Summary

Last November, the people of Everett passed a law giving the Snohomish River Watershed legal rights — a safeguard that allows the citizens of Everett to represent the interests of ecosystems in court when environmental regulations fail or are insufficient. This ensures the river’s health, and the will of Everett voters, must be respected.

Developer interests led by the Master Builders Association are suing to overturn this law, aiming to erase the democratic decision of Everett voters and return to business as usual — putting profits over the health of our river, which the community depends on to thrive. Standing for Nature, a small nonprofit, is up against a full law firm backed by the developers’ vast financial resources. It’s only fair that the watershed has the same level of legal representation.

We call on Mayor Cassie Franklin and the City Council to uphold the will of the voters and defend the watershed law in court by hiring expert outside legal counsel experienced in defending citizen initiatives, direct democracy and the environment, such as Smith & Lowney PLLC. Everett citizens and the law they passed deserve strong, effective representation — now more than ever.

Quick Facts

• Last November, Everett voters passed Initiative 24-03 to protect the Snohomish River Watershed.
• The following Plaintiffs are suing to overturn it: Master Builders Assoc. of King and Snohomish County, Building Industry Assoc. of Wa, Washington Aggregates & Concrete Assoc, Greencity Development LLC, Osprey Logistics LLC, Robinett Brothers Construction LLC, Robinett Investment Company LLC, and Martin Robinett.
• Standing for Nature is a small nonprofit with limited resources.
• City discretionary funds exist to hire outside counsel.
• The Citizens of Everett deserve equal legal representation to corporations.
• Friday, October 24th 2025 is the upcoming court date for the Summary Judgment Hearing at the Snohomish County  Courthouse

Petition Details

The people of Everett passed Initiative 24-03 last November, granting the Snohomish River Watershed legal rights — a historic step in protecting our ecosystem. This law ensures that when environmental regulations fail or are insufficient, the citizens of Everett can represent the river in court, defending both its health and the democratic will of the community.

Now, powerful developer interests, led by the Master Builders Association, are suing to overturn this law. Their goal is to erase what the citizens of Everett voted for and return to business as usual — a pattern the city has historically witnessed — putting their profits over the health of our river, which is vital for the well-being of our community.

The City Attorney has made it very clear they are not interested in defending this law. In the last six months, their unsupportive stance as co-defendant has become clear, raising serious doubts about their commitment to their responsibilities. Standing for Washington received the City Attorney’s latest filing — and it shows the City is failing to defend what is now law.

• See Sept 8 2025 'Response to SJ Motion' from Everett's Deputy City Attorney where the City agrees with the Plaintiff's and asks for the law to be declared invalid - done prior to our day in court where we are prepared to defend the validity of this new law

While Standing for Nature has been granted intervenor status, they are a small nonprofit facing some of the most well-funded developer lobbyists in the state. It’s only fair that the Citizen’s of Everett have as much legal representation as the developers, who have hired a full law firm with vast financial resources. The citizens of Everett and the law they passed deserve strong, effective representation in this lawsuit.

• For more information visit: Standing for Nature

Therefore, we the undersigned…

Call on Mayor Cassie Franklin and the Everett City Council to uphold the will of the voters and defend the watershed law in court by immediately hiring outside legal counsel with proven expertise in defending direct democracy and citizen initiatives .

The City has used discretionary funds to hire outside counsel before, including for sensitive matters within City Hall. It must do so again now, to protect both the Snohomish River and Everett’s democratic process.

This case is not only about one watershed — it is about whether citizens truly have the right to make democratic decisions about protecting our future.