is not being followed, at least in the discussions we have had with representatives of Planning and Council.  Those issues include not granting the variance, as it is materially detrimental to the surrounding neighborhoods, that the proposed development site does meet landslide hazard definition per code, that the traffic congestion on 228th and surrounding feeder roads has not been adequately, nor correctly studied, that critical areas have been ignored against codes, and been built in, that contaminants harming salmonoid bearing streams have not been safely resolved, and that the entire property has been pastured, for over 70 years, but is being considered as forested, resulting in inadequate stormwater provisions to protect the surrounding neighborhoods.  We are asking that these concerns be resolved according to established Snohomish County, state, and federal laws.

We again strongly urge the county to reject the proposed development unless the above concerns and code violations are resolved.