EVERETT — After adding two new members in January, the Snohomish County Council is expected to decide whether to spend more money on controversial studies that explore ways to ease development restrictions in the Snohomish River flood plain.
After hearing about the anger and frustration of Snohomish residents and businesses, the County Council on Monday decided to hold a public hearing on the issue on Jan. 30.
Business owners in the flood plain urged the county to finish the studies.
“I have to say I’m very disappointed with what’s occurred to me,” said Lin Hill, who started an auto repair shop in 2003 in the flood plain.
That was before a federal agency changed development rules in the area. Now they are stuck with the current rules that ban them from expanding their business, said Lorene Hill, Lin Hill’s wife.
“Now the building is devaluated, and I can’t do anything about it,” she said.
Snohomish residents want the county to stop spending taxpayer money on the process. Further development in the flood plain would likely increase damage when floods occur, they say.
A growth plan of Harvey Field, a 148-acre private airport, has drawn strong opposition from residents. The plan would build up land substantially and send off floodwaters to other properties, they said.
The county should make changes in its code, instead of trying to change federal rules, to allow other small businesses in the area to improve their businesses, said Barb Bailey, of Snohomish.
“The county has already spent way too much time, effort and money on a very bad idea,” Bailey said.
Kandace Harvey, the airport’s owner, didn’t speak during the Monday meeting. She declined to comment afterward.
Harvey and other owners aim to add new hangar space, a runway and other facilities to meet growing demand.
The county’s attempt to change federal flood plain rules in the valley has cost about $60,000 and taken a few years, according to the office of County Executive Aaron Reardon, who is opposed to spending more money on the process.
Additional studies could cost thousands of dollars and take a few more years, according to county officials.
Business owners in the valley have asked the county to scale down the scope of the studies and continue on the process.
“Clearly, property owners in the area are vulnerable. They are trapped,” said County Councilman Gary Nelson, who is set to step down because of term limits at the end of this month.
Councilman Kirk Sievers is also set to step down this month to become the county’s treasurer.
The two councilmen-elect — Brian Sullivan and Mike Cooper — couldn’t be reached for comment Monday.
Public hearing
The Snohomish County Council has scheduled to have a public hearing on Jan. 30 on whether to spend more money on flood plain studies that would explore ways to allow further development in the Snohomish River Valley. The hearing is set to take place at 10:30 a.m. on the eighth floor of the county’s east administration building, 3000 Rockefeller Ave., Everett.
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