EDMONDS – A development company that clear-cut a steep slope that overlooks Marina Beach Park in violation of the city’s plans for the site is offering a settlement to avoid losing its building permit.
The city of Edmonds has set a June 17 public hearing before the hearing examiner to consider the settlement. That meeting replaces a previously scheduled May 20 hearing.
The Edmonds City Council will hold a public hearing at 7 p.m. June 1 during the council’s regular meeting to take public comment on the settlement offer and to decide whether to accept it. If the council rejects the settlement, the matter will go before the city’s hearing examiner June 17, who could decide to pull the permit.
Mayor Gary Haakenson said it’s important to give citizens a chance to comment on the proposed settlement.
“I decided to send the settlement offer to the City Council in a public hearing so citizens can have a say before the council decides,” he said.
Point Edwards LLC and Triad of Seattle are building a $65 million condominium project called Point Edwards on the former Unocal site. In March, the developer illegally clear-cut the entire hillside overlooking Marina Beach Park. The city immediately issued a stop-work order, began charging $100 a day in fines and forwarded the issue to the hearing examiner.
The proposed settlement, outlined in a May 18 letter to the mayor, requires the developer to comply with all reforestation recommendations made by arborist David Reich, which includes planting more than 100 conifer trees on the site. It also requires the developer to provide weekly written reports confirming that the work is being done and quarterly reports for three years to ensure that the plantings survive and are maintained.
Under the proposed settlement, the developer also agrees to voluntarily pay 10 times the city’s set daily fines at $1,000 a day starting March 19, the date the city gave its violation notice, and ending when the city issues a notice of completion on the reforestation plan. The developer also agrees to donate $100,000 in cash to the city’s beach ranger and flower programs.
The developer also offers to meet weekly with the city to give project status updates, and to pay $1,000 for each meeting missed. If five meetings are missed, that amount can be raised to $2,000 per meeting, the offer states.
“Point Edwards intends this proposal to be a reaffirmation of its good faith and desire to contribute positively to the Edmonds community,” wrote Point Edwards’ attorney Richard Gifford.
“We very much hope that the contemplated settlement and our actions … will be significant first steps in restoring public confidence and trust in rebuilding a productive working relationship with you and the city.”
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