Imagine area covered in asphalt

There is an old saying: “Those who do not learn from the mistakes of history are doomed to repeat them.” There is a battle raging in Snohomish. Will the victor be the developers or the Snohomish Valley? When the Snohomish Valley floods, farmland acts as a buffer, absorbing the worst of the blow. Destroy that protection and every home, every apartment complex, every strip mall the developers would like to replace the farmland with would be destroyed, or at least severely damaged. It is the citizens of Snohomish who will pay for that damage in the forms of higher insurance premiums and taxes.

If Kandace Harvey and those who think as she does prevail, just try to imagine the valley in a new way. Coming north on Highway 9, you look down on the valley, no longer green, but gray, mile upon mile of asphalt and concrete. On your left, a Motel 6, on your right, the Snohomish Mall with traffic backed up from it to Highway 9, stalling traffic for miles. Further ahead and to the right, not beautiful, lush and green farmland, but acre upon acre of new airport runways, backing up traffic on Springhetti Road for mile upon mile.

Tourists don’t come to Snohomish to see asphalt and strip malls. They come to see 1st Street, the river and our beautiful valley. There is a better way, Snohomish.

Richard Lavin

Snohomish