Light rail is catalyst for change

By Eric Mathison / Federal Way News (http://www.federalwaynews.net/articles/2009/07/13/news/local_news/story05.txt)

Monday, July 13, 2009
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3660/3631167261_03db1c1f54.jpg
(Southcenter Parkway Light Rail Station.)

Light rail is finally coming to Highline as the Tukwila International Boulevard station opens, along with 11 others, on Saturday, July 18.

The Tukwila station is located on the southeast corner of Tukwila International Boulevard (Highway 99) and South 154th Street on the border between Tukwila and SeaTac.

The SeaTac city center/Sea-Tac airport station at International Boulevard and South 176th Street is set to open in late December. Sound Transit officials are hurrying to finish the station in time to serve travelers on their way to the Winter Olympics in Vancouver B.C. The Olympics begin in Jan. 2010.

Until the station opens, buses will shuttle riders between the Tukwila station and the airport.

Voters have approved the addition of future light-rail stations at South 200th Street in SeaTac, near Highline Community College in Des Moines and the Star Lake area in Federal Way.

While no ceremonial activities are planning for Saturday at the Tukwila station, there will be entertainment and food vendors for those waiting in line for free rides, according to Sound Transit spokesman Bruce Gray.

Tukwila Mayor Jim Haggerton will take the link train from Tukwila to the Mount Baker station where he will meet up with Seattle Mayor Greg Nichols for a formal ribbon-cutting ceremony. Nichols will then continue on to Tukwila while Haggerton goes to Seattle.

The public will be able to ride free Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Trains are set to arrive every seven minutes and carry about 350 passengers, including those standing.

On the opening weekend, passengers will not be allowed to remain on the train for a roundtrip. They will either have to wait in line for a return trip or take a free shuttle bus.

Regular service between Tukwila and Westlake in downtown Seattle begins on Monday, July 20 from 5 a.m. to 1 a.m. Regular fares range from $1.75 to $2.40. Reduced rates are available for seniors and youth.

During peak weekday hours, the trains will run every 7.5 minutes. On off-peak hours and weekends, the trains will leave every 10 to 15 minutes.

The trip from Tukwila should take about 26 minutes to arrive at the sports stadiums in Pioneer Square and 34 minutes to get to the current end of the line at Westlake.

Echoing complaints about noise from Sea-Tac airport's third runway, residents of about 90 homes located between East Marginal Way and Duwamish Park in Tukwila say the trains make a loud squeaking sound as they pass by.

Sound Transit officials say they are testing noise levels. Building a sound-muffling wall or lubricating the tracks are among the remedies being considered.

With a light rail station opening across the street from its city limits and another one set to open soon in its city center, SeaTac officials have been busily planning.

"The City of SeaTac has worked very aggressively preparing for the increased transit link and the positive impact it will have on our community," city manager Craig Ward said. "Each of the neighborhoods surrounding the Sound Transit station offers compelling mixed-use development opportunities and we've laid the groundwork to encourage dense, transit-oriented development within the station areas."

Starting in February, Route 140 will provide a direct ten-minute link to the Tukwila station from Burien's new transit center. Route 140 is being revised to provide the link.

"We are waiting until our February service change because Sound Transit won't have the light rail connection to the airport complete until the end of the year," Linda Thielke, King County transportation public affairs coordinator, noted. "When that link of Link is complete, Metro is discontinuing Route 194 and reinvesting some of those service hours in Route 140."

Marysville prepares for growth
Published on Wed, Jul 15, 2009

by Beckye Randall
The North County Outlook (http://www.northcountyoutlook.com/news/article.exm/2009-07-15_marysville_prepares_for_growth) (Marysville)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center

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(Downtown Marysville today. AJM STUDIOS Northwest Photo Journey Photo) (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)


MARYSVILLE- At a joint city-county public hearing held July 13, both the Marysville City Council and the Snohomish County Council voted to approve the Central Marysville Annexation plan.

The plan, which has been in the works for nearly 3 years, was introduced publicly at a July 7 forum held at Marysville-Pilchuck High School. Well over 100 citizens attended the meeting, designed to gather input from residents who will be impacted by the proposed shift in city limits. The annexation will increase the city's population by nearly 19,000, making Marysville the second-largest city in Snohomish County.

A few residents voiced concern about the lack of a public vote to approve the annexation plan, but most were looking for clarification about taxes, sewer and septic regulations, police and fire response, and waste management issues.

City administrator Mary Swenson explained that the city and county opted to execute an Interlocal Agreement rather than bearing the cost of a public vote to move the annexation forward. The area in consideration, which is generally north of Grove Street and east of State Avenue, has long been identified as part of the city's Urban Growth Area and its eventual inclusion within the city limits is mandated by county and state regulations.

Recent changes in state law have made annexation of large areas more attractive for cities, Swenson continued. For the next ten years, Marysville will receive a "bonus" of additional sales tax revenue, which is estimated at between $1 million and $2 million per year, to help pay for infrastructure improvements and personnel additions necessitated by the population growth.

According to figures released by the city, taxes are generally equivalent for property owners in unincorporated Snohomish County and within the city limits. In 2009, city residents paid approximately $9.8869 per $1,000 of assessed value, while county residents paid approximately $10.1935 per $1,000. Water and sewer rates within the city are lower than rural charges, although Marysville does add a 5 percent general utility tax on phone, gas and electric services. According to Public Works director Kevin Nielsen, property owners in the annexation area should expect about a 30 percent overall decrease in utility rates.

Nielsen also assured residents that homeowners who currently employ an approved septic system will not be required to connect to a city sewer line, and the county's contract with Waste Management for garbage pickup will remain in effect for a minimum of seven years following the annexation.

Under the Interlocal Agreement, the city is expecting a fairly smooth transition as the area moves from a rural designation to a more urban one. Permits, zoning and livestock usage will remain virtually unchanged for most property owners; addresses and school assignments will remain the same; and property tax exemptions for seniors and the disabled will continue to apply.

Following the July 13 vote, the city will submit a Notice of Intent to the Boundary Review Board of Snohomish County. The BRB will have 120 days for review and public hearings, with a final city hearing planned in December 2009.

For more information about the Central Marysville Annexation, or any other land use activities, contact the Community Development Department at (360) 363-8100.

The secret is out – Mukilteo among top 10 small towns
WRITTEN BY REBECCA CARR / The Mukilteo Beacon (http://www.mukilteobeacon.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2038:the-secret-is-out-mukilteo-among-top-10-small-towns&catid=78:community&Itemid=186)
WEDNESDAY, 15 JULY 2009 14:01
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/167/454432172_05210ee538.jpg
(Mukilteo is a top 10 town.)

MUKILTEO- The good news is Mukilteo has made it onto a nationally recognized top 10 list. The better news is that it isn’t Dave Letterman’s infamous daily countdown.

The downside for some? We could expect a glut of newcomers in coming months now that the secret is out.

Money magazine released its annual top 100 list of best places to live in America, and in this year’s focus on small towns, Mukilteo came in 10th when stacked up against its peers in a range of categories including average salaries, quality of schools, property values, crime rate, entertainment, and expenses such as auto insurance and property taxes.

“Two years ago, Mukilteo was rated 69th on the same survey, as well as identified as one of Business Week's Top 25 Suburbs in the Nation," said Elizabeth Erickson, Mukilteo resident and owner/broker of Gallery Homes Real Estate.

“It was named ‘Seattle' s Best Suburb’ – to rise to 10th in this year says somebodies are doing something good here.

“Kudos to our citizenry, local government officials and council and to Mukilteo School District's administration and teachers!”

The article praised the city on its “drop-dead gorgeous views,” and listed “top notch schools and low property taxes” as “more reasons to love” Mukilteo.

“We have a lot of people working very hard in our city,” Mayor Joe Marine said. “This is a wonderful city; we will continue to keep the crime rate low, keep taxes low.”

Mayor Marine pointed out that while Mukilteo has a significantly higher average home value, at $422,400 compared to the average of the top 100 small towns of $262,148, its residents pay less property tax annually averaging $3,399 compared to the top 100’s $3,853.

“That shows what a good deal residents are getting here,” he said.

Marine said the magazine contacted him about three months ago asking for information included in the study, so he knew Mukilteo was in the running.

“Then they told me never mind,” he said. “At one point, I thought we were out completely, then they called and told me we were No. 10.”

Marine said he was shocked to hear the high placement – Mukilteo jumped from No. 69 last year to this year’s top tier status – considering Money had originally told him the city was out of the running.

“Krystn (McArthur, management analyst) and Scott (James, finance director) put a lot of effort into these reports,” Marine said of the amount of data city staff gathered for the study. “They worked hard on this.”

Mukilteo scored well for its relatively low crime rate, averaging one personal crime and 27 property crimes per thousand residents.

The city enjoys a job growth rate of 25.67 percent, higher than the top 100 average of 19.58 percent. And Mukilteans get to work more quickly than their peers, averaging 22.3 minutes for the morning commute. About 2.1 percent of residents bike to work.

The air quality index is 89 percent, significantly higher than the top 100 average of 78 percent. (That number could change as the election season heats up.)

What does all of this mean for the floundering real estate market and its recent signs of recovery?

“Monday morning, only hours after the announcement, I was informed of it by (visiting) Arizona residents,” Erickson said. “They walked over to Gallery Homes holding their Whidbey Coffee cups.

“They had arrived considering whether to live in Carnation or here. Within hours, they had selected Mukilteo and a house.”

What helped close the deal was Mukilteo’s connection to the light rail system, Erickson said.

“That wasn’t covered in the list – Sounder light rail from Mukilteo into Seattle, on the most scenic train commute in the world!”

Money magazine rated each town’s educational system using criteria such as how many schools and universities in the vicinity, percentage of kids going to public vs. private school, and test scores.

Mukilteo has 13 schools nearby, and district students score 14.8 percent above the state average in reading, and 26 percent above the state average in math on standardized tests.

Its hard to say how that translates to the post-educational world: the city has 42 libraries – but 148 bars – in a 15-mile radius.

And if all of this is making you hungry, grab the car keys – there’s 2,270 restaurants within 15 miles of Mukilteo.

Other Washington cities making the top 100 list are Sammamish, No. 12 (pop 35,200); Newcastle, No. 17 (pop 9,800); Richland, No. 51, pop 44,700; and Silverdale, No. 92 (pop 16,600).

City starts work on creating a website
Thursday, 16 July 2009
Deer Park Tribune (http://www.dptribune.biz/content/view/151132/1/)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1380/880953855_4bb7f51f62.jpg
(Deer Park, Washington will soon have a new website.)

DEER PARK- The city of Deer Park is about to return to the Information Superhighway after a more than decade-long absence.

City officials have begun negotiations with Minneapolis, Minn-based GovOffice to create a city website. The city had a website more than a decade ago but discontinued the site after a dispute arose over its ownership.

Under the city’s request for proposals, the staff was looking for a site that looked professional and modern, was fast loading and could be easily managed.

The site would include information on city council agendas, utilities, building and planning departments, the arts commission and the airport along with a calendar of events.

City Clerk/Treasurer Deby Cragun said the city received seven proposals and after a meeting with city staff and Airport Manager Penni Loomis decided to enter into negotiations with GovOffice, which has created more than 1,000 websites for government entities.
Cragun said the company’s work with city websites, including North Bend, Prosser and Normandy in Washington, and its ease of use were the main selling points.
She hopes a website can be in place by the end of August.

De-annexation discussed, fire hall contracts approved at Brewster City Council meeting
Cheryl Schweizer / 7/16/2009 10:50:00 AM
Quad City Herald (http://www.qcherald.com/main.asp?SectionID=5&SubSectionID=5&ArticleID=1720) (Brewster)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

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(The city of Brewster could soon lose 24 acres of land.)

Brewster residents will be asked to consider a proposal to remove about 24 acres of property from the city limits in the general election in November. Brewster City Council members voted to place the "de-annexation" proposal on the ballot at the regular council meeting Wednesday, July 8.

The property is on the hill above town behind the city's water tower, is owned by Gebbers Farms and currently planted in orchard. Eventually the owners plan to develop it. At one time the Brewster Planning Commission was considering the possibility of including some or all of that property in the city's urban growth boundary, said Roger Erlandsen, who's on the planning commission. But that idea was abandoned because of the difficulty of providing city services to that property. (It would involve, among other things, additional pumping stations to get water uphill and wastewater downhill.) It's not practical for the city to provide services to that area unless city officials intend to encourage growth and annexation of the entire piece of property eventually, Erlandsen said, so the planning commission recommended de-annexation.

Mayor Lee Webster said this subject has come up before (most recently in June) and the consensus of the council was that it would be difficult and expensive to provide services there. Webster said he talked it over with city public works director J.D. Smith, and in the circumstances he didn't see a downside to de-annexation. Smith said he thought the council should submit the petition to voters, but that the petition should not be filed until the property owners paid the city for the cost of the election, approximately $2,400. Council members voted to approve the petition, but delay submitting it until the money to pay for the election has been deposited.

In other business, the council approved two agreements with Douglas Okanogan Fire District No. 15 for rent of the city's fire hall and the six-year agreement for emergency medical services.

The EMS contract was the subject of a long dispute between city officials and district commissioners; at issue were dispatch fees, and the fact police departments paid them and ambulance agencies didn't. The two sides reached agreement when fire district commissioners proposed paying a higher rent on the fire hall. But city officials were concerned about a clause in the contract that started the higher payments when the contract was approved, instead of making them retroactive to January 2009.

Mayor pro tem Bob Fateley represented the city (Mayor Lee Webster works for the fire district and wasn't involved in the negotiations), and at the June 10 council meeting, Fateley said City Attorney Chuck Zimmerman alerted him to the discrepancy and asked him to follow up, but he didn't. "Kris (council member Kris Dawson) picked up the ball that I dropped," Fateley said; Dawson worked with fire district commissioners to reach agreement. Council members approved the contract; Webster did not participate, and council member Art Smyth, who also works for the fire district, abstained.

Smith reported that the water line has been completed and tested for the new section of the fruit processing facility at Gebbers Farms. Because of the testing the company used about 1.5 million gallons of water, but that's expected to drop to about 800,000 gallons per month when the processing lines are fully operational, Smith said.

Electrical upgrades have been completed at Anderson Field (the Brewster airport), Smith said, and a new sign and lights have been installed along the highway. Negotiations have started between city officials and Randy Loucks, owner of Blue Water Sanitation; his company uses the sewage dumping station at the airport. Smith said he and Loucks reached a verbal agreement that any new contract will be retroactive to July 1, when the contract between the city and former owner Mike Chapman expired.

Council members voted to spend $2,500 from advertising funds to pay half the cost of decorative banners for downtown light poles. The money is generated by a tax on lodging.

The other half of the money was donated by the Brewster Chamber of Commerce; three Chamber board members attended a workshop earlier this year, and because of that the Chamber was eligible for a drawing for grants for community promotion project from the Wenatchee Valley Foundation. Brewster won a $5,000 grant with the stipulation that the money must be spent on town promotion. Rebecca Meadows, who's on the Chamber board, said the remaining $2,500 would be used for the annual salmon derby and salmon restoration.

July 17, 2009
Flex-use building going up on a site near Safeco Field
By MARC STILES
The Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce (http://www.djc.com/news/re/12008197.html)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://www.djc.com/stories/images/20090717/1531UtahAve_web.jpg
(Rendering by Freiheit & Ho Architects)

Stadium Technology Center is being developed by 1531 Utah Avenue South LP on an all-cash basis. Henry Liebman’s American Life Inc., manages the limited partnership.
American Life President Henry Liebman is out to prove you can successfully develop a 284,000-square-foot flex-use building in this economy.

In Milton, developers can only wait, hope
slump: With no activity, city lays off planning staff

STEVE MAYNARD; THE TACOMA NEWS TRIBUNE (http://www.thenewstribune.com/topstories/story/813370.html)
Published: 07/17/09 3:14 am | Updated: 07/17/09 6:22 am
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

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(Construction has come to a dead stop in Milton.)

MILTON- The economy is so bad that new construction in one Pierce County suburb hasn’t just slowed down, it’s shut down.

No new building projects have started in Milton this year, and the city’s largest-ever construction project is grinding to a halt.

The slump prompted Mayor Katrina Asay to lay off three of four employees in the city’s community development department and to propose outsourcing planning duties to Fife.

The biggest blow for Milton is the halt of LandLloyd Development Co.’s 120-acre project, the largest in the city’s 102-year history.

“It’s dormant,” said Bob Couper, a spokesman for LandLloyd. With scarce financing and abundant office space in the South Sound, “it’s a waste of our energy right now to even think about marketing” the project, he said.

Couper said the development isn’t dead but may have to be revised in 18 months to two years, when brokers expect market demand will turn around.

In 2004, the City Council approved a 20-year master plan for the project, which included warehouses, offices and an existing gravel pit. The gravel pit is still operating.

The development was expected to create jobs for 3,600 people and transform Milton from a small town into a regional employment center.

One piece of the project, a retirement complex, is under construction and is expected to be finished by the end of the year, Couper said.

That $30 million project includes an assisted-living facility and 29 two-bedroom cottages on 30 acres in north Milton. But the complex has no operator and may not open immediately, Couper said.

Beyond that, LandLloyd has “decided they’re not going to be doing any further land development,” said Connie Fessler, interim city administrator. “That’s a major setback.”

The suspension is an immediate blow to the budget for this city of 6,535, straddling Pierce and King counties.

The proposed development is so large LandLloyd paid the city each year – $102,000 in the past year alone – to assure speedy review of its building plans. But with no plans to work on, LandLloyd terminated the five-year contract a year early, effective Wednesday.

That money covered the salary and benefits for senior planner Dan Hardin, as well as other city costs.

“It was really time to reassess what the needs were and how to best serve the community in a fiscally responsible manner,” Asay said.

Hardin and Community Development Director Mike Nicholson were laid off; their jobs ended Wednesday. Building inspector Dean Witherrite’s job will end next week.

That will leave one person in the department – Dana Herron – to handle permits and code compliance.

“The city has a policy that development should pay for itself,” Fessler said. “You can’t continue to incur expenses if the work isn’t there.”

Through mid-May, revenue for community development trailed expenditures by $59,197.

While permits will still be handled at City Hall, Asay and Fessler project the city will have to outsource planning for 18 months to two years until construction picks up again.

Asay expects a contract planner would have office hours in Milton’s City Hall a couple of days a week.

She and Fessler pitched a proposed contract with Fife to the City Council. But the council balked by a 4-3 vote earlier this month and asked the city to consider other neighboring cities as well, such as Puyallup, Sumner and Edgewood. The council will take up the issue again Monday.

Council member Leonard Sanderson said elected leaders are uncomfortable with the whole situation.

“I think the council’s having a real tough time giving up the community development-planning department,” said Sanderson, who is running against Asay for mayor. “It’s going to be hard to mask the fact that staff support is coming out of another city.”

Plus, Sanderson said, “as things turn around, we’ll have to rebuild that department.”

So far this year, building permits have almost all been for small projects, such as reroofing and adding decks and bedrooms.

Nicholson said a single-family residence was approved Tuesday and a duplex is being reviewed.

Nicholson, who started in December, acknowledged the city’s plight.

“I understand the finances,” he said. “Of course, I’m not happy about leaving the city, I’d like to stay.”

Steve Maynard: 253-597-8647 steve.maynard@thenewstribune.com

Published: Friday, July 17, 2009
Roundabouts proposed for 172nd Street in Arlington

By Gale Fiege, The Everett Herald (http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20090717/NEWS01/707179906&news01ad=1#Roundabouts.proposed.for.172nd.Street.in.Arlington) Writer
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center

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(Downtown Arlington. AJM STUDIOS Northwest Photo Journey Photo.) (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

ARLINGTON — State transportation officials want to know what you think about roundabouts.

Beloved in some circles and scorned in others, roundabouts are fast becoming an alternative to traffic lights and stop signs in Western Washington.

In the future, drivers traveling between I-5 and Highway 9 on 172nd Street NE may have to navigate roundabouts at as many as five intersections that serve Arlington Municipal Airport and several industrial and commercial business parks.

Replacing current traffic signals with roundabouts to reduce congestion is what a recent Department of Transportation study recommends. Right now, though, there’s only enough money on hand to make improvements at the intersection of Highway 9 and 172nd, which is also known as Highway 531.

Daily, more than 16,000 drivers use the intersection. During the past five years about 30 people have been seriously injured in collisions there, most caused when drivers were turning left at the intersection, transportation officials said.

The state has $15.6 million to spend in the next two years to fix that problem. With Arlington’s population expected to increase 75 percent by 2025, it’s time to make a change, Department of Transportation project manager Kerri Woehler recently told the Arlington City Council.

Before transportation officials come up with the final design, drivers and people who live in the area are asked to attend an open house Tuesday evening at Arlington High School. Project designers will be on hand to talk about how a roundabout could make the intersection safer. People also can voice their concerns and learn more about the future of 172nd.

On the congested stretch from the freeway to Highway 9, there were nearly 200 collisions from 2003 to 2007. Most of the accidents that happen in Arlington occur on 172nd during the afternoon commute and most are rear-end collisions, the state study showed.

The intersections on 172nd soon will fail if traffic continues to get worse and improvements aren’t made, Woehler said. A trip from 43rd Avenue NE to 67th Avenue NE that now takes four minutes could take as much 14 minutes in 25 years, she said.

With the possible exception of the intersection at 67th Avenue NE, which is next to a railroad crossing, City Councilman Steve Baker is in favor of the proposed roundabouts.

“They’re great. The only thing I have against roundabouts are the people who don’t know how to drive through them,” Baker said. “People are like sheep and if one person stops in the middle of a roundabout, the next will, too.”

Baker expects some elderly drivers on Tuesday to object to the proposed roundabout at the Highway 9 and 172nd intersection, even though it could alleviate nasty backups in the morning.

“That should be a good roundabout,” he said. “It should slow people down near the high school.”

The city doesn’t have much say in the state’s plans for the road, which is a state highway, public works director James Kelly said. Still city officials are supportive of the proposal.

“Roundabouts are used extensively in Europe and other parts of the country, and safety is the driving force,” Kelly said. “The roundabout is the clear winner over the traffic signal for fuel efficiency, pedestrian safety and fewer delays on the road. They keep the traffic moving.”

The state study of 172nd showed that many truckers who drive to businesses along the road find the roundabout proposal acceptable, Kelly said.

The city would pay for improvement only if elected officials want to widen the sidewalks or add landscaping, he said.

Gale Fiege: 425-339-3427; gfiege@heraldnet.com.

Originally published Friday, July 17, 2009 at 12:00 AM

Light-rail debut to offer a little bit for everybody
Sound Transit is organizing one of Seattle's biggest public parties in years, as thousands of people are expected to wait up to an hour for a free train ride Saturday.

By Mike Lindblom
The Seattle Times (http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009485938_stopeningday17m.html)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)


8:20 a.m.: Opening ceremony at Mount Baker Station

10 a.m.: Service begins. Rides are free all day.

8 p.m.: Service ends.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3545/3550131319_6521ece4f4.jpg
(Opening ceremonies will be held at Mount Baker Station, shown here during construction.)

SEATTLE: Sound Transit is organizing one of Seattle's biggest public parties in years, as thousands of people are expected to wait up to an hour for a free train ride Saturday.

More than 700 paid and volunteer workers, and more than $1 million, are being devoted to making the crowds as comfortable as possible at a dozen Link light-rail stations.

There will be music, information booths, drinking water, some food — even people who will hold your place in line while you're away at one of the portable toilets. Merchants and neighborhood groups will have events at some stops.

At Westlake Station, expected to be the busiest, the pilgrimage will begin outdoors in the nearby plaza, where people will walk through the lines, until staffers escort them to the underground station in groups of 200, to meet each train.

All light-rail rides will be free from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.

Ridership is hard to predict on any new rail system, even more so at an opening like this.

Sound Transit will deploy a dozen two-car trains, running every 7 ½ minutes, filled with up to 350 people per train, all weekend.

That works out to 56,000 one-way rides for the whole 14 miles Saturday.

"Fireworks effect"

Crowd-control strategies are based on experience in Phoenix, where a startling 90,000 people showed up for a light-rail opening in December. In Minneapolis, 52,000 rides were taken during a Saturday light-rail opening in 2004.

Mayor Greg Nickels and transit officials this spring spoke of preparing for up to 100,000 trips in green Seattle.

But this week, publicists regret that news reports fixated on that number.

They now worry about losing rail seekers to the "fireworks effect" — just two weeks ago, after dire warnings, crowds were relatively light north of Lake Union during the July 4 display.

Based on other light-rail openings, planners expect more than double the typical weekday volume.

"There could be lines, there may be crowds. That doesn't preclude you from coming down and enjoying a ride," said Ron Klein, Sound Transit communications director. "Even if you have to wait in line, we will have water, we will have entertainment, we will make it an enjoyable experience. We want as many people as possible to be able to tell their children and grandchildren they were the first to ride Link light rail."

The $1.1 million budget for opening weekend includes $200,000 in police overtime, $133,000 for buses, $195,000 on a crowd and event consultant, $193,000 on staffing, $67,250 for government permits, $42,000 to entertainers, and $46,000 to put a 12-page insert into The Seattle Times and The (Tacoma) News Tribune. Sponsorships are covering $183,600.

Stations will have entertainment; police will be at major intersections. Extra bicycle-parking racks will be added.

The event rivals the first baseball game at Safeco Field in July 1999, demolition of the Kingdome in March 2000 or the first football game at Seahawks Stadium (now Qwest Field) in August 2002.

The train isn't the only attraction. People also will ride to the Sounders FC soccer game against Chelsea FC on Saturday, and the Bite of Seattle all weekend at Seattle Center.

Another wild card is that unlike in Phoenix, the line here is much shorter and has only one park-and-ride lot, at Tukwila.

Officials advise people not to drive because on-street parking near stations is very limited. Two-hour weekday parking limits for nonresidents take effect Monday.

Sound Transit assumes most passengers will board at Westlake or Tukwila, with only 15 or 20 people coming on at each station in between. However, surges of soccer fans at Sodo, International District or Stadium stations might disrupt the flow.

At both ends of the line, riders can either get back in line to make a return trip, or switch to Metro buses that will travel the length of the route. The buses are meant to give people an alternative to waiting in a train line — and would also open up room on the return trains.

Sound Transit startup manager Mike Williams said it would be possible to add more trains, but he doesn't expect to do so.

Normal service on the $2.3 billion, 14-mile line from downtown to Tukwila starts at 5 a.m. Monday.

Mike Lindblom: 206-515-5631 or mlindblom@seattletimes.com

Follow up article on: This earlier news article. (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575&page=70#247704)

Honolulu mayor looks to block transport of trash to Longview
Thursday, July 17, 2009 5
By The Daily News / TDN.com (http://www.tdn.com/articles/2009/07/17/area_news/doc4a5f94896b11f875275080.txt)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3123/2845762199_9dc2215a57.jpg
(The Port of Longview is getting some backlash from Honolulu's Mayor.)

LONGVIEW- The administration of Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann has come out strongly against a Seattle company’s plans to ship Oahu’s garbage to Central Washington through the Port of Longview.

Jim Hodge, chief executive of Seattle-based Hawaiian Waste Systems LLC, told a Honolulu newspaper Wednesday his company has arranged with island trash haulers to take their garbage for a price cheaper than the city’s landfill tipping fee.

Hawaiian Waste Systems would ship the trash, shrink-wrapped in plastic and sealed in shipping containers, to the Port of Longview, from where it would be barged, railed or trucked to the Roosevelt Landfill in Central Washington.

Honolulu officials now oppose the plan, because the city would lose control of the flow of trash to its waste-to-energy plant. They estimate that shipping trash to the mainland would also cut into the $12 million the city collects annually in tipping fees.

Hodge told the Honolulu Advertiser his company’s $10 million garbage processing facility “is up and ready” to receive waste.

Hawaiian Waste was the low bidder for a Honolulu contract last year to ship trash off-island. A year later city purchasing officials, apparently having second thoughts about shipping waste out of the area, determined the bid was “non-responsive.”

The city denied Hawaiian Waste’s appeal of that decision. Hodge insists his company did what it was told, and is now appealing to the matter to the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Community Affairs.

Hodge was traveling Thursday and could not be reached for further comment.

Port of Longview officials are touting the Hawaiian Waste Systems plan to ship garbage through Daybreak Transportation of Longview as an important diversification move for the port.

Washington state has fewer millionaires in 2009

The number of Washington state households worth $1 million or more has declined in the past two years but the state still ranks high in the U.S. in the percent of millionaires per overall population.

According to a study by Phoenix Marketing International of New York, Washington has 122,520 households worth $1 million or more, or 4.81 percent, which places it No. 13 in the U.S. in millionaire households.

The number of millionaire households in the state fell from 127,726 a year earlier and was down from 133,812 in 2007.

But that downward trend is occurring all over the U.S. Hawaii, which has the highest percentage of millionaires in the U.S. with 28,363, or 6.41 percent of its total households, saw a decline from last year, when it had 32,103 millionaire households.

Phoenix Marketing defines a millionaire household as one with $1 million or more in investable or liquid assets (excluding sponsored retirement plans and real estate). Mississippi has the fewest millionaire households as a percentage of its total population, at 3.06 percent. The national state average is 4.46 percent and Phoenix reports there are 5.14 millionaire households in the U.S.

“The market downturn has taken its toll on the ranks of millionaires in most states. Since June of 2007, we estimate that the number of millionaires nationally has declined by 14 percent,” said David Thompson, managing director of the Phoenix Affluent Market study, in a statement.

http://seattle.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2009/07/13/daily6.html

Washington State Patrol cutting airplane enforcement
05:59 PM PDT on Friday, July 17, 2009
By DREW MIKKELSEN / KING 5 News (http://www.king5.com/topstories/stories/NW_071709WAB_wsp-cutting-airplane-hours-JM.4ddde1a5.html)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3291/2986245550_01734ebcfa.jpg
(The Washington State patrol is cutting hours on plane service, but not car rides.)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)


OLYMPIA, Wash. - The Washington State Patrol is reducing the amount of pilots and flight hours for its airplane law enforcement program.

Two of the nine Trooper-Pilots are being re-assigned to ground patrol.

In the last biennium, the planes flew around 7,000 hours. In the two-year period that started July 1, the state hopes to fly around 4,000 hours.

“These are some of the tough times we saw coming this last legislative session,” said State Patrol Captain Jeff DeVere.

The airplanes will still be used in search and rescues, but Captain DeVere said the state may have to say “no” to some requests.

“If we’re up in the air and we’re available, we’re going to go,” said DeVere, “But with this cut comes our inability to be in the air as much.”


The plane, and more specifically it’s infrared camera, has helped searchers in two high-profile efforts this year.

Pilots spotted an 84-year-old woman in Puget Sound in June, and last month a 32-year-old man was found on his hands and knees in the Green River. Both victims were hypothermic, and they were discovered while it was dark.

“I feel for anybody that’s ended up in my position because that was my lifesaver,” said Dustin Spainhower, the man rescued July 3 from the Green River.

A King County Deputy said Spainhower would have died had rescuers not found him within a couple of hours.

“I couldn’t imagine if they had already cut their budget, I might not be here,” said Spainhower.

Saturday, Jul. 18, 2009

Richland shows off new library
By Joe Chapman, Tri-City Herald (http://www.tri-cityherald.com/kennewick_pasco_richland/story/650847.html) staff writer
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)


RICHLAND -- A few days before America marks the 40th anniversary of the first lunar landing, the city of Richland on Friday celebrated an accomplishment of a different kind.

About 400 people crowded into the lobby of the newly expanded and renovated Richland Public Library to mark its opening after an 18-month construction project.

Officials heralded the $17 million renovation as a testament to the community's wherewithal.

"You can tell a real first-class city by the quality of its library," said City Manager Cindy Johnson.

A new library may be a more earthly endeavor, but those who visit will be able to crack open a book and go to the moon ... or to Gettysburg ... or to Hogwarts ... or to Bermuda ... or to ....

Two people in the crowd, Rebecca and Andrew Chapman, 11 and 14, respectively, said they planned to dive into as many books as they could. They frequent the library three to four times a week, picking up action/adventure books for Andrew and "big books of any kind" for Rebecca.

"We love books," she emphasized.

They'll have plenty to choose from. The library opened with $67,000 worth of new materials -- 3,450 items including books, DVDs, CDs, graphic novels and portable listening devices called Playaways.

The new materials were shelved along with the previous stock, and much empty space remained.

"That is on purpose so we'll have room to grow," said Ann Roseberry, library manager. "And the shelving is set up so we can add more shelves later. We definitely wanted to add more space than we need right now."

The expansion added about 25,000 square feet to the library, which originally had 33,000 square feet. Although it had a mezzanine before, it now has an entirely new second floor for fiction, biographies and periodicals.

Additional capacity was the main need for the project, said Wayne Suggs, library manager from 1990 to 2006. And it wasn't hard to convince the public of its worthiness, he said.

"It was really a thing whose time had come," he said. Voters approved the bond issue on the first try in May 2006.

This year, the second year of repaying the 20-year bonds, Richland property owners are paying on that debt 25.33 cents per $1,000 of assessed value, or $25.33 per year on a $100,000 house. The rate will drop gradually as the city's total assessed value grows, said Bill King, deputy city manager.

Michael Rung, a resident who voted for the bond issue, said it was an easy decision to support it.

"I think this is a wonderful facility, and if it would cost taxpayers $100 a year more, it's well worth it," he said.

Shortly after the grand opening, Rung made use of one of the new tables in the library's lobby, sitting with a briefcase by his side, waiting for two business acquaintances to arrive for a meeting.

He sat near where a coffee bar will open in September and where the Friends of the Richland Library will run a shop.

Danielle Krol, executive director of the Mid-Columbia Libraries, and Kennewick Mayor Tom Moak, a librarian for the Mid-Columbia Libraries, attended the opening.

The Richland Public Library isn't a part of the district, but the library's expansion will benefit the entire library community, Krol said. And it sends a message to other communities about what they can do, she said.

"I think other communities need to look at Richland and what they've been able to do as far as passing their bond," Krol said.

It impressed young people like Cody Noll, 15, of Richland. He attended the library's opening toting a backpack, eager to try out some of the library's 70 new computers and check out some anim DVDs.

He could hardly believe it was the same library as before.

"I've been to this library a couple of years ago when it was still old, but now it's like a big new area. I've never been here," he said.

For all the change, the Richland Public Library, at 955 Northgate Drive, will have the same operating hours as before: 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday, closed Sunday during the summer, and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday during the school year.

-- Joe Chapman: 582-1512; jchapman@tricityherald.com

Local Leaders Celebrate Light Rail Opening
On the eve of opening day, dignitaries take a "preview ride" of the new light rail train.

KCPQ Q13 FOX Tacoma/Seattle (http://www.q13fox.com/news/kcpq-071709-previewtriplightrail,0,1466196.story)
July 17, 2009
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3313/3587997548_de656f6489.jpg
(Seattle tram leaving Mt. Baker Station.)

SEATTLE - Just hours before the public will start riding Seattle's Central Link light rail line system, local officials and community leaders took a ride on the train. U.S. Sen. Patty Murray and Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels talked about the significance of bringing light rail to the Puget Sound region. As Nickels enjoyed his ride to Tukwila he talked with Q13 Fox News "in 15 years, you'll be able to link up to 70% of the residences and 85% of the jobs, in the region, within an easy bus ride or bike ride of a rail station."

Saturday morning the public will have their chance to ride the new system, free of charge. The railway stretches between Seattle's Westlake Center and Tukwila, but it's just the first phase of a network that's expected to grow to 55 miles by 2023.

Murray, head of the Senate Appropriations Transportation Subcommittee, helped secure millions of dollars in federal aid for the project. She told the group gathered at the link light rail station there was a time when Sound Transit was in big trouble "they were over budget and past deadline and lacking oversight." Murray said she helped get new leaders into the organization who got Link Light Rail back on track.

The opening of Link light rail will create a few changes in bus service in and around the downtown Seattle transit tunnel on Saturday and Sunday.

On Saturday and Sunday, there will be no bus routes in the tunnel because extremely large crowds are expected for the free weekend of light rail service. The buses will be serving all the stops near tunnel entrances that are used when the tunnel is closed. Metro officials say there will still be good connections between buses and light rail in the downtown area.

Monday, passengers will have to start paying to ride; Adult Fares range from $1.75-$2.50, Senior/Disabled $.75-$1.25; youth $1.25-$2.

In December, the rail lines will take passengers directly to Sea-Tac airport. Starting Monday, riders can take the Link to Tukwila and then take a free shuttle bus the rest of the way to the airport.

Friday, July 17, 2009, 10:12am PDT
Seattle eighth-happiest city for families, says McDonald’s
Puget Sound Business Journal (http://seattle.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2009/07/13/daily53.html) (Seattle)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2101/2157704288_7634140483.jpg
(Seattle a top ten happy city.)

Seattle is No. 8 on the country’s “Happiest City for Families” list released by McDonald’s Corp.

The Chicago restaurant chain (NYSE: MCD) said it commissioned the list by Sperling’s BestPlaces to coincide with the 30th anniversary of the restaurant chain’s “happy meal.” Cities were ranked on criteria such as the number of social activities, recreational resources, and household expenditures on “fun activities.”

Minneapolis was ranked No. 1 on the list, followed by Atlanta; Virginia Beach, Va.; Washington, D.C.; Portland, Ore.; Denver; Baltimore and Seattle.

Posting Error

Originally published Saturday, July 18, 2009 at 8:55 PM

45,000 ride Seattle's new light-rail system on opening day

By Mike Lindblom
The Seattle Times (http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009496897_weblightrailwrapup19m.html)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3505/3733047645_062a931699.jpg
(Riders got on free to Seattle's historical opening of the Seattle Light Rail System.)
SEATTLE- Sound Transit carried an estimated 45,000 riders on its new Link light-rail trains today, the agency said.

Agency officials said they were pleased with the turnout. A dozen two-car trains were mostly full, but not packed, all day.

People typically waited about 20 minutes or less to board, but sometimes as long as 40 minutes midday at Tukwila International Boulevard Station.

The overall mood was cheerful, as riders leaned toward the windows to see Mount Rainier from elevated tracks, or the luminescent playing cards inside Beacon Hill Tunnel.

Train rides are free all weekend.

Service resumes Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The 14-mile, $2.3 billion route from Westlake Center to Tukwila will be followed by a two-mile extension to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport by Dec. 31, and service to Capitol Hill and Husky Stadium in 2016. More lines will reach Lynnwood, Federal Way and Overlake in the early 2020s.

Mike Lindblom 206-515-5631 or mlindblom@seattletimes.com

Originally published Sunday, July 19, 2009 at 12:00 AM


Seattle welcomed light rail Saturday with cheers, applause and a question: What took you so long?

By Sandi Doughton and Mike Lindblom
The Seattle Times (http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009496849_lightrail19m.html)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3500/3733846358_790624db12.jpg
(Seattle now has light rail.)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)


SEATTLE- Seattle welcomed light rail Saturday with cheers, applause and a question: What took you so long?

"It's about time," said Chloe Brussard, echoing the sentiments of many who turned out for free rides during the debut of the $2.3 billion 14-mile Link line.

Brussard, her husband and a friend toured the entire line, starting in Rainier Beach, with stops to stroll Westlake Center and grab dim sum in the International District. "It makes Seattle feel like a real city," she said.

Sound Transit reported that the trains carried 45,000 riders on Saturday. Rides also will be free today, beginning at 10 a.m.

As trains glided into stations across the city, passengers waiting to board sometimes clapped and shouted. People in passing trains and those standing on platforms waved to each other and snapped pictures.

"Everyone is so joyous," said Gina Kurtz, of Seward Park, who brought her 20-month-old son, Lincoln, for a ride. "It's a great day for a kid."

Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels, who has supported light-rail efforts since the 1980s, said at the ribbon-cutting that the region will be transformed in 15 years with rail to Northgate and the suburbs.

"Kids growing up today will never know a region without light rail," Nickels said.

Trains began running as soon as the ceremony was over, ahead of the announced 10 a.m. start time.

Traffic remained steady through most of the day. With trains running about every 7 ½ minutes, waits at most stations were about 20 minutes or less, but reached 40 minutes midday at Tukwila. All but a few people chose to wait for a return train instead of boarding a special Metro shuttle bus back to Seattle.

"My worst fear was no one would show up," said Ric Ilgenfritz, Sound Transit's planning and policy director. "My second-biggest fear was too many people would show up. We had a Goldilocks day," he said. Just right.

The sold-out Sounders FC soccer game, which drew more than 65,000 fans to Qwest Field, caused surges at nearby stations. But after the game, Sound Transit rolled up an extra two-car train at Stadium Station.

All day, passengers remarked on the smooth ride, honed by several rail inspections and tweaks the last few weeks. Speeds reached up to 56 mph through Tukwila, where a few freeway drivers waved to the train.

People gasped and leaned toward the window when the train curved west, opening up a new vista toward Mount Rainier.

Matt Coppins of Tukwila said he'll use the line every day, going to work or to Seattle Central Community College. "It's super quiet. It's awesome," he said, comparing it to the New York subway.

Many others said the rail line will be handy for trips around town and to sporting events but won't help with their daily commutes until it is expanded. The line will reach Seattle-Tacoma International Airport by Dec. 31.

"I'll definitely use it when it opens to the airport," said Arron McLaughlin, who navigated the train in his wheelchair Saturday, with his service dog, Gretchen, at his side.

By 2016, a $1.9 billion tunnel will reach Capitol Hill and Husky Stadium, followed by a voter-approved $18 billion in suburban lines to Lynnwood, Federal Way and Overlake in the early 2020s.

"I eagerly anticipate that," said Brussard, who lives in Seattle's Central District and works on the Eastside.

Federal Transit Administrator Peter Rogoff said the agency will keep contributing to Seattle light rail, even after committing $500 million to this line and more than $800 million to the line now being built to Husky Stadium.

Saturday's opening makes Seattle the 20th U.S. city with a modern, high-capacity light-rail system.

The reasons it took so long to join the club are rooted in politics, public opinion and money. Voters rejected several earlier proposals. Critics questioned whether a costly rail system is a better solution to congestion than buses. The first $2.3 billion line was finally paid for by local sales and car-tab taxes, and the $500 million federal grant. Costs are four to six times higher than most other new light-rail systems, but similar to Vancouver's new Canada Line.

Sound Transit estimates people will make 26,600 trips a day on an average weekday by next year.

In the five years since construction started, neighbors endured hardships, starting with power outages and runoff flooding in Rainier Valley. Screeching train wheels disturbed residents near the Duwamish River, and this month neighbors on the west slope of Beacon Hill said huge power lines marred their views.

More than $15 million in government aid went to help businesses that lost customer traffic, and some merchants folded or were ousted by land condemnations along Martin Luther King Jr. Way South.

On Saturday, several businesses along the route hoped to take advantage of the crowds, passing out coupons and organizing block parties.

The day brought a few glitches.

An elevator door malfunctioned in the underground Beacon Hill Station. An escalator froze briefly at Tukwila. At Othello Station, confusing signals stymied pedestrians who were escorted across the street by police.

Sunshine, freebie booths and street performers — hired to entertain the crowds — added to a festive atmosphere around the line's 11 stops in Seattle and the terminus at Tukwila. Families dressed in their Sunday best boarded the train in the International District.

A group of Somali women wearing headscarves and long dresses waited for the train at Westlake Station. Normally, they meet Saturdays for a sewing club, said a woman who identified herself only as Roda.

"Today, we said: Let's make history and go on the train."

Assunta Ng, who was covering the event for Northwest Asian Weekly, compared the line critically with those she's ridden in Hong Kong and other Asian cities. Why don't maps inside the cars light up to tell you where you are? How come there is no sign in the station to let you know when the next train will arrive? And where are the advertisements that plaster Asian trains and help pay the bills?

Shea Edwards pronounced the train superior to buses. "Actually, I just like trains," said the 5-year-old, who has ridden mass-transit systems around the country.

Shea's dad, Walik, said the pair came from Lynnwood to be among the first to ride light rail. But he worries people might not use the system day to day. "I hope it will attract enough riders," he said.

Two Northwest cities will open rail-transit lines this year.

On Sept. 12, Portland will open its fourth line, connecting Portland State University, downtown, and eastern suburbs near Interstate 205 for a total 52 miles of light rail. Vancouver, B.C., will open its third SkyTrain line by Sept. 7. The 12-mile, $2 billion route links downtown to the airport, and Richmond, in advance of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.

Staff reporters Lindsay Toler and Phillip Lucas contributed to this report, along with staffer Madeline McKenzie. Mike Lindblom: 206-515-5631 mlindblom@seattletimes.com

Sea-Tac Airport: A runway reborn
Sea-Tac: Crews take airport’s first runway down to the original dirt and start rebuilding


JOHN GILLIE; THE TACOMA NEWS TRIBUNE (http://www.thenewstribune.com/topstory/story/815297.html)
Published: 07/19/09 9:03 am | AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3036/2946094064_a81395303f.jpg
(Seattle-Tacoma International Airport located in SeaTac.)

SEATAC- When the concrete surface of Sea-Tac Airport’s oldest runway first felt an airliner’s wheels at touchdown, those wheels belonged to a twin-engine, propeller-driven United Airlines DC-3.

That first ceremonial landing at Sea-Tac came nearly 65 years ago in the midst of World War II. That DC-3 is long retired, but the original runway soldiered on, supporting the weight of airliners until late this spring.

Now the original concrete, buried under more than two feet of successive asphalt overlays added over the years, is being unearthed again. Ground into gravel-sized pieces, that concrete will once again serve as a foundation for Sea-Tac’s rebuilt main runway.

The nearly 12,000-foot-long runway, the airport’s mainstay for decades, is being replaced for the first time in its history. The $80-million-plus job was long overdue. The Federal Aviation Administration rated its surface as poor. But the lack of sufficient alternate runways to handle the airport’s 1,000 daily landings and takeoffs, meant that the airport’s owner, the Port of Seattle, had to put off its reconstruction, said airport spokesman Perry Copper.

That situation changed last fall. That’s when the airport opened its 8,500-foot, $1.1 billion third runway, fourteen years in the making. That allowed the airport to close the longest runway, known as 34 Right-16 Left because of its compass orientation and its position as the easternmost of the three runways, and rebuild. During the six-month closure, departing aircraft are using the nearly 10,000-foot center runway, and arriving aircraft are landing on the westernmost runway most of the time.

As heavy equipment stripped away the layers of pavement from Sea-Tac Airport’s longest runway beginning in late March, the old runway cross section revealed a history of the airport from it’s dedication in 1944 through early 2009.

Like the rings in a tree trunk or the layers of sediment exposed in a canyon wall, the runway layers recalled significant events in the airport’s history: its original construction on the site of Bow Lake, its lengthening and reinforcement as airliners grew larger and jets replaced propliners as the main airport users.

The original runway, the north-south component of a T-shaped runway configuration of runways at the 1944-vintage airport, was built of concrete six to eight inches thick concrete, said Scott Kyles, the port’s runway reconstruction project manager. That concrete was laid without a rock base, but straight onto earth that had been compacted. The original section was some 4,000-feet long.

As the concrete wore and as planes became larger, the runway was lengthened several times reaching its final 11,901 feet in the early ’70s after it was extended southward over South 188th Street on a overpass.

As asphalt overlays on the original concrete began deteriorating, the port applied additional layers of asphalt to smooth the surface.

Without the third runway, the overlays were done in small sections, between midnight and dawn when air traffic was light. The one runway remaining was sufficient to handle that traffic overnight, said Cooper.

Though the runway itself is now closed, the job must still accommodate itself to airport traffic. That means rebuilding the runway in sections, keeping open some taxiways where airliners cross the runway to access the terminal while closing others for rebuilding.

At each of those taxiways, access control personnel, who communicate with ground control and the control tower by radio, allow construction machinery and dump trucks to cross the taxiways when aircraft have cleared.

HOW IT WORKS

The job begins on each section with demolition and recycling of the old runway materials, said Kyles.

• Grinders remove the thick layers of asphalt. That asphalt is stockpiled off-site where it can be mixed with fresh asphalt and reused in other paving projects, said Cooper.

• Once the base concrete is exposed, a giant portable guillotine, a heavy metal blade running in a vertical track, is repeatedly hoisted upward and then dropped onto the concrete surface. That guillotine breaks the concrete into smaller pieces that can be handled by excavators.

• The old concrete, now in pieces several feet square, is stockpiled near the demolition site during the day.

• At night when air traffic is less, dump trucks haul the broken concrete chunks to a site in the middle of the runway project. Those chunks are feed into a crusher, which breaks them gravel-sized bits. The dump trucks then haul that crushed concrete back to the runway site where it is spread a foot deep over the compacted earthen base for the runway.

• On top of that base, workers spread four inches of asphalt, leveled and compacted. Spreading the asphalt is a step that helps speed up the paving process, said Kyles. On projects with less critical timelines the third runway, the next layer, concrete, would be poured over a thick layer of rock, said Kyles. That was how the third runway was built.

But because the construction crews have only six months to do the reconstruction, the asphalt reduces the waiting times before concrete laying can begin.

• Atop the asphalt, crews position rows of steel dowel pins, perhaps an inch thick and a foot long, where the joints in the concrete will be.

• Once the site is ready, concrete paving begins. A wide, tracked-mounted machine known as a slip-form paver does the actual paving. Dump trucks bring the mixed concrete from a plant at the north end of the airport and dump their contents into a machine that uses a conveyor belt to distribute the concrete on the runway path in front of the moving paver.

The paver, using a series of vibrators and sliding forms, creates a smooth slab of concrete 20 inches deep and 37.5 feet wide. That concrete is three inches thicker than the concrete used in the third runway project because the long runway is expected to handle larger aircraft such as the 747 and MD-11.

• The concrete used in the runway project is fairly dry and stiff, so it stays in the shape it was molded without forms. Following behind the paver, workers with long floats do a final finishing of the concrete. Behind them is a machine that sprays the formed concrete with a curing agent.

• The concrete dries quickly. By the next day, it’s dry enough to support the weight of workers walking atop it. The paver moves forward at about 100 feet an hour. It paves one section at a time. Four trips the length of the path being paved create the 150-foot-wide runway. On either side of the concrete runway, the airport will install shoulders paved with asphalt three inches thick and 35 feet wide.

Once the concrete is sufficiently dry, expansion joints are cut and then filled with a flexible seal. The surface is then grooved for traction and to channel away rainfall.

The new runway will be an identical length and slope as the original. That runway was 86 feet higher at the north end than the south, meaning that aircraft taking off to the north have a slight uphill takeoff run.

In the middle of the runway, the port is installing runway centerline lighting – lights covered with a heavy metal cover with a small lens facing outward at a shallow angle.

At the runway’s edge, the airport is placing new lighting to define the outer width of the runway. Beyond that lighting, the contracting team is rebuilding the storm drainage system. That system drains water away from the slightly crowned runway, directing it into detention ponds on the airport property.

Beyond the runway shoulder edge, the port will spread topsoil and then sow the bare ground with a specially selected seed mixture designed to grow grass unattractive to birds.

Birds are a potential danger to airliners. Birds ingested into a jet engine can cause it to fail at a crucial point in its takeoff or landing.

At the closed taxiways, the airport and the FAA are installing a new lighting system designed to give pilots a visual “stop” or “go” indication before they attempt to cross an active runway. While Sea-Tac hasn’t had a major ground collision on its runways, last summer a Northwest Airlines Airbus A330 widebodied aircraft taking off for London barely avoided a collision with an AirTran Airways 737 that crossed 34 Right in front of the Airbus on takeoff.

