Woodway is the only city that actually wants the new King County waste treatment plant. But the city’s bid faces a slippery slope.
By Janice Podsada
Herald Writer
WOODWAY— In spring 1998, Woodway went a-wooing. City officials courted the King County Department of Natural Resources, offering Point Wells as a site for a wastewater treatment plant.
Since then, the plant has acquired the name Brightwater, an official designation as an essential public facility, and an unsavory reputation.
Almost no one wants it in their backyard, certainly not residents in or near the five candidate sites in Bothell, Edmonds or along Highway 9.
The exception is Woodway.
When King County asked for site nominations last year, the Woodway City Council nominated Point Wells, in unincorporated Snohomish County. The 90-acre site is owned by Chevron, which operates an asphalt plant there.
But in their zeal, Woodway officials apparently neglected to consult their neighbors to the south.
Shoreline residents, especially those living near Richmond Beach Road, a two-lane residential road that provides the only street access to Point Wells, oppose the plant’s construction.
Last week the Shoreline City Council unanimously passed a resolution opposing any further consideration of Point Wells as a candidate site.
"The resolution basically said, ‘In our opinion, the site does not meet the technical requirements for Brightwater,’" Shoreline Deputy Mayor Don Hansen said.
Unstable soils, steep slopes that make it an environmentally sensitive area and small size are issues, Hansen said. Only about 29 of its 90 acres are usable — and Brightwater requires a minimum of 25 acres.
"It doesn’t have room for expansion, and … Richmond Beach Road provides the only access," Hanson said.
Copies of the Shoreline resolution were forwarded Tuesday to King County Executive Ron Sims, who will make the final decision on the plant’s location.
But the resolution lacks teeth. Because Brightwater is designated an essential public facility, local government cannot override the final site selection. The designation carries the power of eminent domain, allowing King County officials the right to condemn property in the interest of the public good.
Woodway City Council member Bob Schillberg said Shoreline’s concerns are understandable, but may be temporary in nature.
"One of their concerns is that during construction there will be lots of construction traffic," Schillberg said. "The Brightwater people assured us that once the facility is completed, the traffic will substantially decrease from the construction phase."
Trucks coming to and from the asphalt plant already rumble along Richmond Beach Road.
But Woodway Mayor Carla Nichols said that Shoreline’s future plans for Point Wells could generate even more traffic than Brightwater.
"Shoreline’s proposed comprehensive plan identifies Point Wells as potential annexation land, zoned mixed-use commercial," Nichols said. "If it were zoned at the highest level, that would generate 9,000 cars on Richmond Beach Road a day. Brightwater would generate five trucks per day once it’s finished."
Woodway officials view Brightwater as the best alternative to an otherwise uncertain future for Point Wells.
While Chevron officials say they aren’t interested in selling the site, they also haven’t offered a long-term commitment that the site won’t be sold, Schillberg said.
If Chevron were to sell the property, it would open the door to the construction of apartment complexes or a housing development, because Point Wells is in the county’s urban growth area, he added.
Given the choice between more homes, more people and more traffic, and Brightwater, Woodway officials say the best alternative is the latter, which could be designed to connect with already existent city park lands.
Woodway wasn’t always sold on Brightwater. In 1997, the city council said no to it. A year later, the council changed its mind and authorized a committee to study the impact of a treatment plant.
The most recent meeting between Woodway and Shoreline residents took place in June and resulted in some "hot discussion," Schillberg said.
Besides traffic, Shoreline officials cite the risk of earthquake and water reuse as mitigating factors.
"The earthquake risk is too great. That’s old fill on the property that was developed around the turn of the century. It was never compacted properly," said Larry Bauman, Shoreline’s assistant city manager.
"The county has placed a high value on water reuse. The site doesn’t allow for that. Users will have to pay for the reused water. If they have to pump it back east or north or south, that’s going to cost them plenty," Bauman said.
But Nichols said that until the Point Wells site undergoes an extensive environmental impact analysis, no one can say for certain whether the site is suitable.
"We want to go to the next phase. We want more information," Nichols added.
Despite Woodway’s interest in Brightwater, the final decision is not theirs to make.
On Sept. 10, Sims will announce the names of two to four candidate sites that will undergo environmental studies.
"We’re hoping we’re on the list," Schillberg said.
But Shoreline officials hope they’re not.
"I hope this resolution is something he (Sims) will strongly take into consideration. He will at least know where the Shoreline council stands," Hansen said.
You can call Herald Writer Janice Podsada at 425-339-3029 or send e-mail to podsada@heraldnet.com.
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