What will happen to the residents of Black Diamond if the Yarrow Bay developments proceeds as planned?

It is really hard to imagine the enormous magnitude of these developments – 6,000 housing units is just a number, but try to visualizewhat this will look like compared to our town of only about 1,400 houses currently.

Right now our houses are in small enclaves, and probably the biggest is the one I live in, Morgan Creek, which has only 129 houses.

These new tiny lots or apartments will generate about 60,000 car trips a day. That’s about what the six-lane Aurora Bridge in Seattle orHighway 18 at Weyerhaueser Way handles currently. Your current commute to work, would only get longer and more dangerous.

Can you just imagine the construction traffic and noise and dust? Trees falling down everywhere. It will seem like a war zone, for years.

The developer’s pretty sales pictures show quaint little shopping areas. Give me a break! Is anybody within fifteen miles of here buildingthat? Now imagine over a million square feet of commercial development, think 10 Walmart’s.

Some people think that their property values will increase. My experience tells me that they are in for a rude awakening. How will addingthousands of competitive low quality units raise existing home values?

Recent elections in Black Diamond were all about controlling and managing Yarrow Bay’s development. By 75 percent margins the votersshouted: “Too much, too fast, not right for our town”.

This fall’s election is still about Yarrow Bay’s development. But this time the voters are demanding the kind of strong action that City Halljust hasn’t produced yet. And they are voting for Pat Pepper and Brian Weber.

After 20 years of living in Black Diamond, I’m not ready to let City Hall throw in the towel and facilitate a monstrous development thatwould literally ruin everything my family loves about our community.

So I’ll be voting for Pat Pepper and Brian Weber for Black Diamond Council.

Duane Garcia
Black Diamond