Don’t push density into wrong location

With regard to the Tuesday aticle, “Rezone fight in Mukilteo,” I just wanted to let you know that things aren’t so bad for Ulla Rudd. Yes, she has been in Mukilteo for over 20 years, but that is a drop in the bucket for many of the residents here. My family has been here for over 30 years and we are considered new.

Things are becoming more dense in Mukilteo. I have to drive past four different condo units to get to my house, but that doesn’t mean that increased density is appropriate for every piece of property. Ms. Rudd lives on a parcel that juts out into one of the most pristine ravines in western Snohomish County. Her property sits above the confluence of two streams that flow less than a half mile to the sound and endangered chinook salmon. Bald eagles nest in trees in the ravine and I have seen them on her property many times. Do we really want to push the highest density into an area that needs more protection, not less?

As for the vehicle code, it is not a loophole. People have granted easements to residential properties with the realization that those grantees are limited to four dwelling units. City Councilman Randy Lord appropriately addressed the issue in the last City Council meeting by stating that Mukilteo doesn’t necessarily want to change alleyways to highways. Changing the law just to facilitate this rezone takes away the original intent of easement grantors and effectively hands money from those residents who live here but have an easement across their property and gives it those who want to sell their land to developers.

Please realize that Ms Rudd could sell her property for over a million and a half dollars in profit tomorrow — just not the $10 million she hopes to get by pushing a high density rezone in the wrong location.

Eric Weiss