MUKILTEO — The owners of two local businesses aren’t too happy with the city’s new plans for Lighthouse Park.
Brian Sollenberger has run the Diamond Knot Brewery for 10 years. Next door is Woody’s convenience store and ice cream shop, a mainstay for ferry traffic and the community.
The city recently approved a master plan for the adjacent Lighthouse Park that includes the proposal to acquire the property on which the businesses are located if it becomes available. The suggested use of the property was parking.
The City Council made some last-minute changes to the plan last week that back away from strictly designating the property for parking, but that didn’t appease Sollenberger.
"The city has issued us business licenses, they’ve taken our tax money, now they’re going to use that money to possibly put us out of business," Sollenberger said.
Woody’s owner, Don Venteer, said he can only hope the property owner doesn’t sell to the city. Venteer said he can’t afford to buy it and wouldn’t survive a move.
"We are a tiny little family operation. We don’t have a big budget where we can relocate to a million-dollar building," he said.
"We serve fishermen, retirees, walkers, city workers — everybody swings by Woody’s in the afternoon and Diamond Knot in the evening. I’m very disappointed the city doesn’t think enough of us to include us in their future."
But council President John Sullivan said the city isn’t trying to move the two businesses out. At this point in the park’s plan, the city doesn’t plan to use eminent domain to condemn the property or actively pursue it from the property owner.
The plan just mentions the property acquisition as a possibility. The city put it in the plan so it can apply for grants, in case the property owner does decide to sell at some point, Sullivan said.
"Geographically, it fits where the park is, and should the owner decide to sell, we would like the option to purchase it," Sullivan said.
The owner of the property was unavailable for comment, but city manager Rich Leahy said the city has been in communication with him.
"We have discussed the entire matter with the property owner and he agrees, we should show this as an option," Leahy said.
Sollenberger likens listing the property in a master plan to "reverse eminent domain." He said since he doesn’t own the property, he has no rights.
But Sullivan and Leahy said it’s not the same thing.
"Eminent domain is a legal matter in which a city goes to court to condemn a property, acquire it and provide just compensation for it. This city has no intention of doing that," Sullivan said.
"Putting this in a master plan is not a step in that direction. This is simply a conceptual plan with many alternatives, one of which includes purchasing that property, if it comes available."
The city took over ownership of Mukilteo State Park last March and acquired the lighthouse property from the Coast Guard in 2001. It renamed the joint properties Mukilteo Lighthouse Park and is planning to spend more than $5.6 million redeveloping the mostly asphalt park as money becomes available.
The plan envisions turning the 14.4 acres where the old state park and lighthouse are located into a combined park with a new pedestrian pier, restored beach land, large green lawn, pedestrian loop path system, volleyball courts, picnic tables and fire pits.
Reporter Pam Brice: 425-339-3439 or pbrice@heraldnet.com.
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