Echo Lake issues

Pending action on two issues may throw plans for a parcel of land on the south end of Echo Lake a couple of curveballs.

The pitches could come at a double-header public hearing that was set for Wednesday and Thursday, May 4-5, after The Enterprise deadline.

The issues are appeals of ruling under the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) and another approving a contract rezone. Both issues are regarding a 8.61-acre site at 19250 Aurora Ave. N. Developers hope to site a new Shoreline/South County YMCA and Crista Senior Housing facility on the property which is now a mobile home park.

The city of Shoreline considered the site for a city hall but backed out of negotiations.

During the SEPA review for significant adverse environmental impacts, city staff found none and issued a mitigated determination of non significance (MDNS).

“That is the one being appealed at the Hearing Examiner,” city planning director Tim Stewart said.

Janet Way, a member of Echolake City Hall Oversight — People Against Rezone (Echo PAR) said the main point of contention, city hall, has been resolved since the group filed the appeal March 2. Way said there are other concerns for the group which counts members from Shoreline and areas along McAleer Creek, for which Echo Lake is the headwaters.

“Our goals are obviously to protect the quality of the water for Echo Lake and to restore the shoreline to a healthy condition,” Way said. “We are also concerned about the pollution coming from surrounding properties like the Park and Ride and Aurora Avenue.”

Other objectives, Way said, are to secure public access, provide quality open space, a connection to the Interurban Trail and to preserve the Weiman House, the home of an original pioneer family built in the 1920s.

The property is owned by Echo Lake Associates, LLC, a partnership of eight people who either live or work on Shoreline. The parcel is bordered by Aurora Avenue on the west, 192nd Street on the south, the Interurban Trail on the east and Echo Lake on the north. The site contains about 245 feet of waterfront.

“Most people appealed the SEPA because they didn’t want to see a city hall on Echo Lake,” said Echo Lake Associates managing member Harley O’Neil.

O’Neil said he has met on numerous occasions with Echo PAR, informing members that the Echo Lake Associates intends to ensure environmental standards are upheld during redevelopment. He said water moving off-site will be treated and the area will be replanted with trees for a bird and wildlife sanctuary.

Way agreed that Echo PAR’s meetings with O’Neil have been productive and said they discussed common goals, such as having a YMCA located on the Echo Lake site, ensuring quality public open space and pedestrian access to the Interurban Trail.

“But we want it to be done in a sensitive way that is very low-impact to the environment,” Way said.

The second part of the public hearing will focus on a contract rezone. Currently, about 1.97 acres along Aurora Avenue is zoned Regional Business and about 6.64 acres to the east is zoned R-48, which allows for residential units, but no retail and limits building height to 35 feet. Echo Lake Associates submitted a proposal to alter the zoning to Regional Business for Mixed Use development.

“Under the R-48 zoning we can’t have retail there, we can’t even get a conditional use permit there,” O’Neil said. “So under the contract rezone, they will allow us to do some of that.”

The mixed-use development could consist of commercial uses including retail, offices, a potential YMCA, and would be limited to a maximum of 182,000 square feet of commercial space with 350 residential units and parking structures underneath buildings with as many as 1,125 parking stalls.

Before the rezone can move ahead, the Comprehensive Plan land use map must be changed to a designation that supports the Regional Business zone. At the April 21 city Planning Commission meeting, members voted to recommend the approval of the change.

Two decisions will eventually come from the combined public hearing. The Hearing Examiner’s decision is due 10 days after the close of the public hearing on the SEPA appeal. The SEPA appeal must be resolved prior to the Planning Commission deliberation on the rezone, which is scheduled for the May 19 Planning Commission meeting. The City council will eventually consider the Planning Commissions’ recommendation for the rezone.