Showing posts with label point wells. Show all posts
Showing posts with label point wells. Show all posts

The lines are drawn in the sand at Point Wells

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Map courtesy City of Shoreline
By Diane Hettrick

First it was the neighborhood of Richmond Beach, sounding the alarm about a developer who had bought the old oil company site on a large chunk of sand in Snohomish County called Point Wells. Too much traffic through our neighborhood, they said. An interest group was formed called Save Richmond Beach.

A heartbeat later, the City of Shoreline started assessing the details and decided they were not pleased about a community of several thousand Snohomish County residents whose only access was through Shoreline.

Police and Fire checked out the plans for the new community and informed the developer the new community was out of their jurisdiction and they would not be providing fire and police services.

The City, deep in the planning for the Aurora Corridor, made no provisions for modifications to the intersection of 185th and Aurora to accommodate a doubling of the traffic.

The School District, thinking they might end up serving children from the new community, pulled Sunset School off the surplussed property list and put it on the reserved list, just in case.

The City and Save Richmond Beach have been working together, exploring different legal and procedural ideas to have some control over the form of the development. They unsuccessfully petitioned Snohomish County for zoning changes and tried to annex Point Wells to Shoreline. See the article Appeal to Growth Board.

At one point the Town of Woodway was being positioned as the bad guy. Woodway is a tiny town of huge lots, expensive houses - somewhere between Innis Arden and The Highlands, and winding streets. "Why didn't the road go through Woodway," people asked? However, Woodway is at the top of the bluff, overlooking Point Wells. There had been a road at one time, but it washed out.

Woodway is no more enthusiastic about the project than anyone else. And now they have joined forces with Save Richmond Beach and Shoreline. See the notice of the joint meeting with Save Richmond Beach and the Town of Woodway Mayor.

The developer, Blue Square Real Estate, held a large, public meeting at the Shoreline Center to present their side of the story. They brought in food, had displays and friendly staff all over the large Shoreline Room, and staged presentations with video and Power Point. People were not allowed to ask questions, but instead were directed to tables with paper and pens where they were invited to write their comments.

It wasn't really an issue-driven meeting, but very much of a real estate sales presentation. They showed photos of the view from Point Wells and plans for the buildings. They talked about creating "villages" with three or four high rise building clusters, some up to 12 stories high. The villages would be somewhat self-contained, each with their own services. Last estimate was for 3,000 units. By means of comparison, that's the size of a typical Shoreline neighborhood.

Since no fire and police are available from Shoreline and the nearest Snohomish County services are in Mill Creek - Blue Square will simply build and staff their own police station and their own fire station.

The Israeli developer clearly has deep pockets with international investors. Just preparing the site is extremely expensive because of the contaminated soil, which has to be dug up and barged off, then replaced with clean soil.

I had the distinct impression from the presentation that these guys are problem-solvers and they have the money to spend on solutions.



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Point Wells - moving people on and off site

Looking south from the road to Point Wells
By Diane Hettrick

The irony of the planned development at Point Wells by Blue Square Real Estate is that under other circumstances, or other properties, some of us might be pleased to have these developers working in our community. They are environmentally-friendly and they are cleaning up a heavily polluted site. They are builders who have done some beautifully designed projects - Dockside Green in Vancouver is often mentioned.

Imagine the tanks and cranes replaced by 6 to 12 story buildings
Aside from the jarring view of 12 story buildings sticking up from the beach, and thousands of additional cars traveling on Richmond Beach Road, the real challenge is the first quarter mile from the site to Richmond Beach Road.

The street is barely worthy of the name - Lane would be more appropriate. It is solidly built-out on the east side of the lane with houses, yards and the occasional sidewalk right up to the street. On the west side there is a sharp drop-off to the railroad tracks below, then houses, the new Kayu Kayu Ac Park, the new bridge across the railroad tracks.

The developers are talking to Sound Transit and are willing to build a station at Point Wells. That would take care of the commuters. They are talking to Metro about running bus routes to Point Wells. Metro, of course, is cutting and combining routes, but perhaps the developers will set up their own bus company or fund a Metro run.

