Commercial service expansion opposed

There was a whiff of Brightwater in the air June 7 when the Edmonds City Council passed a third and more strongly worded resolution opposing commercial air-passenger service at Paine Field.

The original resolution penned in 1995 was written “softly” because expansion seemed unlikely, noted council president Richard Marin, to which an audience member snorted softly and whispered “We’ve heard that one before.”

The February 2005 version was a little tougher and the third one calls for Snohomish County to “take all necessary actions to prevent commercial air-passenger service at Paine Field.”

Council and audience members alike indicated they planned to reiterate early and often their opposition to any effort to expands service. County Executive Aaron Reardon has said he would abide by an agreement that would limit such expansion.

Although he’s not a regular voting member of the council, Mayor Gary Haakenson pointed out Reardon’s support is strong in Everett and the proposed expansion clearly is “Everett-centric.”

The mayor’s criticism elicited from observer Dave Earling, a longtime former council member and president, a wince and wish for an attitude of cooperation among city officials over the matter.

Mountlake Terrace and Woodway also have anti-expansion resolutions on the books; Lynnwood is considering one.

Some of the same residents who led the charge against King County’s attempt to site a sewage-treatment plant in Edmonds occupied the front rows of the council chambers as Greg Hauth of Save Our Communities presented a case against expansion of the air field at the Snohomish County Airport.

Hauth reviewed for the council reasons his single-issue organization actively opposes expansion:

• A deal’s a deal. The mediated role determination adopted by the county 27 years ago commits the county to encourage general aviation and industrial uses while discouraging large-jet commercial airplane service.

• No airlines have expressed interest in starting air service at Paine Field and there’s little demonstrated need for airline service there.

• Aircraft noise over Edmonds would be considerable.

• Property values and property-tax collection would decrease; more money would be required for noise, health and safety mitigation.

• The notion of a bolstered economy is speculative. A study identified Las Vegas as the number-one potential destination among those who might utilize airplane services at Paine Field.

Although she opted not to be the lone hold-out in the council’s June 7 vote, councilor Mauri Moore admitted to being bothered by the lack of facts preceding the action.

She said she hesitated to back the stalwart resolution because the council has yet to hear from proponents of expansion.

Invoking U.S. Gen. George S. Patton’s exhortation that if everybody is thinking alike, no one is thinking, Moore urged fellow council members to examine all sides of the issue and how they will impact Edmonds.

“We are going to have to compete…every day, forever, for economic development,” warned Moore.

Council member Jeff Wilson convinced Moore to form a “united front” and vote with the others by assuring her the council would “challenge them (proponents and opponents) to convince us” of the merits and drawbacks of expansion.

Marin said he will schedule a presentation before council by Dave Waggoner, director of the county airport, or other supporter of expansion, in July or August.

The Greater Edmonds Chamber of Commerce has yet to take an official stand on the Paine Field question, according to executive director Chris Guitton.

“We have no good information on the project,” said Guitton, adding he wants to see Chamber members base their eventual decision on facts and not “biased presentations” by special-interest groups.