The AirTran plane was crossing the active runway near its north end. The Northwest plane lifted off at midfield and was at an altitude of 425 feet when it passed over the 737. The pilots of the AirTran plane said they didn’t see the existing “hold” line because of poor visibility.

Good weather and six-day work weeks with two shifts have kept the project moving briskly ahead. Kyles expects the majority of the runway project will be done before Labor Day. Already about 7,000 feet have been paved, and much of the rest is being readied for that final major step. Final FAA checks and tests will consume a few more weeks with the runway reopening at the end of September.

John Gillie: 253-597-8663

john.gillie@thenewstribune.com

Light rail open for business
Sound Transit's new Link Light Rail is now open for service.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3202/3575548398_0db07b0a3f.jpg
(Seattle Link Light Rail train at Pioneer Square Station.)

The Seattle Post Intelligencer (http://blog.seattlepi.com/transportation/archives/174060.asp)
Scott Gutierrez / July 18, 2009
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)


SEATTLE- The opening was celebrated early Saturday with a "historic" meeting of two trains from both ends of the 14-mile line. Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels rode one train from Westlake Center, with Tukwila Mayor Jim Haggerton catching light rail from the south. Bells clanged as the two trains met about 8:20 a.m. at the grand Mount Baker station, where Rainer Avenue intersects with Martin Luther King Jr. Way.

"Welcome to light rail and welcome to the future," Nickels proclaimed to crowd of inaugural riders, including several civic leaders and candidates for office waiting eagerly.

Nickels was joined by Congressman Jim McDermott and Peter Rogoff, who heads the Federal Transit Administration.

They spoke about the 40-year quest to bring rail transit to the Puget Sound region and how this would give commuters fast and reliable transportation between work and home.

There was a moment of silence for Michael Merryman, the 49-year-old mechanic who died in an industrial accident inside the Beacon Hill tunnel on Feb. 7, 2007. Nickels said a memorial plaque in Merryman's honor was unveiled today at the Beacon Hill station. Several Sound Transit workers, in hardhats and fluorescent vests, bowed their heads with the crowd.

I'll be blogging during the day along the system. I rode for the first time Friday during a preview ride for media and dignitaries. Some of the vistas from the light rail line are stunning, especially along the elevated track to Tukwila, where on Friday afternoon you could clearly see Mount Rainier through the window. I saw the city from new perspectives, and a few times, didn't feel like I was in Seattle.

But this $2.3 billion project is meant to be more than an amusement ride. The question now is whether people will ride it and whether it actually will get anybody out of their cars. A second link to the University District is slated to open in 2016. In Phoenix, the city's new light rail system beat ridership projections by 30 percent in the first six months after it opened in December.

Sound Transit is prepared for as many as 100,000 riders Saturday. Fares don't go into effect until Monday, so passengers ride for free on opening weekend. In the few hours since this morning's ribbon-cutting ceremony, things have been quiet at the Mount Baker station, although a few first-time riders are trickling in.

Rogoff, the FTA administrator, said residents in other cities have embraced light rail after it opened. He thinks the same thing will happen here, despite all the controversies that surrounded the project since voters approved to build it in 1996.

"All the talk stops and the transit begins," he said.

Lack of space cramps department
The bond proposal is expected to cost $11.4 million and would cover the construction of a new police station.

By MARIA P. GONZALEZ of The Walla Walla Union-Bulletin (http://union-bulletin.com/articles/2009/07/19/local_news/090719apolice.txt)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)
http://img136.imageshack.us/img136/9449/ajmwallawalla09policecag.jpg (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=794)
(Walla Walla police car, parked outside the station. AJM STUDIOS Northwest Police Department Photo) (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=794)



WALLA WALLA — The site of the police department’s drug and gang unit, where five officers work to crack some of the city’s toughest crimes, once served as the office of just one person.


U-B photo by Matthew B. Zimmerman: Officers discuss work while sitting in the cramped space of the Walla Walla Police Department’s drug unit office. These days, the office looks more like a crammed dorm room, and the five men struggle to write reports and store gear and evidence related to going after gang members and drug dealers.

“It’s crazy,” said Sgt. Randy Allessio, head of the unit, who shares the space with his four officers.

Adding to the college feel is the assorted bongs and pipes, weapons and photos of marijuana plants that are collected as part of their work, and dotted around computers and files.

There are no cubicles or partitions to allow any privacy as they work. Desks are pushed against walls, so everyone’s work is everyone’s business.

“You can’t get any work done,” said Chris Buttice, as he tried to write a report on a recent morning. “Half of what you hear (in the room) ends up in the reports.”

The special teams unit isn’t the only division suffering from close quarters at the Walla Walla Police Department station, which has been housed in the basement of City Hall for 101 years.
Patrol officers write reports at computers in a main hallway, amidst constant foot traffic. The detectives division, although slightly roomier, wouldn’t be able to get a wheelchair past the secretary’s desk.

The department has managed to get by through the years by moving and shifting around, resulting in a helter-skelter of storage and departments that lack structure and order.

That means the city’s Emergency Services Unit stores its gear in an outdoor unit that is accessible from the sidewalk, while its vehicle is stored at a site nearly a mile away. Its briefing room is at the other end of the building from the storage unit.

Evidence is preliminarily stored in built-in cabinets in the break room and in a main hallway, so potentially pungent evidence can disrupt a quick meal break, and sifting through a cabinet will choke off foot traffic.

“It’s not a big deal, but it’s an inefficient deal,” said Capt. Gary Bainter, who heads the patrol division. “Adjacencies are important.”

Walla Walla residents will be asked to support building a new facility for the city’s police station through Proposition 1 on Aug. 18.

The bond proposal is expected to cost $11.4 million and would cover the construction of a new police station at Second Avenue and Moore Street, north of U.S. Highway 12. City residents would repay the bond at 43 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value, or about $82 a year for a home worth $190,000.

Pretty much everything from the current building would be approved upon, from the main lobby to the officers’ locker rooms.

The proposal would give adequate space to conduct interviews, do forensic crime scene work, and store weapons, sensitive equipment and evidence.

At its simplest, a new facility would greatly expand from the original that covers 9,000 square feet, to about 28,000 square feet.

By more than tripling the current size, the department would really just be moving into space more adequate for its force, while allowing some room for future growth, said Capt. Terry Heisey.

“They don’t have the space that they need,” he said.

The new building would continue to house the city’s code enforcement and animal control departments. The police department’s domestic violence coordinator, whose office is above ground at City Hall, would move to the new building.

Heisey said a bigger building could easily carry the department into the future.

“We’ve been in this building for a long time. I’m sure we’ll be in the next building for a long time too,” he said.

A study committee made up of city residents spent close to three years exploring the future of a police station in Walla Walla. Building a new facility proved to be cheaper than buying and remodeling an existing site. A similar study conducted in the 1970s reached the same conclusion, Heisey said.

For the August bond to pass, 40 percent of people who voted in last year’s primary election must again vote. Of those voters, 60 percent would need to support the bond for it to pass.

The timing of the bond in a year when unemployment is at record highs, property values are dropping, and the economy is stalled may have weakened the chances of the project passing.

Recent proposals for other projects have shown a mixed bag of voter sentiment.

A proposal by College Place Public Schools to rebuild its only elementary school went to voters earlier this year and failed for the second time.

Walla Walla voters supported rebuilding Edison Elementary in 2007, but that measure barely passed with 61 percent in favor, when 60 percent was needed.

Heisey said the committee, made up of residents, particularly took into consideration the project’s cost. Not exceeding $12 million, or 50 cents per $1,000 of assessed value, was a particular goal.

Regarding the economic downturn, Heisey said it could ultimately prove to be a positive. Construction costs are low, as are interest rates, which would mean a smaller bill to residents.

Heisey agreed there may never be a right time to put a bond proposal to voters. But there is no question the department has outgrown its quarters and needs something new, he said.

“It’s something that’s going to have to be done, whether its now or later,” he said.

Maria Gonzalez can be reached at mariagonzalez@wwub.com or 526-8317.

Check it Out

On July 25 and Aug. 1, the police department will give tours of the police station each hour from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., starting from the adjacent Farmer’s Market. There will also be an open house July 30 from 4 to 6 p.m. Group and individual tours can be scheduled by calling 527-4434.

For more information, including a history of the station, a video tour and frequently asked questions, visit wwpolicestation.com

Will Boardwalk Still Happen? Bremerton Officials Remain Hopeful


By STEVEN GARDNER / The Kitsap Sun (http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2009/jul/18/will-boardwalk-still-happen-bremertons-hopeful/)

SGARDNER@kitsapsun.com
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3120/2579864662_62081d201e.jpg
(The current end of the Bremerton Boardwalk.)

BREMERTON- The dream of an overwater walkway between downtown Bremerton and Evergreen-Rotary Park has not gone away for Bremerton officials.

City staffers met Friday with a Suquamish Tribe staffer to offer alternatives to a boardwalk plan that, so far, has met with no support from the tribe. The tribe’s OK is necessary for the project to move forward.

Phil Williams, Bremerton’s public works director, said he ended Friday encouraged by the meeting, but said that ultimately it’s tribal and city elected officials who will make the final decision. None were present at Friday’s meeting.

“I appreciate their willingness to continue to talk to us about the project and I’m hopeful we can make notable progress,” Williams said.

The city has envisioned the boardwalk since 2005, when it proposed to combine a public works project to replace an aging sewer system along the Port Washington Narrows with a 3,200-foot walkway from downtown to the park. It would end at a point at which the city will also perform an environmental cleanup of property formerly owned by an oil company.

The boardwalk, projected to be between 20 and 28 feet wide, was originally designed to support 85,000-pound sewer trucks that would service the new sewers from a couple of access points.

The Suquamish Tribe has expressed concerns that the boardwalk would create an overwater structure that would impact its treaty rights and destroy habitat important to shellfish and fish.

Other environmental issues include how natural and artificial lighting would affect fish behavior and whether the trucks servicing the sewer would leak oil into the water.

Last year the tribe and city met along with U.S. Rep. Norm Dicks, D-Belfair, but seemed to make little progress in finding a plan both entities could work with.

Williams was reluctant to say much about what the city is offering in its new proposals.

“I don’t think it would be productive for me to talk about any particular design change because we haven’t agreed on anything and they’ve told us straightforwardly they don’t want to help us design the project,” he said.

When asked if the proposals include narrowing the boardwalk or removing the sewer element from the boardwalk project, Williams said: “Everything is on the table at this point. There’s nothing sacred about the particulars.”

Willams said that removing the sewer element would not negatively affect the city’s ability to fund the $24.6 million boardwalk project. Any state grant money for the sewer element would be removed from the boardwalk work, but it would reduce the cost of the project by the same amount, he said.

Nonetheless, the city hasn’t altered at all a Joint Aquatic Resources Permit Application it made to the state to get approval to build the boardwalk and sewer project. Such a change wouldn’t likely happen until the city is more clear about whether the tribe would remove its opposition to the project.

“I still think that’s an attractive package, but we’re not wedded to any particular approach,” Williams said.

July 20, 2009
Developers add two museums to Bainbridge mix-use project
By BENJAMIN MINNICK
The Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce (http://www.djc.com/news/ae/12008239.html=)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center

http://img224.imageshack.us/img224/8926/ajmbainbridgetowncenter.jpg
(Mixed use building plan for Bainbridge Island.) (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

BAINBRIDGE ISLAND- Island Gateway will be built on 5 acres near the Bainbridge Island ferry dock. A ravine with a creek will be protected by a buffer.
Bainbridge Island developers Bill Carruthers and Andrew Lonseth won approval last week from that city's planning and community development director to move forward with Island Gateway, a seven-building mixed-use project just a stone's throw from the ferry dock.

Arlington lifts a 2006 moratorium on annexations

By Gale Fiege
The Everett Herald (http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20090720/NEWS01/707209934&news01ad=1#Arlington.lifts.a.2006.moratorium.on.annexations)

AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center

http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/7716/ajmarlingshadowsnq0.jpg
(Downtown Arlington, WA. AJM STUDIOS Northwest Photo Journey Photo.) (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)


ARLINGTON -- The city wants to be back in the game.

In 2006, Arlington officials put a moratorium on requests for annexation into the city limits.

The move was seen as a way to encourage development away from farmland in the city's urban growth area. Additionally, the sewer treatment plant was dangerously close to reaching its capacity. No more sewer hookups could be handled.

Now, with the plant's expansion and redesign under construction, and with the continuing downturn in the housing market and the crippling loss of sales tax revenue, the City Council recently repealed the annexation restrictions.

"This opens up some potential for an economic boost," said Bill Blake, the city's assistant community development director. "We can look for development activity sooner."

The city plans to send out letters to property owners who applied for annexation in the last three years. More than 160 acres could soon be annexed into the city, community development director Dave Kuhl said.

David Cayton of Core Design in Bellevue used to represent a partnership that wanted the city to annex about 133 of those acres at the intersection of Highway 9 and Highway 531.

"The fact that the city changed its mind doesn't surprise me," Cayton said. "It's a different economy now, and many cities such as Marysville are doing big annexations."

Marysville is about to add a large residential area of about 19,000 people to its city limits, bringing in a bigger portion of the sales tax revenue pie.

"Because of the state's tax structure, that's what we have to rely on," Arlington city spokeswoman Kristin Banfield said. "We fight tooth and nail with other jurisdictions for good-quality economic development."

However, tax revenue isn't the only issue with new annexation policy in Arlington, Blake said.

The city hopes to annex Hank Graafstra's former dairy property on the northeast corner of town, and the previous policy would have prohibited the move.

The plan is to turn the former pasture land into a new city park.

"There'll be nothing there that can't handle getting wet when the river floods," Blake said.

The Graafstra property also will help the city continue to establish biking and hiking trails in the area. "So someday people won't have to get in their cars to shop, go to school and get to work," Blake said.

Graafstra said he is hopeful that the new policy will help the city in its quest to build the new park.

"I think it would be good not just for Arlington, but for the whole county," he said. "It's a nice 2.3 acres of riverfront, and the city's going to need it for its future growth."

Gale Fiege: 425-339-3427, gfiege@heraldnet.com.

Light rail trains attract 92,000 riders on free weekend
The Tacoma News Tribune (http://www.thenewstribune.com/updates/story/815855.html) / AP
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2475/3738285635_3162f3257e.jpg
(The new Sound Transit Link had a successful first weekend.)

Published: 07/19/09 9:15 pm

SEATTLE- Transit officials in Seattle say there were more than 92,000 boardings on the first two days of a new light rail line.

Boardings were counted at 41,000 for Sunday’s eight-hour service and 51,100 for Saturday’s 10-hour service.

Mayor and Sound Transit Board Chairman Greg Nickels says it’s a “great start” for Link, the 13.9 mile line between downtown and a station near Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

Officials of the three-county agency planned for 100,000 boardings Saturday and Sunday, when the line opened with free service. Regular fares take effect Monday. The opening of the line follows more than four decades of political wrangling and financial struggles over rail transit in Seattle.

Sale of Forest Service complex complete
By K.C. Mehaffey
The Wenatchee World (http://wenatcheeworld.com/article/20090718/NEWS04/707189982)
Posted July 18, 2009
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3056/3047939394_c67e13f372.jpg
(Twisp, Washington.)

TWISP — The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest completed the $1 million sale of 17 buildings on 6.4 acres of property in downtown Twisp this week.

The property was sold in an online auction to the Twisp Public Development Authority, which received a $1 million anonymous donation to purchase the land.

"We're really excited, and hoping to have some activities on-site this fall. We look forward to improving the social and economic health of the Methow Valley," said Ray Johnston, chairman of the development authority.

He said the quasi-government group is negotiating with an executive director this week, and is working on a final draft for a master plan for the property.

He said plans for the property will include plenty of opportunities for public input.

The state Community Economic Revitalization Board and Okanogan County provided initial operating funds, he said.

The Northwest Claims Top Honors

By AJM STUDIOS Staff / July 20th, 2009
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center Original Content (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3103/2798334335_f42a66371b.jpg
(Seattle ranks first in the nation for yet another study, but so do many northwest communities.)

LYNNWOOD- The Natural Resources Defense Council has come out with a new chart ranking

cities across the United States based on their "smart" policies. The cities are ranked by a

huge criteria list, such as air quality, transportation, standard of living, and much

much more. You can read their criteria and see the

data here (http://smartercities.nrdc.org/rankings/scoring-criteria).

Seattle won the list under the Large Cities category with San Francisco in second, and

Portland third. West Coast cities dominated

the list in every category for the good. It was not until 6th place did a sunbelt city win, which

was Austin, Texas. The list was heavily

western for the top results.

In conclusion, the northwest is apparently smarter then most of the country when it comes

to most things. Our standard of living is higher on average, as well as how we use our

natural resources. This is a list that many northwest communities can use to promote

their cities with this new "green" fringe going around.

Below is a quick and easy list to see how local northwest communities faired in each event category.

Top Northwest Cities within the Top 60



Top (http://smartercities.nrdc.org/rankings/large) Northwest Large Cities Rankings[/url]

1. Seattle, WA
3. Portland, OR

Top Northwest Medium Cities Rankings (http://smartercities.nrdc.org/rankings/medium)

5. Eugene, OR
6. Spokane, WA
15. Everett, WA
25. Salem, OR
49. Bellevue, WA
53. Vancouver, WA
54. Tacoma, WA

Top Northwest Small Cities Rankings (http://smartercities.nrdc.org/rankings/small)

1. Bellingham, WA
10. Redmond, WA
18. Shoreline, WA

Published: Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Two Granite Falls families and county haggle over bypass buyouts

By Noah Haglund
The Everett Herald (http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20090721/NEWS01/707219864&news01ad=1#Two.Granite.Falls.families.and.county.haggle.over.bypass.buyouts)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center

http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/4051/ajmgranitefallssnowdownyo7.jpg
(Downtown Granite Falls, Washington. AJM STUDIOS Northwest Photo Journey Photo.)
(http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

GRANITE FALLS — Some folks here are giving up half a back yard and some peace of mind so Snohomish County can build a bypass road through Granite Falls.

They’re prepared for the change in scenery, but two families along the route aren’t happy about the county’s compensation offers. They’re the final two holdouts among 46 properties the county has bought for the future road.

“I’ve resigned myself to the fact that the road is going in,” Chris Hargraves said. “I just want to be compensated fairly.”

The big sticking point: whether the offer makes up for having a highway as a back-fence neighbor.

The families signed over the property last year, but haven’t settled on a price. With no resolution, the issue could wind up in court, something neither side wants to happen.

Two years ago, other landowners on the route complained of low offers but later settled with the county.

Construction on the 2-mile bypass officially got under way earlier this month. When completed in two years or so, the road will carry traffic around Granite Falls to the north, connecting Highway 92 with the Mountain Loop Highway. The total cost should be $28.7 million.

“It’s a great project, but it’s going to change lifestyles,” said Deanna Clark-Willingham, the county’s real property supervisor.

From the affected back yards, the land slopes steeply toward the Stillaguamish River Valley. The new road will be 16 to 20 feet below their yards.

The county also plans to build a 7-foot concrete sound wall. Officials said that should block the sight of 1,800 trucks passing daily, and most of the noise. The families say they will still be able to see over the wall from the upper floors of their split-level homes.

The conflict is over how much to pay for about 1,700 square feet of land, about a quarter of each lot.

The county won’t discuss specifics, but the families said the first offer last fall was for $10,000. They feel they deserve at least five times that for what they’re giving up: land, fencing, landscaping, views, air quality and quiet.

Later, the county raised its offer to Shannan and Daniel Leonard, who live two doors down from the Hargraveses, by $17,800. That put the total at $27,800. The amount included money for new windows.

When the Leonards countered with $50,000, the county turned them down. A letter informed them the payment should be “just and not generous, adequate but not a windfall.”

That made Shannan Leonard mad.

“We’re like a pimple to them, a boil or something,” she said. “We just keep on bothering them.”

The Leonards reasoned they should get $27,500 for the land, plus $22,000 or so for windows, air conditioning and other losses. They calculated the land value by taking the assessor’s estimate of $110,000 and dividing by four.

An appraiser later told them they were low-balling themselves; with a highway next door and the loss of land, the home’s value would fall to $210,000 from about $265,000. The Leonards said that could put them in trouble with their mortgage lender because they would suddenly owe more than the house is worth.

What further annoys them is that the payment is subject to income tax. They’ve also spent $2,500 on an independent appraisal.

While other neighbors have settled, the county did buy one whole lot, including the house, because the sound wall would come within a few feet of it. The county intends to rent the house out for now, then sell it after finishing the road.

Neighboring landowners include the developer, Himalaya Homes, which kept several houses as rentals. The Lake Stevens-based company said negotiations went smoothly.

“The the county was more than fair,” chief financial officer Kami Albright said.

Himalaya’s owner, Zak Parpia, said he wished he could have gotten more, but is glad he reached a compromise. Parpia said he understands that the land is more valuable to the homeowners than to a local government or a landlord.

The bypass project has been approved since 2001, but both families said they received almost no notice when they both moved in back in 2004. They said the only warning was a vague mention of a “slope easement.”

Parpia disputes that, saying all buyers received full disclosure about the road going in.

County officials worry that disagreements over land value could increase because of the recession and the weak housing market. For the holdouts, that isn’t the issue — it’s whether the offer makes up for what they’re losing.

“We shouldn’t have to take one for the team because we are part of the team,” said Casandra Hargraves, Chris Hargraves’ wife.

The families have contacted an attorney. The next step is a public hearing on Aug. 18, when a judge is expected to set a trial date in eight to 12 months. In the meantime, the sides can try to work out a deal.

Noah Haglund: 425-339-3465, nhaglund@heraldnet.com.

$2.7 million grant jumpstarts YWCA construction project
Domestic violence victim housing
BY ERIN SNELGROVE
THE YAKIMA HERALD-REPUBLIC (http://www.yakimaherald.com/stories/2009/07/20/2-7-million-grant-jumpstarts-ywca-construction-project)
http://pnwbands.com/ymcayakima.JPG
(YMCA Building in Yakima.)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)


YAKIMA, Wash. -- Construction of transitional housing units for victims of domestic violence will begin this summer, now that the Housing Trust Fund had pledged a $2.7 million grant to the Yakima YWCA.

"We needed this to move forward," Donna Hatten, director of grants and project management said Monday. "This is the building block from which everything else will grow."

The project is scheduled for completion next summer and will take place at the YWCA's new downtown campus at Ninth and Yakima avenues.

It will include 16 self-contained transitional housing units, a community resource center with a computer technology lab, classroom and public meeting space and an enclosed courtyard with playground equipment.

The first phase of the project was the remodel of the former Yakima Manor assisted living facility and Convalescent Care nursing home at the same location. Transformed into an emergency shelter, it can now accommodate up to 44 women and children each night -- 16 more than the YWCA's former site in the 500 block of North 16th Avenue.

The shelter opened in December and is equipped with video surveillance cameras and a 24-hour, on-site staff. The YWCA bought the buildings in 2006 for $1 million.

Hatten said the overall budget for the two-phase project was $10 million. Construction was originally estimated at $7.5 million, but YWCA officials are looking for additional savings.

In addition to the $2.7 million from the Housing Trust Fund, Hatten said another $950,000 has been earmarked in the 2009 Federal Appropriation Omnibus Bill, which Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., is shepherding through Congress.

Both grants will help pay for the transitional housing. More money will be needed to complete the project, but Hatten won't know how much until the construction budget is revised.

"We don't anticipate running out of money or not having enough to complete it," she said. "Every step of the process has been well planned."

Due to the construction schedule and lack of storage space during the renovations, the YWCA will be unable to accept in-kind donations -- such as clothing, furniture and books -- for the next several months.



* Erin Snelgrove can be reached at 509-577-7684 or esnelgrove@yakimaherald.com.

July 21, 2009
100 small apartments eyed for a site on Dexter Avenue
By LYNN PORTER
The Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce (http://www.djc.com/news/re/12008270.html)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)
http://www.djc.com/stories/images/20090721/Dexter_sketch_Option3_web.jpg
(Image courtesy of Grouparchitect)
The architect said the developer, Europa LLC, doesn’t expect to start work sooner than 2011 unless demand picks up.
A group of Seattle area businessmen plan a 90- to 100-unit apartment project in South Lake Union that will be primarily studios, but the architect said they don't expect to start work sooner than 2011 unless demand picks up.

Published: Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Effort to save farmland could be contentious

By Noah Haglund, The Everett Herald (http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20090722/NEWS01/707229831&news01ad=1#Effort.to.save.farmland.could.be.contentious)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3001/3726062170_a1299d21fd.jpg
(Rural Snohomish County is full of small towns, farms, and nature.)

EVERETT — There’s a shared vision for saving Snohomish County farmland.

Scenic valleys full of thriving farms. Local markets for fresh produce. The Evergreen State Fairgrounds transformed into a regional hub for promoting agriculture.

Yet such seemingly agreeable goals could become fertile ground for brinkmanship between the county council and County Executive Aaron Reardon. Each side is touting its own ideas for saving farmland.

At least one local farmer welcomed the benefits a little competition might bring.

“That’s a good thing, because the public is more aware of how important agriculture is,” said Mark Craven, a member of the county’s Agricultural Advisory Board.

Councilman Brian Sullivan has a plan he calls the Scenic Valley Initiative. He’s been shopping it around the county, including a stop at the Agricultural Advisory Board last week.

Pen scrawl outlining the multi-part initiative fills a white board in his office.

He would commit $1 million in taxpayer money from conservation futures for farm issues. He would restrict an estimated $400,000 generated yearly from a new admissions surcharge at the Evergreen State Fairgrounds to agriculture-related improvements. Another aim: keeping radio towers out of scenic valleys, to avoid the sort of controversy created by new towers in the upper Snohomish River Valley.

“It’s also my goal to bring together the tribes, the farmers and the environmental community so we can all be successful,” Sullivan said.

Last week, Sullivan received a memo about the ideas from Reardon.

Was he aware that Reardon’s office was going to roll out some big ideas for saving farmland? Or that Reardon had hosted the Focus on Farming conference for the past five years?

“He deserves a lot of credit for helping farmers,” Sullivan said of the executive. “I’m not sure we’re working on the same thing.”

The executive’s office says it wants to work together.

“It’s not a competition,” said Christopher Schwarzen, Reardon’s spokesman. “We’re excited to have a council member who’s interested in the issue.”

A recent U.S. Department of Agriculture census shows the number of Snohomish County farms on the rise. There were 76,837 acres supporting 1,670 farms here in 2007, up from 68,612 acres and 1,574 farms in 2002. Still, officials say much of the increase owes to small-scale farms and they worry more ground could be lost to development if the building industry recovers.

Reardon’s office expects to release an action plan later this month. A machine at the county’s Cathcart site, meanwhile, is gearing up to crush locally grown rapeseed to process into biodiesel — a farm-supporting alternative energy project that Reardon has backed.

Other ideas are coming from the county council.

Councilman Dave Somers is wading into the conflict between fish habitat and farmland, since protecting fish often involves re-flooding land that has been diked for agriculture. Somers has asked the agricultural board to support using existing maps to identify promising areas for each.

Councilman John Koster, a former dairy farmer, said he would like to see a public hearing or some other open process to let people know every time farmland is converted to other uses.

The issue, for him, goes way beyond land: “Unless there’s a farmer there, all you’re doing is preserving open space.”

Noah Haglund: 425-339-3465 or nhaglund@heraldnet.com.

POSTED: Wednesday, Jul. 22, 2009

ZIP code confusion costly for Nooksack

ZOE FRALEY - THE BELLINGHAM HERALD (http://www.bellinghamherald.com/102/story/997286.html)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/151/338014974_4a753b86e4.jpg
(Downtown Nooksack.)



NOOKSACK - The city of Nooksack doesn't exist in the world of Google.
Type in an address within Nooksack city limits, even that of Mayor Jim Ackerman, and the search engine will tell you that it's in Everson.
This is more than just a problem with finding directions online. It's affecting addresses on mortgages and utility bills and, most important, sales tax revenue that should go to Nooksack.

"Nooksack addresses are showing up as Everson in most systems, so Everson gets the tax revenue," said Nooksack Treasurer Virginia Radder. "Everyone uses the U.S. post office database, and Nooksack doesn't exist in that database."
The confusion started in 1992, when the U.S. Postal Service put the postmaster in Everson, making Nooksack's post office a substation. What was once thought of as the Nooksack ZIP code, 98276, is now just the ZIP code for P.O. boxes, so street addresses in Nooksack have to use the 98247 ZIP used in Everson. That means Nooksack businesses have the Everson ZIP, and so do any package deliveries to people's homes.
"ZIP codes were created for the Postal Service for use by the Postal Service. We use them to sort and process and deliver the mail," said U.S. Postal Service spokesman Ernie Swanson. "In some cases, distribution of the sales tax follows, but that's basically not our problem. We don't assign ZIP codes based on city or county boundaries or for city identification."
Swanson said there's not much the Postal Service can do about it if businesses choose to use their database. But Nooksack is looking for answers because it's impacting the city's livelihood.
"It's been going on for years now, and it's just getting worse," Radder said. "It's like we've totally lost our identity when the post office said we weren't going to, and in the process of losing our identity, we're losing our revenue."
According to the Washington Department of Revenue, Nooksack's retail sales in the first quarter of 2009 were $1.6 million, down nearly 30 percent from the first quarter of 2008.
The city's retail trade, which takes place in stores, was down 46.2 percent to about $700,000, the largest drop in the county.
Meanwhile, Everson's retail sales were $4.8 million, up 5 percent from 2008, with retail trade up 14.1 percent to $1.7 million. It was the only city in Whatcom County to make gains over 2008.
Calculating exactly how much of Nooksack's lost revenue is from incorrect allocation of sales tax is a challenge, Radder said. This year, Nooksack has had 22 new permits to build homes, which is a lot for the town and should be a source of revenue as supplies, appliances and other materials are delivered to the sites. But she doesn't think the city is seeing all of that revenue.
"We're really small, and we have a limited amount of staff to try to do the research and figure out if we've got the tax money from this," she said. "We're trying to be proactive about this."
Everson's postmaster, Gene Bawdon, said there's not much that can be done, though he has worked to allow people to put Nooksack on their address lines. The town is too small to get a new ZIP code. Swanson said a merger between the two cities could help ease confusion and ensure taxes go to the right place, but that seems unlikely to happen.
Everson City Administrator Debbie Davidsen said she wasn't aware of the problem.
Nooksack Mayor Jim Ackerman has called the Postal Service, various Washington state legislators and the Department of Revenue, but he hasn't found any answers.
"It's awfully frustrating," he said. "I don't know what to do next. I don't think they realize the impact on a small town like Nooksack.
"If you lose 5 percent here and 5 percent there, that 10 percent is a lot to a small town. I've been mayor for 12 years, and it's one of the loggerheads we can't get by on."
Reach ZOE FRALEY at zoe.fraley@bellinghamherald.com or call 756-2803.

Tacoma City Council likes Elks plan - a lot
Tacoma: As developers list requests, officials say project is just the ‘right fit’

KELLY KEARSLEY; THE TACOMA NEWS TRIBUNE (http://www.thenewstribune.com/topstories/story/818130.html)
Published: 07/22/09 4:15 am | Updated: 07/22/09 7:17 am
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://media.thenewstribune.com/smedia/2009/07/08/00/753-nws0708_elks_g3.standalone.prod_affiliate.5.jpg

TACOMA- A project aimed at redeveloping the derelict Elks Temple downtown into a McMenamins restaurant and hotel – and constructing an adjacent grocery store and apartment building to boot – received much praise Tuesday from the Tacoma City Council.

Councilman Jake Fey said the project “achieves a lot of our goals.”

Tacoma developer Grace Pleasants and her business partner Rick Moses presented their list of requests for the city’s part of the project – including a $9 million parking garage – during the council’s noontime study session.

“This will not only transform this little corner of the world, but also have a broader effect on the rest of the (northern) end of downtown,” Moses told the council.

But before that can happen, Moses and Pleasants need a few things from the city including:

• Funding for a 300-space, paid parking garage that would anchor the grocery store and apartment building and provide parking for patrons of the McMenamins establishment. City Manager Eric Anderson estimated that the garage would cost $9 million. The city plans to pay for the garage with revenue from its parking projects.

The developers would then lease 180 parking spaces back from the city for grocery customers and tenants of the apartment building.

• A $1.2 million Urban Development Action Grant – a federal loan administered by the city – to Pleasants and Moses to help with the acquisition of the property at 565 Broadway. The loan would cover half of the cost of the property.

• Complete the renovation of the Spanish Steps, which are next to the Elks Temple and connect Commerce Street and Broadway, before the project’s completion. The city already allocated money for this.

• Provide property tax abatements for renovation of the Elks Temple and the apartment project.

• And cooperation on addressing necessary off-site infrastructure improvements, the most significant being changes to traffic signals at the intersection of Commerce Street-Stadium Way and Interstate 705. That’s where the parking garage entrance will be.

The developers expect the construction of the grocery store and apartments to cost about $20 million, Moses said. The McMenamins have estimated that remodeling the Elks Temple into one of their signature brew pub/hotel/spa/theater complexes will cost about $10 million.

Two council members – Lauren Walker and Mike Lonergan – encouraged Pleasants and Moses to include some sort of affordable housing in their project, though it seems unlikely that will happen.

“I think this project is right for market-rate housing,” Moses said.

Council members and the city manager praised the project and expressed their enthusiasm for a development that knocks major items off the city’s downtown wish list – a grocery store and preserving the Elks Temple – in one fell swoop.

Mayor Bill Baarsma called the project “absolutely the right fit.”

And City Manager Anderson said, “This is exactly the kind of development we’ve been looking for.”

The developers provided rough estimates of the project’s monetary benefit to the city, including a projected $704,000 per year in sales tax revenue from the businesses.

The project will also bring about 300 jobs to downtown including 150 at McMenamins as well as jobs in the grocery store, parking garage and apartment building.

The council plans to vote on a letter of intent outlining its role in the project at its meeting next Tuesday and will consider extending the UDAG loan to Pleasants and Moses in August or September. It will then vote on a more detailed development agreement for the project by October.

Pleasants said she’s pleased to bring a project “near and dear to Tacoma’s heart” to the council.

“I like to think that it’s a good mix of private and public investment and that’s a strong statement – to say that Tacoma is ready for it, and it’s a great location for it,” she said.

Kelly Kearsley: 253-597-8673

Kelly.kearsley@thenewstribune.com

July 23, 2009
Western Washington University starts work on dorm addition
The Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce (http://www.djc.com/news/co/12008387.html)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)
http://www.djc.com/stories/images/20090723/BuchananTowersWWU_web_200x.jpg
(Rendering courtesy of Mithun)
BELLINGHAM- Mithun is the architect and Ebenal General is general contractor.
Construction on a residence hall expansion at Western Washington University began this month. The $8.4 million project will add 37,000 square feet on five levels.

POSTED: Wednesday, Jul. 22, 2009

Whatcom County executive to recommend plan for next two decades of growth
JARED PABEN - THE BELLINGHAM HERALD (http://www.bellinghamherald.com/latestheadlines/story/998741.html)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3652/3465290421_e75e08e435.jpg
(Downtown Bellingham.)

BELLINGHAM- County Executive Pete Kremen will present his preferred vision for the next two decades of population and business growth, after the County Council asked him for a recommendation.
The County Council on Tuesday, July 21, voted 6-1, with member Sam Crawford opposed, to ask the executive to present what's called a "preferred alternative" for growth over the next two decades. That alternative, which includes how many new residents the county will get and where they'll go, will be extensively studied.
The alternative is part of an effort by Whatcom County to review and update its urban growth areas for Birch Bay, Columbia Valley, Cherry Point and each of the seven cities. The county is more than two years late doing the state-mandated update, and a state growth board has given it until Dec. 1 to do the update.

The review has looked at how much developable land is available in each urban growth area and how much more or less is needed to accommodate the next two decades of growth.
The county and cities have looked at several options, but an advisory group called the Growth Management Coordinating Council, which has elected officials from the county and each city, has settled on one option. That option mirrors what each of the cities formally asked for.
The coordinating council stressed that the county should respect the cities' requests and stated that planning should be a "bottom-up decision-making process."
In a letter from Lynden, Ferndale, Blaine, Sumas, Nooksack and Everson to county government, small cities leaders said if the county ignores the small cities' recommendations, then they'll have to band together and legally challenge the county.
"To throw out this hard work is a reflection of what we believe is a total disrespect for the desires of the small cities," the letter states.
County Planning Director David Stalheim told County Council members on Tuesday that Kremen supports most of the coordinating council's recommendations. Kremen hasn't said whether he supports other recommendations, Stalheim said.
Here are some of the coordinating council's recommendations:
It calls for another 61,000 people over the next two decades. That's more new residents than some people wanted, including the local chapter of anti-sprawl group Futurewise, which argued that fewer residents should be accommodated to retain a high quality of life here.
It calls for rural areas to receive less than 15 percent of population growth, and it calls for continued efforts to slow growth in rural and agricultural lands.
It also calls for less growth in Bellingham and more in the smaller cities. "The days when most of the employment and jobs are in Bellingham are becoming a thing of the past," according to the letter from the small cities. "Smart growth, smart governance, and smart people all realize that vibrant, economically stable small cities are the key to not only preserving but actually expanding the quality of life for all of the citizens in Whatcom County."
Here's what it recommends specifically:
Bellingham: Another 23,771 residents. In 2008, it had 46.7 percent of the county's population. It would take 37.8 percent of new growth during the next 20 years.
Birch Bay: 4,329 new residents; had 2.8 percent of population; would get 6.9 percent of new growth.
Blaine: 4,700 new residents; had 3 percent of population; would get 7.5 percent of new growth.
Columbia Valley: 1,076 residents; 2.1 percent; 1.7 percent new growth.
Everson: 1,948; 1.3 percent; 3.1 percent new growth.
Ferndale: 8,687; 6.3 percent; 13.8 percent new growth.
Lynden: 7,414; 6.1 percent; 11.8 percent new growth.
Nooksack: 1,159; 0.6 percent; 1.8 percent new growth.
Sumas: 793; 0.7 percent; 1.3 percent new growth.
Rural areas: 9,074; 30.5 percent; 14.4 percent new growth.

Reach JARED PABEN at jared.paben@bellinghamherald.com or call 715-2289.

Bellingham tops Smarter Cities ranking

Posted on 17. Jul, 2009 / The Bellingham Business Journal (http://bbjtoday.com/blog/bellingham-top-smarter-cities-ranking/2437)
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3303/3448106119_e5532f60f1.jpg
(Bellingham received great honors in a recent study.)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

Bellingham was ranked No. 1 in the Natural Resources Defense Council Smarter Cities challenge amongst the 50,000 to 100,000

small-cities category. The challenge is an effort to get cities to work toward becoming “more efficient, responsible and sustainable.”

Bellingham was heralded for its transportation options, outdoor activities, past awards and multiple green businesses. Mountain View, Calif. trailed Bellingham for second place.

New look for an old river town
Entiat moves ahead with riverfront plan
By Christine Pratt
The Wenatchee World (http://wenatcheeworld.com/article/20090718/BIZ/707189964/-1/NEWS45?New-look-for-an-old-river-town-)
Edited July 23, 2009
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center
http://img150.imageshack.us/img150/3773/ajmentiatriverfrontplan.jpg
(Entiat's concept design for the riverfront business district.) (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)



ENTIAT- Like a jigsaw puzzle some 50 years in the making, the pieces are coming together to restore some long-awaited soul to this now fragmented old river town.

An urban business district with a marina, shops, restaurants and a pedestrian loop trail will rise along a mile-long stretch of Columbia River shoreline, just north of Entiat City Park.

It already exists on paper. Planners say it’ll take about 20 years to build it.

They still don’t know exactly what it’ll cost, but wheels are in motion.

"The drive is there. I’m positive this is going to happen," said Bob Whitehall, Entiat’s public works director.

Susan Driver became Entiat’s community development director last October, after working as a consultant on the riverfront project.

She said Entiat’s enthusiasm for the project — both from city officials and the public —

got her hooked.

"It’s really exciting. It’s an empty canvas," she said. "I remember when (former) Mayor Wendell Black first drove me out here. He made me walk it and said, ‘This is what I see.’ He laid it all out for me. I just said, ‘Wow!’ "

Whitehall, current Mayor Keith Vradenburg and other longtime residents have been working on their vision for a new town for more than a decade.

They remember the vibrancy of the "old" Entiat — a townsite along the old Highway 10 that was submerged around 1960, when Rocky Reach Dam was built.

"They want their town back," Driver said.

In the mid-1990s, the city leased the shoreline now slated for its new riverfront development to Pipkin Construction of East Wenatchee as a gravel quarry.

Over the years, the company has mined gravel, gradually nibbling away at a wide strip of shoreline and lowering it by some 40 feet — much closer to river level.

A brand new $4 million sewage-treatment center began operating in March and has the capacity to handle city growth.

With a new federal license to operate Rocky Reach Dam, the PUD plans to invest some $6.5 million to renovate its oldest park — Entiat City Park, boat launch and campground.

Construction should begin by early 2012. When the park is complete, the PUD will take over maintenance, although the city will operate the camping area.

Driver says a land swap is in the works to exchange a portion of city-owned property that divides the PUD’s park area with a like-sized portion the PUD owns in the gravel-quarry area.

The swap will give the city a near-continuous swath of its desired riverfront and the PUD total ownership of the land in its park area.

The city will purchase the rest of the shoreline it needs — approximately 10 acres — from private landowners to complete its riverfront real estate. Surveying is in progress.

Plans call for a new road along that length of shoreline. It’ll become Entiat’s new Main Street commercial district with direct access to the river.

A traffic circle will mark its entrance, just off Highway 97A. City Hall could relocate nearby.

A 40-slip marina is planned at the southern end of the development between the shoreline and narrow strip of island. Driver expects to submit permitting documents next month.

"The marina will be the key to the whole thing," Whitehall said. "People who recreate out here would love to own something out here. It’s definitely known to waterskiers."

The plan also calls for a pedestrian trail that will begin at the PUD’s park, extend north along the shoreline to approximately Pine Meadows Road, cross Highway 97A, join pathways that already exist at the Columbia Breaks Fire Interpretive Center and then double back to the south, passing through town and completing an 8- to 10-mile loop at the Entiat River.

For now, the city seeks to retain its riverfront shoreline, and hopes to issue long-term leases and incentives to private developers who’d build along the new riverfront Main Street.

In October, the public got its first look at Seattle design firm ESA Adolfson’s conceptual drawings for the riverfront.

"It’s very urban," Driver said. "But this is the feel the community wants. Thirty to 80 people showed up for meetings to see the plan and loved it. I didn’t hear one contentious comment."

Entiat, population 1,170, was catching on as a prime vacation-home spot when the recession slammed the brakes on growth.

But developers have subdivided some 400 lots on former orchard property. As businesses locate in Entiat, jobs will lure people in.

Growth, they say, is coming.

Whitehall: "With the way the economy has changed over the last year, we’re just primed here for the turnaround."

Driver: "When people are ready to start building again ..."

Whitehall: "We’ll be ready."

Published: Thursday, July 23, 2009
Lake Stevens annexation approved for vote

The city's proposal could add 10,000 people.

By Bill Sheets
The Everett Herald (http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20090723/NEWS01/707239893#Lake.Stevens.annexation.approved.for.vote)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2141/2447950062_f7e1317568.jpg
(Lake Stevens could soon have 10,000 new citizens.)

LAKE STEVENS — The way has been cleared for more than 10,000 people to vote this fall if they’d like to become part of Lake Stevens.

The Snohomish County Boundary Review Board recently gave the go-ahead to the city, allowing it to place the southwest annexation proposal on the Nov. 3 ballot.

The area is south of Frontier Village and between the lake, Highway 204 and extending south of 20th Street SE. The 9-square-mile unincorporated Snohomish County area is home to 10,061 people.

If the annexation is approved, Lake Stevens would grow by more than two-thirds, from its current population of 14,553 to 24,614.

The Boundary Review Board voted 3-0 on July 7 to allow the annexation to go to the ballot, board clerk Marsha Carlsen said.

Appeals may still be filed with the board for 30 days after that date, or through Aug. 6, Carlsen said.

City officials are pursuing the addition partly for the same reason cities such as Marysville, Mukilteo and Lynnwood are looking at large annexations in the near future. The state is offering a tax rebate to cities for every 10,000 people added at once, under a law that expires next year.

Lake Stevens would get about $230,000 right off the bat from the rebate, city administrator Jan Berg said.

The city and Snohomish County have reached three agreements related to the annexation, Berg said.

One involves improvements being made by the county to 20th Street NE. If the annexation is approved, the city agrees to pay the county $1 million over the first two years and $2 million sometime in the future toward the $60 million cost. The amount would make up for the county no longer collecting its road tax in the area, Berg said.

The county also would continue billing and collecting for storm-water management in the southwest area in 2010 even if the annexation is approved, to avoid problems in an abrupt turnover at the end of the year. The city would take over administrative duties in 2011.

Third, the city has agreed to pitch in on payments to a county diking district to handle water runoff from Frontier Village, whether the annexation is approved or not, Berg said. Currently, Snohomish County makes the payments although Frontier Village is in the city of Lake Stevens.

Bill Sheets: 425-339-3439; sheets@heraldnet.com.

Dome District Rail Design Meeting - July 27th
July 22, 2009, 16:07 by Derek Young
Tacoma's Exit133 (http://www.exit133.com/5405/dome-district-rail-design-meeting-july-27th)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2094/2447075229_10ec791e5f.jpg
(Tacoma's light rail system has a planned expansion to Lakewood.)

TACOMA- As many of you are aware Sound Transit is planning to build a new rail line through the south side of downtown Tacoma. While this will allow for the Sounder to reach Lakewood, the physical creation of this rail line will fundamentally alter the landscape of the Dome District. Representatives from the Dome District have raised a number of issues about the design and have provided alternatives. As a result, and after a rising tide of concern from some citizens, organizations, and elected officials, the Sound Transit Board is looking to meet with the community next week to explain the basis for the recommended design and address the design alternative.
The meeting will begin with a presentation. It will be immediately followed by a walk of the proposed route.

Details
Monday, July 27th at 9:00 am
Freighthouse Square’s Link Operations Base Conference Room
802 E. 25th Street[/i]

City to revisit plan to shrink Summitview Avenue

BY CHRIS BRISTOL / 7-23-2009
YAKIMA HERALD-REPUBLIC (http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2009/07/22/city-to-revisit-plan-to-shrink-summitview-avenue)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center
http://img32.imageshack.us/img32/1883/ajmsummitviewyakima.jpg
(Summitview Avenue in Yakima.)
(http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)


YAKIMA, Wash. -- Acting on citizen complaints, the Yakima City Council has agreed to review the city's plan to restripe a stretch of Summitview Avenue from four lanes to three.

"It might be troublesome to all," Mayor Dave Edler said Tuesday, noting that he and other members of the City Council had personally received complaints about the work.

At issue is a stretch of Summitview from 72nd Avenue to 96th Avenue in the growing West Valley area of Yakima. The city also plans to restripe a stretch of 56th Avenue north of Summitview in a similar fashion.

Both roads currently are four lanes wide -- two lanes in each direction. City traffic engineers want to reduce Summitview in the area in question to three lanes -- one in each direction plus a turn lane.

Known as road or lane diets, these reconfigurations are usually targeted for roads that make sitting ducks out of motorists trying to turn left. The city also wants to improve the intersection at 72nd Avenue, which is expected to become more congested when the Wal-Mart superstore opens.

But after reading a July 14 article in the Yakima Herald-Republic about the road project, several West Valley residents showed up at Tuesday's City Council meeting to complain.

A common prediction was that traffic will get stuck behind slow-moving fruit trucks and school buses that make frequent stops.

"One truck traveling under the posted speed limit will now hold up all the traffic," complained Mark Needham of Yakima, who said he drives west on Summitview seven days a week.

David Bush, a teacher at Eisenhower High School, predicted his commute from west Yakima will grow if he leaves for work even two minutes later than usual and gets stuck behind school buses.

"It's going to take me 20, 25 minutes to get to Eisenhower when it should take 10," he told the council.

Others questioned whether the city performed traffic counts or analyzed crash data. Also at issue is a plan to add bike lanes.

Casey Kitt, who lives on Amber Crest Place, said he thinks bicyclists should use Tieton Drive, which already has bike lanes.

"I don't think there's any added danger with four lanes," he told the council. "In fact, it makes it easier to get around the bicycles."

Not everyone was against the plan.

Bill Huibregtse, a retired civil engineer, predicted traffic would move just fine.

"It's not a bad design," he said, "it's just a different design than what's been there before."

Public Works Director Chris Waarvick, meanwhile, said he was ready to tackle the topic right then and there.

"It is not a highway," he said of Summitview. Despite the speed limit being posted at 35 mph, Waarvick said, "on this stretch of road, people drive fast."

After some awkward moments, the council referred the plan to a transportation subcommittee chaired by Councilman Micah Cawley for further review.

Cawley noted for the record that his committee endorsed the Public Works plan last month, but that he wanted the panel to revisit it "instead of throwing staff under the bus, so to speak."

"The questions were asked: What about fruit trucks, what about buses, what about this, what about that," Cawley said. "It was given probably a good 40-some minute discussion if not longer on 'what are the effects of this.' "

The Transit and Transportation Planning Committee will convene at 4 p.m. Wednesday. The public is encouraged to attend.



*Chris Bristol can be reached at 509-577-7748 or cbristol@yakimaherald.com

Bremerton Tunnel Has Fans Among Commuters, Business Owners

By Ed Friedrich / The Kitsap Sun (http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2009/jul/22/downtown-bremerton-tunnel-catching-on/)
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2641/3741122444_29216ded74.jpg
(Bremerton's downtown ferry tunnel is winning many over.)


BREMERTON —

The Bremerton tunnel, open more than two weeks, is winning over detractors.

Many still complain about the $54 million price tag and profess that there were better uses for the money. Those points became moot when the tunnel, which carries ferry traffic under downtown, opened on July 6. The emphasis shifted to whether the 959-foot structure is achieving the desired results.

The tunnel was built primarily to give pedestrians safe and easy access to the redeveloped Harborside area. Another goal was to get cars more quickly off the ferries and through downtown. Both missions have been accomplished, many of those affected by the project believe.

Jerry Harless of South Kitsap said the conflict between pedestrians and cars has largely been tamed.

“As a walk-off passenger arriving at 5:20, I have found that the traffic on Washington is much reduced and much safer where I cross on Fourth,” he said. “I also noticed that the buses clear out sooner, and this also helps my crossing and subsequent exit from town.”

Getting out of town is also easier for ferry commuters because they go straight from the boat, through the tunnel, to Burwell Street. Some say they’re getting home 10 to 20 minutes earlier.

Frank Gentile, operations manager for the Bremerton Area Chamber of Commerce, said there are still glitches. There’s a blind spot turning left from Park Avenue onto Burwell, the traffic lights going up Burwell should stay green longer, and it’s hard for cars coming out of the tunnel to merge out of the right-turn-only lane.

Brenden Clarke, project engineer for the state Department of Transportation, said crews from both the city and the state have been adjusting the Burwell signals at both Park Avenue and Warren.

“It’s hard to tweak it much more than we already have, he said. “At this point we’re pretty dialed in.”

Clarke said the state feared that too many drivers heading toward Manette and East Bremerton would all turn at Park or all at Warren, causing a traffic jam, but the state has monitored the patterns closely and found an even split, Clarke said.

The reason they’re turning there is because ferry traffic is no longer allowed to get off the boat and turn right at Washington Avenue. People are split over that. Manette resident John Rogstad, for example, loves it; neighbor Kim Beckett doesn’t.