They could rebuild the road through Woodway to provide an alternate route. This is probably one of the reasons that Woodway has joined forces with Save Richmond Beach.  See meeting notice.

The more services they put on site, like shops, police, fire, the more non-residents will be commuting to the site to go to their jobs.

Photo courtesy Brightwater
To my disappointment, no one has floated the idea of a water taxi, float planes, or barges, but perhaps that will come.  They are planning to leave the dock.




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Appeal to State Growth Board re Point Wells zoning, Thursday, December 9

From the City Manager's Office, City of Shoreline

City of Shoreline, Town of Woodway and Save Richmond Beach ask State Growth Board to rule on appeals of Snohomish County’s Point Wells Urban Center Zoning

On November 18, 2010, the City of Shoreline, the Town of Woodway and the citizens group Save Richmond Beach (SRB), jointly asked the State Growth Management Hearings Board to move forward with consideration of their legal challenges to Snohomish County’s designation of Point Wells as an “Urban Center.” The City, Town and SRB allege that the County’s actions are inconsistent with the County’s own Comprehensive Plan and fail to comply with the goals and requirements of the Washington State Growth Management Act and the State Environmental Policy Act.

The City, Town and SRB worked for over six months on ways to settle the litigation, seeking ways to identify, quantify and adequately mitigate the likely impacts of a future project enabled by the County’s Point Wells Urban Center Zone. The City and Town had prepared a proposed Interlocal Agreement (ILA) for consideration by Snohomish County, one component of which was a scope of work for a Transportation Corridor Study and Implementation Plan. The County rejected the ILA approach due to its legal interpretation that an ILA cannot contain provisions more restrictive than the County’s Point Wells Urban Centers Zone as to substantive issues such as building heights and traffic impacts.

Given Snohomish County’s position on the ILA, Shoreline, Woodway and SRB believe further negotiation with the County will likely not resolve the issues presented for the Board’s review. Therefore, the petitioners have asked the State Growth Board to come to a speedy resolution of the legal issues presented in their appeals.

The Growth Board will conduct its Prehearing Conference in the matter on December 9, 2010 beginning at 2 p.m. in conference room 301 of Shoreline City Hall, 17500 Midvale Avenue N., Shoreline, WA. The public may attend the prehearing conference, however, the only participants in the Prehearing Conference will be representatives of the parties to these cases.

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Point Wells neighbors say project will swamp area

Thursday, September 23, 2010


Seattle Times reporter Lynn Thompson attended the Point Wells open house on Thursday, September 23, and filed this story:

Frustrated residents of Shoreline and Woodway told the developer of a proposed mixed-use project at Point Wells that a dense residential development of condominiums in towers up to 17 stories high would overwhelm their roads and put public safety at risk.

About 200 community members attended an open house Thursday night sponsored by Blue Square Real Estate Point Wells, which has proposed dismantling and cleaning up the fuel-transfer operations at the site and building upscale condos, shops and restaurants on the 61 acres jutting into Puget Sound.

The rest of the story here.

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Shoreline Point Wells open house Thursday, September 23

Wednesday, September 22, 2010


Detail of photo from Brightwater, showing road from Point Wells to Richmond Beach Road
The Shoreline open house on Point Wells, sponsored by the developer to obtain feedback from the community, is scheduled for Thursday, September 23 at the Shoreline Conference Center, 18560 1st Ave NE, Shoreline 98155, in the large Shoreline Room at the north end of the building.

It is an Open House format, from 5 pm to 7:30 pm, although BSRE Point Wells LP has arranged for its architect, Peter Busby from Chicago-based firm Perkins+Will, to give short presentations during the September 23 meeting.

Residents of Richmond Beach have many issues with the proposed development, with the main issue being that the only access to the site, which could have as many as 3,000 condo units, is through a very narrow road which leads only to Richmond Beach Road and eventually to the intersection at N 185th and Aurora. 

