Reporter ISSAQUAH | SAMMAMISH
Friday, September 27, 2013
www.issaquahreporter.com
Road project goes big Southeast 14th improvements will include bike lanes, traffic mitigation BY DANIEL NASH DNASH@ISSAQUAHREPORTER.COM
The 10-member King County Boundary Review Board Committee heard six hours of testimony over two nights regarding the potential annexation of the Klahanie PAA to the city of Issaquah. LINDA BALL, Issaquah & Sammamish Reporter
ALL SIDES HAVE BEEN HEARD
King County Boundary Review Board to decide fate of Klahanie
BY LINDA BALL LBALL@ISSAQUAHREPORTER.COM
The 10-member King County boundary review board got more than an earful over two nights of testimony from the City of Issaquah, the City of Sammamish, a senior policy analyst for the county, the Sammamish Plateau Water and Sewer district plus a plethora of community groups and individual citizens regarding the annexation of the Klahanie PAA to Issaquah. The BRB is a quasi-judicial body which makes decisions on incorporations, annexations, mergers and disincorporations by cities, towns, and sewer, water and fire districts. Whatever outcome the BRB decides is final, unless appealed to the King County Superior Court. The meeting room at the Issaquah Holiday Inn was packed both nights. The City of Issaquah was allowed to make its case first. Mayor Ava Frisinger took the lead outlining some of the history. Klahanie
and surrounding neighborhoods, were identified as an Issaquah potential annexation area in 1995. “We are a sustainable city with a long history,” Frisinger said. “We are a city of annexations.” Since its incorporation in 1892, which began with just the old town center, Issaquah has annexed all the rest of the areas in its borders. Frisinger said this annexation is the most densely populated one it has undertaken. Bob Harrison, the city administrator took over the presentation, stating that the proposed annexation meets the spirit of the city’s comprehensive growth plan. He said the 1973 comprehensive plan identified the PAA in Issaquah’s long-term planning. He brought up the success of the Issaquah Highlands, and pointed out that the city will provide enhanced services, including improving roads, parks and human services. He reiterated what the Nesbitt study said, that Klahanie residents will pay $383 less in property taxes on an average single-family residence assessed at $320,000. The Nesbitt study was a finan-
cial analysis by an independent consultant. BRB chair-elect, Paul MacCready of Seattle, asked Harrison about taking over utilities in the future — a major hot button in this issue. Harrison said no action has been taken on an assumption of water and sewer serviced in the PAA, which is served by the Sammamish Plateau Water and Sewer District (SPWSD). City finance director, Diane Marcotte said the city has not looked at the numbers yet if they were to assume the water and sewer service, so they could not answer questions about any potential water and sewer levies. BRB board member Evangeline Anderson of Bellevue asked what a water bill would look like if Issaquah assumed the water service. Sheldon Lynne, Issaquah’s public works engineering director said the assumption study hasn’t even been discussed with the city council, but the study will address how to separate those utilities. It has been Issaquah’s stance all along that there will be no change; water and sewer would still be
provided by SPWSD, however Issaquah’s policy is to provide direct retail water and sewer services to all customers within its limits. Lynne said previously that the assumption study would not even be presented to the Issaquah City council until after the first of the year. He said utilities are a non-profit, with a budget separate from the city budget. A utility assumption would also have to be presented to the BRB for approval. SEE KLAHANIE, 2
Construction of a paved public road on a private right-of-way will eventually include bike lanes and traffic management measures. The upgrade was voted in by the Sammamish City Council after hearing concerns from area residents. Building may begin as soon as the end of October. Contractors for William Buchan Homes have been continuing construction on Lawson Park, a 31-home residential development twothirds of a mile east of City Hall. The project occupies what was once half of a secluded neighborhood along a privately owned gravel section of SE 14th Street. The western half remains a private road, but the council authorized in March the construction of a paved public right-of-way, in light of the county hearing examiner’s determination that it could either be improved or barricaded. Residents along the road, as well as in neighboring Renaissance Ridge and the Windsor Boulevard developments, were SEE ROAD, 3