“The brilliance of the tunnel is that we avoid the pedestrians and buses and the congestion and the associated frustration,” said Rogstad. “You got off the ferry and always had to guess who was going to cross and who wasn’t, who had the courage and who stood on principle. It’s all gone now.”

Beckett says not being able to turn on Washington makes no sense.

“Why should I have to drive into rush-hour traffic to get to the other side of town?” she asked. “Routing me to Park Avenue and Sixth Street isn’t the safest or most pleasing place to be late at night, especially when I could drive up past the new Harborside district and directly home.”

Another complaint was the tunnel was forcing drivers away from businesses. Dawne Kieser, who operates two Cornerstone Coffee shops downtown, said it hasn’t hurt her traffic.

“People are quick to say they don’t like the tunnel, but from a business owner’s standpoint, I haven’t heard that it’s affected their business,” she said.

Drivers leaving the ferry can see Hampton Inn, but they can’t get there without driving several blocks out of the way.

“We’re not happy with the situation,” said General Manager Ryan Rydalch. “People use our hotel because of the convenience of getting off the ferry and right to the hotel.”

Rydalch said the city at least put up signs directing visitors to the hotel.

More Lanes in Monroe

BY POLLY KEARY, The Monroe Monitor (http://www.monroemonitor.com/Issues/072109issue/story1.html)
July 23, 2009
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

MONROE - To every driver who has waited at Chain Lake Road and U.S. Hwy. 2 with teeth gritted, unable to turn right because the person ahead was going straight and had to wait for a light : Good news. Relief is coming.
Stimulus money from the federal government is paying for a whole new set of lanes that will make traffic move through faster.

“It’s fully funded,” said Monroe traffic engineer Maggie Brown Wednesday. “They think we will get our actual funding in mid-August.”

The project is one of several to be funded in the county as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, better known as the stimulus package. It is part of the first wave of traffic projects in the nation to be funded.

At first, it didn’t look like Monroe would get the money. Other Snohomish County traffic projects made the list, But the Chain Lake intersection was put on a wait-and-see list. If there was enough extra money after the first projects were funded, Monroe might get lucky.

Because of the economic downturn, Monroe got lucky. Projects and engineering costs have dropped as demand has dropped. As a result, the other projects were cheaper than expected. There was enough left to get Monroe on the list.

The money, nearly $3 million, will pay for construction of a southbound right turn lane and a second left turn lane on Chain Lake Road, additional right-turn-only lanes for both eastbound and westbound traffic on U.S. 2 and a second northbound through lane and second left turn lane on Lewis Street.

“It’s nice to see that money coming here, regardless of how you feel about it,” said city councilman Geoffrey Thomas. “It’s very controversial.”

The project should get underway just as soon as the money arrives, meaning people could be working as soon as late August, said Brown. It is projected to take 140 construction days to complete the project.

Not only will the project bring traffic relief, it will bring a little financial relief to the city, too, as some of the materials will be bought and taxed within Monroe, noted Thomas.

“About $80,000 in sales tax will come to Monroe,” he said. “A portion will benefit our area...I’m very happy to see that.”

City of Lake Stevens continues hope for joint planning with Snohomish

by BY PAM STEVENS | The Lake Stevens Journal (http://www.lakestevensjournal.com/news/article.exm/2009-07-21_city_of_l_s__continues_hope_for_joint_planning_with_snohomish)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3204/3140539180_40932d6a2b.jpg
(Downtown Snohomish.)

LAKE STEVENS- Almost 1,000 acres of land located near the intersection of Highway 2 and State Route 9 has been on the forefront of both the City of Lake Stevens and the City of Snohomish.

The land has huge commercial growth potential and has been in the City of Lake Stevens Comprehensive Plan for over a decade.

A developer approached the City of Snohomish, over a year ago, with plans to develop 375 acres of the property.

Since then, neither Lake Stevens nor Snohomish has been able to agree on where the land should be split and how it should be divided.

After an attempt at mediation failed, the Snohomish City Council adopted a resolution to move ahead in the land use planning of the area. This was done without public input.

The City of Lake Stevens was concerned that the resolution amounted to an illegal change in Snohomish’s comprehensive plan and took the matter to the Central Puget Sound Growth Management Hearings Board.

“We believe that public input is a requirement of land use planning and are very troubled by this ruling,” Lake Stevens City Administrator Jan Berg said. “It allows the City of Snohomish to circumvent the public process and do land use planning by merrily passing a resolution overnight.”

While the board ruled that the resolution does not claim that Snohomish has control over the land and does not change their comprehensive plan, they did chastise Snohomish for their assertive language within the resolution.

Snohomish uses very aggressive ‘present’ language and ‘the parties would do well not to use language that is incendiary in nature’, the board said.

Last Monday, July 13, the Lake Stevens City Council was presented with the decision made by the review board and made the choice to continue to campaign for joint planning with Snohomish City.

“After listening to their options, Councilmember John Spencer made a motion that although they would probably be successful in challenging the decision, they wanted to spend the resources and time to offer up joint planning again,” Berg said. “We want to be able to plan the entire area that hopefully both of us can live with.”

Stehekin calling
The Wenatchee World / AP (http://wenatcheeworld.com/article/20090723/NEWS04/707239907/-1/PRINTINDEX?Stehekin-calling)
Posted July 23, 2009
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3008/2804145341_7428031ffc.jpg
(The isolated village of Stehekin is not as isolated anymore.)

STEHEKIN — The National Park Service will allow a telephone company to use public land to bring service to Stehekin.

It sits within the Lake Chelan National Recreation Area, which is managed by North Cascades National Park in North Central Washington.

A small telephone company, WeavTel, has been pursuing a chance to install telephone service there for years, despite opposition from some residents who don't want it. About 80 people live there year-round.

The Park Service announced Thursday it is issuing a permit to allow WeavTel to install and operate a wireless system. If the wireless system is ineffective, the agency will issue a permit to allow the burial of fiber-optic cable on public lands.

WeavTel owners could not be reached this morning to talk about the announcement.

But Cliff Courtney, who owns the Stehekin Valley Ranch and operates other Stehekin businesses with his family, said he believes the decision will eventually have a profound impact on the small resort community that's only accessible by boat, plane or trail.

"I can comfortably say the majority of the valley remains opposed to this service. It is a massively subsidized telephone service that is neither needed or desired," he said by telephone from Chelan.

Courtney said residents are not as much opposed to having telephones as they are to subsidizing a phone company to bring the service to the remote area.

"We live in a remote area, and we do that because we want to at least pretend to be self-sufficient," he said. "It takes away the independent spirit of Stehekin, and pretty soon everybody is on the dole."

Courtney said with cheaper phone service available, he fears everyone — even his businesses — will get subscribed to the new phone service, supported through government subsidies.

World staff writer K.C. Mehaffey contributed to this report.

Published: Saturday, July 25, 2009
Future of Tulalip tribal leases unclear

Nontribal members will have to wait a bit longer to get answers about the status of their leases.

By Krista J. Kapralos
The Everett Herald (http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20090725/NEWS01/707259944&news01ad=1#Future.of.Tulalip.tribal.leases.unclear)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3447/3354276041_7aeb00a5b3.jpg
(Tulalip's; land on lease.)

TULALIP — There were lots of questions but few answers at a meeting this week about the Tulalip Tribes’ plans for how they intend to use reservation land.

The tribal government’s draft Comprehensive Land Use Plan encompasses the 22,000 acres within the historic boundaries of the Tulalip Indian Reservation, including land owned by non-Indians.

Several dozen people packed into a conference room at the Tulalip Hotel, many with questions about whether the tribal government plans to renew land leases for non-Indians. John Hardy, who moved with his wife four years ago to a home on leased land on Totem Beach Loop, asked the tribal Planning Commission if there is anything that can be done to extend leases.

Hardy’s lease, like many of the leases along the reservation’s waterfront, is set to end in 2012. Hardy received a letter from the tribal government stating that he can choose to extend it one final time, until 2027.

Bill Shelton, chairman of the Tulalip Planning Commission, told Hardy that the meeting was meant to collect comments and questions that would be answered in a report at a later date. None of the commission’s members were prepared Wednesday to respond to comments or questions.

From there, most of the more than a dozen people who had signed up to speak declined to comment.

It’s not clear when the tribal planning department will release the report in response to the comments. It’s also not clear what role, if any, Snohomish County’s planners will have in the process.

County planners asked the tribal government for extra time to review the land-use plan, said Larry Adamson, the county’s acting planning director.

“We’re looking for ways to jointly plan deeded, nontribal land and we will try to address that in our review,” Adamson said in an e-mail.

Gus Taylor, public works director for the Tulalip Tribes, said in an e-mail that he could not comment on the process around the development of the plan.

Leaseholders and other non-Indian reservation residents said Wednesday that the meeting did little to assuage their fears that they will be forced out of their homes.

“When we first came, we had an automatically renewable lease,” said Bruce McNeil, who has lived on leased land on Totem Beach Road for 32 years.

McNeil assumed the tribe would continue renewing the leases for generations to come.

“Now,” he said, “we feel stupid.”

POSTED: Saturday, Jul. 25, 2009

Whatcom County Council passes growth decision to Kremen
JARED PABEN - THE BELLINGHAM HERALD (http://www.bellinghamherald.com/102/story/1001011.html)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/154/429626058_8fe069cc56.jpg
(According to Pete Kremen, Bellingham will grow slower, and smaller towns like Lyden, shown above, will grow more.)

BELLINGHAM - County Executive Pete Kremen will provide his preferred vision for the next two decades of population and business growth, after the County Council asked him for a recommendation.
The County Council on Tuesday, July 21, voted 6-1, with member Sam Crawford opposed, to ask the executive to present what's called a "preferred alternative" for growth over the next two decades. That alternative, which includes how many new residents the county will get and where they'll go, will be extensively studied.
The alternative is part of an effort by Whatcom County to review and update its urban growth areas for Birch Bay, Columbia Valley, Cherry Point and each of the seven cities. The county is more than two years late doing the state-mandated update, and a state growth board has given the county a Dec. 1 deadline.

Planners had presented the council with three growth options on Tuesday, before the council voted to ask for Kremen's recommendation.
Kremen said they're "very difficult, thorny issues" and he'll feel gratified if he can help the council come to a conclusion that will benefit the community. But he also accused the council of being unwilling to do its job and make a decision, instead punting the issue to him.
The effort has already taken roughly 1,600 hours of staff time, and the request to him will just require more time, he said, adding that he'll have a recommendation as soon as possible.
"The fact that this is an election year may contribute to the reason why the council punted to the administration," he said. "If the council's unable to come up with a plan, it's incumbent upon me to do what I can to help achieve that goal and objective.
"If they're going to ask for the executive's opinion, whatever recommendation comes forward I hope that it's taken seriously," he added.
Council members said they didn’t want to settle on one plan because it would appear they were making up their minds on a final plan before the public has had a chance to weigh in.
“It is inappropriate for the Council to state or even appear to have a preferred alternative before the entire public process, including public hearings, have occurred,” council member Carl Weimer wrote.
The county's review has looked at how much land is available to develop in each urban growth area and how much more or less is needed to accommodate the next two decades of growth.
The county and cities have looked at several options, but an advisory group called the Growth Management Coordinating Council, which has elected officials from the county and each city, has settled on one option. That option mirrors what each of the cities formally asked for.
The coordinating council stressed that the county should respect the cities' requests and stated that planning should be a "bottom-up decision-making process."
In a letter from Lynden, Ferndale, Blaine, Sumas, Nooksack and Everson to county government, small cities' leaders said if the county ignores the small cities' recommendations, then they'll have to band together and legally challenge the county.
"To throw out this hard work is a reflection of what we believe is a total disrespect for the desires of the small cities," the letter states.
County Planning Director David Stalheim told County Council members on Tuesday that Kremen supports most of the coordinating council's recommendations. Kremen hasn't said whether he supports other recommendations, Stalheim said.
Here are some of the coordinating council's recommendations:
Another 61,000 people over the next two decades. That's more new residents than some people wanted, including the local chapter of anti-sprawl group Futurewise, which argued that fewer residents should be accommodated to retain a high quality of life.
Rural areas should receive less than 15 percent of population growth, and it calls for continued efforts to slow growth in rural and agricultural lands.
Less growth in Bellingham and more in the smaller cities. "The days when most of the employment and jobs are in Bellingham are becoming a thing of the past," according to the letter from the small cities. "Smart growth, smart governance, and smart people all realize that vibrant, economically stable small cities are the key to not only preserving but actually expanding the quality of life for all of the citizens in Whatcom County."
Here's what it recommends specifically:
Bellingham: Another 23,771 residents. In 2008, it had 46.7 percent of the county's population. It would take 37.8 percent of new growth during the next 20 years.
Birch Bay: 4,329 new residents; had 2.8 percent of population; would get 6.9 percent of new growth.
Blaine: 4,700 new residents; had 3 percent of population; would get 7.5 percent of new growth.
Columbia Valley: 1,076 residents; 2.1 percent; 1.7 percent new growth.
Everson: 1,948; 1.3 percent; 3.1 percent new growth. Ferndale: 8,687; 6.3 percent; 13.8 percent new growth.
Lynden: 7,414; 6.1 percent; 11.8 percent new growth.
Nooksack: 1,159; 0.6 percent; 1.8 percent new growth.
Sumas: 793; 0.7 percent; 1.3 percent new growth.
Rural areas: 9,074; 30.5 percent; 14.4 percent new growth.

So far, so good in Douglas County
By Travis Hay
The Wenatchee World (http://wenatcheeworld.com/article/20090708/NEWS04/707089881/-1/NEWS54?So-far--so-good-in-Douglas-County) staff writer
Edited July 25, 2009 / AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/60/190689063_8343d070f0.jpg
(Douglas County Seat, Waterville.)

WATERVILLE — Douglas County officials are grateful for an unplanned revenue spike that lifted the county budget into the black, but they’re wary of what could be in store for 2010.

County Auditor Thad Duvall told the county’s elected officials that expenses and revenues are meeting expectation while cautioning them to be aware of next year’s budget during a meeting Monday.

"We’re holding pretty steady compared to other counties in the state," Commissioner Ken Stanton said. "Everyone is holding on pretty tight to the reins because right now we’re looking good but we’re not sure what we’ll be looking at for 2010 yet."

Revenue for the county as of the end of May is at $5,642,000. This year’s budget calls for $12,153,000 in revenue.

Although income from building permits is down compared to previous years, one of the budgetary bright spots has been an unexpected increase in tax revenue, which has helped the budget stay in the black. Stanton said the increase is likely due to the T-Mobile data center on the Sabey Corp. campus near Pangborn Memorial Airport.

He said while the one-time unexpected bump in tax revenue has been helpful, lengthy criminal trials, wildfires or other unplanned events can have the exact opposite effect on the budget.

"You can never be super confident about these things because there are a lot of factors that we have no control over that can have a big impact," said Stanton.

He said commissioners are beginning the budget planning process in August. In previous years the process began in late September or early October. This year’s early start is in anticipation of having to figure out a way to balance next year’s budget.

"We’re certainly not out of the woods and we could be looking at layoffs in 2010 but that is something we won’t know until we see a preliminary budget," he said.

Douglas County Prosecutor Steve Clem said budgetary concerns have not affected day-to-day operations in his department.

"For us it has really been business as usual," said Douglas County Prosecutor Steve Clem. "But we’ve been operating on a baseline budget for years and I haven’t hired a new employee since 1995."

Including Clem, the prosecuting attorney’ office has seven full-time employees and one part-time worker whose salary is paid by a grant. Clem added that although it appears his department is in the clear this year, he knows changes could come next year.

"We all know there will have to be some belt-tightening for 2010," he said.

Commissioner Dale Snyder echoed Stanton’s comments about potential cuts that may need to be made.

"We aren’t specifically talking cuts at the moment, but last year we had to put everything on the table to balance the budget and this year I am sure we will have to do the same," he said.

In anticipation of the current budgetary woes, last year commissioners cut several services including reducing snowplowing in rural areas, reducing the days building inspectors work in the north part of the county and trimming animal control costs. Commissioners also increased property tax revenues by 1 percent, used government assistance funds, shifted money from the road fund to the sheriff’s office and started charging rent to the Transportation and Land Services Department at the 19th Street Public Services Building in East Wenatchee.

Snyder said commissioners plan to work with the county’s finance department to create a budget for 2010 that includes projected numbers reflecting a decline in revenue and potential decline in services.

"It’s a lot better to be proactive than reactive," he said. "We want to have a plan ready to go to instead of having to tell people they have to slash and burn and cut 5 percent across the board. I hope we don’t have to implement it but it is something that is better to have than not to have."

Travis Hay: 665-1169

hay@wenatcheeworld.com

Columbia Bank to open in Vancouver's new Angelo building
Friday, July 24 | 11:19 a.m.
BY LIBBY TUCKER AND CAMI JONER
The Columbian (http://columbian.com/article/20090724/NEWS02/907249992/Columbia+Bank+to+open+in+Vancouver+s+new+Angelo+building)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center

http://img403.imageshack.us/img403/5300/ajmangelovancouver.jpg
(The new Angelo Building in downtown Vancouver, Washington.) (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

VANCOUVER - Columbia Banking System Inc. has announced it will open its first Clark County branch in downtown Vancouver's newest high rise.

The Al Angelo Co. has nearly finished construction on the first of two buildings planned for its $57 million 400 Mill Plain Center. The Tacoma-based bank plans to open a full-service commercial branch in its ground floor. The bank will occupy 4,400 square feet before the end of the year.

"We've wanted to come to Vancouver for a long time," said Mark Brandon, a senior vice president of Columbia Bank in Oregon and Southwest Washington.

The bank, which specializes in commercial business loans, has already begun lending in Clark County, he said. The new branch will also offer consumer and private banking services.

It's no accident that Columbia Bank is moving into the heart of Vancouver's financial district. The failure in January of Bank of Clark County has created an opportunity for other community banks to grab a slice of its former market share.

"It's a strategic play," Brandon said.

Columbia Bank's new branch will be part of a gradual transformation in Vancouver's downtown financial district. Nearby iQ Credit Union in May moved into its newly completed $10.5 million headquarters at 1313 Main St. Umpqua Bank is just a few blocks away in Bank of Clark County's former building and the longtime headquarters of First Independent Bank are also within walking distance.

Meanwhile, space is gradually filling up in Angelo's $18 million building. A naturopathic medical office is expected to lease the space opposite of Columbia Bank on the ground floor, said Brett Irons, a commercial real estate agent with Coldwell Banker Commercial Jenkins-Bernhardt Associates in Vancouver.

The Al Angelo Co. will take up the top floor of the building, said Craig Angelo, a principal in the family-owned company.

"Each floor contains about 10,000 square feet of leasable space," Irons said. An un-named mortgage company is expected to lease about 5,000 square feet in the building's third floor.

Brandon, a former executive vice president of First Independent Bank, will bring with him a new management team, including two former executives from Wells Fargo and one from the Bank of Clark County. He also plans to hire 12 new employees at the branch.

Columbia Bank operates 55 branches in Oregon and Washington, with its closest locations in Woodland and Portland. In 2007, it bought Town Center Bank in Portland and operates its three branches under the Columbia Bank name. Columbia also purchased Bank of Astoria in 2004 and its six branches kept that name.

Columbia Bank contributed $21 million to its loan-loss reserve in the second quarter, anticipating further losses on its nonperforming residential and commercial construction loans. As a result, the bank lost $6.6 million in the second quarter this year compared to a net income of $1.9 million a year ago. But it remains well-capitalized with more than $3 billion in assets and $1.2 billion of liquidity.

[b]Top Projects reflect industry trends
Builders look to go "green" to get through construction slump

BY GINA BACON for the The Vancouver Business Journal (http://www.vbjusa.com/stories/2009-07-24/top_projects_reflect_industry_trends.html)

July 24th, 2009

AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3356/3621469348_7dba68e5ab.jpg
(The Angelo Building in downtown Vancouver.)



VANCOUVER- Despite such high-profile exceptions as the Angelo Building at Mill Plain Center, the Sifton Industrial Park and the Agave headquarters in Ridgefield, commercial construction in Clark County continues to struggle.

Even though remodels, renovations and public infrastructure projects are helping to buoy the industry, construction statistics paint a stark picture of an economic recession hitting local development hard. And while local industry leaders are seeing some market improvements, they don't see the trend changing rapidly.
Submitted

"At this time the stats are telling the truth," said Jeff Woodside, Nutter Corporation vice chair. "There are few major projects other than governmental infrastructure on the horizon in Clark County."

Woodside said he doesn't see the trend changing anytime soon.

Applications for single family residential building permits in the first quarter of 2009 were the lowest in a decade, according to Marty Snell, director of Clark County Community Development.

According to Clark County figures, total construction valuation declined 53 percent from the first quarter of 2008, with commercial construction valuation at $20 million - down 35 percent from last year.

Commercial construction projects made up 56 percent of the total valuation for the quarter, which despite the decrease, is the highest commercial-to-residential percentage in a decade.

Statewide trends reflect similar patterns, with residential building permits falling from 2,425 in May 2008, to 1,189 permits in May 2009, according to data presented by the Building Industry Association of Washington.

Year-to-date residential building permits in Cowlitz County dropped from 27 in May 2008 to five in May 2009. In Skamania County, the number dropped from five residential building permits to just two during the same period this year.

Tim Schauer, president of Wilsonville, Ore.-based construction consultants MacKay & Sposito Inc., says he's seeing an uptick in development, but believes that much of the new construction is related to federal and state relief funds.

Schauer predicted a slow return to optimism regarding new construction projects in the next six to 12 months.

One consequence of the current construction downturn has been the emergence of new projects with a focus on multiple uses and savings on everything from building materials and energy.

Several of the commercial buildings making VBJ's Top Projects list this year, such as the $3.8 million, 74,500 square-foot Sifton Industrial Park, feature open beam construction and green design. Another project making the list, the Angelo Building, is the first of a two-phase $57 million project certified by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) accredited by the nonprofit U.S. Green Building Council.

Not to be outdone on the sustainable construction front, the $1.8 million Agave building project features pre-engineered steel, pre-painted exterior architectural panels and energy efficient heating, cooling and insulation.

Another common trend in new commercial projects is an emergence of mixed-use spaces, combining offices with retail and other commercial facilities, such as Washougal Town Square (see story on pg. 8).

But green building practices may not be enough to get ailing construction projects through the slump.

There are signs that population growth - a big engine for development over the last decade in Southwest Washington for over a decade - has begun to stall.

The Washington State Department of Licensing reported a ten percent year-to-year decrease in the number of out-of-state licenses "surrendered" in the first quarter of 2009.

Old growth experiment in Willapa
BY GREG GARRISON
The Aberdeen Daily World News (http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2009/07/25/local_news/doc4a69eeec4c14e372541837.txt)
Friday, July 24, 2009 12:28 PM PDT
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3084/2682401601_f73cf99118.jpg
(A major test is being conducted with Old Growth forest in parts of Western Washington.)

Perched on a dirt road between stands of densely packed hemlocks and cedars, Tom Kollasch points to one of the parcels he plans to have commercially thinned. “We’re just waiting for timber prices to go back up,” he says.

Nothing unusual here. He’s certainly not the only person in Pacific County with timber harvesting interests.

Except Kollasch is an environmentalist.

He works for The Nature Conservancy. He manages operations on a property called the Ellsworth Creek Preserve.

As part of their wide-ranging forest restoration efforts, Kollasch and his Ellsworth Creek team are conducting an experiment on this 8,000-acre preserve in the Willapa Hills.

At Ellsworth Creek, scientists and foresters are testing the theory that perhaps just leaving a forest alone — passive management, as Willapa forester Bill Lecture calls it — isn’t enough to undo the alterations caused by decades of logging.

Rather, they believe the best way to return a forest to its original, old-growth state may be by using a more calculated form of logging. They believe it’s necessary to thin out cramped stands of hemlocks or replanted Douglas firs to create a more balanced mix of species that resembles what an old-growth forest looks like.

The project’s findings may provide the model for a new type of forest management one that blends both economic and ecological interests.



Lecture envisions a model for landowners who want to restore forests, but who also want to generate income through harvesting timber in the process.

About 300 acres of old-growth forest remain within the Ellsworth Creek Preserve. Its jagged canopy can be seen peeking out above the thinner, younger conifers that blanket most of the property.

This unlogged swath includes 1,000-year-old cedars, 500-year-old spruce and 200-year-old hemlocks. The forest provides habitat for wildlife, including the marbled murrelet, a threatened seabird that nests on the large branches of cedars.

It was this old growth section that first attracted The Nature Conservancy, a nonprofit environmental group. But rather than only purchasing those 300 acres, the group decided to buy the entire watershed. While similar forest-thinning operations are going on elsewhere in the Northwest, few have so much terrain to work with.

“What’s unique about Ellsworth is that we’re experimenting at a rather large scale,” Kollasch said.

Surrounding the preserve’s pocket of old-growth forest are nearly 7,500 acres that were logged by landowners before the Conservancy bought the land.

The logging practice of clear-cutting diverse forests and replanting the land with one dominant, lucrative species, Lecture says, has created forests cramped with weaker trees that don’t provide proper wildlife habitat.

These younger trees are growing close together, at an average of 1,500 trees per acre. An ideal old-growth forest has about 60 to 100 trees per acre.

When trees are packed too close together, Lecture said, they don’t have the space to grow strong.

The Conservancy plans to selectively thin portions of the preserve while leaving other sections alone to serve as a “control.”

After 10 years, they will begin to compare the thinned sections with the areas that were left alone.

The idea is to create a more diverse mix of species and allow for more space between trees.

Private forest landowners may like the idea of restoration, but few could afford to forfeit potential timber income.

Kollasch and Lecture understand this.

“No landowner will follow this example if all we did is pour privately funded dollars into it,” Kollasch said.

That’s why the Conservancy is making sure the Ellsworth Creek project pays for itself. The group has 575 acres marked for thinning. Further commercial thinning also is planned.

Lecture said the money made from those operations will help pay for various habitat enhancement projects on the preserve, such as decommissioning old roads.

Lecture, who was operations manager for the Clatsop State Forest in Oregon for more than 30 years, was intrigued enough by the Ellsworth Creek project that he came out of retirement to work on it.

In the past, he said, there have basically been two approaches to forest management. On one side is the profit-driven commercial logging approach. On the other is the “leave-it-alone” approach.

“It’s kind of a polarizing view of forestry,” Lecture said. “We’re trying to find some middle ground.”

The group isn’t trying to change commercial logging laws.

“We’re not here to legislate new forest practice rules,” Kollasch said.

They also recognize that some environmental groups will still prefer to leave forest untouched, even if it has already been altered by logging.

“It’s a romantic notion to think if you just leave it alone it will return to its original condition,” Lecture said.

But they hope to provide a model for those who fall somewhere in the middle.

In the future, Lecture sees small woodland owners taking several hundred acres and thinning them about every 20 years.

“You have to convince them that not only is it a good idea ecologically, but it’s also a good idea economically,” he said.

Jul. 24, 2009 at 2:29pm
Former eyesore becomes downtown gem
By Steve
The Tacoma Business Examiner (http://www.businessexaminer.com/blog/eyesore-downtown-gem/)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)
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(Tacoma projects are raising the bar in the south sound.)

TACOMA- A once aging concrete parking structure at the center of Tacoma's downtown has undergone a makeover by Tacoma-based BLRB Architects that the firm hopes will not only spark discussions about design standards but about environmental stewardship.

"We wanted to put our money where our mouth is," Principal Tom Bates said. "We hope that it gets people thinking about sustainability and their own carbon footprint."

BLRB is moving its offices into the facility at the corner of 13th and Pacific Avenue starting on Monday, not only as a way to showcase the firm's practice of finding ways to revitalize rather than replace existing structure, but to also be another spark in the city's effort of building a strong, vibrant downtown, Bates said.

The firm won the contract to rehabilitate the structure two and a half years ago when City of Tacoma officials sought ways to revitalize the municipal parking garage into someplace more than a gathering of parking stalls.

The Pacific Plaza complex, the first LEED Platinum office building in Tacoma, is a public/private partnership between the City of Tacoma and BLRB Architects. Renovated to replace the outdated Park Plaza South parking garage, the new building now features street-level retail and Class A office space and a three-level parking garage.

Hyatt Regency Bellevue Opens Doors to New 733-Room Expansion with a 733 Hour Celebration
Joe Kennedy | July 20, 2009 | The Bellevue Business Journal (http://bellevuebusinessjournal.com/2009/07/20/hyatt-regency-bellevue-opens-doors-to-new-733-room-expansion-with-a-733-hour-celebration/)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)
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(The new Hyatt Expansion in Bellevue.)

BELLEVUE - On July 31, 2009, Hyatt Regency Bellevue - one of the premier Northwest hotels located on the Eastside–will complete a $185 million expansion, bringing 60,000 square feet of meeting space and 733 luxury guest rooms to the Puget Sound. To commemorate the soon-to-open second tower, Hyatt Regency Bellevue announced a “733 Hours Rate” offering 733 hours of room rates as low as $73.30.

Just two weeks away from opening the doors to its much anticipated second tower, Hyatt Regency Bellevue recently announced a spectacular summer special in celebration of its soon-to-open expansion. For approximately 733 hours (from August 1-31, 2009), the hotel will be offering 73 rooms each night for a commemoratively low rate of only $73.30 on Fridays and Saturdays and $173.30 for weekday stays Sunday through Thursday.

“We are very close to introducing one of the largest hotel ballrooms, a total of 60,000 square feet of event space and 733 beautiful guest rooms to the Puget Sound,” stated General Manager Rolf Osterwalder. “And we’re inviting our customers and community to celebrate with us with our special ‘733 Hours Rate’.”

Available on a first come, first serve basis, the “733 Hours Rate” will be available to the first 73 guests to book overnight stays between August 1 and August 31, 2009. Guests must book by August 17, 2009, reference the “733 Hours Rate,” and prepay for their stay to qualify. Reservations may be made online atwww.bellevue.hyatt.com or by calling Hyatt Hotels & Resorts at 1-800-223-1234.

Two years in the making, Hyatt Regency Bellevue broke ground in 2007 on the $185 million expansion, which will officially open to the public on July 31, 2009. The new striking and state-of-the-art 17,745 square-foot Grand Ballroom will be the largest hotel ballroom on Seattle’s Eastside and third largest in Washington State. Additionally, the 13,755 square-foot Evergreen Ballroom, a 120-seat executive auditorium and seven versatile conference suites will also be housed within the new tower.

For the past twenty years, Hyatt Regency Bellevue has been a much sought after location for community events and group meetings, a luxurious retreat for out-of-town guests, and a relaxing staycation destination for locals just looking for a night away. Bellevue is an urban oasis in an area Seattle residents call the “Eastside.” Nestled just nine miles east of the city, between Lake Washington and the Cascade Mountain Range, this tourist-friendly and picturesque city represents a vibrant fusion of dining, entertainment, shopping and diverse cultural opportunities. Guests at Hyatt Regency Bellevue are just minutes away from numerous Washington wineries, world class recreational opportunities, and the many unique attractions that have made Seattle famous.

POSTED: Sunday, Jul. 26, 2009

Kellogg Road-Cordata Parkway roundabout had highest crash rate in city in 2008
JARED PABEN - THE BELLINGHAM HERALD (http://www.bellinghamherald.com/255/story/1001517.html)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

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(Roundabouts a haven for accidents?)

BELLINGHAM - The critics of roundabouts are correct: They are magnets for crashes.
But supporters are also right: Nobody gets hurt in those crashes.
The roundabout at Cordata Parkway and West Kellogg Road had the highest crash rate in the city in 2008, Bellingham Public Works data shows. With a total of 17 crashes, the intersection had 2.63 crashes for every million vehicles entering it.
DOT: Guide Meridian roundabouts safer

That was more crashes per million vehicles than other notorious spots such as Telegraph Road by Denny's and Champion State and North State Street.
The difference is that despite all those crashes, no one was injured at the roundabout. Other places had fewer crashes but more injuries.
Here's what happened at the Cordata-Kellogg roundabout:
-- 14 of the crashes were caused by a driver not yielding to another driver in the roundabout. One was a rear-end collision and two were sideswipes in the roundabout.
-- None involved snow or ice on the street.
-- 16 of the 17 were during the daylight.
The roundabout at Cordata Parkway and Westerly Road was No. 23 on the list, with 1.02 crashes for every million vehicles. There were a total of four crashes there.
In both roundabouts nobody was hurt, which is in contrast to traditional intersections with signals, where T-bones, rear-ends and crashes caused when vehicles turn left in front of oncoming traffic injured people last year.
For example, the busy intersection of Meridian Street and Bakerview Road had 22 crashes, and 11 people were hurt in those crashes. Here's how those happened:
-- 11 were rear-end collisions with seven people were hurt in those crashes.
-- Five were caused when somebody turned left in front of oncoming traffic, resulting in three people hurt.
-- One involved a pedestrian or bicyclist, with one person hurt.
-- The other five crashes were T-bones, sideswipes and someone backing in to another car.
There's not much construction Bellingham can do to improve any of the intersections because there isn't money, said Steve Haugen, traffic operations engineer at Public Works. Many spots don't have a reasonably cost-effective solution.
For example, in 2007 the intersection just east of Telegraph Road and Meridian Street (at the driveway into Key Bank) had the highest crash rate in the city. Officials discussed closing the driveway into the bank to make it safer. They still want to do that, said Haugen.
Haugen said he wasn't surprised to see Cordata and Kellogg roundabout topping the list for 2008 because he's noticed a number of crashes there. He pointed out that two types of drivers frequently in the area - the college crowd and those living in retirement communities - have higher-than-normal crash rates.
Still the crashes there were less severe and caused no injuries.
"The societal costs are lower because you're not dealing with major accidents and major injuries and disabilities," he said. "When you start getting into T-bones and red-light running types of things, you're talking high societal costs."
He also cautioned that some of the intersections with high crash rates involve only a few crashes, so they may not be consistently bad from year to year. The intersection of East Maple and Indian streets, for example, had only three total crashes.
Bellingham police aren't planning any extra types of enforcement - which they sometimes do for seat belt usage, for example - at the roundabout or other high-crash-rate intersections, but the traffic team does regularly look at areas to focus patrols, police spokesman Mark Young said.
"I would say that roundabout enforcement could be one of those topics and one of those target areas," he said.

07/24/09
Promotional campaign ramps up in support of incorporation
By Craig Howard / The Spokane Valley Online (http://www.spokanevalleyonline.com/articles_svnews/2009/072409_pro_incorporation_supportt.html)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

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(The City of Spokane Valley has over 80,000 people. It is not part of the City of Spokane.)

SPOKANE VALLEY- Each weekday, Cary Driskell drives from his home in Spokane Valley to his office on Sprague Avenue near Bowdish Road.

Along with the usual array of flowering trees and landscaped yards, Driskell passes a growing number of red campaign signs that call for the disincorporation of the state’s seventh largest city.

It is the third such movement organized by a group called the Citizens for Disincorporation since Spokane Valley officially made the shift from an unincorporated section of Spokane County to municipal status in 2003. The vote passed in May 2002 with just over 51 percent of voters (10,272 to 9,611) approving incorporation. Four previous ballot measures had failed going back to 1990.

Driskell, the assistant city attorney since the beginning, said the latest drive has been the source of a few conversations at City Hall.

“I don’t think it changes the mood at work, but it does cause a little bit of uncertainty,” Driskell said. “Overall, I’d say our staff doesn’t appear to be too worried about it.”

Driskell said the topic of disincorporation rarely comes up when people interview for jobs with the city – a change from the level of concern raised during the first two lobbying efforts.

“Applicants would ask ‘What’s going on with this disincorporation movement? Is it going to affect my job?’” Driskell said. “We really haven’t heard that this time.”

Citizens for Disincorporation registered with the state Public Disclosure Commission on Feb. 24. The group must gather signatures from at least 50 percent of registered voters living within Spokane Valley who voted in the last election in order to place the city issue on a ballot. The signatures – over 24,000 in total – must be received within a six-month span from the start of the drive.

It is uncertain if enough signatures will be gathered in time for the November general election. Applications must be received by Aug. 11 to be included on the ballot, according to Mike McLaughlin of the Spokane County Elections Office. Running a special election would cost the group between $80,000 to $100,000.

Disincorporation organizer Sally Jackson said she has been encouraged by the amount of interest in the latest disincorporation effort.

“A lot of people are involved in this,” she said. “People keep telling me they’re amazed at the number of signs that are going up.”

As for the current number of collected signatures, Jackson said, “That’s not my job.”

Repeated messages from the Valley News Herald to the main Citizens for Disincorporation number and local developer Dean Grafos, who has supported the petition drive through a group called Friends of Spokane Valley, went unreturned.

The group’s Web site – www.disincorporatenow.com – describes how “approximately one-eighth of the Valley’s citizens actually voted for the extra layer of government.” The Web site contends that Spokane Valley residents “are receiving the same (Spokane) County services we always had, but we are now paying higher administrative costs through the city.” The incorporation movement, city opponents say, was “heavily funded by special interest and developer dollars to the tune of $190,000.”

Citizens for Disincorporation will hold its next meeting at the Spokane Valley Library on Monday, July 27, at 7 p.m.

The last Washington city to disincorporate was the small town of Elberton in Whitman County 44 years ago. The Spokane County Boundary Review Board would need to approve the grounds for disincorporation – in areas such as financial solvency and adequate urban services – before the issue goes to ballot.

The city’s Web site – www.spokanevalley.org – provides an overview of the municipal budget in a section called “City Finance 101” which features information about the allocation of property taxes, spending for capital projects and city staffing. The Web site also includes a description of the history, processes and effects of disincorporation.

Spokane Valley Mayor Richard Munson said he has been disappointed that many opponents of the city have not been willing “to work within the system for the change they feel is necessary.” He pointed out that Jackson has yet to attend a single City Council meeting.

“Why not take the time to objectively find out what’s going on in the Valley?” Munson said. “If you refuse to come to a meeting, why are you so sure things are going wrong?”

An original member of the City Council, Munson said the latest campaign against municipal government has left him feeling “disheartened.”

“I’ve dedicated six and a half years of my life to make this city successful,” he said.

Local businessman Max Johnston, a resident of the area for the last 30 years, decided to attend a meeting of the Citizens for Disincorporation about three months ago. After the meeting, he visited the city’s Web site to compare some of the information that had been presented.

“I did some reading and found out the city is financially responsible and certainly not in debt,” Johnston said.

Johnston concluded that “the city serves a valuable purpose” through improved police protection, better roads, increased representation and “keeping tax money at home.” He decided he would spend his own money to print bumper stickers that pledged support for incorporation.

“I think these disincorporation signs create a negative atmosphere,” Johnston said. “I’m glad we have a city.”

Now the Spokane Valley Business Association is distributing yard signs that closely resemble the bumper stickers. thingy Behm of SVBA said the campaign is not about creating contention with the disincorporation movement but simply “to acknowledge what the city has accomplished.”

“We have better parks and roads and code enforcement,” Behm said. “These signs are about showing support for our city.”

Change in the wind
The ebbs and flows of wind power stress the Northwest power grid
DAVID LESTER
YAKIMA HERALD-REPUBLIC (http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2009/07/25/07-26-09-wind-farm-future-dl)
7-25-2009
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

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(Wind farms more harm then good?)

In the space of one hour last month, electricity generated at wind farms in the eastern end of the Columbia River Gorge shot up by 1,000 megawatts -- enough to power some 680,000 homes.

Less than an hour later, it plummeted almost as much.

Sitting in front of 10 computer screens in a fifth-floor room of the federal Bonneville Power Administration headquarters in Portland, Kim Randolph had to react quickly.

Working from a keyboard, she diverted millions of gallons of water away from massive turbines spinning in Columbia River dams and sent it around the dams.

The 17-year veteran power operations specialist remembers how fast she needed to work as a wind storm caused generation to peak and fall three times over eight hours.

"You have to get it in hand and get it in hand very quickly," she said.

Getting it in hand is a balancing act. It means balancing the power generated by 31 dams, a nuclear power plant and now wind farms in order to send a stable flow of power into the BPA's 15,238-mile grid across the Pacific Northwest.

It also means balancing the grid's needs against those of fish and commercial river traffic on the Columbia River.



Getting power from wind,
which can vary greatly, is complicating that balancing act.

In coping with the variations, the BPA has at times adjusted flows through dams at rates that exceeded guidelines established to protect fish.

"It is stressful. You have the threat of fish issues on one hand you are trying to prevent, and at the same time you're trying to meet load," she said.

The events of June 4 and 5 highlight the challenge facing the agency, utilities and wind generators across the region as wind farms sprout at a dizzying pace, much faster than anyone had anticipated.

From a humble start at 25 mega-watts in 1998, wind generating capacity on the BPA grid galloped to 2,105 megawatts as of May this year, doubling in just the last 21 months. It's enough energy to power two cities the size of Seattle.

And there's more to come. Wind power on the Bonneville system could reach 6,000 megawatts within four years, according to agency estimates.

But the marriage of wind and water has begun to strain the system.

Fish need flowing water. Holding water behind dams when there's plenty of wind power reduces that flow and harms fish.

But sending enough water around the dam -- not through the turbines -- for fish reduces the ability to generate power that will be needed when the wind dies off.

By 2011, the agency estimates the system will run out of the capacity to adjust enough to accommodate for the variations of wind power.

As a result, the BPA, a nonprofit federal power-marketing agency, is accelerating plans for change, including: building more capacity, flexibility and quicker response times; implementing better forecasting tools; and sharing the responsibility for moving power within and outside the region.

"This issue is absolutely forcing greater coordination and collaboration among the region's utilities than just about any issue since putting in the hydro dams," said Elliott Manzier, Bonneville's senior vice president for corporate strategy. "The issue is much bigger than BPA. It is a Northwest issue."

Washington and Oregon are among the top states in the country for the amount of wind generation.



Wind turbines are concentrated along the east end of the Columbia River Gorge. Klickitat County has five operating wind farms, a figure that could grow to 14 when those planned or already under construction are included.

Kittitas County could be home to four wind farms in the near future. Yakima County is being looked at as a source of wind power.

Rachel Shimshak of Portland, executive director of the Renewable Northwest Project, a group that supports expansion of renewable energy, said three major factors are driving wind power growth.

The renewable energy standards imposed by the Northwest states require utilities to increase power generated from renewable sources.

Concern about climate change and moving away from fossil-fuel energy production also is a factor, she said.

Further, consumers are demanding clean energy. Utilities across the region, including Pacific Power, offer voluntary programs for consumers to purchase some of their energy needs from renewable sources.

Bonneville itself has been criticized for being slow to move away from its historic focus on marketing power from 31 hydroelectric dams and one nuclear plant.

Agency watchers say the BPA has struggled to deal with demands that wind generation poses.

Robert Kahn, executive director of the Northwest and Intermountain Power Producers Coalition, said the transmission system is antiquated and BPA needs to make changes.



"Wind power is forcing utility operators and policymakers to confront a lot of these long-standing problems," said Kahn, whose group is made up of thermal and wind generators.

Renewable Northwest's Shimshak agreed, saying after a slow start, Bonneville is now making great progress.

Part of that progress has been to charge wind generators using the system to finance some improvements. It is a move unprecedented anywhere in the country, Kahn said.

Pacificorp, which supplies power to nearly 130,000 customers in the Yakima Valley and Walla Walla areas, believes the accelerated wind plan appears to be a good one, a spokeswoman said.

"We think it is reasonable and will provide stability that will help us encourage and maintain wind development in the region," said Jan Mitchell.

One somewhat controversial element, planned for October, gives the BPA the ability to curtail wind production on what amounts to a three-strikes-you're-out stance. Wind operators who don't respond to agency requests to reduce output on three occasions run the risk of having Bonneville do it for them.

Kahn described the plan as draconian.

"We really hope it doesn't happen very often," he said. "It appears necessary but it could be draconian. One would like to think there is a better way."

One possible way is another element in the plan. As proposed, wind generators could pay coal or natural gas-fired plants to scale back production rather than asking wind generators to cut back.

Bonneville is also spending money to add 16 wind-monitoring stations to give wind operators better information on what the wind will be doing in order to respond quicker to changes.

And rather than set an hourly schedule for balancing resources and supply, Bonneville will institute a plan late this year to schedule power on the half hour.

That would help generators and people like the veteran scheduler Randolph.

"The more accurately we can forecast, the less reserves we have to have and that will lower the cost," she said. "It also lets us stretch the capacity of the hydro system to bring more wind to the system."



* David Lester can be reached at 509-577-7674 or dlester@yakimaherald.com.

Light rail off to a smooth start

By Keith Daigle - The Highline Times / The Des Moines News (http://www.highlinetimes.com/articles/2009/07/24/news/local_news/news02.txt)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

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(Sound Transit Link train entering Tukwila Station.)

Friday, July 24, 2009

Opening weekend on July 18 and 19 saw over 90,000 riders riding the new 14-mile Sound Transit light- rail train.

Sound Transit spokesperson Linda Robson said Saturday went very smoothly, especially considering the amount of people.

"The average wait time was somewhere between 15 and 30 minutes," Robson said. "We moved tens of thousands of people through and it was really really smooth going."

On Saturday morning there was a ribbon cutting ceremony at the Mt. Baker station in south Seattle. Among the speakers at the ceremony were Seattle Mayor Greg Nichols, Tukwila Mayor Jim Haggerton and Congressman Jim McDermott.

Seattle Mayor Nichols talked about how the current 14-mile line as just the beginning of a line that will eventually run from Everett south to Federal Way, and east to Bellevue and Redmond.

"Today we open the first segment," Nichols said. "The second segment is under construction to the University of Washington, and last fall the voters said yes to an extension north of the University to the University District, Roosevelt, Northgate on out to Lynnwood, south of the Sea-Tac Airport to Federal Way and east of Lake Washington to Bellevue and on up to Redmond. This will change our region. When that is built out in 15 years we will have transformed the way that people move around."

He said the kids in the audience today taking their first light rail ride will never know a Seattle region without Sound Transit. Seattle, and how it is connected with the rest of the region, will never be the same.

Tukwila Mayor Haggerton mentioned the diversity of commerce in Tukwila and how being connected this way to Seattle will improve the economy of all the areas along the rail line.

The Tukwila Station is the southernmost stop until the Sea-Tac Airport Station opens in December.

Sound Transit runs from 5 a.m. to 1 a.m. The fairs range from $1.75 to $2.40, depending on how far you are going.

Bus riders will be able to use their bus transfers to ride the light rail until the bus transfers are phased out at the beginning of the year for the new ORCA cards. Robson said the ORCA cards are easier to use, and make it a lot easier for the different transportation agencies to figure out what their share of the fare from each rider, which will save the agencies money.

"This has been a goal of the regions agencies for some time. So instead of a Puget Pass that you flash the ORCA smart card has a lot better functionality," Robson said.

The trains will run every 7.5 minutes during peak hours on weekdays, and every 10 to 15 minutes on off peak hours and weekends.

There are extra transit workers at each of the stations for the next couple of weeks to help people with any problems and to ensure things run smoothly, Robson said.

So far there have been no major complications or problems in service.

Bringing a manufacturing/industrial center to Sumner
Avani Nadkarni / The Puyallup Herald (http://www.puyallupherald.com/100/story/4212.html)
Published: July 22nd, 2009 06:01 AM
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center

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(Sumner, Washington. AJM STUDIOS Northwest Photo Journey Photo.) (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

SUMNER- The general consensus of both Sumner city staff and council members is simple: Sumner is growing whether it is liked or not, so try to benefit from the growth.

With that in mind, six out of the seven council members voted to approve beginning discussions with Pierce County to work toward designating the industrial areas in Sumner and Pacific as an Manufacturing/Industrial Center (MIC) by the Puget Sound Regional Council. This designation would allow Sumner to receive more transportation funds from the regional council.

About a year ago, the two cities teamed up to conduct a study to see if the 2,100-acre industrial area, which lies between both cities, would meet the requirements for an MIC designation, which it did.

“The growth is coming to Sumner, whether we’re MIC designated or not,” Sumner Senior Planner Ryan Windish said. “The benefit of (the designation) is that we’ll have more access to funds.”
About $120,000 of Puget Sound Regional Council funds are reserved solely for cities with designations like MIC, Windish said. By not working to designate the area, Sumner would miss out on a chance to get that money to fund projects such as the Stewart Road expansion.

Councilmember Matt Richardson, Sumner City Council’s delegate for the Pierce County Regional Council, was the only member to speak out against the MIC designation.

“I will not put my name on (this),” Richardson stated firmly. “Right now, (growth) is tolerable because it’s going at a certain pace with a certain type of clientele. That’s the difference.”

While the majority of the council members agreed to continue discussions, the MIC plan is far from a sure thing. City staff still needs to bring a formal proposal to the council to amend the Comprehensive Plan to be able to designate the area an MIC and then the proposal must go to the county and regional levels.

Council vows not to stall in solving parking problems
WRITTEN BY REBECCA CARR / The Mukilteo Beacon (http://www.mukilteobeacon.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2099:council-vows-not-to-stall-in-solving-parking-problems&catid=112:city-government&Itemid=213)
WEDNESDAY, 22 JULY 2009 10:39
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)
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(Parking a problem in old town Mukilteo.)

MUKILTEO- Even as Mukilteo grows in popularity and works to make itself a “destination city” as opposed to a pass-thru for ferry commuters, the parking problem in Old Town and at the waterfront grows right along with it.

The City Council on Monday approved a resolution directing staff to provide revenue alternatives to replace money lost when paid parking in Lighthouse Park and at Rosehill Community Center goes away.

Staff also was directed to “provide alternate parking options through public, public/private partnerships, or private parking providers” for the commuters, residents, employees and customers who rely on the spots.

However, vice president Kevin Stoltz’s original resolution had more teeth, directing staff to achieve both goals prior to eliminating the current paid slots.

Most councilmembers, while emphasizing their commitment to resolve the growing parking problem in Old Town and on the waterfront, weren’t willing to hamstring current projects such as the long-awaited new community center and phase 2 of Lighthouse Park’s renovation.
The council approved the amended resolution by a 4-1 vote, with Emily Vanderwielen opposing and Jennifer Gregerson and Richard Emery absent.

The recent upgrades have made the park overwhelmingly popular this summer, causing backups, illegal and unsafe parking, and frustrated visitors giving up and leaving.

An increase in activities in and around the park and community center, including relocating the weekly summer farmers market to the waterfront, has added to the problem.

Market vendor and Mukilteo resident Charlie Pancerzewski said he arrived at 2 p.m. last week, an hour before the 3 p.m. start, and all spaces were full despite it being the middle of a weekday.

Commuters who live in Island County are accustomed to parking a car in Mukilteo overnight and walking on and off the ferry. Even now, there aren’t enough slots to accommodate them, causing some to park illegally in neighborhoods.

If things go according to plan, 131 spots at Rosehill will go away in September when the city hopes to start construction of a new community center.

Around 50 slots in Lighthouse Park are on the chopping block with phase 2’s renovation, offsetting a smaller increase that came with phase 1. The remainder will go away as phases 3 and 4 are implemented.

Everyone – on both sides of the water – agrees that a park and ride, or a parking structure somewhere in Mukilteo, is the only long-term solution.

Facing a funding shortfall, that goal is out of reach for now. It’s also hamstrung by the Air Force’s continued hold on the tank farm property, considered an ideal location for a parking garage due to its proximity to the train platform and the eventual site of the new Mukilteo ferry terminal, another venture without enough cash.

Meanwhile the council is considering a number of short-term solutions to create more spots in the park and to decrease demand.