It is uncertain who would have the responsibility to provide fire and aid services. Even though the only road is through Shoreline, the site is in Snohomish County.

The developers, who are known for their "green" buildings, have explored many options for potential surface transportation, but none are currently in existence or in planning.

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Seattle Times: Point Wells: oil tanks to condo towers?

Tuesday, September 21, 2010


Our NewsPartner The Seattle Times has a story today on Point Wells:

Some of the 80 oil tanks at the 61-acre Point Wells asphalt facility and oil-tank farm are almost 100 years old. The largest holds 5.5 million gallons of oil. A maze of pipes crisscrosses the property, a conduit for oil delivered weekly in rail tankers and transferred to vessels that refuel cruise ships on Seattle's waterfront.

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Point Wells Open House Thursday, September 23, 5-7:30 pm

Thursday, September 16, 2010


Courtesy City of Shoreline
Thursday, September 23, 5:00 to 7:30 pm
Shoreline Conference Center, 18560 1st Ave NE
Shoreline and Mt. Rainier Rooms

The developer of a proposed mixed-use community at Point Wells will hold the second of two open houses to share information and seek community comments in conjunction with an anticipated project application submittal to Snohomish County later this year. 

This is an open house format and attendees may arrive at any time during the evening. 

For more information about this proposed development, see the City's website Point Wells.


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Community Forum on Point Wells

Wednesday, September 1, 2010


The Richmond Beach Community Association will hold a forum on plans for the Point Wells development, Wednesday, September 8, at 7 pm at the Richmond Beach Congregational Church at the corner of NW Richmond Beach Road and 15th Ave NW.

The RBCA has invited the City of Shoreline, the Town of Woodway, the Save Richmond Beach organization and the developer, Blue Square Real Estate, to talk with residents of Richmond Beach about Point Wells and the appeals of zoning changes at Point Wells that have been filed.

The City will also present information about its ideas for the study of traffic impacts and an implementation plan.

Email for more information. 

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Point Wells developer open house September 23 at Shoreline Center

Monday, August 30, 2010

Looking north to Point Wells
The developer of a proposed mixed-used community at Point Wells is holding a second public open house Thursday, September 23 at the Shoreline Conference Center as it shares information and seeks comments and input from the community about preliminary site design concepts.

Hours for the September 23 event are 5 pm to 7:30 pm at the Shoreline Conference Center, 18560 1st Ave NE, Shoreline 98155.

Developer BSRE Point Wells, LP has initiated a series of community gatherings and briefings following the ownership transfer of the 61-acre site from Paramount of Washington, LLC. The first, well attended open house was held July 27 at the Edmonds Conference Center.

Point Wells currently hosts the marine fuels distribution center and asphalt facility of Paramount Petroleum Corporation and has no public access due to federal security restrictions. BSRE Point Wells is proposing a long-term shift from the property's current petroleum operations to development as an urban center under Snohomish County's new zoning code. Point Wells is located on Puget Sound in the Southwest corner of unincorporated Snohomish County.

Preliminary plans under consideration would encompass multiple phases over 10-20 years, including demolition of existing structures, site remediation, new construction and habitat restoration. BSRE Point Wells is working with the internationally-recognized architecture firm of Perkins+Will to develop initial design concepts for the site. Perkins+Will principal Peter Busby will share insights into the on-going design process in presentations during the open house, and other members of the Point Wells project team will be on hand for questions and answers. With direction from BSRE Point Wells as well as community input, the project team is considering ways to protect and restore natural systems, conserve habitat and maximize open space at the site. Re-development would provide public access to the property's shoreline and beach, existing pier and newly-created amenities.

BSRE Point Wells is also reviewing a wide range of options to reduce car trips to and from the proposed development including rail, buses, van pools, ride share programs and other modes of transportation. BSRE Point Wells is affiliated with Blue Square Real Estate Ltd., a major developer of real estate. Along with Paramount of Washington, the companies are holdings of the Alon Group, a company operating in the real estate, energy and retail sectors.

