Lynnwood mayor: Jim Smith correct on development issues

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, July 14, 2021

I am writing in support of Jim Smith for the next mayor of Lynnwood. I have read up on our three candidates, and while I believe they are all upstanding people acting in good faith, Jim Smith is the person taking most seriously the concerns of long-term residents concerned about the impacts of rapid change and gentrification in our city.

I would like to focus on his approach to development. He is the only candidate questioning the idea that Lynnwood has to be a “regional model” for development. “Regional model” sounds fine on the surface, but what it means is that Lynnwood will absorb all of the pressures associated with population growth, the mass transit corridor and light rail. Edmonds and Brier are going to protect single-family housing as much as possible, so Lynnwood will end up with problems including massive housing density that’s not supported by our infrastructure, and traffic density caused both by mega-developments (The neighborhoods where they’re being built are not walkable by any means, so they will add thousands more vehicles to our roads) and by commuters from the whole of Snohomish County who will drive to light rail from their low-density neighborhoods. Light rail will be great for Brier! Not so much for Lynnwood.

Jim is also pushing back on the notion that development necessarily addresses the affordable housing crisis. Again, escalating housing costs are a region-wide problem, and are not solved by mega-developments in our city.

Our city is becoming Lynnwood, Inc. Everywhere we look, we see streets being ripped up, trees chopped down, beloved community hubs disappearing, and all with direct negative impact on the lives of those of us who already live here.

Jim Smith understands our feelings about our neighborhoods and our city; he is listening, and will try to save what’s left. Please consider giving him your vote for mayor of Lynnwood in August.

Louisa Mackenzie

Lynnwood