Please read the following letter from William Lider. Is there an argument that developers are given special preference while obtaining government carte blanche and denying the citizens' rights to be heard?  See below:

All—Sno-King Watershed Council (SKWC) has appealed the Pinecrest Pointe development proposed by developer Pacific Ridge.  This is the same developer who gave us Aravalli and now proposes Ironwood.  Pacific Ridge wants to construct a substandard stormwater pond above a steep landslide and erosion prone slope deemed a critical area.  The pond’s construction encroaches into the critical slope area directly above Swamp Creek and does not meet the County’s own requirements for stormwater emergency overflow.

The project is opposed by local neighbors and Seattle City Light (SCL), who has a major electrical transmission tower just downslope from the proposed pond.  Even with all of this opposition, the Hearing Examiner still approved this unwise project. 

SKWC has requested that pond be set back 200-feet from slope because of the proximity and risk to SCL’s transmission tower, which is a critical link in our regionwide electrical grid.  Loss of this tower during a 100-year winter storm or an earthquake could be devastating to our regional electrical supply.  Swamp Creek is a designated Chinook salmon, federally listed, threatened species; a pond failure would be devastating to Swamp Creek.

Alternatively, the Pinecrest Pointe could be constructed using Low Impact Development stormwater techniques required under the County’s own code, that would eliminate the need for the pond altogether, but result in fewer homes.  Pacific Ridge has refused to entertain using LID stormwater methods, primarily because of a profit driven motive.

Pacific Ridge has made a motion to suppress comments made by local residents and SCL.  Council Chair Nate Nehring (R) has allowed Pacific Ridge’s motion to suppress comments to move forward, even though this type of motion is not allowed under the County’s rules; developers are a major contributor to Nehring’s election.  SKCW motion opposing Pacific Ridge’s motion elimination of the neighbor’s and SCL’s comments is also attached.  Public testimony will not be allowed from the public at this hearing, but you may certainly contact the County Council and let them know your feelings at contact.council@snoco.org. Just listening in on the Zoom meeting will send a signal of the public’s interest in environmental protection to the County Council.  Please pass this e-mail along to like-minded folks.

Information for the 10:30 am November 4th Zoom meeting and how to listen in can be found at: 

Webpage https://snohomish.granicus.com/GeneratedAgendaViewer.php?view_id=2&event_id=9802  

Thank you for your support!

William (Bill) Lider, PE, CESCL

Lider Engineering, PLLC