BSRE is employing its extensive development resources for the proposed transformation of the site, according to Ze'ev Stein, Chief Executive Officer for Blue Square Real Estate.

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City of Shoreline, Town of Woodway, and Save Richmond Beach to appeal zoning regulations for urban centers

Friday, July 30, 2010


The three petitioners in the Growth Management Hearings Board appeal of Snohomish County’s “Urban Center” designation for Point Wells are all planning to also appeal the zoning regulations that dictate how an urban center can be developed.
 
 Save Richmond Beach, the City of Shoreline, and the Town of Woodway are making common cause in their concern about the development of Point Wells.

Save Richmond Beach believes that one-size does not fit all when establishing zoning for dense developments. This was supported by the Urban Land Institute (ULI) in their analysis of the zoning regulations that the Snohomish County Council passed regardless of the concerns of the ULI and the surrounding jurisdictions.

The Snohomish County Council also likely violated public participation requirements by closing the record and not allowing comment on substantive new changes to the zoning regulations.
 


The jurisdictions that surround Point Wells are collaborating on an interlocal agreement (ILA) that would limit the development at Point Wells. The City of Shoreline is most concerned with  traffic impacts and the ongoing maintenance of roads and parks, while Woodway has included provisions that would protect their town’s quality of life and view corridor.

 The next step is to present the ILA to Snohomish County. They do not, however, have to agree to the terms of the agreement.
 

Information from SaveRichmondBeach.org
Photo courtesy City of Shoreline
 

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Point Wells update from the City of Shoreline

Tuesday, July 13, 2010


Point Wells, an unincorporated island of land in the extreme southwest corner of Snohomish County, is accessible by vehicle only by traveling through the Richmond Beach neighborhood of Shoreline. The portion of Point Wells that is owned by Blue Square Real Estate (BSRE), formerly owned by Paramount NW., Inc., is within both the Town of Woodway’s “Municipal Urban Growth Area” and the City of Shoreline’s “Future Service and Annexation Area.”


In spring of 2009, Snohomish County processed a request from then owner Paramount Northwest, Inc., then the owner of the petroleum and asphalt plant at Point Wells, to designate their waterfront parcel as an “Urban Center,” which would allow up to 3,500 residential units and 80,000 square feet of commercial uses.

The City of Shoreline expressed opposition to the “Urban Center’ designation, argued that it did not comply with the State Growth Management Act, and pointed out flaws in the County’s Environmental Impact Statement. The City expressed strong concerns about the underestimated likely impacts of such a large project on Shoreline’s roads and parks. Because sole access to the site is through Shoreline, any project at Point Wells will also place demand for urban services on the Shoreline Fire and Police Departments.

Despite these objections, the Snohomish County Council approved the Point Wells Urban Center Plan designation in August of last year. This prompted the City of Shoreline, the Town of Woodway and the citizens group Save Richmond Beach to appeal that County action to the State Growth Management Hearings Board. That appeal is still pending.

In April of this year, the City adopted its own Point Wells Subarea Plan which identified Point Wells as a City of Shoreline “Future Service and Annexation Area.” The Subarea Plan describes a vision for Point Wells as a mixed-use waterfront community, with a public park and public access trail along the Sound. Significantly, the City’s Subarea Plan calls for development at a much smaller scale than the County’s Urban Center designation, and proposes a cap on vehicle trips going to or from a project at Point Wells.

In May of this year, the Snohomish County Council adopted Urban Center Zoning which would apply not only to Point Wells but also to five other sites in unincorporated Snohomish County. While maintaining objections to the County’s Urban Center Plan designation, the City of Shoreline and Town of Woodway argued that any County zoning should give our two communities some role in determining the ultimate size, configuration and design details of development at Point Wells.

