March  7, 2011 Meeting Minutes

7:00 PM

Call to Order
Roll Call

In attendance: Sue and Les Dawson,  Seiver, Butler, Moorman, Hiester, Iverson, Rimbos, Callow

Absent: Fields, Morris

Review and Approve Agenda - passed
Approval of minutes - passed

Public Comment on topics which are not listed on the agenda
Mike and Bev Tonda shared some of the problems they have encountered and gave a reason for Bev’s resignation from the council. Susan Harvey of Ravensdale discussed concerns about impacts on the Issaquah-Hobart-Ravensdale-Black Diamond Road that will be caused by the Master Planned Developments (MPDs) in Black Diamond. Ms. Harvey has developed a Letter of Petition to recommend this important "bypass" be included in any Traffic Modeling conducted to assess the impacts of the MPDs. She asked the Area Council to support it.

7:30 PM

Open council position: Ravensdale candidate Joe Cruikshank
John Cruikshank, as a relatively new member of the Ravensdale community, wants to become involved in his community. The Area Council voted and swore Mr. Cruikshank as a full member.

7:40 PM

School bond/levy: Mike Maryanski, Kevin Patterson
Tahoma School District Superintendent, Mike Maryanski, discussed the upcoming 20-year School Construction and Remodeling Bond issue and requested the Area Council to support it.

The last successful School District Bond measure, at $45 million, was passed 14 years ago in 1997 and took four votes to pass. The vote will be all mail-in on Tuesday, April 26, and requires 60% approval to pass. The Area Council did not take a vote on support at the meeting.

8:30 PM

Black Diamond MPD update: Peter Rimbos
The Area Council continues to follow the Yarrow Bay-proposed major MPDs (6,050 homes and 1.15 million sq ft of commercial/business space) in the City of Black Diamond. An update was given on the recent decision by the Growth Management Hearings Board (GMHB). A citizen’s-led group called Towards Responsible Development (TRD) petitioned the GMHB to review the process used by the City of Black Diamond last year to approve the MPD applications.

The GMHB found in TRD’s favor ruling the City should not have used a “quasi-judicial” process whereby citizens cannot converse with City Council members leading up to and during hearings; rather an open “legislative” process should have been used. The GMHB gave the City 75 days to develop a new process whereby open dialogue is the rule and Public Hearings are held by the City’s Planning Commission, followed by Public Hearings before the City Council. As was the case during last year’s MPD Application Hearings, the Area Council will provide testimony related to the impacts--Traffic, Schools, and Stormwater Detention Facilities--on the Rural Area throughout southeast King County.

In the meantime, the City of Black Diamond has decided to press on with Development Agreement Hearings using a “quasi-judicial” process. Development Agreements developed by Yarrow Bay and approved by the City Staff provide the long-term plan (~15 - 20 years) for MPD design, development, and build-out. It is expected that the City’s Hearing Examiner will conduct Public Hearings on the adequacy and completeness of the Development Agreements starting in late March or early April. The Area Council again will testify at these Hearings. Members of the Public can orally testify at the upcoming Hearings or submit written comments to the Hearing Examiner.

During this discussion, it was moved, seconded and motion passed to support Susan Harvey’s petition to “recommend this important "bypass" be included in any Traffic Modeling conducted to assess the impacts of the MPDs.

Lauren Smith requested Peter Rimbos (Area Council Growth Management Committee Chair) testify before the Growth Management Planning Council regarding county-wide planning policies and impacts to the rural area.

Marissa Alegria reported that Dow Constantine is continuing to search for methods to continue financing the UAC program.

8:45 PM

Local Community Involvement: Les Dawson
The Hobart Community Church is now serving a Community Dinner on Monday evenings from 5:00 to 7:00 PM at the Church. This free meal is available to everyone. Please join us.

Warren Iverson: The Fire District remodel is scheduled to be complete on March 17.

Gordon Moorman: The Erickson Logging application for a Grading Permit has not been granted by King County DDES, but is imminent. DDES has issues a Determination of Non-Significance; therefore an EIS is not required.

Gordon Moorman: Ravensdale Park will soon to receive its permit to commence Park renovation.

9:30 PM Adjourn