Issaquah/Sammamish Reporter, January 17, 2014

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Reporter ISSAQUAH | SAMMAMISH

www.issaquahreporter.com

Friday, January 17, 2014

Agreement reached on water issue LRIG will be decommissioned BY LINDA BALL

Dick L’Heureux is on round two of trying to get Klahanie and surrounding neighborhoods annexed to the city of Issaquah.

BALL@ISSAQUAHREPORTER.COM

Issaquah has abandoned plans to inject polluted storm water from the Issaquah Highlands into the ground above an aquifer, also near a well used by the Sammamish Plateau Water and Sewer District to provide water to its customers. After nine hours of mediation Jan. 13, parties including Issaquah, Sammamish, the district and the state Department of Ecology agreed that the Lower Reid Infiltration Gallery (LRIG) will be decommissioned this year. As part of the agreement, the district will pay Issaquah $1 million toward the decommissioning and to assist in building a new storm water management system that will not connect to the aquifer. “I can confirm that the district and the city signed a memorandum of agreement that would resolve issues regarding the LRIG and assumption,” said Jay Krauss, general manager of district.

LINDA BALL, Issaquah & Sammamish Reporter

KLAHANIE To annex or not: Both sides tell their story The case for ‘yes’ Dick L’Heureux has lived in his home in Brookshire Estates since it was built 27-years ago. One of the neighborhoods within the Klahanie Potential Annexation Area (PAA), he and his neighbor, Mike Foss, hope it is annexed to the city of Issaquah. The decision goes before voters Feb. 11. “The issue is, we identify with the city of Issaquah,” L’Heureux said. L’Heureux is the president of the Brookshire Estates Homeowners Association and Foss is the vice-president. Foss has lived there for about 13 years. L’Heureux was involved in the 2005 annexation

attempt, which failed. In that vote, the ballot measure was split into two parts — one to annex, the other to assume the bonded indebtedness of Issaquah. The second part brought it down. “We were blind-sided then,” L’Heureux said. This time only annexation is on the ballot. “How often do you move to a city and say ‘I don’t use that park so I’m not going to pay for it?’” Foss asked. The two point out that Issaquah is already built out. It has its infrastructure in place – the hatchery, the theater, and is an “outstanding community,” they said. Taxes are the big issue. L’Heureux and Foss said they used actual levy rates for Issaquah, Sammamish and King County and did a com-

How to cast your vote ■ Ballots should be in voters mailboxes by Jan. 24. They must be returned by Feb. 11. Mailed ballots require first class postage. Note that first class postage increases to 49 cents effective Jan. 26. ■ A 24-hour drop-off box is available at Issaquah City Hall, 130 E. Sunset Way from Feb. 23 to Feb. 11. The box closes at 8 p.m. parison. The study done by Nesbitt Planning last year used $320,000 as an average single family residence value, but both men said $500,000 is more accurate now. They said with annexation, property taxes would be close to $800 less than what they pay now as part of unincorporated King County. If they were part of Sammamish, taxes would be about $480 less. They said they took a simple approach using their own

tax bills and a friend’s who lives in Issaquah. The city of Issaquah has said it doesn’t have the funds to widen Issaquah-Fall City Road, but L’Heureux and Foss said the road is a regional issue, not a city issue. Whether or not the annexation is approved, the road is bounded by King County and Sammamish.

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