New jobs don’t out weigh loss in property

I am sure Lakeside Industries is a wonderful company that provides for its employees. I am sure they do an excellent job at making asphalt and supporting the community.

However, I don’t agree with where they want to put their new plant. I live near where this plant is going to be located. It is not a place for an asphalt plant or other industrial businesses. The landscaping business that was there for awhile was pushing the limit with smell and truck traffic.

I drive by the existing plant every day. I don’t care how good of a neighbor the company is. I would like to know how are they going to protect my property values from dropping?

They can say all they want about no smell (I can smell the plant as I drive by) and that they work to protect the environment. The fact is that the perception is reality. The perception that future home buyers will have is that they are an asphalt plant and no one wants to live next to or close to one.

They also claim the traffic will not be impacted by the new location. How can they say this? There will be more trucks on state Route 169 going to and from the plant daily. This will have an impact on the traffic that is already bad as well as put more wear on the road.

With all the development going on out in Maple Valley with single and multi-family homes the traffic is becoming unbearable if not already. The number of jobs this plant is claiming to bring (30+) does not out weigh the loss in property value and the financial impact to having to maintain SR 169.

-John Garrett

Renton