 |
||
| |
June 2009 Meeting Summary
Issaquah Hobart Road Study By Peter Rimbos, Corresponding Secretary
On Monday, June 1, the Greater Maple Valley Area Council held its regular monthly meeting. Our guest speakers / topics were: (1) Maple Valley Sheriff’s Precinct Major Dave Germani / Quarterly Community Forum, (2) Puget Sound Clean Air Agency’s Supervising Inspector Rick Hess / Burn Bans and Nuisance Odors, and (3) King County Department of Transportation’s David Mark & Jim Ishimaru / Issaquah-Hobart Road Study. Your Area Council serves as an all-volunteer, locally elected advisory body to the King County Council representing all rural unincorporated area residents living in the Tahoma School District.
Sheriff's Precinct-Level Community Involvement Program Major Dave Germani Commander of the Sheriff’s Southeast Precinct #3 held his Quarterly Forum to both listen to issues from the public and provide feedback. At tonight’s discussion Major Germani provided a status of crime activity as detailed in the Sheriff’s Office 2008 Annual Report. Overall, occurrences of crime (e.g., larceny, vehicle theft, commercial burglary, assault, robbery, etc.) were down in 2008 compared to the year before. Part of this was the result of a collaborative program between the Sheriff's and the Prosecutor’s offices with relation to vehicle theft. This program resulted in a 31% reduction in such crimes.
Although King County budget cuts are affecting the Sheriff's office, Major Germani described efforts to maintain a high degree of public safety and continue to keep crime statistics low. Area residents can contact the Sheriff’s Southeast Precinct #3 at 206-296-3883 and find more information including the 2008 Annual Report by clicking here.
Burn Bans and Nuisance Odors Rick Hess of the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency (PSCAA) described efforts to protect public health and reduce nuisance odor occurrences. PSCAA works to protect public health, improve neighborhood air quality, and reduce greenhouse gasses in King, Pierce, Snohomish, and Kitsap counties. Primary actions include: adopting and enforcing air quality regulations; sponsoring voluntary initiatives; and educating people and businesses about clean-air and climate-friendly choices they can make. PSCAA must meet mandates of the US and Washington Clean Air Acts that include monitoring for air pollution throughout the 4-county region and regulating businesses that have the potential to cause air pollution. Mr. Hess described recent PSCAA efforts to find alternatives to most residential outdoor burning to maintain good air quality and protect the health of the general public. Under development are proposed guidelines that could include increased setbacks (e.g., 50 ft) from property lines and reduced diameters (e.g., <10 ft) of burn piles. Mr. Hess made it clear that local Fire Districts will continue to be able to set their own standards. The proposed guidelines will be available for public comment this summer prior to implementation of a final set of guidelines.
Another issue discussed by Mr. Hess was Cedar Grove Compost’s (CGC) efforts to reduce nuisance odors. PSCAA has worked with CGC through a settlement agreement that was brought on by continuing complaints from neighbors especially on hot days. CGC actions taken so far include: screening of all incoming feedstock prior to curing; testing of samples of the current sales pile for growth and weeds; lab testing of sales pile for pH, ammonia, salts, and nitrate; and visual inspection of product moisture, odor, porosity and temperature. For more information on CGC please click here. For more information and the status of PSCAA’s efforts to protect public health, as well as updates on any burn bans, please click here.
Issaquah-Hobart Road Study David Mark & Jim Ishimaru of the King Çounty Department of Transportation described their ongoing Issaquah-Hobart Road Study to improve safety while streamlining traffic flow between the Issaquah city limits and SR-18. The overall study area--between Kent, Black Diamond, and I-90--is much larger in order to assess affects of and impacts on traffic flow. Local detailed models that employ area projected population growth to 2030, as well as mixed modes of transportation, are being analyzed to make recommendations on how to make better use of existing roads. The study is expected to be complete in July with the hope that any recommendations could inform the next Capital Improvement Report.
Mr. Ishmaru described two main issues on the Issaquah-Hobart Road: (1) frequent accidents--rear-end collisions north of May Valley Rd and speed-related wrecks south of Cedar Grove Rd--and (2) parking concerns in the vicinity of the Hang-Glider Park.
Short-term recommendations will include: traffic cameras at the Cedar Grove Rd intersection (already installed); a digital information message sign at Mirrormont Rd.; traffic signal interconnection/coordination between May Valley Rd and Cedar Grove Rd intersections; and signage/flashing lights at high-accident locations. Mr. Mark expects these recommendations to be fully implemented by the end of this year.
Long-Term recommendations could include: completion of SR-18 widening between Issaquah-Hobart Rd and I-90 (State responsibility); replacement of the substandard bridge between the May Valley Rd and Cedar Grove Rd intersections to improve safety; expansion of the existing Hang Glider parking lot to minimize street-side parking; and construction of roundabouts at the May Valley Rd and Cedar Grove Rd intersections to improve traffic flow. For study details, click here.
Our Next Meeting Your Area Council meets on the first Monday of each month (except on legal holidays) at the Sheriff’s Precinct #3 Headquarters located at 231st St & SR-169 (across from Fire Station). Each meeting begins with a Public Comment period to provide local citizens with the opportunity to voice issues of concern to Area Council members and King County or State of Washington officials in attendance. Our next Regular Monthly Meeting will be held on Monday, July 6, 2009, at 7:00 PM.
|
|