Currently there’s 183 open spaces at the park, 122 numbered (paid) stalls, and 47 double-sized stalls for boaters, plus another 170 scattered throughout the waterfront area. Eliminating the double slots will accommodate 94 more vehicles.

One way to decrease demand is to increase the price. To that end, the council will consider a $41 monthly hike for commuter parking.

Mayor Joe Marine said he arrived at that figure because it’s still less than what it would cost to drive onto the ferry.

Other options include working with the schools to use their parking lots during the summer months and a potential temporary lot up the Speedway near Paine Field.

As to the park’s over-popularity, the council will consider an entry fee. That could come in various forms including exemptions or discounts for Mukilteo residents, limited free time (thoughts ranged from 20 minutes to try to find a spot to the first hour or two) and possibly a gate activated only by a paid ticket.

Island County Commissioner Helen Price Johnson said commuters are willing to compromise with Mukilteo; both sides agree working together is the best avenue for success.

Council president Randy Lord asked about the possibility of extending Island Transit onto the ferry and up the Speedway; Price Johnson said she’s concerned about tourists and residents taking advantage of the free ride up the hill since Island Transit doesn’t currently charge a fare. (A simple check of driver’s licenses or other state-issued ID should confirm residency, however.)

Some councilmembers said Island County should pay for all or part of a parking structure, since its residents will account for a significant portion of its use.

James Brice chastised the council for putting commuters’ convenience ahead of Mukilteo residents.

“I’m a little bit shocked that the city did tons of investigation, but there’s no mention of citizens of Mukilteo who paid their taxes and can’t find a place to park,” he said. “Are the commuters paying taxes? I don’t think so.”

Brice emphasized that he likes island residents, but doesn’t feel he owes them anything.

“I pay for my stuff on this side; they chose to live there, that’s their choice,” he said.

A potential bright spot could be on the horizon: Pat Kessler asked about a federal law that could allow the Port of Everett or the city to lease the tank farm property from the Air Force until it’s formally ready to turn it over.

Marine said he would look into that.

Published: Friday, July 24, 2009
Maple Precinct becomes part of city

Newly annexed area eliminates unincorporated 'donut hole'

By Oscar Halpert
The Lynnwood Enteprise (http://www.enterprisenewspapers.com/article/20090724/ETP03/907249952/-1/ETPZONELT&template=ETPZoneLTart)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center

http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/332/ajmlynnwoodcityscapebm2.jpg
(The city of Lynnwood has 100 new residents in the sprawling city. AJM STUDIOS Northwest Photo Journey Photo.) (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

LYNNWOOD
About 100 residences became part of the city of Lynnwood Friday, July 24.

The city's first annexation in more than a decade eliminates what had been the city's final so called "donut hole," -- a neighborhood in unincorporated Snohomish County surrounded by city residents.

Maple Precinct, as the neighborhood is known, is a 33-acre area bounded by 176th Street Southwest, 60th Avenue West and 64th Avenue West. It consists of residential houses on large lots that are not connected to sewer. St. Thomas More Catholic Church is just east of Maple Precinct, in city limits.

"We are honored to welcome the Maple Precinct into the city of Lynnwood," said Mayor Don Gough in a prepared statement. "All city services for the Maple Precinct are in place and we are eager to serve our new residents."

As part of the annexation, residents now have access to all city services, including pulblic safety, utility billing and the permit center. Residents also are eligible to serve on city boards and commissions.

"The city of Lynnwood looks forward to working with our new residents," said Paul Krauss, the city's development director. "We believe the Maple Precinct annexation has assisted in preparing the city and staff for future annexations."

In early August, the city will conduct a door-to-door population count, which is required by state law. City workers will also provide residents with welcome packets.

Next April,residents in a far larger area to the north and east of city limits will vote on whether they'd like to become part of the city, too.

Tacoma mixed-use plan heads for decision
Tacoma: New rules could allow some taller buildings

MELISSA SANTOS; THE TACOMA NEWS TRIBUNE (http://www.thenewstribune.com/topstories/story/824237.html)
Published: 07/27/09 1:00 am | Updated: 07/27/09 6:19 am
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/26/39149127_e91b266b0a.jpg
(Tuesday decides the fate if taller buildings in Tacoma will be allowed.)

TACOMA- The Tacoma City Council is set to vote Tuesday on new development regulations for Tacoma’s mixed-use centers, which aim in part to increase density in commercial centers and allow taller buildings.

Updates to the mixed-use center plan have been under discussion since 2007, involving more than 50 public hearings. The plan aims to focus Tacoma’s future population growth in 16 centers to prevent sprawl and foster economic development.

“The intent is to help rejuvenate what in many cases are commercial areas that may not be operating that well,” said Brian Boudet, urban planner with the city. He said Tacoma’s mixed-use centers were its response to the state Growth Management Act of 1990.

Builders and environmental groups alike have supported a mixed-use center plan that concentrates growth and creates incentives for developers to build up, not out.

But a recent amendment proposed to the zoning plan could increase the area where greater building heights are allowed, creating more spots where 65-foot and 85-foot-tall buildings could go up near single-family residences.

The city mailed 10,000 notices to residents on about July 20 informing them of proposed amendments to the mixed-use center zoning ordinance, including the proposal to expand zones known as “height bonus areas.”

In these areas, the city would let developers add height to their project as an incentive to include improvements such as ground-level retail operations, public art or energy-efficiency upgrades.

In the Stadium District and parts of South Tacoma Way and Martin Luther King Jr. Way, buildings could be as tall as 85 feet, or roughly seven to eight stories, in the height bonus areas. In other neighborhood centers, buildings in the height bonus areas would be capped at 65 feet, or roughly five to six stories.

The original ordinance proposed to create height bonus areas in neighborhood centers only within 200 feet of established core streets, such as 26th Street and Proctor Street in the Proctor District and Division Avenue and North Tacoma Avenue in the Stadium District.

But the amended ordinance would extend the height bonus areas throughout a larger part of the neighborhoods, in some cases nearly doubling the area that could have taller buildings.

In Tacoma’s Martin Luther King mixed-use district, the amendment would nearly double the area that can accommodate seven- and eight-story buildings, increasing it by 99 percent.

In the Stadium District, the area allowing 85-foot-tall developments would increase by 98 percent.

In the city as a whole, the proposed amendment would expand height bonus areas in neighborhood centers by an average of 52 percent, according to a July 8 city memorandum.

Tacoma City Councilman Mike Lonergan said he’s concerned that increasing the number of five- to eight-story buildings will take citizens by surprise and clash with existing neighborhoods. The amendment to expand height bonus areas wasn’t part of the city planning commission’s recommendations to the council in May. Rather, Councilman Jake Fey introduced the amendment in its final form at a council meeting July 14.

“It makes some sense if you picture an eight-story building right on the main street,” Lonergan said Thursday. “But if you carry that out to the edge of a residential neighborhood, it doesn’t make sense. It only makes sense if you don’t live there.”

Fey said that restricting tall buildings to within a 200-foot radius of main streets places unnecessary limitations on developers.

“What are you going to do if you own a whole parcel, and you have this 200-foot line in the middle of your property that means you have to do something different?” Fey said. “If we are going to do this, we want development to have an actual chance of occurring. It’s all about having enough density allowed and not having so many limitations.”

Fey said expanding areas that allow taller buildings has been discussed many times by the council, especially in the past month while he’s worked on his amendment.

He said planners have included precautions to ensure homes aren’t eclipsed by skyscrapers, including a requirement that developers build landscape buffers between tall buildings and nearby homes.

Another design requirement would mandate that buildings abutting neighborhoods gain height gradually, with each story above 25 feet set back an additional 10 feet from the neighboring homes.

Fey called the design standard “the wedding cake effect.” He said it would make the buildings seem less tall than they are and help them blend in with nearby residential communities.

“The wedding cake effect is that you have transitions,” Fey said. “You don’t have an 85- or a 65-foot building next to a house.”

Council members will decide whether to accept Fey’s amendment Tuesday when they take a final vote on the mixed-use center zoning updates.

Other parts of the mixed-use center plan would reduce or eliminate off-street parking requirements for businesses in core areas, add standards for windows and doors on the ground level of buildings, and create incentives to encourage pedestrian and transit improvements on main streets.

Lonergan said there’s conflict between the council’s goals of spurring development and maintaining the character of historic neighborhoods. The council must find a compromise that does both, he said.

“We have to find what works to redo these business districts,” Lonergan said. “The job of the council and the planning commission is to balance all of these different demands.”

Melissa Santos: 253-552-7058

melissa.santos@thenewstribune.com

Originally published Monday, July 27, 2009 at 12:00 AM

Shoreline neighbors say Point Wells 'urban center' proposal tramples their beach-side turf
A plan to replace an asphalt plant and oil-tank farm on the shores of Puget Sound near Woodway with a development of housing and retail is generating fierce opposition in the neighboring town of Shoreline.

By Lynn Thompson
The Seattle Times (http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/outdoors/2009543348_pointwells27m.html)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center

http://img136.imageshack.us/img136/7163/ajmpointwellshoreline.jpg
(Point Wells in Shoreline is the center of a hot debate that could see 16 storey tower rise in the near future.) (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

SHORELINE- The opportunity to replace an aging asphalt plant and oil-tank farm on the shores of Puget Sound with an upscale development of condominiums, shops and restaurants is generating fierce opposition in the neighboring city of Shoreline.

Point Wells, 61 acres of west-facing waterfront, lies in unincorporated Snohomish County but can be reached only by a two-lane road in Shoreline at the northern edge of King County.

Residents of Shoreline's Richmond Beach neighborhood say the proposed development, which could bring as many as 3,500 housing units, 6,000 new residents and buildings as high as 16 stories, will destroy their quiet beach-side lives.

Shoreline's police and fire departments have threatened to stop providing services to Point Wells, and the city has promised to use "all legal means" to challenge the development if Snohomish County approves a request from the developer to change the site's land-use designation.

A decision could come as soon as mid-August.

The developer wants the property to be zoned for an urban center instead of its current heavy-industrial use.

But what most frustrates Shoreline residents and city leaders is that they have no say in the decision.

"It's a scary prospect that they (the Snohomish County Council) are not accountable to the people who are most impacted," said Richmond Beach resident Caycee Holt, who has organized local opposition to the plan.

The property owner, Paramount of Washington, an affiliate of California-based Paramount Petroleum, says the Point Wells development will transform a heavily polluted industrial site into a model green community and will open to the public 3,500 feet of shoreline now fenced off because of homeland-security concerns.

Paramount notes the Dockside Green project at Victoria, B.C.'s upper harbor, where a 15-acre former industrial site was transformed into a residential and commercial village with its own wastewater-treatment facility.

Dockside Green also has a plant that converts waste into heat and hot water, a car co-op to cut down on vehicles and a waterfront promenade and large public plaza.

"The client is not interested in a run-of-the-mill development," said Gary Huff, a Seattle land-use attorney who is part of Paramount's project team. "This will be an iconic, architecturally significant, sustainable development that will serve as a model for the future."



He said the first homes could be available within six years.

Snohomish County leaders note that the state's Growth Management Act calls for cooperation across boundary lines. Mike Cooper, chairman of the Snohomish County Council, says Shoreline residents will be included in the planning, if the project goes forward.

"They have a right to be involved, and I will insist they be involved," Cooper said.

To regional observers, the controversy may be less about jurisdictional fiat than about the ultimate scale and appropriateness of the project.

Norman Abbott, director of growth, management and planning for the Puget Sound Regional Council, said that with only the two-lane road in and out of the site, resolving questions about density, traffic and municipal services will be the key to community satisfaction.

"Everybody's interest would be served if it was the right development and the right scale," he said.

The vision for development came from an Israeli billionaire who made his fortune transforming neglected land in his country into dense, residential communities.

Shraga Biran, a principal of Alon USA Energy, the parent company to Paramount Petroleum, visited Point Wells in 2006, after the company acquired the property and declared the asphalt plant and tank farm "a scar on the landscape," Huff said.

But the possibility of an urban-scale development at the isolated end of a beachfront community alarms residents, as does the involvement of Biran.

Holt, the organizer behind SaveRichmondBeach.org, has circulated a profile of Biran from the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, which calls the billionaire attorney the "king of sharks" for his aggressive real-estate development.

"He has a 40-year history of pushing megadevelopments," Holt said.

Project developers say they don't plan to overbuild the site, but to develop it in a way that preserves open space, restores natural habitats and involves the community in the design.

"We understand the fear, but in this instance it is misplaced," Huff said.

If its land-use application is denied, Paramount says, the community could see more intensive industrial uses at the site: more fuel transfers, more asphalt production and more tanker trucks hauling asphalt up Richmond Beach roads from about seven today to an estimated 125, according to the project's environmental-impact statement.

If the Point Wells redevelopment goes forward, costs could exceed $1 billion. Paramount estimates $25 million to $35 million will be needed for environmental cleanup. The site has been in industrial use for more than 100 years and has operated as an asphalt refinery since the 1950s.

Still, similar sites have been transformed successfully, including a former oil-tank farm on the Edmonds waterfront, now the Point Edwards condominium community, said Larry Altose, spokesman for the state Department of Ecology.

Paramount also may spend millions to mitigate the impacts of the proposed development on Shoreline roads, including Richmond Beach Drive Northwest, the narrow access road hemmed in by houses on one side and Puget Sound on the other. Traffic at some Shoreline intersections could increase as much as 1,000 percent, according to the project's environmental-impact statement.

Snohomish County put the cost of road improvements at $12.5 million. The city of Shoreline's study puts it at closer to $30 million and questions whether it can be done satisfactorily.

Shoreline Mayor Cindy Ryu said Point Wells is not appropriate for an urban center land-use designation, the type sought by the developer. She said the designation was meant to encourage transit-oriented projects near established transportation corridors, such as along Interstate 5.

The Sounder commuter train runs through the Point Wells site, but Ryu notes a station there is not part of Sound Transit's 20-year plan.

The town of Woodway, population 1,200, also is concerned about the size of the proposed development but hasn't ruled out annexing Point Wells. The town surrounds the site on three sides but is separated from most of it by 200-foot bluffs.

Eric Faison, Woodway administrator, said the town supports the requested zoning change and the plans for condominiums and shops on the waterfront below. But he said the project description originally provided by Paramount envisioned a maximum of 1,400 housing units and buildings no higher than six stories.

Only when city leaders read the environmental-impact statement did they realize that the project's density had increased dramatically.

"We're concerned that a large-scale project down below would have significant negative impacts on Woodway residents," Faison said.

Shoreline also has included Point Wells as a possible annexation area. But which jurisdiction the property would be annexed into is up to the owner, the courts have ruled.

Snohomish County Council Chairman Cooper said he shares concerns about the development's impacts on Shoreline. But to the project's opponents he said, "Do you want an oil-dump site there or do you want something carefully planned and environmentally friendly? Something is going to be built."

Lynn Thompson: 206-464-8305 or lthompson@seattletimes.com

Agricuture construction
BY MAI HOANG / July 27, 2009
YAKIMA HERALD-REPUBLIC (http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2009/07/26/ag-construction-a-bright-spot-in-the-valley-during-recession)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1069/1216237654_f471ce78ee.jpg
(Throughout Yakima County farmlands, many projects are arising.)

YAKIMA, Wash. -- Several fruit companies plan to add around 500,000 square feet of new facilities in north Yakima by the end of 2010, everything from controlled-atmosphere storage to a cutting-edge fruit-packing line.

Such developments show that while the Yakima Valley's economy is not immune from the national recession, agriculture has kept it from getting worse, economic development officials say.

"They all seem to be comfortable about making an investment when most sectors are not," said Bill Cook, director of the city of Yakima's Community and Economic Development Department.

Among the projects is Washington Fruit's plan for a 227,934-square-foot building for a new packing line, cold storage and shipping facility between the 600 and 1400 blocks of River Road.

The project, which has already completed the environmental review process with the city of Yakima, is equal in size to the fruit industry giant's main facility on North First Avenue. Washington Fruit also has several controlled-atmosphere storage units in Moxee and a cherry packing line and controlled-atmosphere storage in Union Gap.

Also planning expansions are Columbia Reach, Supercold LLC, Fruit Packing Supply and Roche Fruit.

Washington Fruit said it expects to create upwards of 120 new jobs because of the expansion. The others said they expected to hire more workers, though most did not provide an exact number.

Fruit company expansions are on the drawing boards elsewhere in the Upper Valley -- at Matson Fruit Co. in Selah and Price Cold Storage and Packing Co. in Gleed.

But put together, the north Yakima projects represent the biggest current agricultural development in Yakima County, said Keith Mathews, executive director of the Yakima Valley Growers-Shippers Association.

An ever-increasing apple crop is one of the main drivers of these expansions.

The statewide 2008 harvest generated a record-breaking, 110 million 40-pound boxes, and the majority of that fruit was packed in the Yakima Valley. That was an increase of just under 5 percent from 2004, the last record-breaking apple harvest.

And several packing houses have gone out of business in the past few years, including Inland-Joseph Fruit Co. in Wapato and Fox Orchards in Mattawa. That has given more business to other fruit packing houses, Mathews said.

Columbia Reach, which packs fruit mostly from its own orchards, has expansion needs because of its new plantings. It plans to build a 66,880-square-foot controlled-atmosphere storage facility and a 56,250-square-foot cold fruit-storage facility at its plant at 3107 River Road.

Columbia Reach is nearly done with the city of Yakima's environmental review process. It has received approval from the city, but that decision is still under an appeal period.

"We've been growing quite a bit in the last couple of years, so we need more storage," said Wally Meyer, one of the owners.

Supercold LLC has plans for a 36,400-square-foot expansion to its controlled-atmosphere facility at 2002 River Road. It has completed the environmental review process, allowing Supercold to begin the process of obtaining building permits.

"There is a constant and continuing demand for more fruit, apples in particular, worldwide," said Loren Queen, marketing and communications director for Kershaw Cos., which operates the Supercold facility. "We're continuing to expand our growing operation and we need a place to store that fruit until it's packed."

Washington Fruit aims to complete its River Road project by November 2010, said operations manager Tommy Hanses. The facility, to be built on 25 acres the company recently purchased, also will have new packing-line technology that will help it be more efficient in packing and shipping fruit, he said.

"We're about maxed out on our current production capacity where we are now," Hanses said, referring to its existing operations on North First Avenue.

Roche Fruit Co. wants to build nine additional controlled-atmosphere storage rooms, totaling 33,195 square feet, at its facility at 1400 Gordon Road. Roche has completed the city of Yakima's environmental review process and has started the process to obtain building permits.

And as the packing houses grow, Fruit Packing Supply is also growing.

The Yakima firm provides boxes, chemicals and other supplies for packing houses and independent growers throughout the state.

It is in the process of building a 12,000-square-foot storage building at its plant at 1002 N. 16th Ave. There are plans for up to three more buildings in the next few years. Construction of the first building will cost about $500,000.

The company is in the process of obtaining building permits for construction.

"We just have to keep up with the needs of our customers," said manager Ken Osborn.

Most of the companies are reluctant to provide the cost of their projects, but industry estimates give some indication of the investments.

A new fruit-packing line typically costs $8 million to $9 million, not including the construction of the building to house the machines, according to Mathews of the Yakima Valley Growers-Shippers Association.

A controlled-atmosphere storage room costs an average of $400,000 to build.



The fruit companies' expansion plans take advantage of north Yakima's easy access to downtown and other points of the city and county via U.S. Highway 12.

"That location in north Yakima ends up being a very central location for what we do," said Queen of Kershaw Cos. "You got quick and easy freeway access. It's easy and convenient."

That includes more efficient access to Kershaw's orchards in the Lower and Upper Yakima Valley and in the Columbia Basin.

What makes some of these developments even more appealing is the $7 million renovation to River Road west of 16th Avenue.

The project, which was completed in 2008, widened the road from two to three lanes between 16th Avenue and Fruitvale Boulevard. Before that, River Road's potholes gave fruit trucks an apple-jarring ride.

"Now we have smooth roads that don't bruise our apples before they get to the packing facility," Queen said. "Our trucks are big. They take plenty of room and it's nice to have that wider access."

In addition, the city of Yakima is looking to improve the turning radius at the intersections of River Road and Sixth Avenue, and at I Street and Sixth Avenue. The city also plans to repave about 1,000 feet of Sixth Avenue north of the River Road intersection.

The project is designed to improve the movement of trucks to nearby businesses such as Holtzinger Fruit Co., JELD-WEN Windows and Doors and the future Washington Fruit facility.



North Yakima is also the site of Riverpointe Landing, the proposed 806,000-square-foot shopping center at Highway 12 and 16th Avenue that is currently on hold. The project's delay reflects the struggles of the retail industry during the recession.

By contrast, the planned expansions of Yakima's agricultural companies cement Yakima and the surrounding areas as the state's fruit warehousing and packing hub, Mathews said.

It's that status that allows Yakima County to have a relatively stable economy in times of recession. In June, for example, the unemployment rate for Yakima County was below the state's, the first time that's happened in June in nearly 20 years.

Yakima County still holds the title as the state's No. 1 apple producing county, but it will likely lose that title in the next few years to Grant County because of the growth in newly planted orchards.

But given the experience of the labor force and its central location, Yakima will likely remain a major player in packing, storing and shipping the fruit, Mathews said. He noted that about two-thirds of the state's apple crop is now packed in the Yakima Valley.

"Yakima has a talented pool of employees that understand packing fruit and like to do that kind of work," Mathews said. "That's why most of them stay in Yakima."



* Mai Hoang can be reached at 509-577-7685 or mhoang@yakimaherald.com.

Monday, Jul. 27, 2009

Richland may seek revitalization funds
By Joe Chapman, The Tri City Herald (http://www.tri-cityherald.com/kennewick_pasco_richland/story/661360.html)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center

http://img518.imageshack.us/img518/9680/ajmrichlandplazafloweret7.jpg
(Downtown Richland is suffering due to chain stores. AJM STUDIOS Northwest Photo Journey Photo.) (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

The city of Richland may follow Kennewick's example and apply for funding through a state revitalization program that could spur business development in the northern end of town.

Through the state's Local Revitalization Financing program, the city could be awarded up to $500,000 in state revenue annually to help pay off bonds sold to pay for new streets, sidewalks, sewer, utilities and other infrastructure improvements.

If approved for the program, the city would designate a revitalization area that includes the Horn Rapids Industrial Park and the Tri-Cities Research District. The city's strategic plans for those two areas include installing fiber-optic lines, extending First Street to the Industrial Park, extending Logston Boulevard to Battelle Boulevard and other improvements.

"We have a number of potential clients and existing clients -- businesses -- who are either moving in or thinking about moving in here," said Gary Ballew, economic development manager for the city.

The city would sell bonds to pay for the improvements and then would use local sales and property tax generated from the new businesses, as well as the annual state match, to pay off the bonds over 25 years.

Benton County and the Port of Benton also would be eligible to participate in the project and contribute money to repay the bonds, but the city would have the ultimate responsibility for repayment.

That responsibility would carry a risk. If the private investment didn't come as expected, the city would still be on the hook to repay the debt and would have to do so without the benefit of new revenue, Ballew said.

The city council this week directed staff to look into the program further.

"We can decide to abort it if we don't get far enough or if we assess there's too much risk," Mayor John Fox said. "... If we don't pursue it at this time, we foreclose the opportunity."

The deadline to apply is Sept. 1. The city would have to hold a public hearing in August.

The application process will be competitive, as the Department of Revenue has $2.5 million to administer per year to all projects in the program.

Kennewick plans to apply for the program to pay for completion of a number of projects in the Southridge area, including the sports complex, extension of Hildebrand Boulevard and construction of a water storage reservoir.

Monday, July 27, 2009
Last updated 10:18 p.m. PT

Seattle one of four for no police money
By DEVLIN BARRETT
The Seattle Post Intelligencer (http://www.seattlepi.com/local/408503_cops27.html) / AP
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center

http://img513.imageshack.us/img513/2391/ajmseattlepd3.jpg
(Seattle police will be one of the four major cities in the United States to receive no stimulus money. AJM STUDIOS Northwest Police Department Photo.)
(http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)


SEATTLE -- Four major cities - New York, Seattle, Houston, and Pittsburgh - will get no money from a $1 billion economic stimulus program to help cities avoid laying off police officers, officials told The Associated Press on Monday.

The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the details publicly, said about 7,000 state and local agencies applied for aid under the COPS program that is part of the $787 billion stimulus package passed earlier this year. Only about 1,000 were approved.

Justice Department spokeswoman Hannah August declined to comment in advance of the official announcement.

Vice President Joe Biden and Attorney General Eric Holder are to appear in Philadelphia on Tuesday to announce who gets what.

There will be plenty of winners, though, in the COPS grant program:

-The Philadelphia Police Department will get money to create or keep 50 law enforcement jobs.

-The police department in Rochester, N.Y. will get money to create or save about 30 law enforcement jobs.

-Kalamazoo, Mich., will get nearly $2 million for 10 officer positions.

The roughly 1,000 places getting COPS aid also include: Mobile, Ala., Mesa, Ariz., Tulare County, Calif., Monroe County, Fla., the Seminole Tribe of Florida, Baltimore, Providence, R.I., Salt Lake City, Utah, and Huntington, W.Va.

As local governments bleed red ink and officials look to plug budget gaps, they have swamped the government with a record number of requests for aid under the program. There is only $1 available in grant money for every $8 sought.

As a result, the Justice Department decided the most worthy cities were those that faced serious budgetary problems and those that have relatively high crime rates.

New York is less needy by both measures, officials said, because of its low crime rate and stable city budget. New York also has the largest single police force in the country, and received some money from a different stimulus program earlier this year, about $29 million.

But the Big Apple also has a touchy history with Washington when it comes to federal aid for police costs. In 2006, the Bush administration sparked an uproar when it slashed homeland security money for New York.

Rep. Peter King of New York, the senior Republican on the Homeland Security Committee, criticized the decision.

"It is disgraceful for New York City to be shut out just because the NYPD is doing such a great job under trying circumstances and Mayor (Mike) Bloomberg is doing such a wonderful job of managing the city's finances," said King, adding that the city "is the No. 1 terrorist target and should not be penalized for its success."

Bloomberg, in a statement, called the decision "disappointing, to put it mildly. To punish our police department because they have driven down crime with fewer resources shows the backwards incentive system that is sometimes at work in Washington." He said the 9/11 attacks "were attacks on the nation and we should be receiving strong federal support for the NYPD to fight terrorism in the nation's largest city."

Officials familiar with Tuesday's announcement said the Justice Department estimates the grant awards will help hire 3,818 new officers, and retain 881 positions that would otherwise be lost to budgetary belt-tightening.

That makes a total of 4,699 officers - still short of the program's announced goal of hiring 5,000 officers.

Under the COPS program, the federal government pays the officers' salary and benefits for three years, after which the local government is responsible for the costs.

Local police chiefs have been waiting anxiously for months to learn what they will receive, and understood even before the decisions were announced that many of them would be disappointed.

Tuesday, Jul. 28, 2009

Draft plan for downtown Kennewick dreams big
By Pratik Joshi, The Tri-City Herald (http://www.tri-cityherald.com/kennewick_pasco_richland/story/662585.html)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center

http://img223.imageshack.us/img223/8295/ajmkennewicktdowntowngrnb5.jpg
(Current downtown Kennewick could seen see big change. AJM STUDIOS Northwest Photo Journey Photo.) (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)


KENNEWICK- An IMAX theater, gondola, ice skating rink and lawn bowling court are among the proposed features of a revitalized neighborhood of downtown Kennewick near Clover Island.

A draft conceptual plan also shows room for a carousel, amphitheater, condos, restaurants and more.

Port of Kennewick commissioners expect to start talking about the plan at today's meeting at 2 p.m. at the port office, 350 Clover Island Drive.

It's about sprucing up the area and the shoreline between Clover Island and the cable bridge, and making it a destination, said Stan Jones, chief operating officer of the firm that drew up the plan, Kennewick's Arculus Design & Technical Services.

It'll reinvigorate the area, help downtown identify itself, and give community members something to readily connect to, said his colleague and the firm's principal architect Steve Mallory.

The proposal -- for 28 acres between Columbia Drive and the river -- shows many options, such as walking paths, wildlife viewing and paddle boat rentals, to enhance the charm of Duffy's Pond and Catfish Island.

"We want to make it a fun place where a family could spend a day doing different things," Jones said. It's in line in with the port's long-term vision, he said.

The draft offers "grandiose ideas" for city planners, civic leaders and the public to consider, said Tim Arntzen, the port's executive director. It's a look at the possibilities of what can be done in the area, he said.

The plan, which has already been shown to about 20 business and civic leaders, is in sync with the community's vision outlined in the Bridge to Bridge/River to Railroad plan assembled in 2003.

"I need a group of people to help the port carry this project forward," Arntzen said.

The plan will be tweaked until there's consensus among all the public entities, particularly the city of Kennewick and the Army Corps of Engineers, about the best way to develop the area, Arntzen said. The port owns about 13 acres of land on and around Columbia Drive.

The port has been buying up parcels, including a trailer park, businesses and a miniature golf course, for a few years.

The draft plan recommends the port develop a master plan and clean up properties it owns, getting them ready for resale. The port will develop public-private partnerships to turn the project into a reality in the next five to 10 years, Arntzen said.

Kennewick recently invited proposals to help do "sub-area planning" for about 400 acres of riverfront area between the cable bridge and blue bridge along Columbia Drive. The city's redevelopment plan for the area may include housing, businesses, recreation and other uses.

The city's plan has a broader scope than what the port is doing, said Ferdouse Oneza, city's interim planning manager.

At some point, the city will take a closer look at the port's plan and work together on the revitalization, she said.

Pratik Joshi: 582-1541; pjoshi@tricityherald.com; Business Beat blog at www.tricityherald.com

Library sets groundbreaking bash
Event set for August 14; new downtown branch set to open in 2011
July 28 | 2009
BY HOWARD BUCK
THE COLUMBIAN (http://columbian.com/article/20090727/NEWS02/707279968)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center

http://img37.imageshack.us/img37/1237/ajmvancouverlibrary.jpg
(Proposed design of downtown Vancouver's new library.) (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

VANCOUVER- Battle Ground's new library opened in May.

Work continues on a new Cascade Park library branch, due to open by early next year.

And with a splash of fanfare on Aug. 14, the Fort Vancouver Regional Library District will formally break ground on its centerpiece: A new Vancouver Community Library.

Nearly three years after voters approved a $43 million construction bond measure in September 2006, speeches, refreshments and glitzy design sketches will usher in work on the system's flagship branch in downtown Vancouver.

The public is invited to the event, set for 1 to 2:30 p.m. on the building footprint, at the southeast corner of East Evergreen Boulevard and C Street.

The 83,000-square-foot library is part of a larger, mixed-used Riverwest development proposed where several old homes and the Carr Auto Group dealership formerly stood.

It will be first to spring forth from patches of remnant flowers and weeds and huge rubble piles that now cover several acres.

Given the unpaved, rough ground, event guests should wear appropriate shoes and dress.

There is no on-site parking for the event.

When the building opens sometime in 2011, there will be a surface parking lot for patrons just off Evergreen Boulevard, east of the library and close to Interstate 5.

The lot is planned to be a temporary substitute for an underground parking garage for library patrons and other Riverwest tenants. Due to the recession, the garage is shelved for now, as are office towers and condominiums proposed by developer, Killian Pacific.

Value engineering cutbacks aside, the four-story library promises to impress.

Clad in glass and terra cotta brick, the building will feature a rooftop garden terrace with southern exposure, a towering art sculpture rising through a glassy atrium and an innovative LED lighting system to run a changeable message board facing the street.

Floor plans call for separate teen and children's areas, community and quiet study rooms, plus space for a volunteer book resale outlet.

Killian Pacific supplied the library site and an anonymous donor gave $5 million toward the estimated $37 million building.

It will offer nearly twice the public floor space as the current main library a few blocks east, which opened in 1963. The library district currently plans to keep that building for administrative use.

Tacoma approves regulations to allow taller buildings
plans: City allows some mixed-use centers to grow

MELISSA SANTOS; THE TACOMA NEWS TRIBUNE (http://www.thenewstribune.com/topstories/story/826768.html)
Published: 07/29/09 6:27 am | Updated: 07/29/09 6:38 am
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3516/3727259307_5f777ffd60.jpg
(Tacoma will allow for taller buildings.)


TACOMA- The Tacoma City Council unanimously approved new development regulations for its mixed-use centers Tuesday night, effectively increasing the density and building heights allowed in 16 of Tacoma’s commercial centers.

The plan, which has been in the works for two years, drew praise from developers and environmental groups for preparing for future growth and trying to prevent sprawl.

“I really think this is in the interest of citizens as a whole, as far as the big picture is concerned,” Tacoma Mayor Bill Baarsma said.

Several citizens, however, objected to some recent changes made to the plan that allow higher buildings to go up in a larger area than was originally discussed.

The new mixed-use center plan establishes height bonus areas where developers can build as high as 65 feet (the equivalent of six stories) in most neighborhood centers and 85 feet (roughly eight stories) in the Martin Luther King, Stadium and South Tacoma Way neighborhood centers.

The zoning plan recommended earlier this year by the city’s planning commission would have allowed those taller building heights only within 200 feet of main streets in neighborhood centers.

But the plan the council approved Tuesday extends those height bonus areas to include a larger area in most neighborhood districts, increasing the instances where tall buildings will abut single-family homes.

The only area where the height bonus area wasn’t increased from the original proposal is the MLK district. Councilwoman Lauren Walker asked that the MLK neighborhood center be exempted because it would be affected more than other neighborhoods – its height bonus area would have doubled.

Councilman Mike Lonergan objected to increasing the height bonus areas in all centers, saying doing so goes against feedback the council received from Tacoma residents during the past two years of public hearings.

“I just think we’re taking a step too far that we don’t have to take,” Lonergan said. “I believe we are weakening our movement toward livable, walkable neighborhoods by taking it to this extreme.”

Other council members said the mixed-use center plan with its increased height allowances will spur much-needed development in areas where it has been lacking. The plan also includes 20 pages of building design standards encouraging pedestrian- and transit-oriented neighborhoods.

“Sometimes you have to make hard calls that don’t always please everybody,” said Councilman Jake Fey. “I’m confident this is the right thing to do, and we will have a better chance of getting the right kind of development.”

Melissa Santos: 253-552-7058

melissa.santos@thenewstribune.com

Wednesday, Jul. 29, 2009

Deal boosts hopes for convention center hotel in Kennewick
By John Trumbo, The Tri-City Herald (http://www.tri-cityherald.com/kennewick_pasco_richland/story/663690.html) staff writer
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)


KENNEWICK- Kennewick could have its long-desired convention center hotel with a real estate deal approved Tuesday by the city council.

The council agreed on a real estate sales and purchase agreement with The Provost Group of Santa Rosa, Calif., for 2.25 acres the city decided three weeks ago that it would offer for sale. The agreed upon price is $563,482.

Jeff Kossow, Kennewick's economic development director, said The Provost Group wants the property developed as a multi-story headquarters hotel, which would be adjacent to the Three Rivers Convention Center in the Vista Entertainment District. The sales agreement allows 180 days for the purchaser to investigate development options.

The hotel would have all the amenities necessary for a headquarters hotel that serves the convention center. The agreement calls for a restaurant, bar, room service, fitness room and pool. A $5,000 deposit secures the sale agreement.

The Provost Group must submit building plans within six months after closing and begin construction within 18 months of closing. The city has the right to take back the property if conditions of the agreement are not completed according to the timeline.

The two-acre sale agreement follows a similar deal by The Provost Group with the city in May for nine acres, also in the Vista Entertainment District near the convention center. The property has not yet been developed.

The Provost Group also cemented a sales agreement earlier Tuesday for 15 acres owned by the Kennewick Irrigation District in the same area. That gives the Santa Rosa property development and management company control of about 27 acres in the Vista Entertainment District.

"This is an exciting time for those of us who've been involved with the convention center," said councilman Steve Young. He was on the Kennewick Facilities District Board of Directors eight years ago when it was created to design, build and open the Three Rivers Convention Center.

Young said the original vision to have a headquarters hotel next to the convention center is finally becoming reality.

Kossow said representatives of The Provost Group have already contacted national hotel chains. "They want to move quickly on this," he said.

Kossow said the deal has been several years in the making. Kennewick city staff contacted The Provost Group during an International Shopping Centers Conference: "We knocked on their door, and they answered," he said.

Also at Tuesday's special meeting, the council:

-- Approved a resolution creating a Southridge Revitalization Area of about 1,600 acres and authorized the City Manager Bob Hammond to negotiate agreements between the city, Port of Kennewick, Benton County and Kennewick General Public Hospital District to participate in a Local Revitalization Financing Program sponsored by the state.

The program offers up to $500,000 a year in tax revenues for up to 25 years to the city to help build infrastructure in the Southridge area that would promote growth of business and jobs.

The county and hospital commissioners have said they are willing to give their share of expected property and sales tax revenues associated with the growth to help pay for the improvements.

Port commissioners are supportive but have reservations about how their contribution would be spent.

The Port of Kennewick decided earlier Tuesday to opt out of the revitalization financing program.

The port would have to fork over $350,000 in future property taxes within the Southridge area to help prepare the area for development. But the port unanimously decided it didn't want to participate without knowing how its share would be spent, said Tim Arntzen, the port's executive director.

Part of the revitalization area includes land the port sold to a developer in 2006, and the port can't legally spend money to provide infrastructure to that land, he said.

The developer of South Ridge Village agreed to put in roads, sewer, water and electric lines as part of the purchase agreement for the port's 150 acres, Arntzen said.

The port may reconsider joining the revitalization area if it can sign an interlocal agreement with Kennewick spelling out the Southridge infrastructure development plans more clearly, Arntzen said.

The port would like to have more control on how its share is used, he said.

Dean Maldonado, who with his partners owns more than 200 acres in Southridge, said finding financing for infrastructure in the current economy is extremely difficult.

Kennewick needs to have the interlocal agreements completed in time to apply for the state's Local Revitalization Funding program Sept. 1.

The maximum that could be handed out would be five grants of $500,000 each, which will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, said Marie Mosely, the city's director of support services.

Councilman James Hempstead noted that if the city is successful, the grant will help develop the Southridge area without having to impose new taxes on Kennewick citizens.

"It's good for the state as well," said Mosely, who explained that by fronting money to the city for the development, the state will receive new sales taxes that come from the new businesses.

-- Agreed to lease the old police station at Dayton Street and West Eighth Avenue to Tri-Cities Residential Services. The agreement calls for leaseholder improvements to be done in lieu of rent for up to five years. Tri-Cities Residential Services intends to sublease part of the building to Columbia Industries and the YMCA.

-- Reporter Pratik Joshi contributed to this story.

-- John Trumbo: 582-1529; jtrumbo@tricityherald. com

Stimulus funds heading to police agencies in Yakima Valley
BY TIM KELLY
THE YAKIMA HERALD-REPUBLIC (http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2009/07/28/stimulus-funds-heading-to-police-agencies-in-yakima-valley)

AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center
http://img136.imageshack.us/img136/9839/ajmyakima09copnotparade.jpg
(Yakima County agencies will receive more money. AJM STUDIOS Northwest Police Department Photo.)
(http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)


YAKIMA- There will be more police officers patrolling the streets and schools of Yakima later this year, thanks to the federal stimulus package.

The Yakima Police Department and four others in Lower Valley communities will receive grants from the federal Community Oriented Policing Services program, but the Yakima County Sheriff's Office didn't make the list.

The city of Yakima will get $1.7 million from the program known as COPS, which is part of the $787 billion economic stimulus approved by Congress earlier this year. That will pay salaries and benefits for seven officers' positions for three years, Yakima police Chief Sam Granato said Tuesday. After that, the city will have to fund those positions on its own.

The federal government announced Tuesday that $1 billion in COPS grants will be distributed this year to law enforcement agencies around the country. The COPS funding is intended to help agencies add or retain police officers during the economic downturn that is causing severe budget problems for many state and local governments.

Granato and Yakima City Manager thingy Zais said that locally the federal funding will cover four patrol officers, two additional school resource officers for the Yakima School District and one undetermined position. The city recently asked the West Valley School District about adding a school resource officer, but the district declined, although Zais said that option could be reconsidered.

The Yakima district currently has four school resource officers and has indicated it would retain the additional two officers after the COPS grant expires, Zais said.

While some law enforcement agencies will use COPS funding to rehire laid-off officers or retain those who had already been slated for layoffs, Yakima is not in that situation, Granato said.

Zais stressed that the city has no plans to lay off any police officers despite the worsening budget situation. But unlike Granato, he said the city might not be restricted to using its COPS grant only to hire additional officers.

How to use the $1.7 million grant will be decided as the City Council and city staff go through the budgeting process for 2010, Zais said.

"We're in the process of looking at all our budget issues now, over the next 60 days," he said.

The $1 billion coming from Washington, D.C., covers only a fraction of the more than $8 billion in total requests for COPS funding from more than 7,000 agencies nationwide.

The Yakima Sheriff's Department was one of the agencies left off the initial list.

"They only granted 14 percent of the requests, and we were not included in the first batch," Yakima County Undersheriff Dan Garcia said. "Our request has not been denied; we've only been told we're on a waiting list."

Garcia said the sheriff's office had requested $920,640 in COPS funds to cover four officers' positions for three years. The feds' funding decision won't have any effect this year, he said, and "it's too soon to tell" what impact it may have on the 2010 budget for sheriff's office.

Other area police departments and the COPS grants they will receive include: Wapato, $214,319; Sunnyside, $226,867; Toppenish, $211,046; and Granger, $156,963.

Thirty agencies in Washington state will share a total of more than $18.5 million, with Vancouver's police department getting the largest grant, nearly $2.6 million for adding 10 officers. Seattle, however, is one of four major U.S. cities not receiving any COPS funding.

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, in announcing the grants, said decisions about which agencies will receive funds were "based on crime rates, financial need and community policing activities."

Vancouver's crime rate ranks eighth among the state's 10 largest metro areas, but the city has 1.24 police officers per 1,000 residents, one of the lowest ratios in the state.



* Information from the Associated Press was included in this article.

After Stimulus Snub, Kitsap Sheriff Thinks Feds Must Be 'Clueless'

By Steven Gardner and Chris Henry
Tuesday, July 28, 2009 / The Kitsap Sun (http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2009/jul/28/bremerton-port-orchard-score-federal-money-to/)

AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center

http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/2816/ajmportorchardpdintrepi.jpg
(Bremerton and Port Orchard police departments received money, but not the county sheriff? AJM STUDIOS Northwest Police Department Photo.) (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)


BREMERTON - The federal government announced Tuesday that two local police departments will get a portion of $1 billion in stimulus money.

But just as notable for one agency was its omission from the list.

“I’m just shocked,” said Steve Boyer, Kitsap County sheriff. His office was not on the list of recipients, even though it ranked higher in meeting funding criteria than another agency that received money. “It appears to me, with all due respect, the Department of Justice appears clueless.”

Police departments in Bremerton and Port Orchard will each receive money under the Justice Department’s “Community-Oriented Police Services Hiring Recovery Program.”

The federal money pays for officers for the next three years. The grant recipients are required to maintain the funding a fourth year.

The money was awarded based on financial need, crime and community policing data. Under that criteria, Bremerton finished sixth among Washington police agencies applying for the grant. Port Orchard finished 18th.

Bremerton received $831,339, enough for three years. The city had applied for $900,000, said Andy Parks, Bremerton’s financial services director. Port Orchard applied for just less than $1 million, said Police Chief Al Townsend, but received $243,135, enough to add one officer to the force.

Thirty Washington agencies shared about $18.6 million. The Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office finished 30th in the state using the Justice Department’s criteria. That was one place ahead of the city of Yakima, but Yakima received $1.7 million, enough for seven officers.

Boyer said he had not heard why his agency was skipped. Justice Department officials did not return phone calls Tuesday. Every agency that scored higher in the Justice Department criteria was funded.

“This is extremely frustrating,” Boyer said. “Our best hope was to maintain the level we have now within reason, or to not lose too many people. With this one, we’re going to shrink.”

Later, in a news release issued by the Sheriff’s Office, Boyer pointed out that, “Not a single Washington state sheriff received so much as a dime out of this process when county governments are recognized as being in worse financial shape.”

Kitsap County asked for money for seven new officers — about enough to replace the number of deputies expected to retire within the next four years.

In Bremerton, Parks said the money will save the jobs of three officers. In April, two officers received pink slips. Parks said that without the federal help, three more could have been cut.

Townsend said the city had asked for four officers. It will use the money it received to pay for a second officer for the newly annexed McCormick Woods. The first officer has already been hired.

Townsend had hoped to hire enough officers to cover the Bethel Corridor, which the city is in the process of annexing.

“We’re going to have to talk about that,” Townsend said. “Once the Bethel Corridor comes in, the call volume there is going to be significant.”

The AJM STUDIOS Northwest Development News Center will no longer be updating these threads daily, but updates will still occur. Daily updates are on the main site.

Save money? Milton, Edgewood might merge
Edgewood: Officials want input from residents

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2416/2036302302_3719d2c92f.jpg
(Milton City Hall. Edgewood and Milton could become one.)

MELISSA SANTOS; THE TACOMA NEWS TRIBUNE (http://www.thenewstribune.com/topstories/story/830489.html)
Published: 08/01/09 2:53 am | Updated: 08/01/09 10:57 am
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

A $750,000 budget shortfall in Edgewood has residents questioning why city officials spent $7.2 million on a city hall complex and wondering whether the city would be better off annexing into a neighboring jurisdiction.

Edgewood officials say they have plenty of options for dealing with the budget shortfall and are looking for guidance from residents in the town of 10,000.

The city held a public forum on the city’s budget woes Thursday night that attracted more than 100 people, so many that it overflowed the parking lot at Edgewood’s new city hall.

The discussion about the city’s budget shortfall came two weeks after city officials announced that City Manager Kim Wilde would leave the city after less than one year on the job.

Some people in Thursday’s crowd felt Edgewood should look to combine its police services with nearby Milton’s to save money, or even merge the two cities entirely. Edgewood residents voted to incorporate in 1996, breaking off from Pierce County to form their own government.

Milton recently laid off most of its community development department in response to the economic slump.

“When you have two cities on the verge of bankruptcy, merging them makes sense to make a whole city instead of two halves,” said Edgewood resident and businessman Eric Docken.

Edgewood resident Court Pixton said Edgewood’s self-government has proved to be inefficient.

“We’ve got two cities that are a couple of miles apart with duplicate services,” Pixton said. “It’s silly to continue down this road.”

Edgewood officials said the budget shortfall is due to a decline in development and sales tax revenues, as well as substantial cuts in financial assistance from the state.

The city received an average of about $115,000 annually in state assistance between 2005 and 2007, but hasn’t received any since, said Edgewood Finance Director Janet Caviezel.

State analysts also overestimated how much revenue Edgewood would receive from streamlined sales taxes by roughly $270,000 a year, throwing off the city’s budget projections, Caviezel said.

In addition, the city ran a deficit the first time in its history last year when it added two sheriff’s deputies and a police office assistant to its staff, Caviezel said. Those hires set the city back $265,000 going into 2009.

All of those numbers have a huge impact on a city with a general fund budget of $3.1 million, Caviezel said.

“We’ve never had a situation like this before,” she said.

To solve the problem, city officials are considering reducing police service, cutting city staff positions and possibly asking voters to raise the city’s property tax rate. A utility tax is another possibility.

Mayor Jeff Hogan said he thinks Edgewood has plenty of choices besides merging with a neighboring city. The city still has a total of about $2.9 million in reserve funds, which includes its general fund reserve and an emergency fund.

“We’re not going bankrupt tomorrow by any means,” Hogan said.

City Council members distributed a survey Thursday night detailing all the revenue generating and cost cutting options and asking residents to note which ones they’d prefer.

A property or utility tax increase large enough to cover Edgewood’s budget shortfall would cost the owner of a $400,000 home about $220 a year, according to city estimates.

But the city could propose a lower tax increase combined with other cost-saving measures to close the $750,000 gap, Hogan said.

For example, cutting three police department positions and the equivalent of 2.5 positions at City Hall could save the city $550,000, though training costs would be incurred if the city decides to rehire. Quality of service would also decline, Hogan said.

“We’re basically asking if people want to keep a certain service level or cut the service level,” Hogan said. “Hopefully we’ll get some good feedback.”

Council members hope to use responses from residents’ surveys to start making decisions as soon as possible, Councilman Dave Olson said.

For a levy lid lift measure to appear on the ballot in November, Edgewood council members would have to approve it by Aug. 11.

Light rail averages about 12,000 daily boardings during first week

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2496/3769118255_19f628d7a7.jpg
(Sound Transit Link getting an average of 12,000 riders a day.)

Posted by Scott Gutierrez at July 30, 2009 12:33 p.m.
The Seattle Post Intelligencer (http://blog.seattlepi.com/transportation/archives/175051.asp)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

SEATTLE - - Sound Transit's Central Link Light rail averaged an estimated 12,000 riders boardings each weekday during it's first week of service, Sound Transit reported Thursday.

Another 16,900 boardings were recorded on the light rail last Saturday. About 15,100 were counted on the light rail Sunday, the agency reported.

The 14-mile line between Westlake Center and Tukwila opened on July 18.

Sound Transit predicts that light rail will average about 21,000 riders on weekdays by the end of 2009. Daily ridership is expected to jump above 26,000 after a 1.3-mile segment between Tukwila and Sea-Tac International Airport opens in December.

An average of 1,300 riders each day took connector buses between the Tukwila light rail station and Sea-Tac during the first week of service.

"We're encouraged by the large numbers of people who boarded light rail on opening weekend and have started using it every day," said Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels, who serves as chairman of Sound Transit's board.

DeWaard & Bode takes Circuit City building

Posted on 28. Jul, 2009
By Isaac Bonnell / The Bellingham Business Journal (http://bbjtoday.com/blog/dewaard-bode-takes-circuit-city-building/2561)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3398/3202211436_5f1ff897fb.jpg
(Bellingham's empty Circuit City will now have a new tenant.)
BELLINGHAM-- After sitting vacant for several months, the former Circuit City building will soon be bustling again, this time with appliances and furniture.
Bellingham-based appliance retailer DeWaard & Bode is in the process of moving from its downtown location at 1815 Cornwall Ave. to the former Circuit City space at 3944 Meridian St. in Meridian Village. The new store is being renovated and DeWaard & Bode is planning for a soft opening in mid-September, said store manager Curt Grady.
“The ‘Circuit City red’ will go away and we’re putting up the ‘DeWaard & Bode blue’ soon,” Grady said.
The move will be a significant increase in retail space, from 13,000 square feet to 22,000 square feet. The new location also comes with an additional 12,000 square feet of warehouse space, which will allow the company to carry more inventory.
“Our showroom here [on Cornwall Avenue] has been great, but we’ve outgrown it. We don’t have the room to show all the products we carry,” Grady said.
DeWaard & Bode has been in its current space for the past 10 years and the time just felt right to expand, Grady said. With more space, the business will be increasing its appliance inventory by about 20 percent and its mattress stock by about 35 percent.
The retailer will also start carrying sofas and TVs and is in the process of building a full-size, working display kitchen that can be used for cooking demonstrations.
“We’re going to have a lot more stock,” Grady said. “We don’t want to be the ‘order it and get it in three weeks’ kind of store. People want their stuff now. If you like this brown couch, we’ll have one in the back that you can take home today.”
The expansion also means that the company will be hiring at least 10 more employees for warehouse and sales positions Grady said. DeWaard & Bode currently employees about 60 people.
Since nearby Linens-N-Things closed in December 2008 and Circuit City closed in March 2009, the Meridian Village shopping center has been without an anchor tenant, leaving its vast parking lot mostly empty.
“We’d like to be the anchor tenant in that area,” Grady said.

