King County’s comprehensive plan update process is essentially complete with this week’s County Council vote giving the nod to one local project while nixing another.
First, there was the approval of a new zoning designation for the Summit Pit, a county-owned site covering 156 acres that is home to a county transportation maintenance facility, nine holes of Elk Run Golf Course and tree stands. It’s also known as the “donut hole,” due to being unincorporated county land surrounded by the city of Maple Valley.
The other proposed zoning change would have also allowed for development in an unincorporated piece of land known as the Covington Northern Notch, or the Jenkins Creek Notch. This change, proposed by Covington firm BranBar LLC, was rejected by the council. BranBar officials were disappointed with the decision, but it appeared to be a victory for citizens who opposed development.
In Maple Valley, however, attitudes were upbeat. The controversial zoning change proposed for the donut hole was approved after the county and the city were able to reach a formal agreement that would allow city officials far more say in the property’s future than they had been promised until a few weeks ago.
Christy Todd, Maple Valley’s interim city manager, said this is the first step.
“The hard work will be beginning now, because we have a joint planning agreement to work out and an annexation agreement to work out,” Todd said.
This process began thanks to the push that came out of a Sept. 17 Growth Management Planning Committee meeting in which the county was strongly urged to re-think its approach to Maple Valley’s seat at the table.
On Oct. 2, County Executive Ron Sims, the city and Kirkland-based developer Yarrow Bay Group – a Kirkland development firm which has a tentative deeal to buy the property from the county – agreed to move forward together. Up until September, Sims and his staff had said the county would oversee development of the property, then allow the city to annex it.
County Councilman Reagan Dunn, whose district includes Maple Valley, proposed an amendment to the zoning change that was approved and will allow for development to occur as an urban reserve. That will give city officials a say in density, housing types and mitigation. The amendment also allows the city to annex the property before a single shovel of dirt is turned — a major victory for Maple Valley.
““I’m proud that we fought for two years to have a rational joint planning process that recognizes the city’s rightful role in the process,” said Dunn, who lives in Maple Valley. “The city was steadfast and I am so happy that they finally got everything they wanted.”
Yarrow Bay’s purchase agreement with the county, which is pending council approval, calls for the developer to buy the Summit Pit property for $51 million. The land is ticketed for a master-planned, mixed-use community with open spaces, community gathering areas, and what Sims has described as a pedestrian-friendly design.
The goal is to create a walkable urban community that’s compatible with the rest of the area, according to Sims.
The proposed transaction with Yarrow Bay would allow the county’s road maintenance and recycling facilities – a base for road services provided to Maple Valley, Covington and other cities via county contracts – to be relocated to county-owned land that’s east of Ravensdale. Money from the Summit Pit sale would be spent on that and other road-related needs in the county.
King County has owned the Summit Pit property since 1953.
Notch is knocked
Barry Anderson Jr., who is partners with his brother Brandon and his father Barry Sr. in BranBar, said he was disappointed in the County Council’s decision to reject the proposed zoning change for the Covington Notch.
“It took many of the council members some time to make their decision when called upon for their aye or nay, much longer than usual,” Anderson Jr. said. “I know many of them were wrestling with it right up until vote time from my discussions with their staffs.”
Anderson said he was frustrated with Dunn’s decision to vote against the change. Anderson added he felt that was the momentum that swung the pendulum against the project.
Dunn, whose district also includes Covington, originally sponsored an amendment to allow for the proposal to be considered for the comprehensive plan update. He said he voted against it “because the people who live nearby overwhelmingly opposed it and because of the potential impacts to the environmentally sensitive Jenkins Creek” which runs through the property.
BranBar purchased one parcel in 2002 and picked up the neighboring piece in 2003.
“We’ve been working on the project for about six years,” Anderson told the Reporter in August. “We have come in and we’re trying to do the right thing.”
For nearly a year, the county has been taking public testimony via letters and at hearings countywide to get input on the wide variety of proposals for the comprehensive plan, which serves as the blueprint for the county’s development and growth.
The Notch, of which the Andersons own nearly 60 acres, covers 272 acres in unincorporated King County, according to the county’s Department of Design and Environmental Services. The city of Covington surrounds the property on three sides. It is bounded by State Route 18 and Southeast Wax Road to the south and north with 180th Avenue Southeast along the western side.
For more of this story, see The Reporter’s online edition.
In December 2007, the Andersons were looking at putting big-box retail businesses on the site – maybe a home-improvement store or other large commercial ventures. Since then, Anderson Jr. said, his company has significantly changed the proposal, but it didn’t seem to be enough to sway a number of folks who testified against it Sept. 29 during a hearing conducted by the council.
During that hearing, residents of the area told the council they didn’t want development in the Notch because they moved to the area to get away from urban sprawl.
Steve Albert, who lives near the land, said the project would create an unnecessary tax burden.
“There are two commercial developments – Covington Esplanade and Lake Sawyer Village – within a mile of this development (whose buildings) are only 50 percent occupied,” Albert said. “It makes no sense to add capacity where there is no demand. Where there is no demand, there is no tax revenue.”
Bonnie Elliott said the area doesn’t need more businesses or homes. She said there are hundreds of houses for sale nearby, and in the current economy, it’s taking a long time for those homes to sell, so it makes no sense to her to add to that.
“We have lots of houses,” she said. “We have lots of stores. We have lots of areas for new stores. The people people I’ve talked to in the neighborhood do not want this urban sprawl.”
Laura Emmons said an informal survey of more than 100 of her neighbors showed that nearly all were opposed to the project and proposed zoning change.
“I’m tired of the few being allowed to change our quality of life at our expense,” Emmons said.
Karen Bohlke pleaded with the council for the Notch’s zoning to remain, despite BranBar’s changes to its original proposal. “We really don’t want to lose the Notch to development at this time,” she said.
Anderson said that his family’s firm, which is based in Covington, isn’t giving up and is “weighing our options.”
“There are several paths we could take, but each will have to be thoroughly researched and vetted before we proceed,” Anderson said. “Needless to say, however, we will not let this temporary setback derail our project, and we will move forward” in the interest of spurring “future development in the city. We will be working with the city to determine how we can better have their support, improve our proposal and have a better chance at success.”
Eventually, the property will be annexed into the city, but the zoning has to change from rural to urban first. Covington officials have said the Notch is on the city’s potential annexation list.
Staff writer Kris Hill can be reached at (425) 432-1209 (extension 5054) and khill@reporternewspapers.com