The County responded to these city concerns by adding language that invites interested cities to propose Development Agreements with a property owner/developer and Interlocal Agreements with the County. The County zoning text does not obligate B.S.R.E. to sign a proposed Development Agreement, nor obligate the County to agree to a proposed Interlocal Agreement, however, these provisions do provide a potential avenue to address Shoreline’s concerns and possibly settle the current and pending litigation

Meanwhile, BSRE has scheduled two “community open houses” to provide an opportunity for interested people to meet the project’s architects, learn about some of BSRE’s objectives, to ask questions, and provide input directly to the developer’s representatives. The first meeting is set for Tuesday, July 27 from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm at the Edmonds Conference Center, 201 Fourth Avenue N, Edmonds. A second meeting will be Thursday, September 23 from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm at the Shoreline Center.

As further actions are taken regarding Point Wells, the City will post updates on its website.
Information from Joe Tovar, City of Shoreline PaDS Director

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Point Wells open house Tuesday, July 27, community input sought

The developer of a proposed mixed-used community at Point Wells will hold an open house Tuesday, July 27 at the Edmonds Conference Center to share information and seek community comments in conjunction with an anticipated project application submittal to Snohomish County later this year.  Hours for the event are 6:30 to 8 p.m. The Edmonds Conference Center is located at 201 Fourth Avenue North.

A second open house is planned for September 23 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Shoreline Conference Center.

Point Wells is a 61-acre site located on Puget Sound in the Southwest corner of unincorporated Snohomish County. Developer BSRE Point Wells, LP is proposing a long-term shift from property's current petroleum operations to development as an urban center under Snohomish County's new zoning code.

BSRE Point Wells is initiating the series of community gatherings and briefings following the recent transfer of the site's ownership from Paramount of Washington, LLC. Both companies are holdings of the Alon Group, a company operating in the real estate, energy and retail sectors. BSRE Point Wells is affiliated with Blue Square Real Estate Ltd., another Alon company and a major developer of real estate.

BSRE will employ its extensive development resources for the proposed transformation of the site. According to Ze'ev Stein, Chief Executive Officer for Blue Square, the transfer of the property within the Alon group of companies matches the site's development potential with Blue Square's expertise in real estate. Shraga Biran, owner of the Alon Group, said the company's long-term vision is to create a community showcase of restored natural habitats, public amenities and transportation options.

"Point Wells is a rare location, with a three-quarter mile stretch of beach and vistas of Puget Sound and the Olympic mountains. We envision a community that will dramatically enhance the site far beyond its current use and limitations," said Biran.

Preliminary plans under consideration begin with a multi-year demolition of existing structures and environmental remediation of the site. If approved, construction and development at Point Wells could span more than a decade and would provide public access to the site's beach, existing pier and newly-created amenities.

Point Wells now hosts the marine fuels distribution center and asphalt facility of Paramount Petroleum Corporation and has no public access due to security restrictions.

Stein said management and representatives will continue the process of meeting with elected officials, community leaders and neighbors to discuss the project's benefits, preliminary design concepts and how to best integrate the development into surrounding communities.

BRSE Point Wells will continue to work with the internationally recognized architectural firm of Perkins+Will to develop the initial site design concepts for Point Wells. Perkins+Will has extensive expertise and experience in designing environmentally sustainable projects.

"Our team recognizes this is a location with unique characteristics," said Stein. "Our goal is to employ innovative development ideas and by protecting and restoring natural systems, conserving habitat and embracing nature, to bring a vision for the future in the transformation of Point Wells."

Information from The Bartlett Group

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Point Wells: From the developer's viewpoint

Saturday, April 24, 2010


The internationally recognized architecture firm of Perkins+Will has been retained to develop initial design concepts for the planned redevelopment at Point Wells as a residential/mixed-use community.

Point Wells / Steve Ringman / The Seattle Times / July 23, 2009

Point Wells encompasses approximately 61 acres on the Puget Sound waterfront in the southwest corner of unincorporated Snohomish County. Owned by Paramount of Washington, LLC, the Point Wells site hosts the marine fuels distribution center and asphalt facility of Paramount Petroleum Corporation. Following the implementation of Point Wells' urban center designation and the adoption by Snohomish County of a new Urban Center zoning code, the site would undergo a multi-year environmental remediation prior to the site’s potential redevelopment. Perkins+Will has been retained to advise Paramount on the site’s redevelopment potential.

