Evan Smith: Snohomish County acceptance of Point Wells application sets up possible conflict

By Evan Smith

ShorelineAreaNews Politics Writer

When Snohomish County planners accepted an application Friday for construction of the proposed Point Wells project, they set up a possible conflict with legislation that passed the State House Thursday and with a challenge to the area’s zoning that the State growth management board heard Wednesday.

A report in the Everett Herald Saturday said that County acceptance of the application “renders largely moot ongoing attempts to stall the project, including legislation in Olympia and a zoning challenge to a state growth board.”

Rep. Ruth Kagi and a neighborhood group opposing the project disagree.

Kagi said Saturday that environmental review of the project would not start before the law that the State House of Representatives passed Thursday could take effect.

A spokeswoman for the neighborhood group “Save Richmond Beach,” said that the application “shouldn't be a consideration. Legislation as passed should still be OK.”

The application, Herald Writer Noah Haglund reported, is to build more than 3,000 high-rise waterfront condos at Point Wells.

The legislation, which the House passed Thursday, requires counties accepting applications for construction in places like Point Wells to make neighboring cities “co-leads” in reviewing such projects, Kagi said.

The cities of Shoreline and Woodway challenged Snohomish County’s zoning of Point Wells at a hearing Wednesday before the State growth management hearings board.

Haglund quoted an attorney for the developer as saying that the developers would talk to representatives of the cities next week.

"What happens next is we have at least 45 days to see if we can reach an agreement with both Woodway and Shoreline," attorney Gary Huff told Haglund. "We talked about getting together next week to see if it's possible."

Haglund reported that city staff members from Shoreline and Woodway joined Friday's application meeting with Snohomish County planners.

His story said that if the developer cannot reach an agreement, the project would have to pass muster with an appointed Snohomish County design review board, among other steps.

Neighbors worry that the only way to reach the 61-acre site in unincorporated Snohomish County is by a two-lane road through the Richmond Beach area of Shoreline. Opponents also say the Point Wells plans are too big for the low-density surrounding neighborhoods.

The project would be built under rules for urban centers, a type of zoning the county established last year. Other zoned urban centers are on highways or freeways.

Haglund reported that documents that county planners accepted Friday are similar to what BSRE Point Wells presented at a January public meeting. Plans call for 3,081 homes. The tallest building would rise to 17 stories and about 180 feet tall. Several other buildings would reach 16 and 14 stories.

The project would be built in four phases over 15 to 20 years. It would include a public pier and beach.

Thursday, the state House approved Kagi’s bill to allow Shoreline and Woodway to review environmental impacts. It passed 63-35 and next goes to the Senate for consideration.

State Sen. Maralyn Chase, who has sponsored a companion bill in the Senate, said Saturday that she supports what Kagi has done.

Kagi said she rewrote the legislation that she sponsored to make it clear that the cities be required to have “a voice but not a veto” in the project.

State Rep. Cindy Ryu told the Herald that concerns about the scope of the project have "caused a multi-year angst with no resolution in sight." She told Haglund that she hopes this "good neighbor" bill will change the dynamic.

Chase, Kagi and Ryu are Democrats representing Shoreline, Lake Forest Park, Woodway, Kenmore, south Edmonds and the rest of the 32nd Legislative District.