Airporter Shuttle adds trips
8-1-2009 / Yakima Valley Business Journal (http://www.yvbj.com/news/2009/07/31/airporter-shuttle-adds-trips.html)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)
YVBJ Staff

YAKIMA - - Airporter Shuttle of Yakima has announced some additions to their round trip transportation service that became effective July 8.
“Primarily, we have added a 2 p.m. departure from Yakima Air Terminal (2:15 p.m. from Howard Johnson, and 2:50 p.m. from Quality Inn in Ellensburg) which in turn provides an 8 p.m. pick-up time at SeaTac heading back East to Yakima,” said Adrienne Booth, director of Sales and Marketing for Airporter Shuttle and Bellair Charters. “This gives us two ways to benefit travelers from Central Washington. More options for getting to Seattle at convenient times, and a much needed mid-evening pick up at 8 p.m. at SeaTac.”
The first departure from Yakima to SeaTac and the downtown Seattle Amtrak station is at 5 a.m.
The last departure leaves Yakima at 5 p.m.
In between, routes leave every three hours. All round trips are scheduled to take three hours and 15 minutes from Yakima to SeaTac, and approximately a half hour more to get into downtown.
“We know that there are a great number of flights scheduled out of SeaTac in the early morning, so for the Airporter Shuttle customer, we have a wonderful arrangement with the Coast Gateway hotel at SeaTac which offers a great discount on overnight accommodations and service to the airport the next morning”, said Booth
In response to customers who use the shuttle to get to westside shopping and not to SeaTac- the Airporter will also now include a new stop/pickup at the Factory Outlet center in North Bend, available with advance reservations.
Reservations may be made online or by calling 866-235-5247.

New signs prod loop users to consider trail's future
By Travis Hay
The Wenatchee World (http://wenatcheeworld.com/article/20090731/NEWS04/707319953)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1384/697706172_421f716b59.jpg
(Signs along a popular East Wenatchee riverside trail promote condo's and development.)

Posted July 31, 2009
EAST WENATCHEE — Condos, picnic shelters and beaches aren't a part of the eastern side of the Apple Capital Recreation Loop Trail, but that didn't stop Project Groundwork from posting signs along the trail promoting the possibility.

The signs with fake ads are part of the More Than A Trail group's plan to spark a reaction from trail users. The group aims to encourage people to think about what they would like to see the trail become and hopes they will take an online survey providing the group with thoughts about how land near the trail should be used.

"I've had people who are passing me by on bikes circle back to me and ask what I'm doing," Heather Ostenson of Project Groundwork said while pointing at a sign advertising condos along the Loop Trail. "It really does get people's attention and that's good. People really wonder what's going on and if that (condos) could be a possibility and those are the types of discussions we want to have."

As of Thursday afternoon, 556 people have taken the survey online. More Than A Trail's goal is 1,818. Douglas County and the city of East Wenatchee hired Project Groundwork, a local design and consulting company, to develop a master plan for the trail.

The need for public input comes as city and county officials work to develop a master plan for the 400 acres of the trail between 13th Street Northwest and the Odabashian Bridge. That land is currently owned by the state Department of Transportation.

Previously plans called for a riverside highway that would use the DOT land, but the DOT decided against the project. In 2007 the DOT announced it intends to get rid of the 400 acres because it won't be used for a highway. The DOT would have several options, including put it up for public auction or possibly make a swap with a public agency or another group for land of an equal value. A proposal will be a part of a supplement to the DOT's budget that will be prepared in September.

By presenting the DOT with a master plan for the trail developed by the community it could convince the DOT to remove the land from its surplus list because it would show there is a unified community plan for the trail, Reister said.

"At this point we need the local community and local agencies to come forward with their vision for what they want to see happen with the trail," Mike Reister, a DOT engineer working with the city and county, said.

The signs aren't the only mark Project Groundwork has made on the trail. There are also markers on the sides of portions of the trail with pink ribbons indicating what a 25-foot wide trail offset would look like, which is one of the scenarios Project Groundwork would like users to think about.

"I've had people ask me what we are advocating for and really we're not advocating for anything in particular. We are asking the community what it wants. That's what we're advocating for," David Stipe of Project Groundwork said.

Along with taking the online survey trail users will be able to provide their thoughts of the future of the trail at an open house Tuesday at the Douglas County Public Services building.

East Wenatchee Mayor Steve Lacy praised the both the public outreach efforts of Project Groundwork and the overall process of developing a plan for the trail during a city council meeting Tuesday night.

"I think we are well on the way to getting quite a bit of citizen participation which is good because this is literally a once in a lifetime opportunity to have a say in the future of the community," Lacy said.

Travis Hay: 665-1169

Silver Cloud Inns & Hotels Buys Land in Downtown Bellevue for Future Development
By Lea / The Downtown Bellevue Network (http://www.downtownbellevue.com/2009/07/29/silver-cloud-inns-hotels-buys-land-in-downtown-bellevue-for-future-development/)
August 1, 2009
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3192/3026314531_e035a82821.jpg
(The current Silver Cloud Inn in Bellevue.)

BELLEVUE- According to an article in The Seattle Times today, the Silver Cloud hotel chain has bought 0.7 acres of land in Downtown Bellevue on the corner of 108th Ave. and 6th St. across from the Bellevue Transit Center. Paying $9.5 million for the site, the Bellevue-based regional hotel chain made an investment for their future.

“We may build something there someday, but not with the market the way it is,” said Silver Cloud majority owner Jim Weymouth. The site, which is currently home to a store an an old office building, had been on sale by Utah-based Wasatch Development. Wasatch is also the owner of what was to be the Washington Square “Superblock”, which is also up for sale for $113 million.

Silver Cloud Inns & Hotels has 10 hotels in Washington and Oregon, one of them already being in Downtown Bellevue on 12th Street.

Controversial Helistop Approved at Bellevue Place

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1163/1001335344_7d9fe3c177.jpg
(Helicopters are approved to land in downtown Bellevue on top of certain skyscraper.)

By Michael / The Downtown Bellevue Network (http://www.downtownbellevue.com/2009/07/24/controversial-helistop-approved-at-bellevue-place/)
August 2, 2009
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

The highly controversial City of Bellevue hearing for Kemper Development’s application for a helistop on top of the Bank of America Building at Bellevue Place has been approved.

The City of Bellevue’s approval allows for 5 operations per week and prohibits any type of activity on Sundays or legal holidays.

Some residents have been very against the idea of a helistop due to the noise that it may cause. Several tests have been run over the last year and have shown that there will not be a noticeable noise impact to the community.

City Hearing Examiner Christopher Mathews stated, ‘The proposal is consistent with the goal of remaining competitive in the next generation, and of improving the viability and accessibility of downtown Bellevue.”

This seems like a fair decision. The project will be closely watched, and both a Website and phone number will be set up to allow for feedback once the helicopters are allowed to fly and land on top of the Bank of America Building.

Published: Sunday, August 2, 2009
Is Snohomish rail project on the right track?

The man proposing a tourist train for the city has had success and failure in past ventures

By Debra Smith
The Everett Herald Writer (http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20090802/NEWS01/708029882&news01ad=1#Is.Snohomish.rail.project.on.the.right.track)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3275/2773983802_b85a281768.jpg
(Downtown Snohomish to see an influx of tourists? Depends on the rail.)

SNOHOMISH — Tom Payne has an offer Snohomish doesn’t want to refuse.

The railroad operator wants to bring a train into the heart of downtown.

A shiny steam engine would deliver hundreds of tourists and their dollars every weekend to downtown shops and restaurants — an economic booster shot right when and where the city needs it.

Payne already has secured running rights on a stretch of track from Woodinville to Snohomish. What he doesn’t have is the OK from city leaders to bring that train across the Snohomish River and into the city.

The question is: Should the city let him?

Payne, a 60-year-old former railroad engineer from Canada, has a history of great success and at least one dismal failure in rail operations.

His most recent operation in Tacoma, Golden Pacific Railroad, broke down under crippling debt and lawsuits. Snohomish officials say they know some of the story, but acknowledge they haven’t delved deep.

Payne said he understands why his business record might raise questions. He has answers, he said.

“Any controversy over the business affairs of GPRR is inevitable, in that the corporation failed,” he wrote in a letter to The Herald. “Both successes and failures are part of business life.”

Most of what people seem to know about Tom Payne is what happened in Canada.

There, Payne, a native Canadian, did something extraordinary. After a years-long legal battle that went all the way to the Canadian Supreme Court, Payne convinced the Canadian federal government to let him run a small regional railroad freight operation in Alberta.

Until then, a few mega rail companies had monopolized the rail system in Canada. Payne turned his regional operation into a money-maker, and sold it for millions in 1999. That earned him a spot in the Canadian Railway Hall of Fame.

He also started an excursion train operation in Alberta that is still running today under different ownership.

What’s less known about Payne is what happened later in Tacoma.

In 2005, he helped form a company called Golden Pacific Railroad Inc. That company planned to set up an excursion train with Tacoma Rail, a city-owned railroad operated by Tacoma Public Utilities. The train would take passengers on a 14-mile ride to Fredrickson, also in Pierce County.

The venture ended badly after a single season of operation.

Investors in the company, including Payne, lost hundreds of thousands of dollars. One Canadian investor lost more than $1 million.

Golden Pacific often paid its bills late and still owes about $12,000 to Tacoma Rail.

The company left a trail of unpaid bills with the people it did business with. At least three companies filed suit seeking payment.

Payne said he stopped running the company before things went bad.

Others closely involved with the company tell a different story.

“We all share some blame,” said Mike Pierce, a former officer of the company. “But our biggest mistake was not reining Tom in fast enough.”

u u u

In 2008, some city leaders got excited when they learned a railroad operator wanted to bring a train to Snohomish.

Some in the city predicted a train could bring as many as 60,000 tourists to Snohomish every year.

Burlington Northern Sante Fe owns a stretch of track that runs from Woodinville to Snohomish. When the rail company wanted to sell the track, the Port of Seattle decided to buy it to keep the corridor in use as a rail line. The worry was that a new buyer might rip out the tracks and a transportation link would be lost.

The port, along with BNSF, chose Payne and his company to operate freight along the line. As part of the agreement, GNP Railway has to start a tourist train, too.

The port’s purchase of the corridor is on hold until the bond market improves. Port officials have said they are committed to buying it.

The City Council set up an advisory committee. In a year of meetings, the committee researched things such as train station options, parking and traffic.

What the committee didn’t do was look into Payne’s business plan or background. That wasn’t the committee’s purpose, said Karen Guzak, a city councilwoman who sat on the committee.

City staff did vet Payne’s background but not deeply, said city manager Larry Bauman.

They do know about Golden Pacific’s failure in Tacoma, and they don’t have any major concerns about what they’ve found, he said.

In its background check, the city became convinced that Payne wasn’t primarily responsible for the company’s failure, and he even went above and beyond to repay debts he wasn’t responsible for paying, Bauman said.

Bauman said he had not heard about some of the lawsuits and unpaid bills involving Golden Pacific.

“We understood the project fell apart,” he said.

The city worker who conducted those checks was on vacation and couldn’t comment for this story.

City leaders entered into a confidentiality agreement with GNP Railway. The city agreed not to discuss any proprietary information GNP might provide. However, the city has received scant information that could be considered proprietary from GNP Railway, Bauman said.

In a public meeting in May, concerned Snohomish residents questioned Payne about his business background and plans for Snohomish. They asked if he had completed a marketing study or a business plan.

Payne told them that the details of his business are private and he couldn’t conduct a marketing study until he had firmer plans on where the tourist train would let off passengers.

It’s important to note that the city didn’t choose Tom Payne or his company, Bauman said. The Port of Seattle and Burlington Northern Sante Fe Railway were in charge of that.

The only trump card Snohomish holds is the ability to give Payne access to a city-owned rail corridor that stretches from the Snohomish River north along the route of the Centennial Trail, bisecting residential neighborhoods and busy city streets.

Snohomish officials want to proceed cautiously, Bauman said. That’s one of the reasons they plan to hire an attorney with experience in federal railway law, an area of law that he characterized as fairly complex and arcane.

City leaders are worried that once they cede the corridor, they might have little control over what happens along it.

Tom Payne said he’s not responsible for the failure of Golden Pacific Railroad and that there is no connection between the Tacoma venture and his new company, GNP Railway.

In a four-page letter to The Herald, Payne blamed the failure of Golden Pacific on “undercapitalization and the failure of that corporation to complete its long-term finance of the business.”

Payne said his Canadian company, Tom Payne Holdings Inc., lost more than a half-million dollars in the venture. He severed all ties with Golden Pacific in 2007 and has no knowledge or responsibility for any unpaid debts Golden Pacific may not have settled, he said.

He also said his immigration status limited his ability to manage Golden Pacific and he stepped out of the picture before things went wrong.

He resigned as president in February 2006 and instead began serving as secretary and director of Golden Pacific. As an alien worker, his authority to serve as director of Golden Pacific was limited. That burden fell on his U.S. partners, he said.

At least one former business Payne worked with, Coast Engine and Equipment Corp. of Tacoma, concurs that Payne didn’t appear to be responsible for the lion’s share of the decision-making.

The president of that company, David Swanson, said two U.S. officers seemed to call the shots.

“If Tom was in the picture, he was in the background,” he said.

When Swanson dealt with Payne’s other company, which owned the locomotive, bills were paid fully and on time. He said he considered Payne a “responsible businessman.”

Swanson’s company is still owed thousands by Golden Pacific for repairs, and that’s not Payne’s fault, he said.

Golden Pacific appeared to be in trouble before Payne stepped aside, Swanson said. The company had already missed a season because the locomotive wasn’t ready. A company can only sustain delays so long, he said.

The U.S. partners said Payne bears some responsibility.

The venture in Tacoma failed after a series of bad decisions and unanticipated problems cost the business hundreds of thousands of dollars more than expected, said Pierce, the former Golden Pacific vice president.

Pierce pinned most of the blame on Payne.

Pierce, who owns an Oregon tour bus company, met Payne through a railroad brokerage firm. Pierce wanted to start an excursion train and Payne had access to a steam locomotive in Canada. It seemed like a good business partnership.

Problems emerged almost immediately, starting with Payne’s attempt to move the steam locomotive across the border to the United States. A lien against the locomotive delayed the move.

When the locomotive did arrive, it required a quarter-million dollars of work. It didn’t have enough oomph to climb a steep railroad grade.

Another officer in the company had six passenger cars moved to Tacoma that turned out to need substantial work, too.

By 2006, “everyone was coughing in dollars,” Pierce said.

Sometimes Payne made decisions and spent money without clearing it with the board first, he said.

“All these bills were coming due and we didn’t know anything about it,” Pierce said.

Lou Schillinger, who took over as president of Golden Pacific when Payne resigned, said the company was in trouble before he took over and Payne’s immigration status “had nothing to do with anything.”

Schillinger originally got involved with Golden Pacific as an investor. He runs a Midwest insurance company and knows nothing about the day-to-day operations of running a railroad. That was supposed to be Payne’s job, he said.

“He was the de facto decision maker,” Schillinger said. “He was the only qualified railroad operator in the group. The rest of us were white-collar businessmen.”

He said he ended up paying thousands of dollars more than expected and took over running the company to protect his initial investment. He is now trying to pay back some of the company’s debts.

In retrospect, Payne’s business plan didn’t address some things it should have, such as potential interest in a tourist train in Tacoma, Schillinger said. It was assumed that if they brought the train, customers would come.

Almost immediately, Payne had trouble getting along with the management at Tacoma Rail. Miscommunication with Tacoma Rail also led to more expenses.

For instance, Schillinger said Payne told him that Tacoma Rail agreed to a certain price for storing rail equipment. Tacoma Rail wanted to charge 10 times more.

“I think he means what he says, but he overpromises,” Schillinger said.



Debra Smith: 425-339-3197, dsmith@heraldnet.com.

Shoreline's future

By Russ Doubleday / August 1st, 2009
The Shoreline Enterprise (http://www.enterprisenewspapers.com/article/20090729/ETP03/707299815/-1/ETPZONESHL&template=ETPZoneSHLart)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center

http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/9678/ajmshorelineaerial.jpg
(Aerial of Shoreline, Washington, which could soon have a totally new town center.) (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

SHORELINE- The Shoreline Planning Commission led a 20-person walking tour of the Shoreline Town Center area with their ideas and strategies for the city’s core on Thursday, July 23.

With the second phase of the Aurora Corridor Improvement project scheduled to begin at the end of this year, the Planning Commission has outlined a study area for where the Town Center could be.

The study area is bounded between 170th Street to the south, 188th Street to the north, Ashworth Avenue to the east and Fremont Avenue to the west. The Town Center, while it may not extend all the way to these boundaries, will fall somewhere within these parameters around Aurora Avenue.

The second phase of the Aurora Improvement project will stretch from 165th Street to 192nd Street through the Town Center. This project is completely designed and funded through 188th Street.

The walking tour hit six key areas on both sides of Aurora. These included places like the Interurban Trail and Gateway Plaza on 185th that were recently built, as well as areas to potentially focus on in the future, like Firlands Way or the parking lots behind Highland Ice Arena.

Because Shoreline did not become an incorporated city until 1995, the county used to dictate what would be built in this study area. Aurora Avenue was strictly zoned for business development only - there was no vision of ever putting apartments on this major thoroughfare, for example. The city, however, has not reached a conclusion on what to zone areas of Aurora Avenue inside of the Town Center besides regional business, if anything at all.

The city wants to develop its own identity said Paul Cohen, the project manager of Planning and Development Services for Shorline. The Town Center is in the heart of the city, so big decisions need to be made in the near future that will shape Shoreline and its identity. Neighboring cities such as Edmonds (Main Street) and Lake Forest Park (Towne Center shopping center) both have established centers which give these cities a certain character.

The Growth Management Act requires all cities in the state to have a comprehensive plan. Shoreline’s first plan was unveiled in 1998, and an updated comprehensive plan came in 2004.

The walking tour also looked at several areas that have more established plans for the future.

A plan for the new Shorewood High School was discussed at length. The school buildings would be built on the east side of the property, and parking lots would move facing Fremont Ave., the western boundary of the property. The Shoreline Historical Museum building would be a library in this design, but the actual owner of this building is still in question, which could undermine the school district’s plan. No permits have been applied for yet.

Also, an established Town Center area will allow the city to change some of the zoning. On Linden Avenue, for example, residential zoning of six housing units per acre is across the street from either regional business or 48 housing units per acre zoning. These are concerns that the Planning Commission is looking to address in the future.

The next Planning Commission meeting will be on Saturday, Aug. 20. They will discuss what has happened so far with the Town Center development and what they see possibly happening in the future.

August 3, 2009
Children's Bellevue clinic to cost $70M
The Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce (http://www.djc.com/news/co/12008697.html)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://www.djc.com/stories/images/20090803/Childrens_Bellevue_Clinic_web_200x.jpg
(Image courtesy of NBBJ )

BELLEVUE- Although construction is just 25 percent complete, Seattle Children's held a site dedication ceremony last week for its $70 million clinic and surgery center near Overlake Hospital in Bellevue. As part of the ceremony, kids added their painted handprints to the clinic's entrance columns.

August 3, 2009
Theater Commons will become Seattle Center's new north entry
By MARC STILES
The Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce (http://www.djc.com/news/ae/12008695.html)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)
http://www.djc.com/stories/images/20090803/Donnellyardens_web.jpg
( Rendering courtesy of Seattle Center )
Theater Commons will house Donnelly Gardens, named in memory of arts leader Peter Donnelly.
Seattle Center officials are unveiling plans for a new north entry to be called Theater Commons. It will be a 1.5-acre landscaped space between Seattle Repertory and Intiman theaters, on what is known today as August Wilson Way

East Wenatchee grapples with how to pay for Grant Road repair
By Travis Hay
The Wenatchee World (http://wenatcheeworld.com/article/20090803/NEWS04/708039976) staff writer
Posted August 03, 2009
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3606/3291464924_e42132ab22.jpg

EAST WENATCHEE — Everybody knows Grant Road needs repair work. The problem is the city doesn't have the money to get it done.

Parts of the road are damaged and have heavy rutting, chipping and cracking. "It's pretty obvious that there needs to be some surface work done on it," said Brandon Mauseth, East Wenatchee Public Works Director. "It's one of the busiest roads in the city and it gets a lot of wear on it."

Grant Road averages about 24,000 vehicles a day. To put that in perspective, the stretch of Mission Street to Stevens Street that leads to the Sen. George Sellar Bridge gets about 35,000 cars a day and Valley Mall Parkway averages about 10,000.

"It is an extremely important arterial street," said Jeff Wilkens, Wenatchee Valley Transportation Council executive director. "There are a few vital roads in the Wenatchee Valley and Grant Road is clearly one of regional significance given its access to the airport."

The city submitted Grant Road to the list of projects to be considered by the WVTC for federal stimulus funding but it didn't make the cut. Wilkens said a variety of factors played into deciding which projects were selected for funding and that most of the projects approved were in rural areas and were ready to begin construction immediately. He added that because there was a limited amount of stimulus money to go around it meant some work, like road maintenance projects, couldn't get funded.

"It's nice to have these bridge and highway types of projects, but when cities are struggling to do basic paving jobs it's not a good place to be," Wilkens said.

East Wenatchee Mayor Steve Lacy said working on Grant Road is a priority but the city will have to work hard to find the estimate $1.2 million needed for the project.

"It is an acute, critical problem to which we don't have an identified solution," Lacy said.

The wear and tear on the road has already led to rutting and "alligator cracks," which are series of sprawling cracks that create ways for water to penetrate the road's surface.

"Once it starts, it is hard to get control of it unless you remove and replace the pavement," Mauseth said. "Rather than wearing out the top of the asphalt the damage gets to the base layers of the road and it isn't meant to have that type of exposure."

Lacy said Grant Road has been on the city's radar for years but the city did not take action because other projects took priority and because of costs.

In June, an engineering consultant recommended the city grind up the top two or three inches of the roughly one-mile span of Grant Road between Eastmont and Kentucky avenues and replace it with new asphalt as part of an overlay. An overlay involves repaving, filling cracks and performing other maintenance short of reconstructing the road. Because the city cannot afford to do that right now, the consultant recommended a series of preservation projects until the city can afford a full overlay.

Following the consultant's recommendation, next month the city will perform crack-sealing work on Grant Road which it hopes will prevent further deterioration. The work, which will take place during the first two weeks of August, will cost the city between $18,000 and $21,000, according to Mauseth.

Aside from the crack seal, which is a temporary fix, the city has come up with ways to preserve some, but not all, of the road. An overlay of the area of Grant Road that leads to the Sen. George Sellar Bridge will be done in 2011 while state Department of Transportation crews work on the bridge's eastside approaches and off ramp. The work for that portion of the road will cost the city $82,000.

The city also hopes to piggyback on the Sellar Bridge project when seeking bids for an extension of the overlay that would reach Georgia Avenue. The city hopes it will get better bid prices doing the Georgia extension — which would cost about $240,000 — in 2011, when the DOT is working on the Sellar Bridge.

"Since our commercial district more or less extends to Georgia it makes sense to bear that expense, but finding the extra $240,000 in the budget for the work isn't going to be easy," Lacy said.

He added that although the work will be expensive, it is necessary.

But where will the city find the money?

"That is an open-ended question that we don't have the answer to," Lacy said.

Travis Hay: 665-1169

hay@wenatcheeworld.com

Downtown Port Orchard Face-Lift Painted a Success

By Brynn Grimley / The Kitsap Sun (http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2009/aug/02/downtown-port-orchard-face-lift-painted-a/)
Sunday, August 2, 2009
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3134/3088959422_0b0aa78aef.jpg
(Downtown Port Orchard just recently got a new coat of paint.)

PORT ORCHARD —

The scene along Bay Street in Port Orchard on Sunday for the Paint the Town block party could have been taken out of a movie.

Children ran through the closed-off street between painting stations, while adults busied themselves in the different stages of painting. Some taped up plastic to protect windows from paint splatter, while others climbed ladders to paint hard-to-reach areas.

Local best-selling author Debbie Macomber and her daughter kept themselves busy planting flowers in concrete pots situated in front of businesses.

While it appeared chaotic to the unknowing observer, things were operating better than local resident and national radio personality Delilah Rene Luke could have imagined.

“This is 1,000 times better than I envisioned it as happening,” Luke said from the middle of a bustling Bay Street. “I had hoped we could pull it together, to do this for the community as a blessing.”

It wasn’t that long ago that Luke came up with the idea to repaint downtown in time for Cedar Cove Days, scheduled for Aug. 26 through 30.

Initial estimates indicate at least 10,000 people are expected to come to Port Orchard during the event, which is meant to welcome Macomber’s readers to the real-life town on which her Cedar Cove series is based.

“They’re doing it because they love their community and want to welcome all of the readers to Cedar Cove Days,” Macomber said of the hundreds of volunteers who helped over the weekend.

“This is our way of rolling out the red carpet to welcome everyone here.”

Ninety percent of the work to spruce up downtown was complete by Sunday evening, however additional projects — including finishing the mural next to Myhre’s — will take a little longer.

Already by midday Sunday, multiple buildings were painted in the new color pallet that included shades like celery green, sunshine yellow, morning mist (a mix of gray and blue) and butternut. The colors are meant to reflect a beach or bay theme, Luke said.

While most of the businesses downtown opted for the free face-lift — Luke paid for a bulk of the cost — others chose to either keep their existing facades or opted to use their own colors.

“Everybody was afraid the color scheme was really going to be awful, but the building owners picked the colors they wanted,” Mayor Lary Coppola said of concerns expressed by some leading up to the event.

Looking at the work already done, he felt everything fit together nicely.

“I think this is just outstanding. Despite a few naysayers, the community has really come together,” he said. “It makes me proud. It makes me really proud to have the community come out like this.”

While planning the event wasn’t without controversy, the local business owners who helped Sunday were happy to see so many volunteers eager to spruce up downtown.

Amy Igloi-Matsuno, co-owner of Amy’s on the Bay, hopes that pride continues to grow.

“I think it’s wonderful,” she said. “We’ve needed this for quite some time.”

When it comes to Dome District, Sound Transit planners aren’t listening

PETER CALLAGHAN; THE TACOMA NEWS TRIBUNE (http://www.thenewstribune.com/topstories/story/833070.html)
Published: 08/04/09 7:19 am
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3195/2538021306_01dd025f38.jpg
A Sound Transit tram in Tacoma.)

TACOMA- At one time, Sound Transit operated under a strict policy: Any neighborhood that hosted the transit agency’s rails and stations would be better off after construction than it was before.

That policy now seems to have been amended to read “except in Tacoma.” Down here, we are being directed by the bureaucrats and the politicians who allegedly supervise them to take what they offer us and like it.

Or else.

Or else what?

Or else they’ll take their rails and trains and go home to Seattle.

The latest issue is the method to get Sounder trains from the current end of the line at Freighthouse Square to South Tacoma and Lakewood. In order to climb a small grade between D and M streets, the engineers must gradually elevate the tracks. The grade is needed so the tracks can cross Pacific on a bridge rather than at street level – a change made for safety reasons.

Sound Transit staff wants to build a tall earthen berm and put the tracks on top. When that decision was made, such a method was considerably cheaper. But the businesses and neighbors in the Dome District – plus lots of others who see that area as a great mixed-use area some day – see the berm as the Not-So-Great Wall of Tacoma.

The berm will create a visual and psychological barrier between the upper part of the district by the Dome and the lower part that approaches the Foss Waterway.

Dome District advocates have suggested using post-and-beam construction instead. That would allow pedestrians to pass beneath and allow some space for parking. While earlier estimates said post-and-beam would be much more expensive, more-recent analysis suggests the costs are comparable.

Neither one is a fabulous solution. But the post-and-beam method would be less bad, and advocates for the neighborhood are telling anyone and everyone who will listen. They are also trying to tell a lot of folks who aren’t listening – the Sound Transit staff and the local elected officials who serve on the Sound Transit board.

Last week, at the urging of Pierce County Executive Pat McCarthy, who recently joined the Sound Transit board, a meeting was held with agency staff, politicians and neighborhood advocates. Plans were presented, opinions were shared, the path of the tracks was toured.

When it was over, Sound Transit said thanks for coming, but it isn’t changing its plans. The design was changed once, staff said, when the decision was made to go over the top of Pacific. The project is already over time and over budget.

None of that is the fault of the neighborhoods or the city of Tacoma.

Neighbors probably don’t expect the bureaucrats in Seattle to pay them much attention. They do, however, expect the local elected officials who represent them on the Sound Transit board to take on their case. That hasn’t happened either.

After last week’s meeting, Tacoma Councilwoman Julie Anderson told News Tribune editorial page editor Pat O’Callahan that residents shouldn’t get their hopes up.

“It’s unfortunate that people think we’re at a decision point, because a decision was made quite some time ago,” Anderson said.

Once again, Sound Transit has demonstrated the difference between being willing to listen and being willing to be persuaded. The agency is required to spend millions of dollars to distribute information and seek public opinion. But there is little evidence that opinions contrary to those held by staff and board members are considered.

Anyone who has ridden the Seattle LINK segments can see how much was spent to make those neighborhoods better. Seattle politicians also assured that millions more were spent on nontransit economic and social programs to buy off opposition in the Rainier Valley.

But when Tacoma residents ask for a design that won’t damage the Dome District, they’re told to take a hike.

Peter Callaghan: 253-597-8657

peter.callaghan@thenewstribune.com

blogs.thenewstribune.com/politics

Parking enforcement planned for downtown Redmond
By MARY STEVENS DECKER
Redmond Reporter Reporter (http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/east_king/red/news/52366417.html)
Aug 03 2009, 2:04 PM
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3664/3416757586_b531c245e6.jpg
(Redmond police will begin parking enforcement in downtown.)

REDMOND- Starting on Sept. 1, the majority of on-street parking in downtown Redmond will be limited to a maximum of two hours from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday, excluding holidays and with some exceptions such as spots which have signs stating that they are one-hour or 15-minute load/unload spots.

The affected portion of downtown Redmond will be bounded roughly by Northeast 90th Street, Cleveland Street, 164th Avenue Northeast and the Sammamish River.

The city is contracting with Diamond Parking to provide parking enforcement and parking permit sales. During the month of September, "soft" enforcement will begin by issuing warning notices to those who disregard the parking time limit, according to Erika Vandenbrande, transportation demand manager for the City of Redmond.

Beginning in October, tickets requiring the payment of fines will be issued. The fine would be $20.

Citizens will be informed about these changes through "a multi-tiered communication strategy," said Vandenbrande.

"First, city staff has been visiting both businesses and residential developments in the affected area to let them know that changes are coming with on-street parking, beginning in September. In the first wave of visits, we have been letting people know about available alternatives to driving alone — taking the bus, bicycling, carpooling and vanpooling," she explained.

"In the second wave, starting in August, we will be reminding people that change is coming ... (and) providing information on how to obtain a limited number of paid parking permits, allowing all-day parking, for purchase on a monthly basis."

The city will also work closely with local media and business partners such as the Redmond Reporter, Greater Redmond Chamber of Commerce and Greater Redmond Transportation Management Association to get the word out. And information will be posted on the city's Web site (redmond.gov), city's online news magazine (efocusonredmond.com) and on the R-TRIP (Redmond Trip Resource & Incentive Program) Web site, www. GOrtrip.com.

Informative signage is already up in the affected portion of downtown Redmond and additional signage will be installed in August.

What options will be available for visitors or employees who need to park downtown more than two hours?

The city recently opened a new parking garage across from the Redmond Transit Center, but many of those spaces will be occupied by those who ride buses from downtown Redmond into Seattle or elsewhere.

Vandenbrande noted, "Those wishing to park more than two hours would park on-site at the business or residence they are visiting. For those wanting a more frequent extended parking option, a limited number of paid parking permits will be available for purchase," at a cost of $50 per month.

Some readers may wonder why the city is going to enforce the downtown parking limits.

Vandenbrande responded, "Many businesses and residents have increasingly asked the city to manage the parking in downtown Redmond. Eighty five percent or more of the on-street parking spaces are consistently full and consumers are finding it challenging to do business in the area. Quite simply, demand for on-street parking exceeds supply. There are 300 on-street parking spaces in the affected area, but far more than 300 residents, employees and customers seeking to use those spaces. The program is designed to support access to downtown businesses and parking.

The city commissioned a parking consultant, Rick Williams, to prepare a Downtown Parking Study that was presented to (City) Council in March 2008. A Parking Stakeholder Advisory Committee was comprised of downtown Redmond residents and businesses. The committee provided significant assistance in the identification, description and prioritization of issues to be addressed. They were further instrumental in the development of strategies and plans necessary for implementation of the parking management plan."

Furthermore, said Vandenbrande, "There are options to driving that eliminate or decrease the need for parking. Downtown Redmond is adjacent to the Sammamish River Trail, home to a brand-new transit center and abundant with bicycle racks. R-TRIP offers Redmond residents and employees incentives to use alternatives to driving alone to work. The city program offers first-time transit riders a free, one-month bus pass to try transit, $300 in subsidies for new vanpoolers and many online resources such as a commute calendar, ride-matching tool and transit route planner. By logging commutes on the commute calendar, each participant earns a one-time $50 incentive after their first 50 alternative commutes."

Downtown parking enforcement was approved at the July 21 meeting of the Redmond City Council. Councilmembers Nancy McCormick, Pat Vache, Kim Allen, Hank Myers and Hank Margeson voted in favor of the ordinance. Councilmembers Richard Cole and David Carson voted against it.

If you have questions about downtown parking, call (425) 556-2433 or e-mail parking@redmond.gov. For R-TRIP information, visit www.GOrtrip.com.

Redmond Reporter Reporter Mary Stevens Decker can be reached at mdecker@redmond-reporter.com or (425) 867-0353, ext. 5052.

Bremerton, Kitsap County Disagree on $2 Million Condo Loan

By Steven Gardner / The Kitsap Sun (http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2009/aug/03/bremerton-county-disagree-on-2-million-condo/)
Monday, August 3, 2009
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/201/494344695_895742d4a3.jpg
(Sadly, the beleaguered Harborside Condominium project in downtown Bremerton is not attracting people as well as the city had hoped.)

BREMERTON —

Bremerton and Kitsap County officials have exchanged letters that show disagreement over $2 million the county wants the city to pay for the beleaguered Harborside Condominium project.

The city agreed in 2005 to loan the $2 million to the Kitsap County Consolidated Housing Authority, which built the condos, if the county also chipped in a $22.2 million loan for the project.

But with the housing authority on the brink of bankruptcy, the county stepped in to restructure the housing authority’s original loan, which was officially due Saturday. The county also took on the Poplars assisted-living facility and now owns a $40.5 million debt.

Proceeds from condo sales are supposed to pay part of that obligation down over the next four years, but the county expects to still owe about $10 million when the loan comes due in 2013.

County commissioners expect they’ll have to issue bonds to pay off the remainder, but in the meantime they want Bremerton to live up to the agreement it made in 2005 to loan the $2 million.

In a letter signed by Bremerton mayor pro tem Cecil McConnell, the city argues that the county essentially absolved the city of its previous obligation by changing the original agreement. “It is the city’s understanding ... that the county will be assuming responsibility for the debt rather than loaning money to the authority,” the July 2 letter said.

The county’s response, dated July 22, indicates the county is loaning the housing authority the money in the loan restructuring and that the city appears to be looking for a way to not meet its obligation.

“Your letter suggest that, rather than proceeding with its preparations, the city is focusing efforts on technical arguments aimed at avoiding the city’s obligations,” the county responded in a letter signed by Charlotte Garrido, Kitsap County commission chairwoman.

Contacted Monday, McConnell said he’s puzzled by the county’s insistence on the issue. “I don’t know why they’re making such a deal out of this,” he said. “It’s not really money we owe them. It would have been a loan.”

McConnell said there’s been no change in the city’s position since the county responded and that the matter is in the hands of the city’s and county’s attorneys.

Garrido said while the county and city might see the agreement differently, she doesn’t see the current situation as particularly troubling.

“The county and the city of Bremerton both made commitments. We’re just exchanging the legal formalities that this particular need has been triggered by this agreement,” she said.

Garrido said she’s waiting for a response from the city, but would not speculate on whether the county might take the city to court or whether this disagreement could hinder future agreements between the two governments.

“Right now we’re doing the due diligence that we have to do,” she said.

Published: Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Will levy to settle Collins building battle?

A $15 million measure to restore the historic building may go to voters, but some say port officials should wait.

By Mike Benbow
The Everett Herald (http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20090805/NEWS01/708059732&news01ad=1#Will.levy.to.settle.Collins.building.battle) Writer
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3464/3363730371_b64385a2b8.jpg
(The Collins Building on Everett's waterfront.)

EVERETT — The Port of Everett may let voters decide the fate of the historic Collins Building.

The red and white structure is the last remnant of the wood-products factories that once crammed Everett’s waterfront, lending the community its nickname as the City of Smokestacks. It had been set for demolition, but backers recently won a temporary injunction in court that has placed its future in limbo.

Port officials suggested Tuesday that voters should get the chance to show their love for the former casket company building in the form of a tax levy on the November ballot that would raise $15 million.

“We’re trying to avoid a win-loss situation,” said John Mohr, the port’s executive director. “The question of concern about the Collins Building has always been how it’s going to be paid for. This could make the building an asset to be used by the community.”

The port has always contended that it would be illegal for it to spend the money to make the building habitable because it would be a poor investment of public money. A private effort to get financing for the project was unsuccessful.

The port has received approval from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for demolition, but now faces the injunction and an appeal from backers of the building, which is on the state and the national registers of historic places.

Building supporters were skeptical of the proposed levy Tuesday, suggesting the port would use public fear about the recession to kill the building once and for all.

Everett City Council member Mark Olson, who is running for election on the port commission this fall, applauded the idea of a public vote but questioned what he called “the aggressiveness of the tax.”

“I would suggest you look seriously at extending the measure to make it palatable,” he said. “This highest possible tax during the worst possible economy is likely to be defeated.”

Annie Lyman also said she was concerned about the timing of the measure, saying that during the existing economy, voters would approve levies for schools or emergency services before one for a historic structure.

“You really need to look at where this community is right now,” she said, suggesting the port wait a year.

Former port commissioner Connie Niva, who stepped down after buying a home outside the district, attended the meeting Tuesday and said she was surprised by the comments. “We’ve been told in this room for years that the entire community supported this building,” she said. “Now there’s this huge sucking sound out there about giving the community more time. We owe the public an opportunity to end this process, to make a decision so we can move on.”

The commissioners didn’t make a decision on putting the measure on the ballot, but are scheduled to do so at their meeting next week.

The $15 million figure comes from previous estimates of what it would take to restore and substantially renovate the 75-year-old building to meet building codes. If approved, property owners would pay $1.06 per every $1,000 of assessed property value, or $318 for a $300,000 home.

Plan for Paine Field doesn't include commercial service
By KATIE MURDOCH / August 3rd, 2009
The Snohomish County Tribune (http://www.snoho.com/Stories/080509_painefield.html)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3153/3003964764_8e29e2f5ea.jpg
(Paine Field in Mukilteo.)

MUKILTEO - As expected, the city of Mukilteo’s recommendations for future development at Paine Field does not include commercial air service at the county-owned airport.
The city’s preferences include continued support for general aviation and designating the property for facilities that promote aerospace manufacturing and education.
Earlier this month, the Mukilteo City Council approved sending a letter to County Executive Aaron Reardon and the Snohomish County Council expressing its preference for future development in that section of Paine Field.
City officials would also like to see future development that complements the city’s design standards and avoid retail or commercial development as it would compete with the city’s restaurants and shops.
“Of your many development choices, clearly, education facilities are the highest and best use of Paine Field’s west side,” city officials wrote. “… we implore you to dedicate the use of the west side of Paine Field for future aeronautics educational facilities and that you take steps to make that goal a reality.”
Mayor Joe Marine said last week airplane manufacturing and aeronautical engineering is the “better use” for future development at Paine Field.
Marine said the city has been very clear about its opposition toward commercial service at the airport.
It makes more sense to have manufacturing and educational facilities at Paine Field, he said.
“Education helps to keep businesses in the area,” he said.
Councilman Kevin Stoltz said he would prefer to see more education and aviation-related development at the airport rather than retail.
Stoltz said he does not want to see restaurants and shops competing with Mukilteo businesses.
“Many people are opposed to that,” he said.
Earlier this month, the county signed an agreement with Aerospace Future Alliance (AFA) and Edmonds and Spokane community colleges for a statewide aerospace training institute.
The institute is scheduled to open this fall and would offer training, research and development opportunities for The Boeing Co. and Aviation Technical Services employees.
“It is clear that Washington State is in a competition with other states such as South Carolina for the second line of the 787 and perhaps the future of commercial aerospace,” Reardon said in a press release. “We owe it to the thousands of aerospace employees in our state to do everything we can to remain competitive and keep future jobs in Washington.”
The county is offering a two-year lease for a 30,000-square-foot facility to the AFA to operate with Edmonds Community College. A similar center will be at the Spokane International Airport to form a statewide training program.
Stoltz, who earned an aeronautical engineering degree from the University of Washington, is supportive of the institute and said it will benefit Boeing.
“It’s at the top of the list for me,” he said.
The facility rests on approximately 2.8 acres and has approximately 3, 700-square-feet of office and classroom space.
The AFA will pay for renovation costs and companies will pay for their employees’ training.
“It’s great,” Marine said of the institute. “It’s the direction we’d like to see Paine Field go.”

POSTED: Tuesday, Aug. 04, 2009

Ferndale approves $5.4 million Second Avenue project
JARED PABEN - THE BELLINGHAM HERALD (http://www.bellinghamherald.com/102/story/1015591.html)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

FERNDALE - City leaders gave a thumbs up to spending up to $5.4 million on a major street-improvement project, the largest project in Whatcom County funded by the federal economic stimulus program.
The City Council voted 6-0, with council member Keith Olson absent, to approve a $4.44 million bid from Ram Construction General Contractors to do the work, which will start this year and stretch into 2010. The other $1 million would pay for moving utilities, permits, purchasing rights of way and other various costs.
The project involves:
See a map of the Second Avenue project
City of Ferndale's Second Avenue Project

• Widening Second Avenue from Washington Street to Eaton Avenue. In places, this stretch will have median islands.
• Extending Second Avenue through industrial property north to Portal Way.
• Building a roundabout at the southbound Interstate 5 on- and off-ramps
• Building an access road north from the roundabout between the freeway and railroad tracks. This will access homes that currently rely on the Thornton Road railroad crossing, which will be closed.
• Closing the Second Avenue railroad crossing. BNSF Railway also will improve the crossing at Washington Street.
• Building a park on land adjacent to the railroad tracks. BNSF Railway provided the property, valued at $950,000, for free, city engineer Bill Henry said.
The federal government is paying for some of the project, but city government will stretch thin various funds to pay its share of the work. It will also have to borrow money, after the council voted to spend another $356,000 for landscaping for a new park and other project features. Those include a fence separating the park from railroad tracks and a different type of concrete for parts of the roundabout, both of which were required expenditures.
The city's finance director will look into borrowing the money when the city issues bonds to pay for a new library and police station.
Staff had recommended approving only as much work as the city could afford without borrowing, Public Works Director Janice Marlega said. But council members said it was a bargain to create a park, and they worried the price would be higher later.
"I hate to see us not do the park now, because I don't think we'll do it and five years from now it'll still be gravel," council member Mel Hansen said. "It seems to me that this is a very good instance of borrowing.
"In this instance, it's like somebody offering me a brand new car for half price," he added.
The project only has $250,000 as contingency in case construction costs are more than expected. That's not much for a project this size, Henry said.
"I'm going to try and bring this project in under budget, if it can," he said. "We're not putting in any Cadillacs out there, that's for sure."

City Council votes to keep Summitview a four-lane road

YAKIMA HERALD-REPUBLIC (http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2009/08/04/city-council-votes-to-keep-summitview-a-four-lane-road)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center
http://img32.imageshack.us/img32/1883/ajmsummitviewyakima.jpg
(Summitview Avenue in Yakima.)
(http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

YAKIMA, Wash. -- It’s official: Summitview Avenue is going back to four lanes.

The Yakima City Council on Tuesday unanimously reversed an ill-fated attempt by the city’s traffic engineers to reduce a stretch of Summitview from four lanes to three.

“The people have spoken,” Councilman Micah Cawley said, referring to a hearing last week in which dozens showed up to protest the change.

Citing safety as the No. 1 concern, traffic engineers wanted to put Summitview on a so-called lane diet from 72nd Avenue to 96th Avenue. The road had been four lanes — two in each direction. The plan was to make it three lanes — one in each direction plus a middle turn lane.

Faced with strong opposition from residents, the City Council ordered an immediate review by a transportation subcommittee chaired by Cawley.

The group met last week and heard protest after protest that fruit trucks and school buses would gum up Summitview traffic.

Cawley’s subcommittee recommended the restriping project be reversed immediately, and Tuesday the council readily approved.

-- Chris Bristol

State's $255M data center at the start line
August 5, 2009
By JOURNAL STAFF / The Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce (http://www.djc.com/news/co/12008787.html)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://www.djc.com/stories/images/20090805/DIS_data_center_web.jpg
(Model photo courtesy of NBBJ [enlarge (http://www.djc.com/stories/images/20090805/DIS_data_center_big.jpg)])

OLYMPIA- Contractors mobilizing their crews to build the state's $255 million data center in Olympia expect to receive their mass excavation and civil permits this week. The 302,800-square-foot project at 14th Avenue Southeast and Jefferson Street Southeast will primarily house the state Department of Information Services.

August 5, 2009
Development partner eyed for Washington Square
By LYNN PORTER / The Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce (http://www.djc.com/news/re/12008789.html)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://www.djc.com/stories/images/20090805/WeymouthMap_web.jpg

BELLEVUE- Wasatch Development Associates is in “final negotiations with a substantial group” that would develop the next phase of the firm's Washington Square superblock in downtown Bellevue with a mixed-use project of “likely” 300,000 to 400,000 square feet and parking, Wasatch President Troy Thompson said.

Design Perspectives: The train's not there yet, but Northgate has arrived
August 5, 2009
By CLAIR ENLOW / The Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce (http://www.djc.com/news/ae/12008754.html)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://www.djc.com/stories/images/20090805/Clair_WaterChannel_web_200x.jpg
(Northgate, Washington.)

NORTHGATE- In this first season of light rail in Seattle, few neighborhoods seem to be getting on board with dense, pedestrian-friendly development, except Northgate. And the train doesn't even go there — yet.

This neighborhood, which is really several neighborhoods centered around the eponymous shopping mall near Seattle's northern boundary, is expected to be on the next leg of the expanding system.

After 80 Years of Service, Steel Electrics Prepare for One Last Run

By Ed Friedrich / The Kitsap Sun (http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2009/aug/04/after-80-years-of-service-steel-electrics-for/)
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/81/235109256_a6bd60bed2.jpg
(The Klickitat, is one of the Keystone-Port Townsend Ferries, that has had an 80 year run.)

BAINBRIDGE ISLAND —

Ferry riders will wish bon voyage to two old friends this week.

The vessels Nisqually and Quinault, each 82 years old, will be towed out of Eagle Harbor en route to Ensenada, Mexico, where they’ll be recycled. Sister ships Klickitat and Illahee will follow a week or two later.

Washington State Ferries sold the four Steel Electric-class boats in June to Eco Planet Recycling of Chula Vista, Calif., for $50,000 apiece. They’ve been tied up since November 2007 because their corroded hulls weren’t safe and not worth the cost to fix.

The ferries were built in the Bay Area in 1927. No longer in demand because of the opening of the Bay Bridge and the Golden Gate Bridge, they were sold to Puget Sound Navigation, also known as the Black Ball Line.

The boats were already 24 years old when the state took over the ferry system in 1951.

They ended their careers on low-traffic runs — Port Townsend-Keystone and San Juan inter-island service — where riders became attached.

“They’ve endeared themselves to people’s hearts because they’ve been reliable over the years, in good weather, bad weather, sunny days, wintry days,” said WSF chief naval architect Doug Russell, who’s in charge of their decommissioning. “The ferries are part of the family, just like the ferry workers are. They’re like a trusted friend.”

Historical items and memorabilia were removed from the boats, archived and stored, said WSF spokeswoman Marta Coursey. That included American Indian art and historical ferry photos that will be mounted on other ferries, at terminals and in the headquarters building when funds become available.

Port Townsend had hoped to keep one of the retired boats. City leaders wanted to use the car deck for parking and the superstructure for community meetings and retail stores. The town would have had to match the selling price, said Tim Caldwell, the Jefferson County ferry advisory committee chairman and former chamber of commerce director. If it put the boat on land, it would need shoreline permits. If moored, it would require annual inspections and dry-docking, he said.

“We were trying to at least give them a fond farewell, a lasting legacy on the Olympic Peninsula,” Caldwell said.

The Steel Electrics were special to Port Townsend because they were the only ferries in the state fleet that could operate in Keystone’s narrow harbor. They were old and featured brass and woodwork. They were like floating community centers, Caldwell said.

Port Townsend Mayor Michelle Sandoval said the ferries and community had a lot in common.

“I think the Steel Electrics are indicative of the kind of town and the kind of people that Port Townsend has,” she said. “We like old things and we like things with character. We are a town filled with characters and we love the Steel Electrics for all of their character. We’re very looking forward to having a new one, but we’ll miss them so much.”

Seattle bucks U.S. trend; shows manufacturing job gain
Wednesday, August 5, 2009, 11:04am PDT
The Puget Sound Business Journal (http://seattle.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2009/08/03/daily33.html) (Seattle) - by G. Scott Thomas
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3444/3792497910_60541b1bfa.jpg
(Seattle was second on the most manufacturing jobs gained in the past five years.)

SEATTLE- Only eight of the nation’s 100 biggest labor markets have gained manufacturing jobs during the past five years and Seattle is one of them.

The cumulative loss for those markets that have lost jobs has been 1.17 million manufacturing jobs since 2004, according to a Business First analysis of newly released data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Detroit is the market that has been hit hardest by the manufacturing slump, largely because of the difficulties currently besetting domestic automakers. The Detroit area has lost 118,600 manufacturing jobs during the half-decade, 39.4 percent of its June 2004 total of 301,200.

Three other markets have lost more than 50,000 manufacturing positions: Los Angeles (down 108,200 since 2004), New York City (down 105,700) and Chicago (down 76,000).

Sixty-two markets have seen at least 10 percent of their manufacturing jobs slip away during the past five years. The collective rate of decline for all 100 markets was 14.0 percent.

Houston has been the most successful market at bucking the trend. It picked up 21,500 manufacturing jobs between the midpoints of 2004 and 2009. Other notable gainers are Seattle (up 12,200 in five years) and Wichita, Kan. (up 4,300).