“A key factor in selecting Perkins+Will is the firm’s emphasis on designing environmentally sustainable projects,” said Paramount Petroleum Environmental Manager Mark Wells. “Because we know this is a very special site, our vision is to transform Point Wells into a showcase for transit oriented, sustainable redevelopment.”

Paramount’s initial vision for Point Wells includes a wide range of potential design features focusing on sustainability, public access and the re-introduction of natural habitats, and minimizing impacts to the surrounding neighborhoods. Sustainable features under consideration include new heating technologies to supplement standard methods, reduction of typical water use, graywater re-use, and other “green” construction elements. Public access to the three-quarter mile of sandy beachfront and pedestrian/bicycle facilities would be incorporated into the eventual design. The high-density community would be built around multiple transportation options to encourage alternatives to automobile use. The re-introduction of forested conditions to the site’s open space, restoring the natural stream, and enhancing salmon habitat are a part of Paramount’s vision.

Wells said that preliminary studies have concluded that the project will produce economic benefits for the community, including jobs and tax revenues, during construction and beyond. Site demolition, environmental remediation and construction could be conducted in phases with a goal of minimizing impacts in the surrounding neighborhoods.

Perkins+Will has an extensive track record of success in designing award-winning projects, including the internationally-recognized Dockside Green development in Victoria, B.C. When it was completed in 2008, the first residential phase of Dockside Green became the highest scoring LEED Platinum Certified project in the world. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™ encourages and accelerates global adoption of sustainable green building and development practices.

“This is an extremely exciting project for us,” said Kay Kornovich, Perkins+Will’s managing principal in Seattle. “Point Wells has the potential to be a premier example of how to best redevelop a long-time industrial site in an environmentally sustainable manner. It’s obviously one of the most beautiful locations in the region. And the mandate we’ve been given is to be creative and innovative in designing a project that recognizes its unique location and characteristics, while maintaining a sharp focus on sustainability and public access as well as maintaining as much open space as possible. Our firm is committed to making Point Wells the ‘next generation’ example of a fully sustainable community.”

“Sustainable design is more than a process of reducing environmental impact,” said Peter Busby, AIA, Perkins+Will design principal and an acknowledged leader in North America’s sustainable design movement. “Sustainability is an essential part of everything we do. It is a holistic approach that incorporates environmental concerns into the design process from the start. Our philosophy is to design projects that not only contribute to human well-being, but also enhance the future of our planet.”

Berkeley, California-based Peter Walker and Partners (PWP), have also been retained to develop the landscape design for the project. Maximizing the site’s unique assets, the development would provide improved habitat and open space in the unique shoreside environment. The introduction of bicycle and pedestrian pathways along Puget Sound, together with a natural stream and restored beachfront, provide the basis of PWP's various possibilities for the site.

Perkins+Will and PWP are collaborating with a wide variety of public agencies and private interest groups to design a large “gateway” park at the east landing of the new Bay Bridge in the San Francisco Bay area. The diverse park is currently in the master plan/conceptual design phase of the 10 month process.

Perkins+Will and PWP Landscape Design are recognized nationally and internationally for setting industry standards for design innovation and for working with some of the world’s most admired clients.

“We look forward to the process of meeting with governmental leaders and our neighbors in surrounding communities. We’ve got the right team in place to provide innovative design concepts for the redevelopment of Point Wells in a way that we can all be proud of,” said Wells.

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Sno County Council hearing on Point Wells April 21

Friday, April 16, 2010

The citizen's organization, Save Richmond Beach, provides updated information on the proposed housing development at Point Wells, formerly an oil storage facility. Point Wells is a large, low-lying waterfront just over the border in Snohomish County. The only road to Point Wells is through Richmond Beach - Richmond Beach Road / 185th.
The Snohomish County Council will have their final zoning regulations public hearing on April 21 at 1:30 pm.

