Edmonds tables decision on 10 acres of public space near Highway 99

Published 1:30 am Thursday, August 24, 2023

EDMONDS — After about 90 minutes of debate Tuesday evening, City Council President Neil Tibbott motioned to postpone a decision to invest another $250,000 in a potential 10-acre public space along the Highway 99 corridor.

City Council members Diane Buckshnis, Susan Paine and Jenna Nand voted along with Tibbott to table the decision.

The chunk of change would have been used to perform the city’s due diligence on the property between 240th and 242nd streets SW, as well as to develop potential plans and pitch financial strategies.

Now the purchase is in limbo.

The decision comes about two months after the Edmonds City Council approved a $100,000 deposit. The property’s total price tag is $37 million, but the deposit secured it for the next 18 months. The entire parcel would be purchased from a single owner, Robert Siew, of Bellevue.

The city can use the 18 months to conduct research and gauge public opinion for its use. Some ideas include an aquatic center, a park or a recreation center. Edmonds Mayor Mike Nelson hopes the property will become a civic-minded project for the underserved community along Highway 99.

The $100,000 deposit is fully refundable within six months. But time is ticking — the city only has until the end of the year.

Over the course of the debate, several alternatives were considered. Nand motioned only funding a portion of the proposal, but did not get a second. Council member Teitzel suggested the city go back on the $100,000 investment and get reimbursed now. That motion also failed.

Council members plan to revisit the issue at a later meeting.

Kayla J. Dunn: 425-339-3449; kayla.dunn@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @KaylaJ_Dunn.