Waterfront housing project wins key approval
Published 10:17 pm Thursday, August 12, 2010
EVERETT — The biggest chunk of Snohomish County shoreline that could be redeveloped moved one decision closer to becoming a neighborhood of high-end homes and businesses.
The proposal to transform the 61-acre petroleum and asphalt facility at Point Wells, near Woodway, passed a first hurdle on Wednesday when the Snohomish County Council unanimously voted to change the zoning from industrial use to allow houses and commercial space.
“This is a legacy project we want everybody to be proud of,” said Steven Ohlenkamp, a consultant working with the property owner, Paramount of Washington LLC.
Paramount intends to work with the surrounding communities on shaping the development, he said. If the development gets final approval, Paramount would have to clean up heavy contaminants left from a century of industrial use.
Civic leaders in Woodway and Richmond Beach are worried about the project’s scale —up to 3,500 condominiums — and the impact on traffic.
The County Council would have to approve any final design.
Woodway Mayor Carla Nichols said she was disappointed the council did not give her town or the city of Shoreline more say in the outcome.
“Our main concerns are how big it’s going to be and how tall it’s going to be,” Nichols said.
Council Chairman Mike Cooper said he shared that concern and the council would not approve any project that didn’t deal adequately with traffic and public transit.
Point Wells sits entirely within Snohomish County, next to the King County line. The only way to reach it is a two-lane road through Shoreline.
Noah Haglund: 425-339-3465, nhaglund@heraldnet.com.
County votes against development in rural areas
Snohomish County development rules that allow mini-cities to be built in rural areas could be going away.
The county council on Wednesday voted 3-2 to keep the large developments out of areas set aside for farms and forests. The decision, if County Executive Aaron Reardon does not veto it, would shut down plans for 6,000 homes near Lake Roesiger east of Lake Stevens. That is the lone mini-city development proposal seeking county approval.
Councilmen Dave Gossett and John Koster voted to keep mini-city zoning, which in planning jargon is known as “fully contained communities.” The title reflects developments that include homes, shopping and job opportunities within the same plan.
Gossett worried that without allowing more dense growth in rural areas, his suburban district, at the county’s south end, would absorb an unfair share of the county’s growth.
