When Bob Drewel first took office, I had a meeting with him to discuss the Growth Management Act and the Urban Growth boundaries (UGA) the county was going to be setting at that time. As I explained to Mr. Drewel, I had seen several examples of that process in other counties and states, and that if it is done right and honestly, it works well. But if it is used as a tool for social engineering, it will be a disaster.
We have now seen the effects of 10 years of social engineering. The cost of housing has gone out of sight. The average college graduate cannot afford a house – let alone the average hard- working non-college graduate. Congestion on our roads is totally unacceptable, and these elitist social planners still have not gotten the message.
Now they are back saying that 85 percent of all land in the UGA will be used as planned. That means that if a 75 year-old lady lives in Monroe or Everett on a one-acre lot, zoned multifamily, there is an 8 to 1 chance that she will develop her land in the next 5 to 6 years – not.
Most honest planners I have talked to say only about 20 percent of such land will be used in any 10-year period.
So I say hooray for Gary Nelson, John Koster and Jeff Sax. They at least have the gumption to call it like it is and to condemn elitist social engineers (calling themselves planners) at Snohomish County.
Monroe
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