To help them better understand some of the proposed County land use regulations and zoning changes, the County Council contracted with the Urban Land Institute (ULI) Seattle Technical Assistance Panel (“TAP”).

The panel members, professionals in disciplines related to the County’s proposed urban centers regulations, reviewed the proposed ordinances and other relevant materials provided by the County and held a one day-long panel meeting to develop recommendations, which they presented to the County Council on Monday, April 5.

Some of the recommendations are in line with the concerns that have been expressed by Save Richmond Beach, Woodway and the City of Shoreline including but not limited to the following:
  • Panelist Vlad Oustimovitch, VOKA Inc, stated "Point Wells is different than the other urban centers and that it would be appropriate to deal with it differently/separately/as part of a later process."
  • Be mindful of regional transit and development patterns, both within and outside of Snohomish County.
  • Getting to the next stage may require identifying different typologies for urban development, in addition to transit-oriented urban centers. These may include urban villages or master planned development.
  • Address each urban center differently; one size does not fit all.
  • Consider enhanced community participation process through formalized design review process.
  • For transit to drive development, the transit needs to be high-quality (fast, reliable, predictable and comfortable). County needs to play a leadership role in establishing coordinated locations for transit routes and station areas.
  • Walking radius for bus transit is 1/4 mile.
  • Urban centers need "more than a regular bus line."

Based on these recommendations a series of amendments were released. They were discussed at a planning meeting on Wednesday, April 13. The council will make their decision at the hearing on April 21. 
Information for this story was provided by SaveRichmondBeach.org
Photo courtesy City of Shoreline




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SaveRichmondBeach.org, Shoreline and Woodway join forces

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Following is an update from the Save Richmond Beach organization regarding the planned development at Point Wells, site of the former oil storage facility on the north border of Shoreline where it meets Woodway. (Photo courtesy City of Shoreline)

On March 1, 2010, Save Richmond Beach, (and the cities of) Shoreline and Woodway came together and drafted a letter stating that we are united in our concerns regarding the potential scope of the development at Point Wells. The letter requests a meeting with the developer and their architects to get a clearer understanding of their plans before we proceed with the Growth Management Hearings Board appeal.

Second Amended Schedule for Growth Management Hearing

To give all involved parties time to address the ongoing issues with the urban center land-use designation at Point Wells, the Growth Management Hearings Board schedule has been amended, continuing is for another 90 days. The new schedule is as follows:
  • June 10, 2010 - Prehearing conference
  • September 13, 2010 - Hearing on merits
  • November 8, 2010 - Final decision

SaveRichmondBeach.org is a community-driven non-profit organization dedicated to preserving our neighborhood through responsible and sustainable planning.

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Panel discussion on Point Wells

Friday, January 29, 2010

The Richmond Beach Community Association sponsored a panel discussion on Point Wells on Tuesday, January 26 at the Richmond Beach Congregational Church hall. The panel included experts from the City of Shoreline, the State’s Ecology Division, a local community group (Save Richmond Beach) and the site developers. Residents from at least four of Shoreline’s neighborhoods were present as well as the Honorable Mayor Carla Nichols from the nearby Town of Woodway. Also present were Perkins and Will Architects, recently hired by the Paramount Petroleum Corporation to design the Point Wells future development. Perkins and Will have been chosen for their successes in sustainable building, in particular their recent project, Dockside Green in Canada, which achieved Platinum LEED certification.

During the first part of the meeting, panelists introduced themselves and spoke academically about the Point Wells development. The second part was facilitated by Richmond Beach Community Association Board Member Jack Malek where audience members wrote out questions for the different panelists to answer. The conclusion to the meeting was an informal meet and greet among audience and panelists.

Discussions and neighborhood concerns predominantly centered on traffic. Other concerns regarded tax base for the community and decision making as to how big the project can get.

