LAKE FOREST PARK —The Lake Forest Park City Council unanimously approv-ed an ordinance July 10 that will allow Lake City Elks to build senior housing on land they own at NE 145th Street and Bothell Way.
The Council worked for the past seven months on the wording of the ordinance to appease neighbors who worried the facility would change the character of their neighborhood.
At the July 10 meeting, the Council voted to “encourage” developers to protect trees on the property, but not “require” that they do so.
The Council also made changes to the setback requirements it had approved at a previous meeting. The Council voted to require a minimum of 35 feet of setback, with an average of 40 feet. It also voted to require that the design of the building avoid looking like a big box or “sawtooth” by requiring a stair-step design from the setback.
“I am very happy we are taking the first step at getting senior housing in our city,” said Mayor pro-tem Dwight Thompson.
“The biggest thing out of this process was reaching some degree of compromise,” added council member Nate Herzog. “Both sides aren’t pleased, but I believe we created a product for our city.”
Council member Carolyn Armanini said, “I still have concerns about this overlay zone being more like spot zoning.”
Council member Mary Jane Goss said, “Part of our function as a city is not to be reactive but to plan. We’ve done this with parks — we’ve claimed it as an opportunity we can’t pass up. We’ve crafted this ordinance very strictly but hopefully it will work.”
Neighbors of the Elks weren’t as optimistic.
Ray Holmdahl, a neighbor of the Elks, said, “The majority of the neighbors have not been in favor of this ordinance all along, but we are thankful they made it a bit more palatable.”
Neighbor Howard Rose, said, “This has not been about an overlay for seven acres of land, but about the two acres that the Elks want to develop. It’s unfortunate the Elks put the Council in the position of having to bend over backwards to accommodate ‘what’s possible’ for the Elks.”
The Elks are ready to develop the land, said Tony Del Mastro, with the Elks.
“I’m glad they finally got it done and have given us an ordinance. Now we will have to take it to developers and see if it is feasible to build by,” he said.
The ordinance will allow Lake City Elks to build senior housing on some property it owns — located at NE 145 Street to the south, and NE 147th Street to the north, Bothell Way to the west — and include 11 single-family lots and five homes owned by the Elks.
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