Lynnwood’s environmental review committee has made the decision to extend an 8-foot-tall dirt berm along the southern boundary of Field 3 at Alderwood Little League Play Fields to the field’s eastern boundary line.
In April, appeals regarding the committee’s decision were filed with the hearing examiner and in July the hearing examiner upheld the decision of the environmental review committee.
“The existing berm provides separation of the baseball games, and a buffer to lighting and noise for most of the residences along 199th Street. However, the berm ends before it reaches the eastern property line and the eastern-most residence is exposed to lighting, noise and other impacts of activity at the field,” according to hearing examiner documents.
The Alderwood Little League and Alderwood Manor Youth Club filed appeals opposing the extension of the berm. The youth club reported it plans to appeal the hearing examiner’s decision again in September.
“Extension of the berm would block off the eastern access point onto 199th Street SW. and prevent its use for property maintenance and occasional emergency vehicle access to Field 3,” according to their argument in the hearing examiner documents. “They (the Alderwood Little League and Alderwood Manor Youth Club) also believe that they have a ‘grandfather right’ to continued use of that access onto 199th Street SW.”
Karl and Dale Snyder live directly south of the field and are in support of extending the berm.
They believe Field 3 should not be used until all required mitigation measures have been completed.
In addition to extending the berm, those measures include a drainage plan for stormwater runoff, erosion control and landscape buffer, off-site parking, turning off field lighting at 9:30 p.m., building the height of the berm extension to match the height of the existing berm and planting Evergreen conifer trees on the top of the berm to eventually reduce the glare caused by field lights, according to hearing examiner documents.
The Snyders also argue that exact dates of completion are necessary “given Alderwood Little League’s/Alderwood Manor Youth Club’s history of performing work without permits and failing to fully comply with Lynnwood requirements,” according to hearing examiner documents.
Enterprise writer Jenny Lynn Zappala contributed to this article.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