The meeting was civil and neighbors seemed to prefer a direct and unfiltered access to expert panelists. The panelists also seemed to appreciate the format and the opportunity to communicate directly with the community to share updates and information.

Photo by Rick Ashelman. Story information from Jack Malek and Sheri Ashelman

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Pt. Wells a high-risk liquefaction area

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

By Caycee Holt
SaveRichmondBeach.org


Futurewise, Pilchuk Audubon and Save Richmond Beach sent comment letters this month to the Snohomish County Council reminding them that Point Wells is at risk for catastrophic loss of life and property in the event of an earthquake. As indicated in the Washington State Department of Natural Resources hazard map Point Wells is rated at the highest liquefaction risk rating.

In addition, SaveRichmondBeach.org released the latest schedule of critical events related to the urban center land-use designation and zoning regulations involving Point Wells. They continue to encourage residents of Shoreline to get involved since the impacts of this Snohomish County urban center will be felt primarily in Shoreline.

Futurewise and Pilchuk Audubon comment letter
SaveRichmondBeach.org comment letter (14MB - includes enormous hazard map from the Washington State Department of Natural Resources)

What's happening in Snohomish County

Urban Center Zoning Regulations Hearing: The latest hearing on urban center zoning regulations was continued. That continued hearing is on February 3 at 10:30 AM. More info...

Point Wells Land-Use Designation: The urban center land-use designation for Point Wells goes into effect on Feb 8 barring some major change of heart by the council. If you remember, they changed the land-use designation for Point Wells but postponed it from going into effect for 180 days to work out some of the kinks.

Growth Management Hearings Board: The pre-hearing conference is on March 18. The actual hearing on the merits won't be until June, with a decision due by August. If the council decides that they erred when they designated that site an urban center we would dismiss the petition.

About SaveRichmondBeach.org
SaveRichmondBeach.org is a community-driven non-profit organization dedicated to preserving our neighborhood through thoughtful, responsible and sustainable planning.  

For more information, contact Caycee Holt at 206-356-5356, email or website

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Pt. Wells to be discussed at SL City Council and RB Forum

Sunday, January 24, 2010




Shoreline City Council Hearing January 25 at 7:30 pm

Monday, January 25, there will be a discussion of the Point Wells subarea plan and public hearing on the pre-annexation zoning in the new Shoreline city hall at 17500 Midvale Ave N, 98133.  The meeting begins at 7:30 pm and the Pt. Wells discussion will be second on the agenda.

City of Shoreline staff report


RBCA Point Wells Discussion Forum: January 26 at 7 pm

The Richmond Beach Community Association will be hosting a discussion forum at the Richmond Beach Congregational Church at 7 pm on Tuesday, January 26.

Photo courtesy of SaveRichmondBeach.org

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Point Wells discussion forum

Friday, January 15, 2010

The Richmond Beach Community Association is sponsoring an interactive discussion with community members on the topic of the proposed Point Wells development. It will be held on Tuesday, January 26 at 7 pm at the Richmond Beach Congregational Church at 1512 NW 195th.


For more information, contact Jack Malek.


Photo of Point Wells courtesy of the City of Shoreline

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SaveRichmondBeach.org, City of Shoreline and Town of Woodway Appeal Urban Center Designation

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Petitions sent to Growth Management Hearings Board
 
The deadline to file an appeal to the Growth Management Hearings Board was November 12, 2009. The City of Shoreline, the Town of Woodway, and SaveRichmondBeach.org (and friends) all filed. Essentially, all parties feel that Snohomish County erred when designating Point Wells an urban center. The Growth Management Hearings Board reviewed and consolidated the petitions and will schedule a hearing to review the noted grievances. You can read the full text of the petitions on the SaveRichmondBeach.org Web site.   Several parties have asked for a continuance of the hearing until after Snohomish County finalizes zoning details for urban centers.
 
SaveRichmondBeach.org is a community-driven non-profit organization dedicated to preserving our neighborhood through responsible and sustainable planning.

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