The following are the nation’s 100 biggest labor markets, ranked from biggest raw gain to biggest raw loss in manufacturing employment between June 2004 and June 2009:

Houston, gain of 21,500 manufacturing jobs
Seattle, gain of 12,200 manufacturing jobs
Wichita, Kans., gain of 4,300 manufacturing jobs
Tulsa, gain of 1,700 manufacturing jobs
Salt Lake City, gain of 1,300 manufacturing jobs
Bakersfield, Calif., gain of 600 manufacturing jobs
Las Vegas, gain of 500 manufacturing jobs
Trenton, N.J., no change in manufacturing jobs
Charleston, S.C., loss of 300 manufacturing jobs
Omaha, loss of 700 manufacturing jobs
Honolulu, loss of 900 manufacturing jobs
Reno, Nev., loss of 1,000 manufacturing jobs
Spokane, Wash., loss of 1,000 manufacturing jobs
Des Moines, Iowa, loss of 1,300 manufacturing jobs
Albany, loss of 1,400 manufacturing jobs
Baton Rouge, La., loss of 1,400 manufacturing jobs
Lexington, Ky., loss of 1,500 manufacturing jobs
Oklahoma City, loss of 1,500 manufacturing jobs
Columbia, S.C., loss of 1,700 manufacturing jobs
Fresno, Calif., loss of 2,200 manufacturing jobs
Little Rock, Ark., loss of 2,200 manufacturing jobs
Durham, N.C., loss of 2,500 manufacturing jobs
Tucson, loss of 2,500 manufacturing jobs
Madison, Wis., loss of 2,600 manufacturing jobs
Worcester, Mass., loss of 2,600 manufacturing jobs
Bradenton-Sarasota, Fla., loss of 3,000 manufacturing jobs
Raleigh, loss of 3,200 manufacturing jobs
Albuquerque, loss of 3,300 manufacturing jobs
San Antonio, loss of 3,300 manufacturing jobs
New Orleans, loss of 3,400 manufacturing jobs
Birmingham, loss of 3,600 manufacturing jobs
Bridgeport-Stamford, Conn., loss of 3,600 manufacturing jobs
Jacksonville, loss of 3,700 manufacturing jobs
Harrisburg, Pa., loss of 3,800 manufacturing jobs
Orlando, loss of 3,900 manufacturing jobs
Syracuse, N.Y., loss of 4,000 manufacturing jobs
Chattanooga, Tenn., loss of 4,100 manufacturing jobs
Springfield, Mass., loss of 4,100 manufacturing jobs
New Haven, Conn., loss of 4,300 manufacturing jobs
Augusta, Ga., loss of 4,400 manufacturing jobs
Hartford, loss of 4,900 manufacturing jobs
Poughkeepsie, N.Y., loss of 4,900 manufacturing jobs
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks, Calif., loss of 5,300 manufacturing jobs
Greenville, S.C., loss of 5,500 manufacturing jobs
Jackson, Miss., loss of 5,500 manufacturing jobs
Colorado Springs, loss of 5,800 manufacturing jobs
Allentown-Bethlehem, Pa., loss of 5,900 manufacturing jobs
Memphis, loss of 6,200 manufacturing jobs
Scranton-Wilkes-Barre, Pa., loss of 6,200 manufacturing jobs
Virginia Beach-Norfolk, loss of 6,200 manufacturing jobs
Austin, loss of 6,500 manufacturing jobs
Boise, Idaho, loss of 6,600 manufacturing jobs
El Paso, Texas, loss of 6,600 manufacturing jobs
Sacramento, loss of 6,700 manufacturing jobs
Winston-Salem, N.C., loss of 6,800 manufacturing jobs
Denver, loss of 6,900 manufacturing jobs
Fort Wayne, Ind., loss of 6,900 manufacturing jobs
Washington, loss of 7,800 manufacturing jobs
Lansing, Mich., loss of 8,000 manufacturing jobs
Lancaster, Pa., loss of 8,300 manufacturing jobs
Knoxville, Tenn., loss of 8,500 manufacturing jobs
Portland, Ore., loss of 8,500 manufacturing jobs
Baltimore, loss of 9,200 manufacturing jobs
Phoenix, loss of 9,200 manufacturing jobs
Richmond, loss of 9,300 manufacturing jobs
San Diego, loss of 10,000 manufacturing jobs
Akron, Ohio, loss of 10,300 manufacturing jobs
Kansas City, loss of 10,900 manufacturing jobs
Columbus, loss of 11,300 manufacturing jobs
Tampa-St. Petersburg, loss of 11,700 manufacturing jobs
Buffalo, loss of 12,500 manufacturing jobs
Greensboro, loss of 12,800 manufacturing jobs
Rochester, N.Y., loss of 12,800 manufacturing jobs
Indianapolis, loss of 13,200 manufacturing jobs
Charlotte, loss of 13,400 manufacturing jobs
Grand Rapids, loss of 13,600 manufacturing jobs
San Jose, loss of 14,100 manufacturing jobs
San Francisco-Oakland, loss of 14,300 manufacturing jobs
Pittsburgh, loss of 14,700 manufacturing jobs
Miami-Fort Lauderdale, loss of 14,800 manufacturing jobs
Louisville, loss of 15,100 manufacturing jobs
Youngstown, Ohio, loss of 15,600 manufacturing jobs
Milwaukee, loss of 16,300 manufacturing jobs
Toledo, Ohio, loss of 16,900 manufacturing jobs
Dayton, loss of 18,400 manufacturing jobs
Nashville, loss of 18,500 manufacturing jobs
Dallas-Fort Worth, loss of 20,000 manufacturing jobs
Minneapolis-St. Paul, loss of 20,800 manufacturing jobs
Providence, loss of 21,300 manufacturing jobs
Cincinnati, loss of 22,500 manufacturing jobs
Boston, loss of 24,600 manufacturing jobs
Riverside-San Bernardino, Calif., loss of 26,300 manufacturing jobs
Atlanta, loss of 27,500 manufacturing jobs
St. Louis, loss of 28,500 manufacturing jobs
Cleveland, loss of 31,300 manufacturing jobs
Philadelphia, loss of 35,100 manufacturing jobs
Chicago, loss of 76,000 manufacturing jobs
New York City, loss of 105,700 manufacturing jobs
Los Angeles, loss of 108,200 manufacturing jobs
Detroit, loss of 118,600 manufacturing jobs

New arena is all set for Stampede
By K.C. Mehaffey
The Wenatchee World (http://wenatcheeworld.com/article/20090805/NEWS04/708059914) staff writer
Posted August 05, 2009
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3569/3419266158_6b6af0ce5b.jpg
(The old areana for the stampede had been replaced by a 5.4 million dollar arena.)

OMAK — State and local officials will join lots of kids and rodeo fans at a ribbon-cutting for Omak's new nearly $5.4 million arena at 7 p.m. Thursday at Eastside Park.

The short event comes on the first day of the four-day Omak Stampede and World Famous Suicide Race, sandwiched between Wrangler's Kids Night and the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association rodeo.

"We're ready to go, after many, many hours of hard work," said Sarah Grooms, manager of the Omak Stampede.

Omak Mayor Cindy Gagne said it's appropriate to open the new arena just in time for the 76th Annual Omak Stampede.

"It really is our community's signature event," she said, and is supported by so many entities, including the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Indian Reservation.

The arena project won $4 million in funding from the state Legislature two years ago, and funding commitments from Okanogan County.

In addition to the state's contribution, the city of Omak took out a $900,000 bond, which it expects to repay using arena proceeds, admissions and concessions taxes and hotel-motel tax funds committed by Okanogan County and the Economic Alliance, said Omak City Administrator Ralph Malone. The Economic Alliance oversees the county's economic development.

Malone said the city also put in $400,000 from insurance proceeds when the roof from the old arena was torn down.

Officials say the Omak Stampede Association also contributed $55,000 and hundreds of hours of volunteer time. Local businesses donated labor and materials.

The new, metal arena — with four rows of captain's chairs in front and covered bleachers with backs — replaces an old wooden structure too old to repair, and, some said, a liability to the town.

Gagne said the new arena is already attracting new events.

"It really is going to be a multi-activity facility," she said.

Grooms, however, is focused on this Thursday through Sunday, when tens of thousands of people will pour into Omak for the Stampede's rodeo, Indian Encampment and Suicide Race. The race features a field of 20 horses and riders who plunge down a mountain-steep hill and swim across the Okanogan River before galloping to the finish line inside the arena.

For the rodeo, "Ticket sales are well beyond where we normally are," Grooms said on Tuesday. She said she expects Saturday's rodeo will sell out soon.

No tickets are necessary to watch the American Indian dancing and drumming competitions, or traditional stick games, a form of Indian gambling.

K.C. Mehaffey: 997-2512

mehaffey@wenatcheeworld.com

Plans for new LCC building taking shape
Wednesday, August 5, 2009 11:31 PM PDT
By Leila Summers /TDN.com (http://www.tdn.com/articles/2009/08/06/top_story/doc4a7a308495101756341615.txt)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center

http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/4027/ajmllcbuilding.jpg
(An artist's rendering of the new $42 million Health and Science building coming to Lower Columbia College.) (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

LONGVIEW- Lower Columbia College is beginning design work for a new $42 million Health and Science building to accommodate its rapidly growing nursing program.

The 70,000-square foot building, projected to open in 2013, will rise on what is now a parking lot along Maple Street next to the LCC Main Building.

The new Health and Science building will feature a partial grass roof, cafe and large lecture hall. Construction is projected to start in 2011 and wrap up in 2013, according to the college.

The college expects to get state funding for the project within 23 months, LCC President Jim McLaughlin told the colleges board of trustees last week.

In the long run, construction of the new building won’t short the college of precious parking space. A replacement parking lot will be built where the Maple Terrace Apartments now stand near the corner of Olympia Way and Maple Street. Demolition of the apartments, which LCC purchased in 2007 for $2.5 million, is scheduled for February 2011.

However, parking could be a short-term problem during the Health and Science building construction. That’s because the new Maple Street parking lot — once it is built — will be a staging area for construction, said Ellen Peres, LCC vice president for administrative services.

To avoid a crunch, the college this fall will build another new parking where the school’s practice soccer field is now, just to the north of David Story Field.

The new north lot will is expected to cost $300,000 to $400,000. Though the exact number of spaces still is undetermined, Peres said it should ease frustrations about having to park far from classroom buildings.

“The new lot by the gym and baseball field will provide spaces closer to the center of the campus, so it will help get some of those that park on the street into lots,” Peres said.

Details are still emerging about the Health and Science Building itself. So far, instructors have requested the building include a 140-seat lecture hall because “faculty wants to have the ability to seat several lecture classes together,” she said.

The three-story brick and stucco building will house biology, chemistry, physics, earth science and nursing programs. Many existing science labs on campus are terribly outdated, Peres said.

“Our science labs were built in 1960. They’re horrible. They no longer meet our needs,” she said.

Part of the new building will be roofed with grass, Peres said. The grass will keep the building cooler by reducing sun exposure and it helps buffer rainwater, she said.

LCC wants to talk to Bonneville Power Administration about other energy saving features, such as the possibility of adding electricity-generating solar cells to the roof, Peres said.

Faculty also requested the new building include a cafe and coffee shop in its lobby, Peres said. Those features are becoming common in college buildings as a way to “bring faculty and students together” outside the classroom.

City to build streetcar plaza
August 7, 2009
By MARC STILES
The Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce (http://www.djc.com/news/ae/12008878.html)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://www.djc.com/stories/images/20090807/WestlakeTranspoHub_web.jpg
(Westlake will be closed between Olive and Stewart to create a new streetcar plaza.)

SEATTLE- Next year, the block of Westlake Avenue between Stewart Street and Olive Way will be closed to motorized vehicles as part of a plan to create a new plaza for the station at the southern terminus of the South Lake Union Streetcar, according to a Seattle senior transportation planner. The plan, which also calls for closing one block of Westlake to vehicles, is part of a larger strategy to improve the Westlake transportation hub.

Published: Friday, August 7, 2009
Lynnwood residents antsy over developer's delay

The old Lynnwood High School site is quiet, but officials are confident.

By Kaitlin Manry
The Everett Herald (http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20090807/NEWS01/708079904&news01ad=1#Lynnwood.residents.antsy.over.developers.delay) Writer
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3539/3357382173_1b2e618e28.jpg
(Lynnwood High School is now closed, right across from the Alderwood Mall.)

LYNNWOOD — Despite the faltering economy, a lease agreement that is expected to bring the Edmonds School District hundreds of millions of dollars from a Texas-based developer appears solid, district officials say.

Still, some Lynnwood residents expected to see construction at the old Lynnwood High School campus and have questioned whether the deal will still go through.

Cypress Equities could have taken possession of the campus in July to begin clearing the land for a retail and housing development. Instead, the school district has maintained control of the old school while Cypress Equities continues preparation work, assistant superintendent Marla Miller said.

While the company can still back out of the deal, Miller said she doubts that will happen, and she expects Cypress to start paying rent by June 30, 2011 at the latest. If the company backs out, it would lose the $500,000 it placed in escrow, Miller said.

The lease on the site — about 40 acres across from the Alderwood mall — is estimated to bring the district $500 million over 99 years. Because the district will eventually receive a portion of the development's appraised value, it works in the district's favor to be patient while Cypress Equities looks for tenants, Miller said.

“It's in our interest to have them build a development that's going to be successful,” she said. “We're supportive of them building a development that will be profitable in this economy.”

A spokeswoman from Cypress Equities did not return calls Thursday.

Bob Meador, a retired Lynnwood fire chief, is skeptical that Cypress will ever develop the property. Because the company is charged with destroying the old school, he fears it will sit around for years, collecting dust and becoming an eyesore.

“I think it's bad,” he said. “I think they've got themselves a problem for the city. They're going to have a gigantic vacant building.”

Meador also is concerned about the fate of the ball fields at the old Lynnwood High School. The city helped build the fields in 1979 and has long paid staff to maintain them and schedule games there.

The city was originally expecting to abandon the fields in early July, but because Cypress hasn't taken possession of the land, city staffers plan to continue working on the fields through the end of the year, said Katie Anderson, assistant director of the Lynnwood Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts Department.

The new Lynnwood High School is scheduled to open this fall on a site east of the city. Because of budget cutbacks, the city doesn't plan to be involved with the fields at the new school, Anderson said.

In June, the school district announced that Cypress may change the details of its development, which was to include a mix of hotel and apartment rooms and retail space. Miller said Thursday that Cypress is talking with different potential tenants than it was initially, but she still expects a comparably sized project with a mix of residential and retail space.

The district is counting on $140 million from the lease and a few smaller land sales to pay to rebuild Alderwood Middle School, Madrona K-8 School and Lynndale Elementary School. The money also is needed to find homes for the district's alternative education programs and other projects.

Those projects will wait until the school district starts receiving rent money from Cypress, Miller said.

State law forbids school districts from using lease money to pay for day-to-day school expenses.

While the economy has plummeted since Cypress signed a deal with the district in 2007, school board president Ann McMurray said she believes there is still a market for the kind of development Cypress is planning.

“The information we've got is that everything is still proceeding at pace,” she said. “Cypress is a big company. They have financial resources even in the economic downturn.”

Kaitlin Manry: 425-339-3292, kmanry@heraldnet.com.

August 7, 2009
Mobius deal approved
Park Board agrees to 50-year lease contract

By Jim Camden / The Spokesman-Review (http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2009/aug/07/mobius-deal-approved/)
jimc@spokesman.com, (509) 459-5461
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2424/3715388462_5c38a6e7d7.jpg
(Spokane could soon have a new science center.)

SPOKANE- The Spokane Park Board approved a 50-year contract Thursday with a group trying to put a science center on the north edge of Riverfront Park.

With little discussion and only one dissenting vote at its special 7 a.m. meeting, the board approved changes to a lease in an effort to keep alive a downtown project that’s been discussed in various forms for some 17 years. The contract allows Mobius Spokane, a nonprofit group formed four years ago by the union of the Inland Northwest Science and Technology Center and The Children’s Museum, to use the land for $1 a year, providing it builds the proposed attractions.

Mobius is proposing a $29.5 million complex that includes a science center, children’s museum and IMAX theater. The lease also requires Mobius to pay the city $12,500 each year for parking fees and 15 percent of any money earned on commercial property that may be developed on other parts of the site.

Anne Marie Axworthy of Mobius Spokane said the nonprofit group’s board must review the most recent changes before voting on the contract, which also needs the approval of the Spokane City Council.

“We’re very pleased to have an agreement in principle,” Axworthy said. “We’re committed to building a science center – if not at this location then somewhere else.”

Kim Morse, the sole dissenting vote on the Park Board, said she was concerned about Mobius’ ability to develop and sublet part of the 5.7-acre site as a way to raise money. Reaching an agreement on the contract has been long and contentious, which doesn’t bode well for a partnership that has to last 50 years, she added.

“I didn’t like the subleasing,” Morse said. “I’m not opposed to a science center.”

A science facility was first proposed for the Expo ’74 Pavilion area of Riverfront Park by the Pacific Science Center of Seattle in 1992. That plan couldn’t secure state money and later was rejected by voters. In 1999, however, voters approved a parks bond issue that included money to buy land north of Riverfront Park, and plans for a science center complex shifted to that land. Mobius has struggled to raise the money needed for the project, missing deadlines set by the Park Board in 2006. Last year the board began renegotiating the lease, originally drawn up in 2003 and revised in 2006.

In December, Mobius announced a slightly scaled-back plan, which dropped the estimated price tag from about $33 million to $29.5 million. Axworthy said the campaign has raised $11.3 million so far.

Gates Foundation headquarters takes shape
August 7, 2009
By The Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce (http://www.djc.com/news/co/12008876.html)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://www.djc.com/stories/images/20090807/GatesFoundationHQ_web.jpg
(Photo by Sky-Pix)
SEATTLE- Sellen Construction crews are busy installing structural steel for the future Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation headquarters at 500 Fifth Ave. N., by the Seattle Center. The $500 million first phase includes two six-story office buildings totaling 900,000 square feet.

Developer’s ‘superblock’ plan vies to put Russell’s headquarters into a 3-building downtown campus
Tacoma’s cleaning up
The Puget Sound Business Journal (http://seattle.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2009/08/10/story2.html?b=1249876800^1893291) (Seattle) - by Aaron Corvin
Friday, August 7, 2009
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1180/545452921_54bcc89e92.jpg
(Russell Investments Building in Tacoma.)

TACOMA- Tacoma is poised to begin cleaning up a contaminated downtown property next month in hopes of eliminating a barrier to building on another larger site that could harbor a new headquarters for Russell Investments.

Marv Cole-man, a site manager for the state Department of Ecology, said the agency has approved a $2.7 million cleanup of the site of the former Sauro’s dry cleaning operation in the heart of downtown Tacoma. The project, to begin in September, will remove contaminated soils with more work on groundwater problems to come later, Coleman said.

Elly Walkowiak of Tacoma’s Community and Economic Development Department said the city wants to finish the project by October or November.

The cleanup is the latest front in Tacoma’s aggressive efforts to prevent Russell — the city’s largest private employer — from leaving for Seattle, which is courting the global investment company. Whether Russell chooses to take advantage of the city’s work on the Sauro property, Walkowiak said, the property is getting new life as an attractive spot for development. “It’s going to have its day,” she said.

Cleanup of the Sauro site will remove a hurdle to redeveloping adjacent properties owned by German billionaire Erivan Haub. Haub has assembled two of his downtown properties into a superblock and proposed transforming it into a new headquarters for Russell. But he delayed the idea because an environmental test showed pollution from the Sauro site had seeped underneath one of the parcels that form the superblock.

In December 2008, the city stepped in to remove the roadblock for Haub. It negotiated a deal with the owner of the Sauro property in which it acquired the parcel and a payment of $550,000 for taking on the legal responsibility to remove toxins from the site. In January, the Tacoma City Council adopted an agreement with the state Department of Ecology to reclaim the Sauro property and to monitor groundwater.

Since then, city and state officials have been working on detailed plans to begin the cleanup, including excavation and soil testing.

The cleanup work will enable Haub to “proceed with finding tenants to do a development,” said John Barline, a Tacoma attorney who represents Haub. The offer to build a new headquarters for Russell is “still in play,” Barline said. “That’s still the talk.”

Details of Haub’s project haven’t been made public, but Haub owns enough land downtown to build up to 1.7 million square feet of office space. It’s unclear how much square footage Russell wants, but Mike Hickey, principal at Neil Walter Co., a Tacoma commercial real estate brokerage, said Russell’s space needs are “nowhere near” 1.7 million square feet. Earlier this year, Russell was seeking 250,000 to 300,000 square feet, according to sources familiar with the company’s requests for proposals for space in Seattle.

Russell spokeswoman Jennifer Tice declined to comment on the Sauro project.

Tacoma also has a second headquarters option: a proposal by Seattle-based Ilahie Holdings, which owns the current Russell headquarters. Ilahie has offered to keep part of Russell in its current building, and then phase in construction of new space that would connect to Russell’s headquarters from across A Street in the city’s downtown. Details of Ilahie’s proposal have not been made public, either. Nate Dreon, Ilahie’s president, could not be reached for comment.

Both Haub’s and Ilahie’s options have been pitched to Russell by a local team of economic development, business and political leaders.

Coleman said the process of reclaiming a contaminated property usually takes a long time because of the legal and financial issues involved. But the Russell situation, coupled with the city’s involvement, made this process one of the quickest he’s ever seen, he said. And U.S. Rep. Norm Dicks (D-Wash.), a leader in trying to keep Russell in Tacoma, has been checking on progress. “I talk regularly with his folks,” Coleman said. “They have a really heightened interest in this.”

Walkowiak said the city expects to receive a grant from the Department of Ecology to pay for half of the $2.7 million in cleanup costs, which include eliminating Sauro’s old dry-cleaning fluid. City funds, she said, will be used to pay for the rest of the project.

The project will focus on cleaning up the Sauro property and preventing further leakage onto adjacent properties, including Haub’s. The U.S. Postal Service, which owned one of the parcels that make up Haub’s superblock, eliminated the pollution that had leaked onto it from the Sauro property before selling the parcel to Haub.

However, Coleman said, if the cleanup project turns up more contamination on adjacent properties, then the city of Tacoma will be responsible for eliminating it. The cost of such additional work would be on top of the $2.7 million targeted for disinfecting the Sauro property.

Russell Investments has said it wants to consolidate its work force under one roof with room to grow. The company is expected to make a decision on whether to stay in Tacoma or relocate to Seattle by the end of September.

Tacoma has offered numerous tax breaks and financial incentives to Russell, including nearly $149 million in city, state and federal government funding. It also has established a several-block zone downtown called an International Financial Services Area in which minimum and maximum parking regulations will no longer apply and to which improvements such as new landscaping and parking will be funneled.

Tacoma City Councilman Jake Fey, whose district includes the downtown area, said cleaning up the Sauro site is an important piece of the city’s campaign to retain Russell. “It’s got to be a good signal to Russell,” he said.

Seattle No. 14 in average U.S.
Thursday, August 6, 2009, 2:43pm PDT
The Puget Sound Business Journal (http://seattle.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2009/08/03/daily48.html) (Seattle)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/58/201517895_7bacaadc68.jpg
(Seattle is ranked 14th for highest incomes in United States.)
SEATTLE- Seattle ranked among the top cities in America in average income in 2008, the U.S. Commerce Department reported Thursday.

Per-capita personal income in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue area was $50,471 in 2008, 14th highest among 366 U.S. metropolitan areas covered in the report, the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Economic Analysis said.

Seattle’s average personal income grew from $49,401 in 2007 and $46,054 in 2006, BEA reported.

Seattle’s average income growth rate of 2.2 percent from 2007 to 2008 compares with the 2.5 percent growth nationwide. The average income in U.S. metro areas was $39,582 in 2008, up from $38,615 a year earlier.

As for other Washington cities:

• Bellingham’s average income in 2008 was $34,292, up 2.4 percent from a year earlier and 184th in the U.S.

• The Kennewick-Pasco-Richland area’s average income in 2008 was $31,638, up 3 percent from a year earlier and 252nd in the U.S.

• Spokane’s average income in 2008 was $32,769, up 2.3 percent from a year earlier and 220th in the U.S.

• Wenatchee’s average income in 2008 was $31,807, up 3 percent from a year earlier and 246th in the U.S.

The urban area with the highest average income in 2008 was Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, Conn. ($82,266), followed by Naples-Marco Island, Fla. ($64,349) and San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, Calif. ($61,747).

City of Yakima aims to annex 141 acres
BY DAVID LESTER
THE YAKIMA HERALD-REPUBLIC (http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2009/08/06/city-of-yakima-aims-to-annex-141-acres)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center

http://img200.imageshack.us/img200/381/ajmyakimaabove07.jpg
(The City of Yakima plans their biggest annexation since 2007.) (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

YAKIMA, Wash. -- In its largest annexation since 2007, the city of Yakima is seeking to add 141 acres to city boundaries between Tieton Drive and Wide Hollow Road west of 80th Avenue.

The Cottonwood Grove subdivision near South 88th Avenue borders much of the area proposed to be annexed on the west. The subdivision is already within city limits.

The area is primarily composed of some residential development and agriculture land on the southern end, south of Cottonwood Grove.

According to an application filed with the state Boundary Review Board for Yakima County, the area has 135 residents and an assessed value of more than $14 million.

The application, filed earlier this week, starts a 45-day period during which affected agencies can ask the board to assume jurisdiction and conduct a hearing.

City supervising planner Bruce Benson said the Yakima City Council late last month voted to begin the annexation process.

He said owners of more than 75 percent of the area's assessed value have signed petitions seeking annexation. The annexation is known as the Foursquare/Hochrein annexation.

City Planner Jeff Peters said the city has two other annexations in process, totaling 70 acres. They include 57 acres between Zier and Coolidge roads in West Valley and 13 acres in the 400 block of North 92nd Avenue.

He said one annexation, 18 acres near North 80th Avenue and Scenic Drive, has been completed this year.

The 2007 annexation on Occidental Avenue involved 1,033 acres and included Apple Tree Golf Course with an assessed value at the time of $89 million.

Peters said the city completed five annexations in 2008.

* David Lester can be reached at 509-577-7674 or dlester@yakimaherald.com.

Grandview secures $2 million-plus for downtown revitalization

By Jennie McGhan
August 7th, 2009
The Daily Sun News (http://www.dailysunnews.com/DSNNews12.shtml) (Sunnyside)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center
http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/5282/ajmgrandviewwas.jpg
(Downtown Granview, Washington.) (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

GRANDVIEW - Because of the city of Grandview's diligence and the hard work of its council, funding for much of the downtown revitalization project has been granted.
That's according to Jeff Louman of Huibregtse, Louman Associates, Inc.
He told the council members yesterday (Monday), "Because the city was already underway with its environmental and design pieces (for the downtown project), American Recovery and Reinvestment Act dollars have been obtained."
More than $2 million in federal stimulus funding was confirmed to have been awarded the city for the project yesterday.
"The city was successful with the state's capital (budget), SEED and tier two ARRA (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act)," Louman said.
Grandview has secured another $500,000 from the Washington state capital budget, $550,000 from the HUD Community Development Block Grant program and $500,000 from the Yakima County economic development fund program.
All funding will make improvements to the city's interior possible.
To secure funding, City Council members have visited legislators throughout the past year and helped place the project on a priority list.
Louman said the council also broke the project into different phases to further assist in the securing of funds.
He told council there is another funding opportunity looming. That funding is through the Washington State Public Works Board.
Louman explained approximately $9.5 million in grant money is available through the board for rural projects.
He advised the City Council members to apply for funding to improve Second Street from Grandridge Road to Avenue A and the section of Wine Country Road from Grandridge to Avenue A.
Louman also told the council about another funding source, the U.S. Department of Transportation. The USDOT has been provided stimulus funding, known as the TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) Discretionary Grant.
The grant money, however, would be more difficult for the city to secure, according to Louman. He said the funds are intended for larger projects and it will be highly competitive.
"Maybe one project for each state will be awarded a grant," he stated, explaining the council would also need the support of Sen. Patty Murray.
Louman added Murray is likely to favor improvements to I-90, Snoqualmie Pass over the city of Grandview when the decision to award the grant money is made.
"The question is whether or not council wants to spend money to receive further funding," he said.
Grandview City Administrator Scott Staples said he feels that funding is a long shot and the council might do more for securing future funding through earmarks.
He said once the first three stages of the downtown improvement project are underway, the City Council members will be in a better position to speak with lawmakers next spring in hopes that those lawmakers will be swayed.

Second train to Vancouver nears
State plan: Amtrak riders could travel to Canada without having to transfer trains in Seattle

ROLF BOONE; THE OLYMPIAN (http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/934044.html)
Published: 08/08/09 1:05 am
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2145/2465598159_61dcf34e0a.jpg
(South Sound residents may soon get uninterrupted travel from Tacoma and Lacey to Vancouver, BC.)

OLYMPIA- Rail officials with the state Department of Transportation hope to launch a second train this month to Vancouver, B.C., one that would allow South Sound residents to board the train in Tacoma or Lacey and ride to Canada without having to get off in Seattle and board a different train.

Here’s how it would work:

• As early as this month, a northbound Amtrak Cascades train – No. 516 – would originate in Portland, depart Lacey at 4:38 p.m. daily, stop in Tacoma and Seattle, and arrive in Vancouver, B.C., about 10:45 p.m., said Andrew Wood, deputy state rail and marine director for the DOT.

• The following morning, U.S. citizens or Canadian tourists looking to visit the South Sound, would board train No. 513 at 6:40 a.m. and arrive in Lacey about 12:44 p.m., he said. The train then would continue on to Eugene, Ore. Fares for the new train haven’t been set, but a one-way single fare between Lacey and Vancouver, B.C., could fall in the range of $30 to $58, Wood said. Estimated travel times to Vancouver, B.C., from Lacey are about six hours, although those times are expected to be shortened eventually by removing some railway curves.


BACKGROUND


• Although the second train will also serve the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, B.C., Wood said the additional train is part of a long-term DOT goal to expand train service to Canada by up to four trains by 2025.

• The process of adding a second train started a year ago, Wood said, but it was delayed after the Canadian Border Protection Services Agency planned to charge $1,500 per train for each train that crossed the border. Those expenses typically would be covered by Amtrak fares, but any expense not covered by fares are paid for by the state. Those additional expenses had not been budgeted, Wood said.

• DOT countered with a study that a second train to Vancouver, B.C., would generate U.S. $13 million to $26 million in annual spending for Vancouver. Based on this evidence, the Canadian government agreed to a trial run of the second train, minus the $1,500 per train fee, starting sometime between Aug. 1 and March 2010, he said.


HARDER THAN IT LOOKS


• Although work began on this project a year ago, part of the delay was due to the need to reach agreements with all the agencies that will have a hand in the new train, Wood said. This includes Amtrak, Burlington Northern Santa Fe, which owns the railroad, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, train crews, suppliers and those providing train maintenance, he said. The train that currently serves the Seattle to Vancouver, B.C., route stops overnight in Bellingham to be cleaned. But the new train will stop overnight in Vancouver and so will the crew, Wood said.


IF YOU’RE TRAVELING TO VANCOUVER


• The existing train – Amtrak Cascades train No. 510 – travels between Seattle and Vancouver. Northwest tourists bound for Canada must have a photo I.D., either an enhanced Washington State driver’s license or a U.S. passport. On the return trip to the U.S., the train stops at the U.S./Canada border so that agents can collect customs forms.

Rolf Boone: 360-754-5403

rboone@theolympian.com

$2 million received for Moses Lake airport

Stimulus money aimed for taxiway work
Posted: Friday, Aug 07, 2009 - 04:06:51 pm PDT

By Lynne Lynch
The Columbia Basin Herald (http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2009/08/07/news/doc4a7cb1ec3eb61624451208.txt) staff writer
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center

http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/5561/ajmgrantcountyairport.jpg
(Grant County International Airport in Moses Lake is making improvements.) (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)


MOSES LAKE — With the help of $2 million in federal stimulus funds, the Port of Moses Lake is improving the taxi-way area surrounding its T-hangars at the Grant County International Airport.

The port rented the T-hangars to private pilots, but the condition of the aging concrete surface deteriorated to the point where pilots couldn’t taxi an airplane near some areas of the building, said Craig Baldwin, the port’s executive manager.

Some hangars were unusable because the planes couldn’t reach them, he said.

The taxi-lane and apron area were in “pretty bad shape” as they are more than 40 years old, he explained.

He talked about taxi-lanes and runways being a priority with the FAA.


He also spoke about job creation being a priority with the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. By repairing the taxi lanes and runway, people would work again with new construction jobs, he said.

Also, having planes in the hangars could put others back to work, because of the possible need for aircraft fuel staff and maintenance people, he said.

Having people use the T-hangars also generates revenue to the area through lease revenues to the port, he explained.

It’s his understanding six other airports received money in Washington, he said.

Granite Northwest provided the low bid for the project, which costs about $1. 2 million, Baldwin said. The port received up to $2 million in federal funds for the project.

He described the improvements as a combination of some grinding of old areas and referred to active and safety areas with the project.

The active area is a full replacement, in which the concrete will be ripped out and replaced, he said.

If the area is considered a safety area, it’s coated over so weeds don’t come through, ground down and repaved over the top, he said.

POSTED ON Friday, August 07, 2009 AT 10:53PM
Union Gap won't lose post office
(FOLLOW UP STORY)
THE YAKIMA HERALD-REPUBLIC (http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2009/08/07/08-08-09-union-gap-post-office)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3664/3319595303_7780abea98.jpg
(Union Gap will not lose their post office.)

UNION GAP -- The Union Gap Post Office will remain open after all.

The post office at 3514 Main St. was one of six considered for closure in Washington state. But spokesperson Ernie Swanson, who is based in Seattle, said officials reconsidered because of the importance of the offices to each community.

The closures were among 700 to 1,000 considered for closure across the nation because of severe financial struggles -- a number that Swanson expects to be significantly reduced.

Instead of the closures, the postal service is asking Congress to consider a bill to change the way the post office funds its retiree health benefits over the next two years to save $2 billion annually.

Postmaster General John Potter has also asked Congress for permission to reduce mail deliveries from six days a week to five.

The agency is facing a nearly $7 billion potential loss this fiscal year, Swanson said, -- despite a 2-cent increase in the price of stamps in May, cuts in staff and the removal of collection boxes.

The other Washington post offices no longer on the chopping block include two in Tacoma, and one each in Seattle, Kent and Spokane.

Big step for Cornish College — it's adding dorms for the first time

Cornish College of the Arts has leased two 1950s Denny Triangle hotels from Clise Properties and is converting them into its first residence halls.

By Eric Pryne
The Seattle Times (http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/education/2009626042_cornish09.html)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3011/2374332887_a288d967b3.jpg
(Cornish College of Arts will soon be getting dorms for students.)

SEATTLE- Add another ingredient to the mix in Seattle's rapidly changing Denny Triangle neighborhood:

Dorms.

Cornish College of the Arts has leased two low-rise 1950s motels a few blocks from its campus center and is converting them into housing for up to one-third of its 800 students.

The former Eighth Avenue Inn, at Eighth and Bell Street, and Days Inn Town Center, at Seventh Avenue and Blanchard Street, are the first residence halls in Cornish's 95-year history. Most freshmen enrolling this fall will be required to live in them, a policy many other private colleges embrace.

Move-in day is Aug. 30.

"As of this year we are a residential college," said Jerry Hekkel, dean of student affairs. "It's going to change this whole community — and the sense of community."

For the first time, he said, students at the four-year college of visual and performing arts will be living as well as learning together, getting to know people in other disciplines, breaking down departmental barriers.

They'll also be eating together: Dorm residents must buy meal plans at an expanded college café in the campus center.

Cornish has signed 10-year leases, with options to renew or purchase, said Chief Financial Officer Jeff Riddell.

The two properties made up about 10 percent of the 13-acre collection of Denny Triangle real estate that longtime owner Clise Properties put up for sale in 2007, attracting international attention.

Clise spoke of a master-planned, mixed-use high-rise community on the scale of New York's Rockefeller Center.

The company received offers topping $600 million. But it pulled the properties off the market last year, saying the time wasn't right.



Clise Properties president Richard Stevenson said the lease to Cornish doesn't mean Clise's long-term vision for its Denny Triangle holdings is dead. "Ultimately, the highest and best use for those properties is something other than those hotels," he said.

"But given the current environment, we don't see the entire assemblage being developed for quite some time."

There's a provision in the lease with Cornish that would let Clise terminate it early — at considerable expense, and with much advance notice to the college — if a great redevelopment opportunity surfaces, Stevenson said.

But for now, he added, the company is delighted to have Cornish as a tenant.

Cornish is happy, too. Providing student housing has been a goal since the college moved most of its programs to newly acquired buildings in the Denny Triangle from scattered locations on Capitol Hill six years ago, Riddell said.

The arrival of the college was just part of the once-moribund neighborhood's transformation. New condos, apartments, office buildings, restaurants and stores — including a Whole Foods — dot the area.

More projects have been proposed to take advantage of recent city zoning changes allowing towers of up to 40 stories, although the economy has put most on hold.

Cornish has purchased or has options on several more properties in the neighborhood, and is raising money for more buildings.

Students have been agitating for housing for years, Hekkel said. But the most enthusiastic response to the new dorms has come from parents of incoming freshmen.

During orientation programs this summer, he said, several have told him their children probably wouldn't have enrolled at Cornish but for the residence halls.

They should help recruitment and retention, Hekkel said; research indicates students who start off living on campus generally do better.

The college is spending more than $1 million this summer renovating and furnishing the old three- and four-story motels, Riddell said. They'll have the usual dorm accouterments — reception desks, TV lounges, coin-operated washers and dryers, communal kitchens, 24-hour security and a staff of resident assistants — as well as some custom features, such as practice rooms for musicians.

The price tag for the double rooms: $5,900 per student for the school year, more than the University of Washington and Seattle University charge for most of their doubles.

But Cornish's former motel rooms feel bigger than most dorm rooms. Each has a private bath, and at least one has a view of the Space Needle.

Eric Pryne: 206-464-2231 or epryne@seattletimes.com

Grant County's War with Growing Gangs

Sara Leaming
The Spokesman-Review (http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2009/aug/08/grant-county-crossfire-gang-war/)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)
August 9th, 2009

http://img22.imageshack.us/img22/9824/ajmgrantcountysheriff.jpg
(Grant County Sheriff's see a rise in gang violence.)

GRANT COUNTY, Wash. – More than 10 years ago, “Maniac” moved to Central Washington to escape a Los Angeles street gang.

An illegal immigrant from Tijuana, Mexico, Maniac – who refused to provide his real name for this story – sought refuge in Grant County, a largely rural and agricultural area where his grandfather was already working in the fields.

His plan was to join his family picking apples, grapes, cherries or the other staple crops grown in Washington’s fourth-largest county, geographically.

Instead, the 35-year-old was drawn back into a life of violence, drugs, guns and other gang-related activities. Now he’s one of 40 known gang members locked up in the Grant County Jail in Ephrata – occupying about half of the available beds.

Maniac’s story is not uncommon in Grant County, where only five of a dozen sheriff’s deputies patrol 2,700 square miles each day. Individual cities have their own police departments, but they are short on manpower, adding to the problem.

According to officials, in the past six years the expanse of the county has made it a “quasi-safe haven” for between 20 and 25 Latino gangs that identify with either the Norteño or Sureño brands. Officials have documented 350 known gang members, and as many as 200 more gang associates.

“That’s a low estimate,” said Grant County Undersheriff John Turley, who said the spike in gang activity is the largest he’s seen in a decade. “Our intelligence tells us there has been a big push by California prison gangs to bolster their population.”

Since January, officials have investigated five gang-related homicides – twice as many deaths as the county typically investigates in a year. At the same time, there have been more than 30 gang-related drive-by shootings.

The Sheriff’s Office recently received a $250,000 federal grant to hire two gang officers to assist with intelligence-gathering and community prevention.

It’s not the first time Grant County law enforcement has tried to eradicate the growing gang problem. In 2007, a gang unit was formed to document graffiti, gather gang intelligence and make contacts with gang affiliates. The unit disbanded after a couple of months because of budget cuts.

“The worst thing we can do now is stick our head in the sand and ignore it,” Turley said. “The way we are going to get a foothold is to involve the communities to such a degree that they will help us.”

In the federal grant, officials described Grant County as a place where “bodies are dumped with little more than tattoos as identifiers,” drive-by shootings happen on a weekly basis, and recently, deputies dealt with a “mafia”-style hit gone bad, leading to the arrest and conviction of two Sureño brothers.

“To be honest, the problem is lack of law enforcement. We call for a deputy and it takes more than an hour,” said Larry Davis, of Schawana, Wash. “We are at the south end of the county, and we’ve been told we are a low priority.”

Davis and his family own and operate several businesses in Schawana and Beverly, Wash., situated along the Columbia River northeast of Yakima. They have been in the area since 1958 and have watched the last three years as Latino gangs have infiltrated their small communities.

Davis said two Latino gang sets are at war in a three-block radius of his home. His brother’s trailer was 100 yards from a retaliatory drive-by shooting in Schawana in June, where gang members shot nine rounds into a singlewide trailer with nine people sleeping inside, including an infant.

“It could have very well been my brother,” Davis said.

With the rise in violence, Davis said he’s prepared to take the law into his own hands. Turley, standing nearby during a recent interview, acknowledged that because of response time, people like Davis need to protect themselves.

“I’ll shoot back and they know it,” Davis said. “We have a reputation of taking care of our own.”

It’s a sentiment echoed by other families in the region.



Protecting family runs deep in the Latino communities as well.

In Mattawa, Wash., where the population is 98 percent Hispanic and fluctuates with the growing season as migrant workers come and go, communication with law enforcement is a struggle. Many residents steer clear of the law because of immigration issues, or they fear retaliation from gang members, making it difficult to gather information, officials said.

“Initially they don’t want to tell us anything because they are afraid we will call and get them deported,” said Deputy Joe Harris, who often patrols Mattawa, in southern Grant County. “They have an ingrained sense of distrust for police, making it very difficult.”

Mattawa town councilwoman Annabel De La Garza is a perfect example of how personal and entrenched the problem is. She has three sons. One just graduated from high school and is going off to college. Two are known gang members.

One of her boys was stabbed in a recent incident of gang retaliation, and last month the body of a 17-year-old gang member was dumped near her front yard. She’s also dealt with drive-by shootings.

“It’s like I live in two worlds,” De La Garza said. In addition to being an elected official, she works as a dental assistant and translator for a clinic across the street from her home. De La Garza, 43, came to Grant County 20 years ago, when her husband got a farm job.

“This has been a very scary time for me,” she said. “I always knew what they were, and I never approved, and I never accepted it. But I never played dumb.

“But I’m a mother, and I’ve always been and always will be there for them,” De La Garza said. “My heart goes out to those other parents that are finding out that their kids are gang members; and it’s not going to stop just like that.”

•

The Federal Bureau of Investigation in Spokane is watching the region’s gang activity closely.

According to the FBI, gang members with ties to Spokane and surrounding counties have been contacted by law enforcement in 13 other states, including as far east as New Jersey and Florida.

“It is something that is requiring an increasing amount of law enforcement,” said Agent Frank Harrill.

But while the federal government is able to provide enforcement for high-profile drug and gun-running cases, and watches gang activity as it crosses state lines, the street-level crimes are dealt with by local jurisdictions.

In Moses Lake, Grant County’s largest city, the police department failed to get a federal stimulus grant for additional officers.

“We’ve had an awful lot of malicious mischief committed by juveniles, such as tagging or graffiti,” said Capt. Dave Ruffin.

But Turley said the problems are bigger than teenagers tagging fences, and additional resources are needed now. There have been a number of shootings in Moses Lake proper, including the killing of 19-year-old Juan “Pooky” Vasquez Jr., who last month was shot to death near the Grant County airport, allegedly over $25 in marijuana.

The Sheriff’s Office says it will use the $250,000 federal grant to push forward with an effort to inform the community of the extent of the gang problem. Turley said he hopes his two new officers will be able to demonstrate a continuing problem, as well as progress, to make federal funds more permanent.

“I’m so sick and tired of this being a flash in the pan; we show up, raise hell, arrest some people and they never see us again,” Turley said. “It can’t just be about arresting people and throwing them in jail. That’s worthless.”

Maniac is a prime example. Even from his cell in the Grant County Jail, he says he is second in command of his gang, the West Side 18th Street Sureños. Although he was sentenced on a warrant for an old domestic violence charge, his criminal history shows a list of other crimes, including assault.

When he is released in nine months, he’ll likely be deported, and says he is ready to quit the gang life. But his wife and children live in Washington, so he’ll have to come back.

“The reality is that when you don’t have a lot of choices, you have to choose your family, your ’hood.”

Ballard condo expected to be done near end of year
August 10, 2009
By The Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce (http://www.djc.com/news/co/12008913.html) Staff
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)
http://www.djc.com/stories/images/20090810/DanielleRendering_web_200x.jpg
(Image courtesy of Roger Newel (ENLARGE (http://www.djc.com/stories/images/20090810/DanielleRendering_big.jpg)))
Presales are slated to start in about a month on a 31-unit condo project called Danielle in Ballard, the developer said.

POSTED: Monday, Aug. 10, 2009

Bellingham to consider annexing 233 acres on King Mountain
JARED PABEN - THE BELLINGHAM HERALD (http://www.bellinghamherald.com/102/story/1020012.html)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/43/125486672_2a5d691704.jpg
(Bellingham plans to annex part of King Mountain.)

BELLINGHAM - City leaders could vote soon to bring 233 acres north of Bellingham into city limits, a decision that would pave the way for development of an urban village.
The City Council will hold a hearing Monday, Aug. 10, on a proposal to annex land east of Meridian Street generally behind Wal-Mart and south of Van Wyck Road. The addition would increase the size of the city's King Mountain neighborhood, which itself is new and was formally created only in March.
Bringing the land into city limits makes urban development possible by allowing developers to use city utilities.

City Council members also will consider whether they want to sign a deal with developers Ralph and Mike Black that would require the brothers to create a master plan for an urban village. The plan would have to be approved by the City Council.
In August 2005, architects working for the Blacks created a concept for an urban village. It showed what could be likened to a Fairhaven of the north with a "Main Street" with housing above shopping, plazas, small parks and trails. It would include nearly 1,000 homes, but it would preserve the mountaintop as open space with trails.
The draft agreement would require the master plan to be similar to that 2005 concept, and major changes would need to be approved by the City Council. It also says the property can't be developed before the city approves that plan, giving the city two years to review and approve it.
City staff is proposing to make signing the deal a condition of bringing the property into city limits.
Ralph Black said he still wants to build an urban village, but he doesn't want to sign a deal that'll be cumbersome and make creating - and getting bank financing to create - the urban village difficult.
The Blacks own about 133 acres in the area. One of the problems is the deal would force them to create a master plan only for their land, not the other 100 acres in the proposed annexation area, he said.
"The whole area should be master planned, not just our area," he said, adding that other landowners also want to participate. "I would like to see the whole area designed as a cohesive package."
Black said the deal is unnecessary because, under existing zoning, he has to negotiate with the city over how the property gets developed anyway by signing what's called a "planned contract."
"It encumbers the property and it makes the process much more difficult, for us, to get through," he said.
Black said he'll try to persuade the council not to require the agreement. But if the council wants the agreement, then he'll seek changes to the language before final approval.

Hospital making more room for patients
By Dee Riggs
The Wenatchee World (http://wenatcheeworld.com/article/20090808/NEWS04/708089953) staff writer
Posted August 08, 2009
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center

http://img35.imageshack.us/img35/9047/ajmwenatcheemedicalcent.jpg
(Wenatchee's newest mid-rise will be the hospital addition.) (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

WENATCHEE — With bond sales behind it, Central Washington Hospital is beginning a $118 million expansion project that will add 188,000 square feet of space in a five-story tower.

The bond sale was completed July 28 after a weak market delayed the sale from the spring.

Equipment should be moving onto the east side of the hospital in the next three weeks, followed by four weeks of demolition of 30,000 square feet of existing space that will make room for the tower, said Tim Heidlebaugh, the hospital's facilities manager. Some preliminary water and sewer work is being done this week.

Over the past several months, departments have shifted in anticipation of the major construction work, with some moving off campus and others moving to temporary locations on campus. The only department completely shut down during the project is the transitional care unit, which will return to the campus when the tower project is complete. Transitional care is for patients who have been treated in the hospital but who need a lower level of care before they can return home.

During construction, the public should see no changes in parking at the campus, and all entrances will remain the same, Heidlebaugh said. Construction workers will be parking at a nearby church to help minimize their impact on the neighborhood.

Once demolition is complete, the initial construction phase will begin with the erection of a 190-foot-tall, electrically powered, tower crane. Heidlebaugh said the electric crane will be quieter and have no fumes like a diesel crane would.

The crane will be placed in an open area just outside the cafeteria. It will have a lifting capacity of 20,000 pounds and a hoisting radius of 245 feet, which will allow it to reach all corners of the tower.

Construction is expected to take about 20 months, with occupancy of the new tower in May 2011.

When complete, the project will add 35 beds, making the hospital's bed capacity 174. The project also will add 126 additional parking spaces.

A ground-breaking ceremony will take place at 5:30 p.m. Aug. 25 in the parking lot of the former Guild House, on the corner of Red Apple Road and Fuller Street.

Here's a look at what will be on each floor.

Ground level: Conference rooms, outpatient physical therapy/cardiac rehabilitation, and mechanical facilities. This level is similar to a daylight basement, with the south side of the building underground but the north side is open to include a new entrance, along with a drop-off and pickup area for outpatients and discharging patients.

•Level 1: Pharmacy, education services, and space for a future 22-bed medical-surgical unit.

Level 2: Nursery, labor and delivery.

Level 3: Critical care and the post-coronary care units.

Level 4: 42 medical and surgical rooms.

Level 5: 42 medical and surgical rooms.

The tower includes three large elevators, which open to each floor and offer people a view toward the southeast through glass-enclosed lobbies. The tower also includes three service elevators in the interior of the building.

Also part of the project is a central utility plant expansion to allow additional air-conditioning equipment, emergency generators and additional heating equipment.

Artwork throughout the tower is expected to be photos or drawings of local scenes.

Because the bond market was weak and the economy in a recession, hospital officials had to reduce the cost of the project. They eliminated a two-story parking garage on the northwest corner of the campus.

Eliminated and postponed work shaved another $32 million off the original $150 million project.

Plans call for a Phase 2 construction period to closely follow the end of Phase 1. Work would include ground-level parking, remodeling of the front lobby and the addition of an entrance canopy, a 22-bed medical-surgical unit in the first floor of the tower, and remodeling of the vacated obstetrics department into administrative space.

An undated Phase 3 would include site landscaping, relocating family physicians offices and remodeling of the existing but soon-to-be vacated medical-surgical areas on the first and second floors.

Not in a numbered phase but considered for long-term expansion is a second tower. John Hamilton, the hospital's chief operating officer, said this should not be needed for 15 to 20 years.

Dee Riggs: 664-7147

deeriggs@wenatcheeworld.com

Monday, Aug. 10, 2009

Pasco reviews 5-year plan for improvements

By Dalina Castellanos, The Tri-City Herald (http://www.tri-cityherald.com/kennewick_pasco_richland/story/676403.html) staff writer
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3443/3798480385_acedda58e4.jpg
(Pasco has many road projects planned.)

PASCO -- The Lewis Street overpass project is among the city of Pasco's top priorities in the next five years.

The project will take an estimated four years and $29.3 million to complete, but it's a high priority because of its impact on the community, said City Manager Gary Crutchfield.

Pasco officials will review their capital improvements plan for the next five years at tonight's city council meeting.

The overview is designed to give council members a breakdown of what projects need to be completed, how much they'll cost and where the money will come from.

The Lewis Street project -- to build a bridge over the railroad tracks between First and Oregon avenues -- is needed to replace the old, narrow underpass built in 1937.

The state would provide $3 million in the first year to acquire the land and right of way. The city also hopes to secure federal dollars for the project and had hired a lobbyist to represent its interests in Washington, D.C.

The city has been putting aside money in recent years for the project. A year ago, the council approved earmarking $200,000 for the project this year.

