Citizens of Black Diamond wake up! There’s a big train coming and it’s 10,000 cars long. I’m talking about the development planned by YarrowBay currently being considered for approval by our City Council. The over 6,000 housing units in this development make it the largest development in the history of King County and, if approved, it will be built in our tiny town of 4,100 people. It will add 1.5 million square feet of commercial, retail and light industrial space which is 1 1/2 times the size of the Auburn Super Mall, right here in Black Diamond. This development will bring 20,000 more people, will add over 10,000 cars to our roads each day, and will require seven new schools to be built. Guess who will pay for those schools.

When all these new people move in they will control our city. Will they share our same values for living in the rural environment? Oh, I forgot, after they move here there will be no rural environment, because Yarrow Bay plans to clear-cut the forests and scrape the land bare to make room for all this development. And while you’re trapped in gridlocked traffic you’ll be able to think about all the additional taxes you’re going contribute to help pay for the impacts this development will have on the roads, schools, water and sewer facilities. If you want to help stop this train send an e-mail to info@ci.blackdiamond.wa.us and tell the city you don’t want this development approved. And do it now because this train is about to get the green light.

Jack Sperry

Black Diamond