I attended the Mountlake Terrace Town Center Public Hearing on Aug. 20 in a crowded room full of residents and out-of-town suits. Us plain folk residents were against the plan and the business/investor group were for the four- to seven-story plan. There is a 1,324 signature petition presented to the city council by residents who wish to keep the three-story code limit and want a public vote for the suggested $7 million civic center. One of the speakers stated that she would rather pay higher taxes and shop in other cities to keep our little town as it is. Residents said they moved here because the of the small town flavor.
A question was presented by Councilman Wittinger asking council members how they felt about the fact that the entire population requirements for our whole city over the next 13 years will be crowded into the Town Center Sub Area, which is against the Comprehensive Plan. Incumbents Zambrano and Robles refused to answer the question, saying “they couldn’t because they are running for re-election.” Translated, that means they don’t want to say where they stand on the issue. Their council vote makes it very clear where they stand. The plan they voted for will impact a neighborhood unfairly with the very large population increase and the result of an “unfavorable traffic impact” of a possible 3,000 extra cars a day down their roads and the eventual problem of overflow parking in front of each home.
The council voted 5 to 2 in favor of the Town Center proposed Planned Action even though the public outcry from day one is against the plan. The majority of the council are nothing more than “rich men’s soldiers.”
Shirley Malloy
Mountlake Terrace
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