I have concerns about the Perrinville development. The parcel is not physically suitable for the requested and anticipated land use. There are significant environmental issues that the SEPA report does not address.
The largest issue is that the area does not have adequate ground water retention and drainage to support increased traffic to the area. The Perrinville stream is underground near the intersection of 76th and Olympic View Drive, and resurfaces in front of the post office, just north of the intersection. Increased construction does not help the water quality of that stream. Indigenous plants were selected to help the health of the stream with construction of the post office. Additional construction in this area is not a step towards the “going green” political climate.
This past winter, there was a detour north of the Perrinville intersection on 76th. The road washed out because the sewers could not handle the storm drainage, and water was running over the road and flooded area residents’ basements. This same storm caused a landslide west of the intersection on Olympic View Drive. It was more than one month before the roads were reopened, causing inconvenience for the entire community. Adding more commercial buildings to the area with current inadequate sewers, and a current unstable bluff is not a sound decision.
The architect would like Perrinville to look like Firdale Village or the Five Corner intersection. Perrinville buildings at the intersection have had a quaint “Victorian” flair, and includes the historic home of Gertie Perrin.
Comparing Perrinville to Five Corners is like comparing a mom-and-pop grocery store to Wal-Mart. Five Corners includes Meiko’s (chain exercise), a church, bus lines and fire station. Firdale Village is bordered by a four-lane road, on the bus lines, and is a major route from downtown Edmonds to the county line and Highway 99. None of these attributes are present in Perrinville, and that only adds to its uniqueness. Perrinville cannot be compared to any other place, specifically Five Corners or Firdale Village.
Joni Johnson
Edmonds
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