Other projects in the city's plan include extending Commercial Avenue and the construction of a new water plant in west Pasco.

The city council will review the capital improvements plan during its next two workshop meetings and prioritize the projects.

Today's meeting is at 7 p.m. at city hall, 525 N. Third Ave.

Home sales, prices static in Bellevue

The Bellevue Reporter (http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/east_king/bel/news/52884927.html)
By Staff
August 10, 2009, 8:46 AM ·
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2006/3545439732_878d1408f9.jpg
(The City of Bellevue is selling single family homes, and prices are static.)

BELLEVUE-More single family homes were sold in Bellevue in July than June, but prices are basically static, according to a report issued by the Northwest Multiple Listing Service.

Twenty-eight homes in West Bellevue closed in July, at a median price of $1,060,500. In June, 27 homes closed at a median price of $1,175,000.

In East Bellevue, 67 homes closed in July, up from 47 in June. The median sales price for a July sale was $500,000; in June it was $507,000.

Pending sales and new home listings remained stable over the two months in both East and West Bellevue.

However, pending sales were up in July from a year ago.

In West Bellevue, there were 45 pending sales in July, up from 17 in July 2008. In East Bellevue, there were 77 pending sales this July, compared with 55 in July 2008.

Condo sales showed similar trends.

In East Bellevue, 13 condo sales closed in July at a median price of $475,000. In June, 17 sales were closed at a median price of $445,000. In East Bellevue, there were 21 closed sales in July at a median price $285,000. In June, 15 condo sales closed at a median price of $319,990.

There were fewer pending condo sales in July from June. In West Bellevue, 22 condo sales are pending. In June the number was 23. In East Bellevue, 31 sales are pending. The June number was 43. Figures for both parts of Bellevue were up from a year ago.

Real estate officials said July’s unseasonably hot weather curtailed activity for several showings and open houses, as brokers and agents said buyers and sellers postponed tours, saying it was just too hot.

“The hot July weather aside, the variable results we saw in July reflect what we’d typically expect from a recovering housing market – a few steps forward for some areas, a step back in others,” said Ron G. Sparks, managing vice president of Coldwell Banker Bain. Whereas comparisons to a year ago reflect some substantial gains, on a month to month basis we’re probably going to experience some “spongy” results for a while, he added.

Brokers say first-time buyers who are motivated by a looming deadline for the tax credit are propelling activity.

For the four-county Puget Sound region, the median selling price for last month’s completed sales of single family homes (excluding condos) was $314,000, about 13.5 percent less than the year-ago price of $363,000.

On a cautionary note, Realtors noted that there is very likely to be a shortage of homes and townhouses in some Seattle neighborhoods by next year as builders can’t get prices that cover construction costs.

Northwest Multiple Listing Service, owned by its member brokers, is the largest full-service MLS in the Northwest. Its membership includes approximately 27,000 brokers and agents. The organization, based in Kirkland, currently serves 19 counties in western and central Washington.

Bremerton projects could get federal boost
By RACHEL BRANT
The Bremerton Patriot (http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/kitsap/pat/news/52617777.html) Staff writer
Edited Aug 10 2009, 4:45 PM ·
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://media.pnwlocalnews.com/images/69841NewS.83.20090806164026.UnitedWayRemodel_20090807.jpg
(The United Way Non-Profit Community Center is in line to receive $500,000 in federal funds. United Way of Kitsap County is remodeling the Bremerton building to serve as a hub for area non-profits and the public.)

BREMERTON- Two Bremerton projects could be in line to receive a combined $1.25 million from the federal government.

U.S. Sen. Patty Murray recently announced she has secured funding for United Way’s Non-Profit Community Center and the Naval Avenue Early Learning and Community Center in the Fiscal Year 2010 Senate Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bill.

The bill passed through the THUD Appropriations Subcommittee and now moves to the full Appropriations Committee for consideration.

United Way of Kitsap County’s Non-Profit Community Center, set to receive $500,000, will house several local non-profit agencies and organizations.

“Our aim is to have the greatest positive impact on the lives of those who need our help the most. This project is not just about a building, it is about bringing the community together and focusing our collective resources on creating measurable and lasting change,” said David Foote, United Way of Kitsap County executive director.

United Way is remodeling its 19,000-square-foot building, located at 647 Fourth St. in Bremerton, to serve as a hub for area non-profits, civic groups, businesses and the public.

Foote said the renovations will cost $1.35 million and the $500,000 in federal funds is “absolutely wonderful.”

“That puts us well on our way to meeting our goal,” he said.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation donated $120,000 to the project and United Way of Kitsap County is attempting to raise $750,000 through a capital campaign. Foote said United Way has raised about $382,000 so far.

“It’s been tough going, but we’re slowly getting there,” he said.

The community center houses a volunteer center, offers local non-profits affordable rental rates and creates central meeting spaces for area agencies.

Foote said United Way and several local organizations, including Catholic Community Services, Puget Sound Renters Association and Lutheran Community Services, currently can be found in the building.

The center also is home to United Way’s Cooperative Collection resource library, offering non-profits and other grant-seekers access to thousands of written and electronic publications.

“Before this, folks had to go over to Seattle or Tacoma to do this kind of research,” Foote said.

United Way partnered with Kitsap Regional Library to make the resource library possible.

Foote said he hopes to have the building completely renovated by 2012.

The Naval Avenue facility would get $750,000 to expand the center, which will provide Head Start, Early Start and Early Childhood Education and Assistance programs.

Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2009

Delta to cut Pasco-Minneapolis flight

By Pratik Joshi, The Tri-City Herald (http://www.tri-cityherald.com/kennewick_pasco_richland/story/677285.html) staff writer
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2456/3789060395_000f5ded38.jpg
(Minneapolis is off the flight list at Tri-City International Airport, for now.)

PASCO- Delta Air Lines is "suspending" its Pasco-Minneapolis flight beginning Sept. 1.

The nonstop service, which began in April, is being cut because of the continued economic downturn, said Delta spokeswoman Susan Elliott.

She said it's about matching capacity to demand, and the company will consider restoring the service if economic conditions improve.

Delta is adding a regular flight on the Pasco-Salt Lake City route to help passengers flying to Minneapolis and beyond, she said. That will bring the average number of daily flights to five, she said.

The flight cut is not a snub of the Pasco market, said aviation consultant Mark Sixel, who has worked with Tri-Cities Airport officials. Pasco provides good profit for Delta and there's a possibility of the flight being restored at some point, he said.

The Pasco-Minneapolis flight was started as part of plans by Northwest Airlines, which merged with Delta last October, and it's likely it didn't fit with Delta's plans, said Sixel, president of Sixel Consulting Group in Eugene, Ore.

The merged airline, one of the largest in the world, still is losing money, so it's restructuring routes wherever possible, Sixel said. He said Delta also cut a direct flight from Idaho Falls to Minneapolis that had been operating the last three years.

Passenger traffic on the Pasco-Minneapolis flight was substantial, but it didn't produce the profits the airline was hoping for. Sixel said a long-haul flight costs more than a short-haul run because of fuel and crew costs.

The flight was cut because Delta was looking for savings, and not because the Pasco market wasn't good enough, he said. Airlines lately have been reducing capacity to juggle supply and demand and remain profitable, Sixel said.

Traffic for Delta and Northwest operations decreased 2.5 percent in July, compared with July 2008, Sixel said. Meanwhile, the airlines had a 3.6 percent decrease in capacity while their load factor, which is the percentage of occupied seats, increased 1 percent to 87.7 percent for the same period.

It makes sense for Delta to route flights from Pasco and other smaller West Coast communities through its Salt Lake City hub, Sixel said.

Losing the direct flight to Minneapolis means anyone traveling to the East Coast will be inconvenienced, said Deanna Smith, spokeswoman for the Tri-City Development Council, which has lobbied for years to get more nonstop flights from Pasco.

TRIDEC will continue to work with the airline industry to provide better travel options in the Tri-Cities market, Smith said, suggesting maybe Delta needed to look at its pricing structure instead of eliminating the service.

Delta and Northwest still are sorting out route issues since their merger, and that makes it difficult to predict the future of the nonstop flight to Minneapolis from Pasco, said Jim Morasch, Tri-Cities Airport director.

Most passengers using the nonstop service had a destination other than Minneapolis, and each time they changed planes during their travel, the airlines' "segment costs" went up, making the route less lucrative, he said.

But Morasch said over the years he's seen many discontinued flight routes restored.

-- Pratik Joshi: 582-1541; pjoshi@tricityherald.com; Business Beat blog at www.tri cityherald.com

Dorm, sweet home
CWU students move into first new campus housing in 40 years
BY ERIN SNELGROVE
THE YAKIMA HERALD-REPUBLIC (http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2009/08/10/dorm-sweet-home)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center

http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/2130/ajmellensburgdormscwu.jpg
(Workers walk to the west building of Wendell Hill Hall at Central Washington University on Aug. 3, 2009. The west and east buildings of the new dormitory will together have 486 beds, says construction coordinator Eric Fraley. The two buildings will be ready for occupancy Sept. 17.) (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)


ELLENSBURG -- There's air conditioning in every suite, a community kitchen and pool, and Foosball tables in the student lounges.

Those are some of the many amenities at Wendell Hill Hall, the first new student dormitory built at Central Washington University in about 40 years.

"The demand for our residence halls is really rising," said Bill Vertrees, vice president of business and financial services. "The value of being on campus is being appreciated more because of the economy."

Wendell Hill Hall consists of two four-story buildings on the corner of Dean Nicholson Boulevard and Alder Street. Construction of the $38 million complex was funded through student and housing fees. Work began in June 2008 and is expected to conclude in time for occupancy in late September.

The hall, which is designed primarily for upperclassmen and transfer students, is 144,000 square feet and has just under 500 beds. It replaces Courson and Muzall halls, antiquated buildings that were demolished last summer.

The older dorms, built in 1966, weren't wheelchair accessible on the upper floors. As many as 30 people had to share one bathroom, and the elevators didn't work properly, Vertrees said.

The two halls stopped housing students in August 2006, when it was determined that leaving the buildings standing would represent a health and safety risk to the people living in them.

"Students didn't much like them so we knocked them down," Vertrees said. "It was cheaper for us to knock them down and build something new."

With an enrollment of more than 8,000 students in Ellensburg, Central has 21 residence halls -- which accommodate 2,770 people -- and three apartment complexes on campus, said Richard Deshields, senior director for new university housing and new student programs. Before Wendell Hill Hall, there were 2,450 beds on campus.

Deshields said students were surveyed on their preferences when the new dormitory was being designed. Most said they wanted single rooms instead of doubles, and as a result 51 percent of the rooms at Wendell Hill are single occupancy.

The suites range from roughly 650 to 950 square feet. Most have an apartment-style setup with two and four single-bedroom suites connected to shared living rooms, kitchenettes and bathrooms. There are also traditional rooms shared by two students.

Wendell Hill Hall has a large multi-purpose room, study rooms on each floor and a coffee shop. There are laundry facilities and living-learning communities, where people studying music and aviation are grouped together.

Unlike other dormitories on campus, Deshields said this one has additional storage space, high-tech wireless access throughout the building and numerous green features.

The building is designed with water-saving plumbing fixtures and storm water treatment facilities. The heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems exceed energy code standards, and the refrigeration system was constructed to limit ozone depletion.

In addition, recycling centers will be placed throughout the complex, and alternative transportation will be promoted through covered bike stalls and a nearby Central Transit stop.

Students staying at the hall will pay 20 percent more than at other, similar rooms on campus. The price ranges from $4,173 a year for a shared room to $5,630 a year for single-room suites.

The hall is named for Wendell Hill, who served as director for CWU's Auxiliary Services from 1963 to 1993. He helped create the Conference Services Program in the 1970s, which helped auxiliary services grow despite a decline in student enrollment.

He also served on a committee that ensured campus commercial activity did not compete with local businesses.



* Erin Snelgrove can be reached at 509-577-7684 or esnelgrove@yakimaherald.com.

Aug. 10, 2009 at 3:00pm
Seattle gaining residents, losing jobs?
The Tacoma Business Examiner (http://www.businessexaminer.com/blog/seattle-gaining-residents-losing-jobs/)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2056/2028150004_026535ae2d.jpg

Seattle is becoming a place to live, rather than work, according to a new analysis of population and employment data by Washington Research Council.

In March 2008, at the peak of the last expansion, Seattle had 7,900 fewer private sector jobs than it had in March 2000. During the same eight years, it added 39,000 residents. In effect, employment in Seattle never fully recovered from the dot-com bust.

In contrast, during the same period, the area of King County outside of Seattle added more than 34,000 private sector jobs. Bellevue added 19,200 private jobs; Redmond added 16,000; Issaquah, 4,000; and Bothell, 3,400.

"We calculate that 54 percent is collected (by City of Seattle) from businesses. In contrast, the state Department of Revenue estimates that businesses pay 45 percent of the corresponding state taxes (B&O, sales, utility and property)," said this WRC report.

To reverse this trend in jobs, Seattle will have to become more competitive within the region. If this does not happen, the alternatives are either fewer public services or higher taxes on residents.

How would your city compare in this kind of analysis versus its neighboring communities?

Annexation to go on Nov. ballot – for everyone

WRITTEN BY REBECCA CARR
The Mukilteo Beacon (http://www.mukilteobeacon.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2222:annexation-to-go-on-nov-ballot--for-everyone&catid=112:city-government&Itemid=213)
WEDNESDAY, 05 AUGUST 2009 12:34
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3430/3793383280_66d4f49a47.jpg
(Annexation to be on November ballot.)

MUKILTEO- A round of applause erupted Monday night from residents both inside and outside Mukilteo’s current footprint when the City Council voted unanimously to put annexation on the Nov. 3 ballot.

Not only will those in the potential annexation area get to vote whether or not they’d like to become part of Mukilteo, but current city residents are finally getting a voice in the matter, albeit in the form of an advisory vote. State law prohibits those living in city boundaries from formally voting whether or not those in the target annexation area get to come in, but does allow for a less formal advisory vote.

The council debated at length Monday night, considering a number of options including two different special elections in February and March of next year. The catch-22 is the issue of time – the more time spent before putting the issue on the ballot, the less time after the vote to ramp up the necessary staff to accommodate the 50 percent increase in population should the measure pass.

“To me, the questions we have won’t make or break (the decision to annex); they are more the logistics of how to this happen,” councilmember Jennifer Gregerson said. “We’ll have an entire year to work out the details.”

If annexation clears all three hurdles – county residents, Mukilteans and the final council yea or nay – it would be effective Jan. 1, 2011.

Not only will the Nov. 3 ballot allow more time for police and fire to hire and train the needed additional personnel, but not having one or even two special elections saves the city about $20,000 to $25,000 for each. (There is a cost to be on the November ballot, but it’s shared between all of the municipalities rather than the city having to shoulder the entire expense itself.)

Some councilmembers were hesitant about allowing the advisory vote, saying that the results could be confusing, as they say the Rosehill issue was.

“People called into question what information the voters had,” Gregerson said, referring to factors such as the absence of a gymnasium in the current community center plans.

Gregerson said she thinks no one will be happy with the outcome of an advisory vote.

“I just don’t think we should govern by polling every week and trying to guess which way the wind is blowing,” she said. “Certainly we should do outreach, talk to residents, hold public hearings and open houses.”

But if the council simply wants a survey, that’s what it should do, and not on the ballot, she said.

“This is the toughest decision I’ve had to make in my four years on the council,” president Randy Lord said of whether to move forward with annexation. “I’ve talked to people both for and against, and some who weren’t even aware of what’s going on.”

Lord agrees with Gregerson that an advisory vote is a poor way of conducting a survey.

“The advantage to bringing it to voters in an election is that it’s an opportunity for both sides to marshall significant numbers to the polls to vote the way they want,” councilmember Tony Tinsley said. “While I agree some advisory votes have been completely misinterpreted, this is the only thing proposed that gives Mukilteo residents a say in the process.”

Win, lose or draw, this is the best approach, Tinsley said.

The annexation area’s formal vote also comes with a caveat: should they vote down the measure, it’s over regardless of what Mukilteo residents and councilmembers want. However, if they approve annexing, the council still has the final say in whether to go forward.

While Monday’s testimony was considerably less emotionally charged than previous meetings’ input, the dividing line was still the present city border, with current residents asking for a delay and those in the target area urging the council to move forward.

This time around, however, the two sides focused their arguments on annexation’s impacts in areas such as public safety, development and zoning.

Seattle Paper Is Resurgent as a Solo Act

By RICHARD PÉREZ-PEÑA
Published: August 9, 2009
The New York Times (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/10/business/media/10seattle.html)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/142/330436751_dc1d0fb14c.jpg

SEATTLE — When The Seattle Times became this city’s only surviving daily newspaper in March, even The Times itself could not muster much optimism about its chances.

Frank A. Blethen, the publisher, said then that the demise of the rival Post-Intelligencer, known as The P-I, was no guarantee that his money-losing paper would make it. In an article in March on Seattle’s becoming “a one-newspaper town,” The Times asked, “will it become a no-newspaper town?”

But less than five months later, a nearly forgotten word has crept back into Times executives’ vocabulary: profit. “On a month-to-month basis, we are starting to operate in the black,” Mr. Blethen, who is also chief executive of The Seattle Times Company, said in an interview last week.

How much black ink and by what measure, the privately held company will not say, and amid a sharp advertising downturn, no one denies that its situation remains precarious. But The Times has improved its prospects by picking up most P-I subscribers and managing to keep them so far. It says its daily circulation rose more than 30 percent, to more than 260,000 in June, from about 200,000.

Oddly enough, what remains of The P-I is also faring better than expected. The Hearst Corporation kept the paper’s Web site alive as a news operation with a small staff, heavily reliant on more than 200 unpaid bloggers who write on things as diverse as their neighborhoods, cooking and marathon running.

Industry analysts called it a long-shot experiment, but SeattlePI.com has kept most of the reader traffic it had as a newspaper site. Hearst will not say whether it makes money, but it says that audience and revenue are ahead of projection.

The Times and The P-I had a joint operating agreement, sharing production and delivery expenses, an arrangement that is meant as a life raft for failing papers but that has often turned into concrete shoes for the stronger partner. The Times had been fighting for years to get out of its pact with Hearst, arguing that it drained resources and artificially kept a weaker competitor afloat.

Joint operating agreements “delay the inevitable death of the second newspaper, which becomes a drag on the operation,” said John Morton, an independent newspaper industry analyst. “It’s not too surprising that The Times is doing better on its own.”

The Times, long seen as one of the best regional papers in the country, has had an unusually big newsroom for its circulation, and a devotion to time-consuming investigative work. Mr. Blethen resisted cutting the staff or the size of the paper long after most big papers started to shrink.

But cuts became unavoidable, and the newsroom has dropped to 210 people, from about 375 five years ago. Now, Times executives have an unexpected hope that the cutting has stopped, at least for a while.

“We’re about at the floor of what we feel we can have and still put out a Seattle Times we can be proud of,” said David Boardman, the executive editor. “We’ve had to be more thoughtful in choosing what we do, but I’m not one to claim that less is more. Less is less.”

SeattlePI’s news staff of 20 people, down from The P-I’s 165, covers only a few subjects closely, like crime, the aerospace industry and transportation, while offering links to news on other sites. Michelle Nicolosi, the executive producer, said the site, rather than resembling a traditional news organization, “is trying to be Seattle’s home page.”

Other news sites populated by former P-I staff members have also cropped up, expanding Seattle’s already-vibrant range of alternative news choices, and turning the city into something of an online news laboratory.

“There’s still a lot of competition, but only in certain niches,” said David Brewster, publisher of Crosscut.com, a two-year-old news site. “The Times is weaker than it used to be, but a lot of the people who said the loss of The P-I was the end of the world, now they’re reading The Times and saying it’s better than they expected.”

The Times has repeatedly defied the odds just to get to this point.

It dominated its market as an afternoon paper, decades after conventional wisdom had pronounced afternoon papers dead. The Times switched to mornings in 2000, going head to head with The P-I, and suffered a seven-week strike less than a year later, without a significant circulation loss from either trauma.

The Times was more staid, more suburban and more polished than The P-I, often making it seem as if the arm of an international media giant was the scrappy underdog. But for years, the guessing in the industry was that the Blethen family, which controls the Times Company, would sell to Hearst, which would then close one of the papers.

But the family held on, turning down lucrative offers from Hearst and others. And in the decade before The P-I closed, its circulation dropped sharply, to 117,000, while weekday sales of The Times barely changed.

The Times is one of the last family-run papers in the country, controlled since 1896 by the Blethens. They own 50.5 percent of the company (the McClatchy Company owns the rest), and eight family members work in it.

But if the family’s commitment to journalism has been admired, its business acumen is another matter. The company borrowed more than $200 million in 1998 to buy three Maine newspapers, and it sold them this year, reportedly for less than $40 million. Its biggest mistake may have been the joint operating agreement struck with Hearst in 1983, before Frank Blethen, 64, took control of the company.

Under the arrangement, The P-I’s only operation was its newsroom. The Times printed and delivered The P-I, sold its subscriptions and ads, and paid all nonnewsroom expenses for both papers. Whatever revenue was left was split, 60 percent to The Times and 40 percent to The P-I, a division that Times executives came to see as deeply unfair.

But the joint operation had advantages when The P-I stopped printing, because The Times was able to simply switch P-I subscribers to The Times. Subscribers were free to cancel, but not many did. Times executives say that of those former P-I subscriptions that have expired, 84 percent have been renewed; time will tell whether it can sustain that rate in the long run.

The paper also raised its prices in March, increasing circulation revenue.

With most P-I readers on board, Times executives say they have been able to maintain the ad rates they charged for space in both papers. The volume and revenue were down sharply, but Mr. Blethen said the decline was consistent with what had happened across the industry.

“We’re cautiously optimistic that we’ve been bouncing along the bottom for the last couple of months,” he said.

More West Seattle development news: Junction, Alki updates

http://westseattleblog.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/4502.jpg
West Seattle Blog (http://westseattleblog.com/blog/?p=19463)
August 10th, 2009
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

WEST SEATTLE- Two more notes from the city permit files: The land-use permit has just been issued for the project shown above, 4502 42nd SW (corner of SW Oregon), which is planned as a 7-story building with 89 residential units over 20,000+ square feet of ground-level retail and office space, with parking for 121 vehicles. Four houses on the site will be demolished when construction begins; next steps include building and demolition permits. Meantime, the city has just published approvals for “shoreline substantial development” and administrative Design Review for the 2-years-in-the-works 2-story proposal (two residential units over retail) at the old Pegasus Pizza site (2758 Alki)

Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2009

Whatcom County planners propose controversial 'rural centers'
JARED PABEN - THE BELLINGHAM HERALD (http://www.bellinghamherald.com/102/story/1024210.html)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/18/70805239_10df23dae3.jpg
(Rural centers? Small towns like Everson, Sumas, etc, in Whatcom County may become rural centers.)

BELLINGHAM - The Whatcom County Planning Commission will continue reviewing a controversial proposal to draw lines around certain rural centers and trim development potential outside those lines.
The proposal by county planners would designate areas throughout rural Whatcom County as rural centers, where either housing or business development has been clustered historically and is higher in density than state law now considers "rural."
Planners have drawn boundaries around these areas. They're proposing to change zoning inside the boundaries to allow development to continue with the same uses, sizes and densities as was there in 1990. Outside of the boundaries, zoning would be changed to allow only rural growth.

In many cases, that means land currently zoned to allow one or two houses per acre, as examples, would be rezoned to allow only one house per 10 acres. Also, some areas outside the boundaries zoned for commercial or industrial development would be rezoned to one house per 10 acres.
The proposal has been met with fierce opposition by some county residents, who are calling it a government land grab, while others support protecting rural farmland.
The review of rural zoning was ordered by a state growth board, a decision that was later upheld by a state appeals court. The county must rezone areas that allow more development than one house per five acres, which is what state law considers "rural," according to a county planner staff report.
While most areas outside of the rural center boundaries would be rezoned to allow only one house per 10 acres, many of those areas have lots smaller than 10 acres.
"Relatively few lots larger than five or ten acres still exist," according to the report by planners Wain Harrison and Gary Davis.
Lots of 10 acres or larger could have only one house and couldn't be subdivided to allow for more homes. But owners of smaller vacant lots could still legally build a house or an addition or remodel to an existing house, the report states.
People opposed to the change have posted signs throughout rural areas against zoning changes. Between June 23 and July 23, county planners received about 240 comments from the public about the proposed changes. Whatcom County's Web site has about 300 letters and e-mails scanned and posted.
Comments have ranged from the formal resolution approved by the Whatcom Republicans, which called the proposal "a 'taking' of private property from the citizens of Whatcom County," to a hand-written letter from Lynden resident Sylviana Gilfillan.
"The rights of private property owners are being trampled as county planners push through sweeping regulations without fully informing landowners of the negative impact on their property," Luanne Van Werven, chairwoman of Whatcom Republicans, stated in a press release sent to the county.
Gilfillan wrote in support of protecting farmland at Interstate 5 and Birch Bay-Lynden Road.
"Rural business centers are a bad idea!" Gilfillan wrote. "Birch Bay-Lynden Road at I-5 - is someone crazy? This is some of the finest farmland in the county. We need the open space to grow food, pasture, beef or cows. Towns and B'Ham need to stay with current borders. We have too much sprawl as is."
The Planning Commission is scheduled to hold a work session Aug. 13, and staff has reserved the County Council Chambers Sept. 8 for a commission public hearing.

Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2009

Bellingham airport opens new, $2.5M fire station
JOHN STARK - THE BELLINGHAM HERALD (http://www.bellinghamherald.com/102/story/1024211.html)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1386/1419066556_0b2fcebba6.jpg
(Bellingham International Airport now has a brand new fire station.)

BELLINGHAM - An expanded $2.5 million fire station at Bellingham International Airport got its official opening Tuesday, Aug. 11, as the Port of Bellingham continues to grapple with the impact of growth in airline traffic.
Port Commission President Scott Walker noted that the airport set a new record in July 2009, with about 1,000 departing passengers per day. The port is also moving ahead with plans to improve baggage-handling capacity and strengthen its runway to better accommodate the heavier jets now using the airport.
Port Aviation Director Art Choat said the bigger, relocated station has been in the works since 2003, when it began to become apparent that the old fire station in the International Arrival Building was poorly located: As the airport got busier, it got more and more likely that fire trucks would have to detour around other aircraft on their way to a crash scene. The Federal Aviation Administration approved the relocated station project in 2007 and authorized funding in 2008.

DANIEL JOHNSON | THE BELLINGHAM HERALD

The new location, near the end of West Bakerview Road, gives the airport's two fire-rescue trucks a clear path to potential trouble.
Choat said the station has a minimum of two firefighters, who are port employees, on duty 24 hours a day, working eight-hour shifts. It takes just one firefighter to operate a truck.
Since airport emergencies are few and far between, Choat said the firefighters on duty conduct some airport security patrols during their shifts and also keep the grass mowed, although one firefighter is always in the station ready to respond to an emergency.
Firefighter Russ Hollingsworth said the airport trucks have little in common with urban fire engines, which are designed to operate on streets and extinguish blazing buildings.
The airport trucks are designed to roll with ease across the grassy areas between the station and the runway, using all wheel-drive, with outsized tires.
"They're designed to go off-road," Hollingsworth said.

Vision for the highway

Published: Wednesday, August 12, 2009
The future of Highway 99 is shaped by resident voices, taller buildings, condos

By Oscar Halpert
The Lynnwood Enterprise (http://www.enterprisenewspapers.com/article/20090812/ETP03/708129936/-1/ETP&template=ETPZoneLTart)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center

http://img33.imageshack.us/img33/1470/ajmhighway99lynnwoodspr.jpg
(The Citys vision for Highway 99 includes taller buildings, condos, and more urban living. Way better then the parking lots of today.) (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

LYNNWOOD - This city’s vision for the Highway 99 of the future sees more greenery, taller buildings and townhouses — rather than parking lots — greeting passing motorists.

Business owners, residents and property owners have weighed in since 2006 on their vision for a spruced-up state highway that city officials hope will be safer, more attractive and provide an economic spurt to the city.

One of the keys of the planning is to create community centers that are hubs of homes, restaurants and businesses. The city doesn’t have money for the vision just yet, but hopes to apply for grants and coordinate with the state on road improvements.

Lynnwood resident Jennifer McCall, 30, participated in planning meetings this year.

She’d like to see more parks, restaurants and bicycle trails.

“I like the outdoorsy kinds of things,” she said. “I’d like to feel safe walking my doggie down the road.”

Business owner Jerry Martin said the city “has been terrific” engaging business owners.

Martin, president of commercial cabinet lock maker Frank J. Martin Co. and Olympus Lock Inc. at 184th Street SW and Highway 99, said he supports the city’s intentions.

“I have no issue with setting the bar high as far as aesthetic standards for the upkeep and maintenance of properties,” he said. “What remains to be seen is the impact on access (to) our property from high speed buses going by.”

Jerry Party, a commercial real estate agent familiar with the plan, said he likes the general concept. It’s the details where he has an issue.

“It’s going the same way almost all cities go — they over study the thing,” he said.

Next year, the city will focus on building and street design issues, said planning manager Kevin Garrett.

The city budgeted $114,549 for Seattle architecture and planning company Makers to put together a plan that outlines the types of land use the city would like to see along different segments of a 3-mile stretch along the highway — from 216th Street Southwest north to 148th Street Southwest.

Community Transit later this year will begin running Bus Rapid Transit buses from Everett to Shoreline and Lynnwood’s plan is geared to take advantage of what city officials say will eventually be a more pedestrian friendly strip of highway.

The latest idea is to divide the portion of highway that runs through Lynnwood into sections.

Bus Rapid Transit stations, which are under construction, lie where the city sees a combination of residential and commercial buildings, with gathering spots such as town squares or small park spaces, Garrett said. Those community centers can be likened to hubs along the route, he said.

Party said he’s concerned that businesses will lose customer parking as the city attempts to focus more on wider sidewalks for pedestrians, parking lots out of site of passing traffic and easy access to buses.

“Highway 99 is based on car traffic,” party said. “That’s probably the biggest issue for me: they don’t make that allowance.”

The state highway, which was once the only route west of the Cascade Mountains from Canada to Mexico, is being re-imagined around the Puget Sound region.

The cities of Shoreline and Edmonds are both making changes to the thoroughfare to make it more visually appealing and safer for pedestrians.

Lynnwood Councilman Ted Hikel said he likes what he’s seen of the plan so far.

“But realistically, you have to say whatever the business owners want to have happen, that’s what’s going to happen,” he said.

Elaine Curtiss, who runs an espresso stand just off Highway 99 in the Scriber Lake commercial area, said the thoroughfare could use a face lift.

“I think it’s really good because Lynnwood needs to perk it up,” she said.

Rescue plan arises for falling Luzon

TACOMA: New developer wants to buy and rehabilitate building

JOHN GILLIE; THE TACOMA NEWS TRIBUNE (http://www.thenewstribune.com/topstory/story/842233.html)
Published: 08/12/09 6:28 am | Updated: 08/12/09 7:00 am
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/119/316194577_41c1215fed.jpg
(The 120 year old Luzon Building has been an eyesore in downtown Tacoma for the past 20 years, but there could be hope for it.)

A new would-be rescuer emerged Tuesday for downtown Tacoma’s historic but structurally crumbling Luzon Building.

Tacoma contractor and developer Igor Kunista told the City Council on Tuesday that he wants to begin shoring up the leaning brick walls of the six-story building this week if he can buy it from its present owner.

But in the meantime, the city’s Public Works Department on Tuesday afternoon closed South 13th Street and planned to close one southbound lane of Pacific Avenue adjacent to the building to protect the public.

The city fears the building, inundated by rains for decades, could collapse. The building’s north wall is already leaning some 5 inches toward South 13th Street.

If Kunitsa’s plan falls through or if building owner The Gintz Group can’t find new financing to rehabilitate the building itself, the city may step in to install reinforcements to keep the building intact.

News of Kunitsa’s interest came as both Gintz and the city were searching desperately for financially feasible ways to save the building, designed by famed Chicago architects Daniel Burnham and John Root.

Economic development project manager Ellen Walkowiak told the council that the city has been working with Kunitsa to remove potential roadblocks to the rehab project.

Several plans to find a productive reuse of the 118-year-old former bank building have been proposed over the last few years, but none proved doable. Those plans called for converting the building to corporate apartments, to condominiums or to offices and retail spaces.

Kunitsa’s plan calls for him to invest $2.35 million in cash in the historic building. The remainder of the $6 million in construction cost would be paid with a $2 million loan from Wells Fargo Bank and a $1.65 million low-interest loan from the City of Tacoma.

The city had offered that same loan to the Gintz Group, but the Tacoma developer has been unable to find tenants to rent the offices in the rehabilitated structure. Gintz’ banker wants signed leases for most of the building before agreeing to provide financing. Robert Hailey, a consultant to Kunitsa, claims several tenants have shown strong interest in signing up for office space if Kunitsa rehabs the structure.

Kunitsa, owner of Serpanok Construction Inc., said after the council study session that he believes he can rehabilitate the Luzon more economically than Gintz because he would be both the building’s developer and its general contractor. Gintz would have to hire an outside general contractor.

Kunitsa, an immigrant from Ukraine, has lived in Tacoma for 18 years. He said he has investment properties in South Carolina as well as his Tacoma-based construction company.

That construction company has worked on several local high schools, on the rehabilitation of Fort Nisqually and on the overhaul of the Metropolitan Development Council building downtown, according to the company’s Web site.

Gintz executive Ron Gintz said Kunitsa and Hailey came to The Gintz Group last year expressing interest in buying the building but didn’t follow through with an offer.

Gintz said he doesn’t want to throw cold water on a deal that could save the historic structure, but that he has reservations that Kinitsa could acquire the building, get permits and make the necessary financial arrangements within the next few days or weeks.

Any deal hinges on Kunitsa and The Gintz Group agreeing on the building’s purchase price. The Gintz Group bought the structure for $83,000, but Gintz claims it has invested hundreds of thousands more in design, structural engineering and historic research on the structure. The Gintz Group’s asking price for the building is now $500,000.

If the group doesn’t sell the building, it potentially could be liable for the costs of any engineering work and construction the city might do to make the structure safe.

The Gintz Group is working with a nonprofit agency to lease part of the building. If that lease goes through, the group might be able to obtain construction financing for the structure.

Council members at the session expressed strong interest in Kinitsa’s proposal. Deputy mayor Julie Anderson said special recognition should also go to The Gintz Group for its efforts that have kept the building alive during a critical period in its existence.

John Gillie: 253-597-8663

john.gillie@thenewstribune.com

Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2009

Airport's fate still undecided
By John Trumbo, The Tri-City Herald (http://www.tri-cityherald.com/kennewick_pasco_richland/story/678505.html) staff writer
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2122/1905151305_663bc58b21.jpg
(Vista Field, Kennewick.)

KENNEWICK- The future of Vista Field as an airport is still hung up on whether the city of Kennewick has any right to share proceeds from development if it is closed.

Port of Kennewick commissioners want the city council to give up all potential claims before they decide on keeping the air strip or converting it into raw land available for commercial, office and retail development.

The council considered the port's request Tuesday, weighing whether it was wise to surrender the right to control zoning on the land and to claim a share of proceeds if port officials choose to market the property to developers.

"There's a lot of perception the city has involvement (in what happens with Vista Field)," said Bob Hammond, Kennewick city manager.

"But in reality there is very little for the city to 'hang onto.' We need to make it clear to everyone we don't have any authority over the airport," Hammond told the council at its workshop.

David Hanson, port president, wrote to the city that commissioners are reluctant to make any decision about the airport until two sticky issues in an agreement between the city and port relating to the 92 acres of airport land are resolved.

The agreement was created when the city gave the land to the port on the condition that it be operated as an airport. The original agreement said the land would revert to the city if the port decided to stop managing the property as an airport.

The port was considering closing the airport last year but balked because of the reversionary clause in the agreement. The council responded by deleting that condition.

But now port officials want two more provisions in the agreement jettisoned: the zoning control and the city's financial share in any proceeds from land sales involving airport property.

"Failure to remove these provisions leaves us with a concern that the city could expect to share in any revenues related to closure. That would be a non-starter," wrote Hanson in a letter to Kennewick Mayor Tom Moak.

"If this will expedite the port's decision, then I'm all for it," said Steve Young, councilman.

Hammond said leaving the two provisions in the agreement was "confusing." He said taking them out would cause no problems legally because the council has previously rescinded its reversionary rights to the property.

"It would be removing a stumbling block," Hammond said, noting that he will bring a proposal and motion for the council to consider in a vote in late September.

Hanson's letter said the port commission will wait for an answer.

"Our final decision-making process (about closing the airport) cannot begin until this issue is resolved," he noted.

w John Trumbo: 582-1529; jtrumbo@tricityherald.com

$38M renovation of federal courthouse in Spokane
August 13, 2009
By The Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce (http://www.djc.com/news/co/12009064.html)
http://www.djc.com/stories/images/20090813/US_Foley_Courthouse_web.jpg
Photo courtesy of Hill International
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

SPOKANE- The U.S. General Services Administration has awarded a $2 million, five-year contract to Hill International to manage renovation of the nine-story Thomas S. Foley United States Courthouse in Spokane.

Sales of existing homes strong in county; Highest in State

BY MAI HOANG
THE YAKIMA HERALD-REPUBLIC (http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2009/08/12/sales-of-existing-homes-strong-in-county)
August 12, 2009
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2341/2288843970_9f7287e1ab.jpg
(Median price of homes is going up in Yakima County.)

YAKIMA, Wash. -- Even in a softer market, Yakima County managed to show the greatest increase in median home prices for home resales in the state, according to recent data from the Washington Center for Real Estate Research.

The median home price for existing homes in Yakima County during the second quarter was $158,600, a 3.6 percent increase from the same period a year ago, according to data released Wednesday by the center at Washington State University.

Only three other counties, all east of the Cascades, reported price increases. Grant County had a 1.1 percent increase, while Benton and Franklin counties both had a 0.2 percent increase.

The boost in home prices likely reflects an influx of first-time homebuyers taking advantage of a $8,000 federal tax credit, said Glenn Crellin, executive director of the Washington Center for Real Estate Research.

"Because the prices are affordable, (first-time homebuyers) are able to buy at a different spot than in the more expensive counties," he said. "In Yakima, they're able to buy much more mid-market homes."

The county has an 8.7-month supply of homes on the market priced between $160,000 and $249,999, well below the county's overall inventory of 10.9 months, according to the Washington Center.

But movement of higher-priced homes remains at a standstill, causing a 14.8 percent year-over-year decline of homes sold during the second quarter.

The local market has a nearly two-year supply of homes in the $250,000 to $499,000 price ranges while the supply for homes $500,000 and up is pushing the three-year mark.

Still, the relative strong real estate market has gained national attention.

Earlier this week, "Good Morning America" cited Zillow.com in listing the Yakima metropolitan area, which is all of Yakima County, as one of the five best markets to sell a home.

But local homeowners shouldn't expect a dramatic increase in home prices.

Some homeowners are still required to discount their homes to sell them quickly, though the discount is usually not enough for sellers to lose money, Kokenge said.

"Those who want to move now, or those who are motivated, are seeing a drop (in prices), but not enough where they're giving their home away," he said.

Aberdeen gets pontoon project
Wednesday, August 12, 2009 1:30 PM PDT
By The Aberdeen Daily World (http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2009/08/12/local_news/doc4a831ee5b87c9399476416.txt)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1434/1356663416_8306208900.jpg
(The former Weyerhauser yard in Aberdeen will now help the city in their newest job opportunities.)

ABERDEEN- Aberdeen and Hoquiam city officials confirmed today the state Department of Transportation has recommended the former Weyerhaeuser log yard in Aberdeen as the site for the proposed pontoon construction project, bringing hundreds of jobs and increased tax revenue to the area.

Aberdeen Mayor Bill Simpson said he is pleased Aberdeen will host the graving dock and construction facilities for the $360 million project to build massive concrete pontoons to support the Highway 520 floating bridge in Seattle.

"I'm very happy that it's going to be here in Aberdeen," Simpson said. "We need the jobs. We need the people."

Transportation officials expect at least 250 jobs will be created, some jobs for constructing the facility and others as long-term positions with the project. While the City of Aberdeen will also gain some tax revenue from the construction, Simpson emphasized that the entire area will benefit from the project through jobs, retail sales and other positive side effects.

"The biggest thing is that it's here on the Harbor," he said.

Transportation officials identified the Weyerhaeuser Co.-owned log yard just west of the Aberdeen Wastewater Treatment Plant as a possible site earlier this year after Hoquiam and Port of Grays Harbor officials spent months trying to bring the project to a spot near the Hoquiam River.

Simpson said the cost of building the project in Aberdeen may have been the largest advantage with officials estimating it would cost $11 million less to build on the log yard. The 45-acre yard was selected over Anderson & Middleton property south of 8th Street in Hoquiam.

The Department of Transportation could not be reached immediately for confirmation, but Hoquiam City Administrator Brian Shay said Mayor Jack Durney had also received notice that Aberdeen would be hosting the project.



"The City of Hoquiam is disappointed," Shay said. "We invested a lot of time and resources. ... It's kind of bittersweet, but it's great for the Harbor in any case."

Originally published August 12, 2009 at 11:13 AM |

Bellevue has new squad of police officers

Nancy Bartley
Seattle Times staff reporter (http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009643442_webbellevue12.html)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center

http://img133.imageshack.us/img133/4394/ajmbellevuethirpolicesk.jpg
(Bellevue Police have a new extra squad set up and patrolling the streets. AJM STUDIOS Northwest Police Department Photo, NWPD.) (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

BELLEVUE- Beginning Wednesday, use our searchable crime database for Bellevue on the new Bellevue community page. In addition, you'll find the latest Bellevue Blog postings, other stories related to Bellevue and events listings at seattletimes.com/bellevue.

Downtown Bellevue has a new squad of police officers who are expected to help reduce response times and work with residents and businesses to prevent crime, said Bellevue Police Chief Linda Pillo. The new squad started in July.

Overall, crime in Bellevue increased 3.2 percent in 2008. The first quarter of 2009 was flat compared to the same quarter in 2008. But as downtown Bellevue transforms into a denser area, the city wants to be prepared, Pillo said.

Downtown Bellevue's population is expected to increase from 5,000 to 9,800 by 2010, compared to about 5,000 in 2006, Pillo said. For that same period, job growth is forecast to increase from 35,000 to 49,000 and the number of primarily daytime visitors is expected to increase from 53,000 to 68,000.

North Highline voters deciding on fate of Burien annexation

By Eric Mathison
The Highline Times (Burien) (http://www.highlinetimes.com/articles/2009/08/12/news/local_news/news01.txt)
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3010/2315587875_8afce49d93.jpg
(A portion of the North Highline area could become part of Burien.)

After years of controversy, voters in the south portion of North Highline have less than one more week to decide if they want to become part of Burien.

Ballots must be mailed in by Tuesday, Aug. 18. Only residents in the annexation area may vote on the measure.

There are approximately 6,100 registered voters among the 14,100 people in the proposed annexation area. The area covers 1,700 acres.

If annexation is approved, Burien's population would increase by 44 percent to 46,000 residents. It would move from 31st largest Washington city to 21st, about the size of Olympia.

The proposed annexation would extend Burien's northern border to Southwest 112th Street in Shorewood, except the area around the North Highline fire station at 12th Avenue Southwest.

Burien's city limits would then go south to Southwest 116th Street, avoiding Evergreen High School and Pool as well as the Top Hat area.

The line would then head back north to South 112th Street in Beverly Park, extend to South 107th Street in Boulevard Park--taking in the Rainier Golf and Country Club, and end at Tukwila's western border.

Burien City Manager Mike Martin points to Burien's historic ties with the North Highline area as a reason for the city's interest in annexation.

He maintains that services for the area would remain about the same. Special districts such as water, sewer and school district would not change.

The same firefighters will respond to calls, according to Martin.

However, annexation opponent Mark Ufkes prefers that the area join Seattle. He says the Seattle Fire Department is the best in the state. Burien's fire department is two tiers below Seattle and the current North Highline fire district is one tier below, according to Ufkes.

Burien contracts with the King County Sheriff's Office for police services so the same deputies would respond to calls in North Highline but would be wearing Burien police uniforms, Martin noted.

Ufkes said members of Burien Citizens Against Burien Annexation complain that Burien police officers are slow to respond to calls. Ufkes also charged Burien has a problem with graffiti on city buildings.

Martin estimates the average North Highline taxpayer joining Burien would pay about $125 more per year in taxes. Utility taxes would increase but the city's portion of property tax would decrease, according to Martin.

Critics of annexation in North Highline and Burien complain that Burien cannot financially handle adding the annexing area, especially during the current economic downturn.

However, Martin said Burien can financially support the proposed annexation area, although the city backed off on attempting to annex the entire unincorporated North Highline area at this time. Such a move would have more than doubled Burien's population.

In the voter's pamphlet statement, Ufkes writes a Seattle address adds value to North Highline homes. The average home value in Westwood/White Center is $330,000 versus $287,000 in North Burien, according to statistics cited by Ufkes.

However, Bradley Hawthorne, associate broker for Prudential Northwest Realty Associates, thinks annexation could increase home values in North Highline.

Born and raised in Burien, Hawthorne is enthusiastic about recent changes in Burien, including the opening of Town Square.

"With Burien's recent improvements, it would be a great asset to the real estate side," Hawthorne commented.

Talking about the unincorporated area, Hawthorne said, "The area needs major support. If it is brought back as a community, it will increase home values.

"South Seattle gets a bad rap, Burien might give it a clean slate."

Plans in the works to change city-wide design guidelines

By Sarah Jenks / The West Seattle Herald (http://www.westseattleherald.com/2009/08/12/news/city-plans-change-city-wide-design-guidelines)
August 13, 2009
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)
http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/1592/ajmseattleguidelines.jpg
(Seattle will have new design guidelines for the first time in 16 years.)

SEATTLE- The Seattle City Council Planning, Land Use and Neighborhoods Committee is working on updating the city-wide design guidelines, adopted in 1993 and unchanged for 16 years, it was announced at the committee meeting Wednesday, Aug. 12.

They “still provide good base, but we’re also looking into sustainability and compatibility of the neighborhoods,” said Diane Sugimura, director of the Department of Planning and Development (DPD).

Sugimura explained that between the knowledge gained from design reviews over the years and the development of neighborhood specific designs, there is room for change and improvement in the city guidelines.

The new guidelines will be up for council review in 2010.

The city's Design Review Program provides a forum for citizens, developers and the city to review and guide the design of qualifying commercial and multifamily development projects. There are seven, five-member boards.

Board members are volunteer and serve two-year terms; terms may be renewed once. They are appointed by the mayor and city council.

In addition to these updates, DPD is working on meeting the “2030 challenge” which is to construct carbon neutral buildings by 2030. It is called the priority green permitting program, which encourages construction of “a super green building,” said Sugimura.

The hope is that these high-performing projects to “encourage very green buildings,” will be a learning experience of ways everyone can improve the building process, said Sugimura.

Now people are taking the time to plan a “really high-performing building, which will stand out more competitively when the market picks up,” explained Sugimura. In general, she said, that although sporadic, DPD has “seen some exciting new projects coming in.”

You can read the current Seattle City guidelines here (http://www.cityofseattle.net/dpd/Planning/Design_Review_Program/Applicant_s_Toolbox/Design_Guidelines/default.asp).

August 6, 2008

New fair arena going up

by Stevan Morgain / The Wahkiakum County Eagle (http://www.waheagle.com/stories/080609/003.html)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

CATHLAMET - The Wahkiakum County Fair is gearing up with new vendors, promenade, and, if all goes as planned, a new arena.
Construction on the new $500,000 replacement arena is underway.
“They tell me it will be ready by fair day,” Fair Manager Sarah Lawrence said this week.
Right now the fair grounds are a mixture of sound and fury. Dust mingles with the emergency warning beeps from heavy equipment. Other construction sounds emanating from near the horse barn, coupled with the high pitched whine of a table saw in the cow barn add to the hectic atmosphere.
“We’ve got lots going on, lots of local suppliers and contractors and I hope we’ll be pouring the arena’s new concrete slab this week,” said Lawrence.
Along with the arena, Lawrence said the fair is really starting to take shape. Money came in to replace all the chicken cages in the animal barn. FEMA money helped replaced freezers in the Grange Food booth and the Youth Building has a new range and refrigerator.
But planning for the arena was a different story. Lawrence said it was hard to translate a three dimensional idea from paper to the work that needed to be done. The arena space turned out to be trickier than first thought because when workers started they didn’t notice there was one-foot elevation difference between the north and south ends of the arena.
The problem with the arena’s levels wasn’t insurmountable, but in order for the fair to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the fair now has to move the old flagpole to accommodate a new access ramp.
“But the new promenade is taking shape and I’m really excited about that,” said Lawrence.
The fair grounds has limited space and the new promenade and vendor areas are being designed for versatility.
“We’ve left space for the future,” Lawrence. "The real kicker is we’ve increased the arena space in such a way that, if we want, we will be able to build upon what we have and maybe add a restroom or another food area in the future.”
Lawrence said the fair has a lot of new food and craft vendors this year too. “I think people heard what happened with the collapse of the old arena and they are coming to show their support,” she said.
One vendor who came to the fair last year this year sent Lawrence her vendor’s contract and a check for $50 to help with arena construction.
“One of the biggest things I’ve learned as fair manager is that everyone feels the fair belongs to them, and everyone has their own memory and attachment to the fair,” said Lawrence.

Lewis Country's Housing Market Shows a Bit of Glimmer

KELA 1470 AM Centralia (http://www.kelaam.com/pages/localnews?Lewis-Countrys-Housing-Market-Shows-a-Bi=1&blockID=69165&feedID=410)
August 13th, 2009
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1209/543254761_68767f0600.jpg
(The sale of existing Lewis County homes climbed 1.4 percent during the second quarter.)

[i]LEWIS COUNTY– There’s a bit of good news contained in the latest snapshot of Lewis County’s housing market. The Washington

Center for Real Estate Research says the sale of existing Lewis County homes climbed 1.4 percent during the second quarter over a

year ago. The WSU based research group says the median sale price of a local home fell more than 19 percent during that same

time. It reflects first-time home buyers snapping up homes after being driven by the $8,000 tax credit and low interest rates.

Wallace to start apartments on Madison St. next spring
August 14, 2009
By KATIE ZEMTSEFF
The Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce (http://www.djc.com/news/co/12009105.html)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://www.djc.com/stories/images/20090814/13thMad_web.jpg
(Image courtesy Baylis Architects)

SEATTLE-
The mixed-use apartment building planned for 1222 E. Madison St. has completed design review, which resulted in a significant change to the corner facade. The developer expects to break ground next spring.
Kevin Cleary of Baylis said the corner at 12th and Madison nearby gets a lot of foot traffic so the team wants the new building to provide a “front door.”

Bellevue lobbying for new Indian consulate | City competing with Seattle to land the post

By JOSHUA ADAM HICKS
Bellevue Reporter (http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/east_king/bel/business/52915517.html) Staff Writer
Aug 10 2009, 7:09 PM
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3375/3565817340_bc2c10ef93.jpg
(Bellevue is looking to house the consulate of India within the city.)
BELLEVUE- Bellevue boasts one of the highest concentrations of Asian-Indians in the state, putting it in a prime position for taking advantage of a recent trade boom with India.

The city is now competing with Seattle to land a new general consulate for the Puget Sound region. At stake is the opportunity to attract new businesses and play a prominent role with the second fastest-growing economy in the world.

