Thank you for printing the commentary by Tom Campbell (“Time is now to make sure growth meets our wishes,” The Herald, Jan. 7). His position represents many who live and work here, and who have experienced big changes to their neighborhoods. Clearly, there are many stories how county government has failed in planning for growth. Land use is complicated and confusing for most people. It is not until the traffic gets worse, water quality declines, flooding increases, trees disappear, that people start waking up. And usually that is too late to make a difference.
This is exactly why the Snohomish County Council needs to be better stewards of our land and environment when they adopt policies and regulation. Your voice is vital is helping them make better decisions.
Snohomish County is again growing rapidly and our county council needs to hear from you. Sprawling further into our rural areas, with single-family homes, in order for more people from King County to move here and commute because it is a bit cheaper to buy a home, should not be how the county plans our future. But that is on the table right now with a continued hearing on April 11 to expand the southwest UGA plus there will be consideration of a countywide planning policy to allow for urban growth area land swaps that allow for more growth all the way to Highway 9, further impacting traffic and our taxes to pay for new roads.
The health of our environment that sustains life must be the benchmark in building our communities. Regardless if you live in a city, an urban growth area, the rural area or on a farm, your life will be impacted by unnecessary sprawl development. We simply can’t afford economically or environmentally to continue sprawl development. The policies and regulations our County Council will adopt this year and in the coming years will either help or hurt us and our children’s future. Let your voice be heard now before it is too late to make a difference.
Kristin Kelly
Pilchuck Audubon Society
Snohomish
