An agreement over environmental concerns for property slated for redevelopment at Echo Lake has received a green thumb’s up from half of the group raising the issues.

The settlement was reached May 4, just hours before a combined public hearing set for May 4-5, regarding appeals of ruling under the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) and a contract rezone.

“We agreed to help work with (Echo Lake Associates) to seek funding and agreed to terminate the appeal,” said Echo PAR member Janet Way. “We were surprised that we were able to make it all come together.”

Both issues involve a 8.61 acre site at 19250 Aurora Ave. N. Developers hope to build a new Shoreline/South County YMCA and a Crista Senior Housing facility on the property which is now a mobile home park. City staff had ruled the plan brought no significant environmental impacts and issued a mitigated determination of non-significance (MDNS).

Although one condition of the agreement was that Echo PAR members would terminate the SEPA appeal, filed March 2, the appeal hearing still took place as planned, due to a division among group members.

Half of the original appellants approved of the settlement, including Janet Way, Mamie Bollender, Peter Henry and Rick Purn. Tim and Patty Crawford and Dave Conlow did not support the agreement.

“We had to make a judgment call on the right thing to do,” Patty Crawford said. “We didn’t want the project to proceed without critical areas being identified and classified correctly.”

Crawford contends the city is working in a section of the environmental code that offers no fish protection for Echo Lake. Crawford said members who supported the agreement are no longer Echo PAR members, withdrawing their membership when they supported the settlement.

The group originally formed to protect the quality of the water for Echo Lake, restore the shoreline to a healthy condition, secure public access, provide quality open space, a connection to the Interurban Trail and to preserve the Weiman House, the 1920s home of a pioneer family.

The parcel of land is owned by Echo Lake Associates, LLC, a partnership of eight people who either live or work in 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.

Managing member, Harley O’Neil, said the partnership has always been concerned with cleaning up Echo Lake and upholding environmental standards and is setting an example for other developers with the settlement.

“I think we are going a lot further than most developers would in setting aside land,” O’Neil said. “We are going to do some things I believe will set an example for other developers of what can be done.”

City planning director Tim Stewart said the Planning Commission will accept public comment until Wednesday, May 18. He said the request by Echo PAR is to include the settlement conditions in the contract zone permit.

“It is nice to see a developer and appellants get together and reach an agreement privately,” Stewart said. “And to have that kind of collaboration in working through issues and problem solving.”

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 Commission’s recommendation for the rezone.