The process by which land use laws are changed in Mountlake Terrace is broken. At the April 28 public hearing on allowing cottage housing everywhere and smaller single family lots over most of Central Terrace south of 228th, seven well-intentioned, unpaid citizens, the Planning Commission (PC), listened to about 15 citizens.
Those citizens were both confused of the necessity for these changes and overwhelmingly fearful of what they mean for their neighborhoods. Maybe I have been attending such meetings for too long, but I actually remember when citizen voices mattered. They don’t matter anymore.
The density allowed in the Town Center pales by comparison to these changes, yet it was clear that the hearing was a mere formality. The City Council is already scheduled to consider them at their work session on May 1 and to have their public hearing on May 5.
Staff proposes and our dedicated followers of local land use fashion dispose. The majority of people on both council and the PC stop processing information once they have read the staff report. Citizen opinions are just a bother. Like our city manager, council and the PC have grand visions.
If we can’t be properly educated to the clear superiority of their plans, they will just have to impose them anyway. They are doing us a greater good.
Now, if you are reading this and have no idea what I am talking about, staff insists that they have done everything they can to inform you and solicit your input. If you didn’t take time to respond, maybe you are the smart ones. They don’t care anyway.
You should know, however, that your silence leaves them comfortable with their condescending presumptions and ever more certain of their powers to continue ignoring you.
Leonard French
Mountlake Terrace
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