U.S. exports to India have skyrocketed since 2000, increasing from $3.7 billion to $21 billion – more than 450 percent.

Indian exports to the U.S. were about the same during that period, representing a rare trade balance between America and another economic heavyweight.

"What we're doing in Bellevue is trying to position ourselves so our businesses can benefit from this opportunity," said Bellevue economic development manager Tom Boydell.

Aerospace and technology companies, as well as professional- and financial-services groups, stand to benefit the most from this new trade relationship, according to Boydell.

Agriculture isn't far behind. Exports of edible fruits and nuts from Washington matched the dollar value of exports in aerospace parts in 2007.

This spells opportunity for local corporations, but Debadutta Dash, co-chair of the Washington State and India Trade Relations Action Committee, suggests that the Eastside business community isn't doing enough to make inroads with Indian businesses.

"I've seen a lot of business leaders from India not getting proper attention when they come here," Dash said. "People are talking about it in the news, but there's not enough action going on to translate into real business with India."

Bellevue has taken steps to encourage more relationships by starting a campaign called "Initiative India", which aims to increase economic opportunities and establish a local connection with the Indian community. The city has also partnered with various trade groups to organize workshops that focus on business with the country (click here for more info).

Bellevue already has more than a few allies in its bid to land the consulate, with 15 percent of the state's Indian population – around 6,000 people – living in the city.

"A lot of people from the Indian community have given their recommendation and said they'd pretty much prefer to see it in Bellevue," Boydell said.

Dash, who lives in Seattle, agrees. He says the presence of so many Indians on the Eastside makes Bellevue a better location for the consulate, which mainly handles passports and visas.

The nearest Indian general consulates in North America are in San Francisco and Vancouver, B.C. at this point.

Dash says that's too far when 10 Indian firms have their U.S. headquarters on the Eastside, 30 percent of the global workforce for Redmond-based Microsoft is Indian, and the State Bank of India is considering opening a branch in Bellevue.

The way things are going with the local technology industry, some say the Eastside could end up on par with Silicon Valley in terms of its Indian demographic. Bellevue's Asian-Indian population has grown 1,000 percent since 2000.

Dash says a nearby consulate office would make life easier and more comfortable for members of the Indian community.

"They'll feel like they are in the middle of home," he said. "It's a family affair kind of thing."

That doesn't mean either city will miss out by failing to land the new consulate. As Boydell puts it, the post will be a win-win for the entire region.

"Whether the consulate is in Bellevue or Seattle, it'll mean something significant for whole area," he said.

South Hill group bows out of fight against big retailers

Jonathan Brunt / August 14, 2009
The Spokesman-Review (http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2009/aug/14/south-hill-group-bows-out-of-fight-against-big/)
jonathanb@spokesman.com, (509) 459-5442
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3272/3069860148_9a5b301613.jpg
(Target is one of the new chain store developments for South Hill.)

SOUTH HILL, SPOKANE- A neighborhood vote this week smooths the way for the biggest retail center the South Hill has seen in decades, if not ever.

The Southgate Neighborhood Council ended its long battle to prevent big box development along Regal Street near the Palouse Highway. Members of the council said they will give up their legal fight to focus on holding developers to a series of agreements, which they approved Wednesday 15-0 with two abstentions. The same agreements are expected to be approved Monday by the Spokane City Council.

“Most of us were pretty much opposed to a big box development, but we lost that battle,” said Pat Hickey, Southgate’s chairman.

The approval clears the way for construction of three stores up to 105,000 square feet – or up to 135,000 square feet for a Target. One site had been planned for Home Depot, but the retailer backed out late last year, citing the poor economy.

Smaller stores, up to 50,000 and 55,000 square feet, also will be allowed.

Neighbors at the meeting continued to question how Regal Street, part of which is only three lanes, can handle traffic from large stores. They also cited storm water concerns and said suburban-style big box development isn’t compatible with a city neighborhood.

Supporters of the projects argue that the South Hill is woefully underserved by retail stores, sending south side residents – and their money and sales taxes – to Spokane Valley.

Stan Schwartz, an attorney for some of the property owners, said the agreements, which require the projects to go through the city’s Design Review Committee, create bike and pedestrian links and meet other conditions, make possible development that is “integrated into the community fabric.”

“Will there be a 105,000-square-foot box? I don’t know. Respectfully, it ain’t going to look like Shopko, if for no other reason than (this) agreement will not allow that,” Schwartz said, referring to the nearby store that neighbors have criticized as blight.

Last year, city leaders worked with developers and the neighborhood council to find compromises in plans for big box stores on the 45 acres owned by Black Development, KXLY and others.

The City Council voted last summer to change zoning to allow big box stores, with restrictions. The neighborhood challenged the decision.

Rick Eichstaedt, an attorney for the neighborhood council, said fighting the zoning change may not yield much more than a “paper victory,” because developers could submit an application and begin construction, even if a court later rules the zone change was illegal.

Catalyst for activism

Southgate is one of a few development hot spots in town that, in part, sparked the creation of Envision Spokane, the group that placed a controversial set of rights on the November ballot, including the right of neighborhoods to veto development under certain circumstances.

Brad Read, president of Envision’s board, said it was the proposed Wal-Mart at 44th and Regal, which has since been abandoned, that led him on a path to work on Envision’s Community Bill of Rights.

Southgate is one of five neighborhood councils that have representatives on Envision’s board. Others include Peaceful Valley, which organized in the past few years against a condo tower, and Five Mile, where residents have long argued that development has overburdened roads and other services.

“It would give us a chance to have input into what goes into our neighborhoods,” said Ginger Patano, vice chairwoman of Southgate and an Envision board member.

No elected city leader or anyone running for City Council in next week’s primary has endorsed Envision Spokane’s plan. Council candidate Jon Snyder, for instance, said the proposal goes too far, potentially endangering private property rights.

Candidates weigh in

Incumbent Councilman Mike Allen voted in favor of the Southgate zoning change. He said creation of retail center in the Southgate area would be good for Spokane.

“There’s also a lot of population density around that center which should make it very vibrant and successful,” Allen said.

Two of Allen’s opponents said they would have voted against the zoning change.

“The whole Southgate matter is and will be a sad chapter in the history of the development of a livable Spokane community,” said former City Councilman Steve Eugster in an e-mail. “Quite honestly, it is senseless.”

Snyder, publisher of Out There Monthly, cited the city’s comprehensive plan – its long-term growth guide. Neighborhood leaders argued that the city couldn’t make the zoning changes until a more intensive city planning process for the area was completed. That process is under way.

“There’s just not adequate reason to amend the comp plan to allow more big box stores in Southgate, especially without doing the neighborhood planning process as called for in the comp plan,” Snyder said.

Tacoma plan would end free parking downtown
Downtown: Proposal before City Council calls for pay kiosks in two areas

LEWIS KAMB; THE TACOMA NEWS TRIBUNE (http://www.thenewstribune.com/topstories/story/845654.html)
Published: 08/15/09 3:07 am | Updated: 08/15/09 2:09 am
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2174/2368221996_0f80ac4107.jpg
(An unwanted change for downtown Tacoma, pay parking.)

TACOMA- Free street parking in downtown Tacoma could begin disappearing as early as April to be replaced by paid parking kiosks, under a tentative plan introduced to the City Council this week.

As part of a larger discussion to kick-start a long-term citywide transportation strategy, City Manager Eric Anderson proposed moving forward with a plan to buy dozens of parking pay stations – the electronic kiosks that spit out paid receipts to attach to car windows – that would be installed “incrementally, based on marked demand” in downtown.

Under the proposed timeline, the City Council would consider a paid parking proposal this fall.

“If you adopt on this schedule … we’ll have a contract in place by the end of November,” Anderson said. “In other words, we’ll be able to order (the pay stations).”

Once a plan is adopted, the city could then begin a public outreach and training program for using the new parking kiosks, some of which could be operational early next year, Anderson said.

Based on consultants’ recommendations, parking likely would cost about a dollar an hour, although the actual rate would fluctuate based on demand, city traffic engineer Kurtis Kingsolver said.

“You don’t want to price too high so that no one uses the parking, but you don’t want to price too low so that all the spaces are filled up all day long,” Kingsolver said.

The city’s first parking pay stations likely would be installed near the Tacoma Municipal Building on the north side of downtown, and near the University of Washington Tacoma campus to the south. In all, about 150 stations would then be gradually grouped into three designated parking “districts” between those two locations, Kingsolver said.

Downtown business merchants largely support a pay-for-parking plan, said Marty Campbell, president of the Cross District Association – so long as the plan effectively manages street parking and the revenues are put back into downtown parking issues.

“We don’t want to make the mistakes like what Seattle made, where the rates are set by the City Council,” Campbell said. “If they need more revenue, they raise the rates. … We think rates should be based upon demand, not for political reasons.”

The parking discussion was just one issue of a multi-part presentation of options, plans and potential funding sources for improving transportation throughout Tacoma. The ambitious plan seeks to radically alter the pattern of downtown commuting from one dominated by single-occupancy vehicle trips – now making up about three-quarters of all trips – to one that relies more on transit, car pools, walking and cycling.

Employment growth projections show that by 2025, 13,000 more people will be working in downtown Tacoma. If single-occupant vehicle rates hold at today’s levels, the city would need nearly 11,000 new parking spaces, at a cost of roughly $350 million, to accommodate that projected traffic. City officials have since been studying various ways to reduce such commuter traffic.

The pay-for-street parking plan likely will stir opposition. Some opponents have argued that charging for street parking could discourage people from coming to downtown and would hurt business.

“This issue has already been very controversial in the community,” Anderson said. “It is not at the moment, but it may become (controversial) again.”

In 2008, Anderson appointed a 50-member panel of downtown merchants and others to study a paid street parking program.

Campbell, chairman of the panel, said that as merchants talked through the issues last year, most came to an agreement that a paid parking system actually would create more turnover, discourage employees from monopolizing spaces and free up spots for downtown shoppers.

“Five years ago, you would’ve found no one more opposed to pay stations than myself,” said Campbell, who is running for City Council. “But as the discussions moved ahead, most of us came around and saw how this actually will open up a lot of parking downtown.”

But concerns remain.

“I believe that Tacoma is almost ready for them,” downtown merchant Ken Grassi said of paid parking kiosks. His hesitation is timing.

When the paid parking discussion started, Downtown Tacoma was on a roll, with new retail and residential development coming in. But the recession has stalled that progress. Stores have closed, and condos have sat on the market.

“I don’t want to do anything to discourage any business right now, especially retail,” said Grassi, who owns Grassi’s Flowers & Gifts.

He hopes the city will move gradually to make sure that paid parking doesn’t further hurt downtown.

The committee recommended that the city seek to install electronic parking kiosks similar to those used in Seattle and Portland. A series of public meetings launched in April sought input from citizens on how best to employ such pay stations.

Although details of any adopted plan are still to come, city officials for months have been working with Rick Williams and other consultants from Portland, who helped to implement the pay-for-parking system in that city as part of a comprehensive effort to reduce commuter car traffic.

The consultants analyzed downtown Tacoma’s busiest parking areas, looking for areas where paid parking could be introduced to attain an 85 percent rate of occupancy in available spaces – considered a prime market and vacancy rate for businesses. Three downtown “districts” that met such characteristics were then identified as good areas for pay stations.

Analysis shows the cost of each pay station would be roughly $8,500, Kingsolver said, though installing those units would cost more.

Each pay station manages up to 10 parking spots, Kingsolver said. In all, there are roughly 1,500 spaces of street parking stalls downtown that would be enforced by the stations, which would require buying roughly 150 parking kiosks to cover, he said. The stations would be purchased by selling revenue bonds, Anderson said.

“I think the total cost would be less than $2.5 million to (buy and) install everything,” Kingsolver said.

The city’s consultants also studied various hourly parking rates to determine what Tacoma would need to charge for its paid parking system to be self-sustaining. The analysis factored in costs for hiring staff and establishing a new parking enforcement section, which the city would seek to pay for out of parking revenues, Anderson said.

“The way we looked at this was a five-year pay back,” Kingsolver added. “In order to pay for the operations over that five-year period, the break even rate was 87 cents an hour. Anything over and above that is profit to the system.”

Revenues from parking likely would be put back into the city’s parking “enterprise,” Anderson said, covering operational costs and used for other parking projects.

Any paid parking plan needs to include protections for parking on residential streets near downtown, Anderson added, as drivers seeking to avoid paying for parking undoubtedly will try to park for free in nearby neighborhoods.

“If you live in a house that’s one block away (from an area with parking pay stations) … you could easily get swamped by people who want to walk the block rather than pay the pay station, Anderson said. “We need to protect neighbors from that.”

Staff writer John Henrikson contributed to this report.

Lewis Kamb: 253-597-8542

lewis.kamb@thenewstribune.com

Bothell seeks ideas for redeveloping school site
[i]August 17, 2009
By BENJAMIN MINNICK
The Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce (http://www.djc.com/news/co/12009147.html)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://www.djc.com/stories/images/20090817/AndersonSchool_Bothell_web.jpg
( Photo courtesy of the city of Bothell )

POSTED ON Saturday, August 15, 2009 AT 09:45PM

Yakima County plans to end planning partnership with Yakima
BY DAVID LESTER
THE YAKIMA HERALD-REPUBLIC (http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2009/08/15/yakima-county-plans-to-end-planning-partnership-with-yakima)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/151/351820987_4978059a30_o.jpg
(Yakima County to stop working with the City of Yakima.)

YAKIMA, Wash. -- What do adult businesses have to do with street standards in the urban area surrounding Yakima?

Plenty, according to Yakima County commissioners.

The county is preparing to pull out of a novel 35-year-old agreement with the city of Yakima designed to coordinate zoning and development. County officials say the effort hasn't worked and have notified the city of their intent to formally withdraw on Jan. 1.

The disagreement centers mostly on the way the two governments have regulated the sidewalks and streets for new subdivisions outside Yakima. It's also driven, in part, by the role Yakima city staff played in drafting a new adult ordinance last year that county officials say could result in sex-oriented businesses going up in the Terrace Heights area along State Route 24.

When it comes to residential development, the county, wanting to maintain the rural feel of outlying areas, tends to be more lax when dealing with developers. The city, on the other hand, aims for a more urban look to its neighborhoods and usually asks more of developers.

The result: Developers tend to cherry-pick project sites so they can save costs, often placing new subdivisions in county areas and then seeking annexation to the city so they can get sewer hookups.

"In recent years, the tail has been wagging the dog. Developers come in and hopscotch where the best opportunities lie," said County Commissioner Mike Leita.

He said he wants to see commissioners and Yakima City Council members meet to iron out differences, bypassing city and county staff disagreements. An intergovernmental committee, composed of Leita, Mayor Dave Edler and Councilmen Rick Ensey and Bill Lover will now deal with growth and development issues.



City staff isn't convinced this is such a good thing for Yakima.

"I have not heard what it would be that would suggest 32 years of sound regional planning should be brought to an end," said Bill Cook, the city's economic development director.

Since 1977, a seven-member regional planning commission has reviewed zoning and land-use and made recommendations to the Yakima City Council and County Commission. It looks at long-range planning within Yakima city limits, as well as unincorporated property likely to be annexed.

The group has ostensibly operated as the city's planning commission. It's comprised of seven citizens -- three representatives from Yakima, three from the county and one from Union Gap.

Unlike its municipal counterparts, the regional planning commission has no authority to review individual projects but it does make recommendations on ordinances and zoning. And the framework has given Yakima city officials a conduit to offer input.

A 1974 agreement creating a joint board of elected officials to oversee regional planning was groundbreaking at the time. The goal was to have local governments work together to plan growth in the urbanizing area outside Yakima.

Leita said elected officials haven't kept up their end of the bargain -- to provide oversight and direction to the regional commission-- in the past eight to nine years. As a result, he said, city and county planning staffs have gained more control over development guidelines and that has led to inconsistencies.

Union Gap also has formed its own planning commission and hasn't been active on the joint board of elected officials.

"I think a lot of the discretionary authority from a policy standpoint has been deferred to the respective staffs," he said.



The discrepancies are as apparent as some of those new sidewalks in subdivisions.

On residential streets that connect to main arterials such as Summitview Avenue or Tieton Drive, the county requires sidewalks on one side of the street; the city of Yakima requires sidewalks on both sides.

The city requires developers to pave streets to the center line in front of their property and install sidewalks and streetlights.

The county has no such requirement, though developers must contribute money if a street is not sufficient for traffic. The county takes responsibility for building streets by pooling developer money with grants and property tax money earmarked for roads.

The city doesn't receive property tax revenues to use for road construction and doesn't have as much opportunity to leverage grants.

"We have found ourselves on every development oftentimes having different perspectives from a policy standpoint," Leita said. "The builders and developers were getting mixed signals. We need to clear that up."

Ensey agrees that elected officials should be more directly involved sorting through development issues.

"What Mike is getting at is to have a more organic discussion, get the electeds together and kick around ideas and come to a conclusion," he said.



The adoption of an adult business ordinance earlier this year is one of the reasons county commissioners are pulling the plug on the regional planning commission.

Neither the city nor the county had such an ordinance, but Yakima was forced to seek one when a neighboring church objected to the location of Grapevine, an adult video store, when it was originally located at 5015 Tieton Drive.

The city staff drafted an ordinance and presented it to the regional planning commission. The ordinance "grandfathered" in existing businesses but set site restrictions on new adult entertainment businesses, as well as on signage and hours of operation. The regional planning commission ultimately recommended it and the City Council and county commissioners approved it.

Leita's concern is that the ordinance allows adult businesses in industrial zones, which means they could try to set up shop in the State Route 24 corridor, an urban growth area east of Yakima that includes Terrace Heights. County officials have deemed that as a prime area for industrial growth.

He referred to that ordinance in complaining about staff-driven planning decisions but acknowledged that he and other county commissioners voted "present" when the ordinance was adopted, meaning they didn't object to it.

The county is now developing its own adult business ordinance. The existing ordinance applies only to the city of Yakima and urban areas just outside it.



Yakima city staff isn't sure where the relationship between the city and county is headed.

If the county pulls out of the regional planning agreement -- as it intends to do with an Aug. 25 vote giving official notice -- the city of Yakima will have to create its own planning commission.

Cook, the city's economic development director, said Yakima's more rigorous approach to development is dictated by state law. The city, he said, has experience and background in dealing with urban infrastructure needs and should have some voice over new subdivisions before they're annexed.

He acknowledged there have been some city-county disagreements have occurred, but he views them as minor when compared to what is gained through joint planning.

Joe Walsh, director of governmental affairs for the Central Washington Home Builders Association, said he thinks Leita is headed in the right direction.

Dueling requirements leave developers facing one set of standards on one side of a street and a different set on the other, Walsh said.

"Both the city and county agree it is best to plan for growth in the most productive and responsible way," he said. "I sense that over the past few years the city has been making decisions with more emphasis on revenue generation (by annexing land to get more property tax money) and less emphasis on good, continuous development."

Leita realizes dismantlement of regional planning will represent a substantial change but insists change is necessary.

"We believe there is a better way to do business with the city and with developers. That has yet to be worked out and defined," he said.



* David Lester can be reached at 509-577-7674 or dlester@yakimaherald.com.

Monday, Aug. 17, 2009
Tri-City law enforcement agencies won't get cut of stimulus funds

By Paula Horton, The Tri-City Herald (http://www.tri-cityherald.com/kennewick_pasco_richland/story/683289.html) staff writer
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center

http://img158.imageshack.us/img158/9486/ajmprosser09bentoncount.jpg
(More funding for Eastern Washington Police agencies will help fund for new officers, and more safety. AJM STUDIOS Northwest Police Department Photo.) (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

KENNEWICK- A low crime rate and relatively stable economy are considered a boon for the Tri-Cities, but it worked against law enforcement agencies wanting a cut of $1 billion in federal stimulus funding.

Top cops in the Tri-Cities were hoping some of the money available would let them put more than a dozen new officers on the road -- and in one agency's case, save two positions from budget cuts.

But, when the announcement was made about agencies receiving grants through the COPS Hiring Recovery Program, no Tri-City departments were on the list.

"None of us in the bi-county area ... got any money whatsoever for any additional officers," said Benton County Sheriff Larry Taylor.

Only 30 agencies in Washington had their grant applications approved to hire or save 71 entry-level officer positions, according to the U.S. Department of Justice award list. The grants cover the salary and benefits for a new cop for three years.

"I'm not surprised, but I was hoping that the federal government would have budgeted more realistically for what the need was," said Richland police Capt. Mike Cobb.

Walla Walla and Sunnyside police departments each were awarded grants to cover one position, and the Yakima Police Department received funding for seven officers.

Richland and Kennewick police departments were hoping to each get two new positions funded, Prosser asked for one new officer and Pasco applied for four. West Richland police hoped the federal funding would save two officers' jobs, and officials now are looking for other ways to keep the department's staff at 15.

The Franklin County Sheriff's Office didn't submit an application for the grant, but it likely wouldn't have made the list either. In fact, no sheriff's office in the state received funding.

"It's really mind-boggling on the logic -- if there was any logic on the matrix that was designed for the funding," Taylor said.

Taylor had hoped to get funding to hire five new deputies, but now the sheriff's office is going to have to continue finding a way to handle all the calls for service with the 47 commissioned officers it has on staff.

"The problem is the county doesn't have any money," Taylor said. "It's economic standing right now isn't in super bad shape, but there just isn't any additional for personnel.

"I know the budget (for 2010) is going to be very tight and I'm not going to waste anybody's time (asking for more deputies). There just isn't any money for that," he added.

Pasco Police Chief Denis Austin was hoping to add four officers to handle the needs of one of the fastest growing cities in the state. But he now has to wait to see if the city's coffers can support additional personnel.

The department is authorized to have 69 commissioned officers, but currently has three openings.

When the 2009 budget was planned, Austin determined the department needed six officers to meet demands because of the growth. But there was only enough funding for two positions. That's why he hoped the federal government would step up and help cover some of the costs, but Austin said he wasn't necessarily surprised that Pasco didn't make the cut.

The COPS office received 7,272 requests for grants totaling $8.3 billion and was only able to approve 14 percent of the applications. Though the methodology is not completely clear, agencies were ranked based on fiscal need and crime rate.

Pasco's ranking was in the 77th percentile and most agencies in the state that received awards were near the 90th percentile or higher.

"I don't know if I was surprised or not ... based on the crime rate, not only individually by city, but also collectively (in the Tri-Cities)," Austin said. "We have a very low crime rate, compared to these other folks, and that really played a role in the decision."

"I'd rather have a low crime rate," he added.

The Tri-Cities' crime rate in 2008 was 30 per 1,000 residents -- lower than the state average of 43 per 1,000 residents and the national average of 37 per 1,000 residents, according to the annual crime statistics released earlier this year. Kennewick's was 40 per 1,000, Pasco's rate was 35 per 1,000 residents and Richland's was 25 per 1,000 residents.

Capt. Cobb said he knew Richland wouldn't rank high on the needs list because the department has worked hard to bring down the crime rate to one of its lowest levels in years.

"I guess that's the double-edged sword of having a low crime rate," he said. "It reflects very well upon your personnel working very hard and doing a good job, and your city for having a quality of life and being a good place to be."

"But in order to keep it that way it requires resources because those things don't come without a lot of planning and a lot of hard work," Cobb added.

Richland has 58 commissioned officers and is fully staffed, but officials also have watched the calls for service steadily increase. From 2007-08, there was a 30 percent increase in calls for service, but this year's holding steady with just about a 1 percent increase so far, he said.

But, the types of investigations needed are changing with the advancement in technology. Detectives are having to dedicate a lot more time to computer forensics and analysis because of the increase in computer crimes, he said.

"The police department has zero fat. There is nothing left to trim. Everything has been trimmed off that can possibly be trimmed off," Cobb said. "One of the struggles we have as our calls for service continue to increase is being able to provide high level and high quality service to citizens.

"We really cannot do more with less. It's not physically possible," he added.

Law enforcement officials can still hold on to some hope that they'll see some money after the federal government's 2010 budget is finalized. They were all told their grant applications were still in a "pending" status and it's possible more funding will be available for the COPS Hiring Recovery Program.

Though Taylor's not banking on seeing a check come across his desk -- "I've dealt with the federal government's Department of Justice on grants and other issues for many, many years. To guess what they're going to be doing is like flipping a coin," he said -- Kennewick Police Chief Ken Hohenberg is holding out hope.

"I am eternally optimistic," Hohenberg said. "We've been very, very successful in pushing our major crime rate down ... but my only concern is those numbers are deceiving."

Even though the city's crime rate has been greatly reduced over the past 14 years, Hohenberg said they've seen a 21 percent increase in violent crime this year -- primarily aggravated assaults linked to some of the recent gang activity and violence surrounding drug activity.

The department is authorized to have 90 officers on staff -- two positions are currently open -- but Hohenberg was hoping to add two officers to bring them back up to 92 officers when fully staffed.

While the statistics may show more cops aren't needed to deal with crime in Kennewick, the chief said they've been successful because they've been able to stay ahead of the curve.

"Playing catch-up is always difficult to do," Hohenberg said. "When you start to fall behind, you're not able to provide the basic services and be proactive. It takes away from our ability to be preventive."

If the federal funding does come through for new officers, Hohenberg said that still will only address part of the need. The Tri-Cities needs sustainable criminal justice funding, which includes money for prosecutors to hold criminals accountable, proactive programs like drug court and mental health alternatives.

Redmond ranked No. 10 'Smarter City' among smaller-sized cities in the nation
By MARY STEVENS DECKER
Redmond Reporter Reporter (http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/east_king/red/news/52995162.html)
Aug 17 2009, Edited
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3481/3462759830_5e78a1aa39.jpg
(A new Smarter Cities Web site has ranked Redmond the No. 10 "smaller-sized city" (population 50,000-99,999) in America.)

REDMOND- A new Smarter Cities Web site has ranked Redmond the No. 10 "smaller-sized city" (population 50,000-99,999) in America.

The Web site exposes the diverse and proactive work being done across the country to make cities "smarter" — in other words, more efficient, livable and cleaner.

"From healthier air and cleaner water to better transportation and greener buildings, cities are once again becoming the most desirable places to live ... and helping to reshape the environment responsibly," according to a press release from the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC).

The cornerstone of Smarter City is City Rankings, highlighting the top 15 "smart cities" in the nation, broken down by population size (small, medium or large) and ranking a total of 660 cities in all.

To offer more perspective, the No. 10 Smarter Cities in the medium (population 100,000-249,999) and large (population 250,000-plus) categories are Laredo, Tex. and Chicago, respectively.

Not too shabby.

The top 15 cities in each category are profiled, along with photo galleries at http://smartercities.nrdc.org/ to give readers a clearer understanding of why these cities are admired. Additionally, top cities are ranked by individual features such as air quality, water, recycling practices and so forth.

Redmond placed No. 6 among small cities for green building and No. 10 among small cities for transportation.

There's also a "Cities to Watch" section to highlight up-and-coming communities.

The site grew out of the Smarter Cities Project, formerly part of National Geographic's Green Guide and now affiliated with the Natural Resources Defense Council. The data for ranking, however, is independent of the NRDC and was collected and crunched with the help of a researcher from the Yale School of Foresty and Environmental Studies.

"The intention of the rankings is to foster a little friendly competition, as well as provide a forum for exploring the progress American cities are making in environmental stewardship and sustainable growth," the NRDC announcement said.

And how did Redmond's neighbors fare in comparison?

Bellevue was ranked No. 2 for standard of living and No. 8 for air quality among medium-sized cities. Kirkland, Sammamish and Woodinville, which have populations of less than 50,000, were not ranked.

Redmond Reporter Reporter Mary Stevens Decker can be reached at mdecker@redmond-reporter.com or (425) 867-0353, ext. 5052.

Bel-Red developers could pay to increase density with proposed 'smart growth' agreement
By JOSHUA ADAM HICKS
The Bellevue Reporter (http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/east_king/bel/news/53175437.html) Staff Writer
Aug 13 2009, 4:01 PM
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3354/3615189407_6d52a068ca.jpg
(Downtown Bellevue as seen from the Bel-Red area.)

BELLEVUE- Developers could buy their way to increased density for Bel-Red corridor projects under a new agreement proposed Thursday by King County Executive Kurt Triplett.

The agreement would allow developers to purchase development rights from rural private properties that have a direct connection to Bellevue residents.

Among the list of qualifying lands would be forest acreage visible from Interstate 90 in the Mountains to Sound Greenway, farmlands in the Snoqualmie Valley that supply Bellevue farmers markets, and forests in the White River watershed, where Bellevue gets its drinking water.

Developers who buy rural property rights could build additional square footage in future commercial and residential projects along the Bel-Red corridor, which has been re-zoned for mixed-use buildings.

The Cascade Land Conservancy has given its blessing to the proposed deal.

"This agreement is a perfect example of how transfer of development rights can conserve our precious resource lands while also helping our cities and towns grow robustly," said Cascade Land Conservancy President Gene Duvernoy.

Under the deal, King County would give Bellevue $750,000 in dedicated open space funds in exchange for accepting rural development rights. Bellevue would then use that money to uncover Kelsey Creek and transform the nearby land into an urban park.

Bellevue Mayor Grant Degginger called the proposed agreement "'smart growth' exemplified," while Triplett said it "harnesses the private market to protect lands, rather than using increasingly scarce public dollars to buy them outright."

The King County Council is reviewing the agreement.

Joshua Adam Hicks can be reached at 425-453-4290.

Bellevue Reporter Staff Writer Joshua Adam Hicks can be reached at jhicks@bellevuereporter.com or 425-453-4290.

Mmmm . . . OK in the interest of conserving server bandwidth, I think it would be a good idea not to put duplicate articles from the Seattle section in here.

Also, same thing with the Yakima/Tri-Cities thread. Choose an exclusive topic for a thread and stick to that topic. No need to post things in multiple threads.

Published: Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Everett Port seeks $43 million to grow

The federal stimulus funds would help upgrade the terminal used by Boeing and other businesses.

By Mike Benbow
The Everett Herald (http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20090818/BIZ/708189863&news01ad=1#Everett.Port.seeks.%2443.million.to.grow) Writer
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1011/1194143435_09f92200ec.jpg
(Port of Everett.)

EVERETT — The Port of Everett is seeking $43 million in federal stimulus money to upgrade a marine terminal for Boeing Co. jet parts and other oversized cargo.

If approved, the project would accelerate planned improvements at the south terminal that would beef up the existing wharf to handle heavier loads, improve lighting for nighttime operations and construct a new siding to shuttle railcars.

“Developing a marine terminal is an expensive proposition,” said port director John Mohr. “This leads us to an opportunity to get substantial stimulus dollars.”

The port is seeking a Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery investment grant earmarked for port infrastructure, including projects that link ports to rail lines and other forms of transportation. It's for projects that can be completed by February 2012.

“It's unusual because these projects don't come up that frequently,” said Mohr, noting that if it's approved, the grant would jump-start a planned expansion the port was planning to do in partnership with a private company.

It's been hard to find financing for such projects during the recession, so a grant could get the project started much sooner than would have been possible, he said. “It would reduce the amount of capital required by a joint-venture partner,” he said.

In a master plan approved in 2008, the port talked about extending the wharf in the south terminal and expanding its role as a port skilled in handling odd-shaped and very heavy containers.

Mohr said the grant money would not be used to extend the wharf, but it could help double the strength of the existing pier. The money would also be used to upgrade the terminal yard and to add 1,500 feet of rail siding. Along with the new rail, the port would buy equipment that can move rail cars around the terminal without the need of a locomotive.

Lisa Lefeber, port spokeswoman, said the grant could also pay for a high voltage electrical system so that ships in port could turn off their diesel engines at the dock, reducing emissions.

The port is already handling parts for the Boeing 777 and other jets and would like to increase that type of business. Mohr noted that since 2004 the port has doubled its handling of shipping containers.

Mohr said that since the port is not trying to extend the wharf at this point and has already gone through the necessary public hearings to add the work to its future plans, it should be easier to secure the required permits.

The port should know by February if it receives the grant. Plans call for developing a design next year and doing the work in 2011.

August 18, 2009
Schnitzer switching Equinox to apartments
By LYNN PORTER
The Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce (http://www.djc.com/news/re/12009187.html)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://www.djc.com/stories/images/20090818/equinox_exterior_web_200x.jpg
(Image courtesy Schnitzer)

Leasing of the 204 studio, one- and two-bedroom units will start Sept. 1.
Faced with an oversupplied condo market, developer Schnitzer West is switching its nearly completed 204-unit Equinox condo complex in the Eastlake area to apartments, according to managing partner Dan Ivanoff.

Yakima City Council ready to approve convention center plaza, Eighth Street reconfiguration
BY CHRIS BRISTOL
THE YAKIMA HERALD-REPUBLIC (http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2009/08/17/yakima-city-council-ready-to-approve-convention-center-plaza-eighth-street-reconfiguration)

http://www.yakima-herald.com/images/photos/2009/8/18/081709_8thSt.plans.jpg
(Improvements are planned for the east side of the Yakima Convention Center including the construction of an outside plaza and reconfiguration of Eighth Street.)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

YAKIMA- The Yakima Convention Center and A Street are on deck for the next phase of the downtown improvements.

The City Council is expected tonight to use a $1 million state grant to upgrade the convention center, including construction of an outdoor plaza and the reconfiguration of adjacent Eighth Street.

The work is expected to get under way in the spring.

As conceived, the plaza would be used for catered events and receptions and is designed to take advantage of Yakima's famously sunny weather.

John Cooper, CEO and president of the Yakima Valley Visitors and Convention Bureau, said design elements of the plaza remain somewhat on the drawing board. Ideas include a big, lodge-like fireplace or a water feature.

"We have a dozen competitors from Vancouver to Everett to Spokane, and you constantly have to make improvements to your convention center to stay competitive," Cooper said.

The convention center saw more than 122,000 people go through its doors last year and has an economic impact on the city estimated at $7.4 million, he said.

Other aspects of the project include plans to reconfigure Eighth Street into a wavy pattern to slow traffic on the convention center's east side. The design would be similar to Second Street's intersection with Yakima Avenue.

The Victorian-style cast iron street lights that now line Yakima Avenue will also be installed at the intersection of Eighth Street and in front of the Holiday Inn that is now under construction.

In a related note, the City Council is also expected to use $500,000 in federal block grants to replace crumbling sidewalk on the north side of A Street from Naches Avenue to Third Street.

City officials suggested the use of those block grants after developer Joe Morrier, owner of the defunct Yakima Mall, attended a council subcommittee July 22 meeting and complained the convention center project work would take place before the A Street sidewalk was replaced.

Morrier is trying to redevelop the long-shuttered JC Penney store into an upscale hotel. The back side of that building faces A Street.

He didn't return a phone call Monday seeking comment.



* Chris Bristol can be reached at 509- 577-7748 or at cbristol@yakimaherald.com.

Not sure about the "duplicate threads" as Bond points out...

I guess it is something to be aware of.

But, at the risk of being repetitive, thank you for your posts...you are indeed very focused and it is nice to see these reports in one place, as opposed to trying to find them all over the net.

Forbes ranks state second-best for doing business

Magazines love lists, and we love reading about ourselves, especially when we come out near the top.

Which brings us to Forbes' annual ranking of the best states for business.

The list, which came out last week, pegged Washington as the second-best state in the country in which to do business, behind only Virginia.

The second-place finish came despite Washington's middling ranking (27th) on business costs, including labor, energy and taxes — the category weighted most heavily in Forbes' ranking.

The state also landed in the middle in the "quality-of-life" category, which covers schools, health, crime, poverty rates and cost of living.

But Washington topped the country when it came to projected economic growth, and came in the top five in the magazine's three other categories: labor-force quality and quantity, regulatory environment and general economic climate.

The full set of rankings can be found at http://www.forbes.com/2009/09/23/best-states-for-business-beltway-best-states_table.html.

— Drew DeSilver

Magazines love lists, and we love reading about ourselves, especially when we come out near the top.

Which brings us to Forbes' annual ranking of the best states for business.

The list, which came out last week, pegged Washington as the second-best state in the country in which to do business, behind only Virginia.

The second-place finish came despite Washington's middling ranking (27th) on business costs, including labor, energy and taxes — the category weighted most heavily in Forbes' ranking.

The state also landed in the middle in the "quality-of-life" category, which covers schools, health, crime, poverty rates and cost of living.

But Washington topped the country when it came to projected economic growth, and came in the top five in the magazine's three other categories: labor-force quality and quantity, regulatory environment and general economic climate.

The full set of rankings can be found at http://www.forbes.com/2009/09/23/best-states-for-business-beltway-best-states_table.html.

— Drew DeSilver

August 20, 2009
Shoreline opens $33M City Hall
By The Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce (http://www.djc.com/news/re/12009257.html)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)
(Photo (http://www.djc.com/stories/images/20090820/ShorelineCityHall_exterior_big.jpg))
(Photos by Adam Buchanan)
The city of Shoreline on Monday opened its new $33 million City Hall and civic center. The city had been leasing space in two adjacent buildings since its incorporation in 1995.

Published: Friday, August 21, 2009
As Lynnwood grows, so grows concern over its largest-ever annexation

By Oscar Halpert
The Everett Herald (http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20090821/NEWS01/708219870&news01ad=1#As.Lynnwood.grows.so.grows.concern.over.its.largest-ever.annexation) Writer

AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)


LYNNWOOD — John Dunlap’s seen a lot of new developments spring up since he bought his first house about a mile east of I-5 in 1970.

“There was nothing down here at that time except a forest behind me,” said Dunlap, who retired from the Washington State Patrol in 1991.

As he considers the pros and cons of his neighborhood joining the city of Lynnwood, Dunlap said he sees only good outcomes, especially with police response.

“I’ve been a country boy all my life,” he said. “I just feel that we’re going to have better response times and more controls. You feel a part of the community when you can be involved with the local police department.”

City leaders have proposed annexing an area stretching southeast from Brier, north to 148th Street SW. The annexation would add 27,500 new residents by Jan. 1, 2011. A consultant’s financial analysis showed the annexation would be feasible for the city, even when the slow economy is taken into account.

A vote is scheduled for April 27. If a majority of voters in the proposed areas agree to be annexed, Lynnwood’s population would nearly double, from 35,700 to 63,200.

Before that vote can occur, however, the courts will have to decide whether Mill Creek has a valid argument against Lynnwood’s plan.

Mill Creek sued Lynnwood in July, claiming the area off 164th Street SW from Larch Way to I-5 fits more naturally within its city boundaries than in Lynnwood’s.

Lynnwood officials say they know there’s a lot at stake in the city’s largest annexation proposal in its 50-year history.

Cities of 50,000 or more residents, for example, can receive federal grant money directly rather than waiting for the state or Snohomish County to pass it along.

Cities also have a big incentive to initiate annexations by Jan. 1, 2010, because the state has promised to reimburse them 12 1/2 cents for every $1 of the state’s share of sales tax income.

For Lynnwood, that amounts to $50 million — $5 million a year for 10 years.

State election laws, however, prohibit city officials from campaigning on city time or using city resources. They’re only allowed to provide information.

Not everyone is as excited about the prospect of annexing into Lynnwood as Dunlap.

Jodie Rutten, who lives near Martha Lake, said she’d like to be annexed — but into Mill Creek, not Lynnwood.

“Mill Creek is our town,” said Rutten, who grew up in unincorporated Lynnwood, near Lake Serene. “We don’t go to Lynnwood for our services; we go to Mill Creek.”

Jon Engstrom, senior pastor for Christ the Rock Fellowship, which would be in the annexation area, said his nondemoninational congregation hasn’t taken a position on annexation.

Personally, Engstrom said, “my experience would make me want to lean more toward Mill Creek. They are in general more proactive and perhaps more cohesive as a community.”

Carl Cerniglia, who lives off of Cypress Way between 196th Street SW and 212th Street SW, said he won’t be campaigning on the city’s behalf, though he supports the proposal.

“I wouldn’t be willing to sway people one way or another,” he said.

Oscar Halpert: 425-339-3429, ohalpert@heraldnet.com.

POSTED: Thursday, Aug. 20, 2009

Kremen says Bellingham should take more population
JARED PABEN - THE BELLINGHAM HERALD (http://www.bellinghamherald.com/102/story/1036521.html)

AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)


BELLINGHAM - County Executive Pete Kremen wants the city of Bellingham to accommodate more new residents than city leaders previously said they would take.
Kremen on Wednesday, Aug. 19, released his recommendation for urban growth area updates throughout the county, a recommendation that, in all, reduces urban-zoned land by 7,815 acres.
The county is reviewing and updating growth areas to accommodate the next 20 years of growth in and around each of the seven cities, Birch Bay, Columbia Valley and Cherry Point. It's more than two years late doing the update, and a state growth board has ordered it to finish the work by Dec. 1.
Kremen proposal reduces urban-zoned land in Whatcom County
Read the proposal

Part of Kremen's proposal involved changes to the amount of growth that can occur around Bellingham.
Bellingham City Council earlier this year said the city was willing to accept at least 23,771 new residents over the next two decades, and it would accept more if the county took steps to reduce development in rural areas.
Kremen says the city should take 3,150 more residents. He also recommended cutting Geneva and Hillsdale, both in the Lake Whatcom watershed, from the city's urban growth area, so the 1,300 people who would have moved in there need to go somewhere else.
In total, he's asking the city to take an additional roughly 4,450 people over what the city requested. He's asking the city propose a way to accommodate those people as part of its update of its comprehensive plan, which is due in late 2011.
"Bellingham has been, and will continue to be, the primary population and employment center in Whatcom County," according to his recommendation. "The City of Bellingham request for no additional growth allocation can lead to increased pressure on rural and resource lands if there are not sufficient housing opportunities in that community."
If the city accommodates what Kremen is proposing, that would mean the city would grow at about 1.7 percent per year, which is still less than has happened historically. From 1990 to 2008, the city grew at a rate of roughly 2.1 percent annually.
Bellingham was the only city Kremen asked to take more people than the city had requested. Some of the smaller cities had wanted more growth than Kremen is recommending.
"The vast majority of the employment opportunities are still going to be in Bellingham," Kremen said. "While we want our smaller cities within Whatcom County to grow and flourish and to realize employment opportunities with their communities so that we don't have to have a significant increase in commuters, the reality is ... Bellingham really should accommodate more than the city wanted."
County Council member Seth Fleetwood said he hasn't had a chance to study the recommendation, but at first blush he agrees with much of it. As a current County Council member, he will decide on the urban growth update this year before moving to the Bellingham City Council next year. He's unopposed in the November election.
"If we're going to achieve this vision we all talk about of vibrant, dense cities surrounded by distinctively rural countryside, then it follows that we have to figure out a way to take more population," he said. "We can't have it both ways."
City planners just received the proposal, and they have yet to figure out what they'll recommend to the City Council, planner Greg Aucutt said.
"We could look at additional infill or adding more land to the UGA. There are a number of ways we could consider," he said, adding that the City Council also could state the city doesn't want to accommodate the extra population.
Planners probably will bring a recommendation to the City Council and ask for direction on what to do on Sept. 14, he said.

Originally published Wednesday, September 9, 2009 at 1:42 PM

Russell Investments moving to Seattle

[i]Global investment company Russell Investments said Wednesday it will move from its hometown headquarters in Tacoma to Seattle, taking over the downtown building left largely vacant by the collapse of Washington Mutual Inc.

By GEORGE TIBBITS
The Seattle Times (http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009833135_apwarussellinvestments5thldwritethru.html)
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2632/3885694367_a572050774.jpg
(Russell Investments will be moving to WaMu Tower in downtown Seattle, and will rename the building.)

SEATTLE —
Global investment company Russell Investments said Wednesday it will move from its hometown headquarters in Tacoma to Seattle, taking over the downtown building left largely vacant by the collapse of Washington Mutual Inc.

Russell, founded 73 years ago in Tacoma and now owned by Milwaukee-based Northwestern Mutual, said the move next year would give it access to a larger talent pool and an address "in the center of a major Pacific Rim city."

With about 900 employees in Tacoma and 1,750 worldwide, Russell serves individual, institutional and financial adviser clients in 40 countries through asset management, research and mutual funds and other investments. It is widely known for its stock market indexes.

As of June 30, the company had $151 billion in assets under management.

Andrew Dorman, president and CEO of Russell, said in a statement that the move was good "both from an economic and qualitative standpoint, and particularly given the unique conditions of the commercial real estate market in Seattle."

Russell announced last year it wanted to relocate from its current 12-story headquarters. Tacoma, 26 miles south of Seattle, had offered incentives worth more than $148 million to keep the company as its downtown anchor.

Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels said Dorman called him Wednesday morning to tell him of the move.

"I welcomed him and told him that was great news for us," Nickels said.

Nickels said the move will mean hundreds of jobs in downtown Seattle, which lost thousands when Seattle-based WaMu collapsed a year ago and was subsequently taken over by JPMorgan Chase & Co.

At its height, WaMu employed about 4,000 people at its headquarters building, but that's now down to about 300, said Chase spokeswoman Darcy Donohoe-Wilmot.

The 42-story building, to be renamed the Russell Investments Center, is being sold to Northwestern Mutual, Donohoe-Wilmot said. The remaining Chase employees will be consolidated on three floors, and the bank will retain its branch on the ground floor, she said.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed, Donohoe-Wilmot said.




"We've been very public about our desires to sell the building for several months," she said. "We just don't have the need for the space."

Nickels said Seattle offered no tax incentives. "This is a business decision by the Russell company. We did not contact them, they contacted us," Nickels said.

The city did, however, propose to bring its tax code in line with that of Tacoma and the state concerning businesses classified as "international investment management services." The city estimates Russell would pay it about $250,000 a year in business and occupation taxes.

Tacoma Mayor Bill Baarsma said Dorman also called him to inform him of the decision.

Baarsma told The News Tribune in Tacoma that while the city was "deeply disappointed" in the move, it did all it could to keep the company there.

"We gave it our very best effort," he said. "I didn't lose a wink of sleep over the effort that we made."

Russell was started in 1936 as a small brokerage company by Tacoma businessman Frank Russell. His grandson, George Russell, greatly expanded the company in the 1960s and '70s as a consultant to large pension funds, and launched its investment management business in the 1980s. Russell was acquired by Northwestern Mutual in 1999.

Glenn Beck gets ceremonial key to hometown city
The Associated Press (http://apnews.myway.com/article/20090927/D9AVHOK00.html)
Sep 27, 4:05 AM
AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2354/2117138136_c0bdfa77fa.jpg

MOUNT VERNON, Wash. (AP) - The mayor of Glenn Beck's hometown in Washington state presented the Fox News personality with a ceremonial key to the city Saturday evening, an event preceded by weeks of protests and petitions calling for the cancellation of the visit.
Beck received a boisterous, minute-long standing ovation after receiving the plaque-mounted key from Mount Vernon Mayor Bud Norris, who weeks earlier proclaimed Saturday "Glenn Beck Day" as a way to mark the conservative commentator's success as a nationally known broadcaster.
Beck spoke for about an hour, remembering his childhood in Mount Vernon, an agricultural city of 31,000 people 60 miles north of Seattle that he described as magical and connected to the values of small-town America. He cried as he reminisced about going to the local theater with his mother.
"Now, I would give my right arm to live in a town like Mount Vernon. And I discovered today that there are a ton of people ready to cut it off," he said, jokingly referring to protesters gathered nearby. "It doesn't bother me, because I have the key to their house now."
Demonstrators outside the city's McIntyre Hall numbered close to 800 - the largest protest anybody could remember in Mt. Vernon's history, Fire Department spokeswoman Erica Work said. The demonstrators appeared evenly split between those who supported Beck and those who opposed his visit.
Police arrested one man who they said ignored repeated warnings to get off the street. The man was arrested on suspicion of disorderly conduct and booked into the Skagit County Jail, authorities said.
Beck, a vocal critic of President Barack Obama, has garnered a strong national following, taking aim at such standard conservative targets as illegal immigration and big government spending.
The event had been criticized by some who claim Beck is too polarizing a figure. In July, for example, he said Obama was a racist who has a "deep-seated hatred for white people or the white culture."
The City Council passed a resolution saying "Mount Vernon City Council is in no way sponsoring the mayor's event on Sept. 26, 2009, and is not connected to the Glenn Beck event in any manner."
Norris, a Republican, introduced Beck and emphasized that the honor was for his professional accomplishments, not his political views. He thanked police for providing the extra security.
"It's a pity we had to spend the kind of money we had to," he said. "But it's the price we pay for free speech."
Beck, 45, mostly stayed away from discussing politics. But he said he didn't remember politics being so divisive when he was growing up. The country could count on a bright future if people would stop tearing each other apart, he said.
Beck's roots in Washington are deep. His father ran a bakery in downtown Mount Vernon, and his mother drowned while boating in the Puget Sound when he was a teenager.
In high school, he moved to nearby Bellingham and attended Sehome High School. Throughout his days here, he seemed keen on making a living on radio and television, landing radio and television gigs early on and a DJ job out of high school.
Beck's fame has soared exponentially in recent years. He got a television show on CNN three years ago and later moved to Fox News, and his syndicated radio program now appears on more than 350 radio stations.
Beck warmed up for his return to Mount Vernon with an afternoon appearance at Seattle's Safeco Field, where he also drew crowds of loyal fans, as well as a few dozen protesters.
Beck received cheers for declaring that winning the war on terror was more important than health care reform. Then boos erupted as photos of Obama and Democratic Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire appeared on a large screen.[/i]

The article about Russell Investment move in "WAMU Tower" is incorrect. They will move in WAMU(Chase) Center not WAMU Tower.

Alan Dunlop: Mahlum Endowment Lecture, University of Washington



13th April 2010





Alan Dunlop has been confirmed as the 2010 Mahlum Endowed Lecturer at the University of Washington, Department of Architecture in the College of the Built Environments in Seattle. The College aims to provide leadership in contemporary issues of design, through innovative research, teaching and interdisciplinary collaboration. It champions architecture as a critical urban and cultural practice that integrates a complex array of social, ethical and ecological concerns.



The Mahlum Endowed Lecture is an annual event to stimulate excellence in architecture and aims to build on Seattle's reputation in teaching. Professor Dunlop has a growing international reputation as architect, artist and educator and it is this mix of skill and passion that he will bring to the school.



Anne Schopf, Design Partner of Mahlum, an internationally recognised firm in Seattle and Portland says, "our intention with the Mahlum Endowed Lecture is to get great people with great ideas to talk about their work." The Mahlum Lecturer in 2009 was Lene Tranberg of Lundgaard & Tranberg Arkitektfirma.



Peter Cohan, Assistant Professor adds, "we are very excited about Alan's visit." The Mahlum lecturer delivers a public lecture at the University of Washington, makes a more informal talk at Mahlum's office and engages with the students by participating in an architecture studio review. The Mahlum lecture is scheduled for the evening of April 13th.



Alan Dunlop says " I am looking forward to meeting the students and faculty and am excited to be addressing the architectural community at Mahlum. I have long been an admirer of their work"



This invitation sits well with Professor Dunlop's expanding architectural interests, which this year include his continuing commitment to the Scott Sutherland School of Architecture in Aberdeen as a Visiting Professor, The Victor L Regnier Chair of Architecture at Kansas State University and a public lecture at the prestigious Bauhaus School in Dessau, scheduled for July 2010.



http://www.mahlum.com/default.asp

http://depts.washington.edu/archdept/





For further information and images contact:



Alan Dunlop

Gordon Murray and Alan Dunlop Architects



0141 331 2926

aland@murraydunloparchitects.com

Washington.Edu/Events (http://www.be.washington.edu/Events/eventdetail.php?eventid=511)


Alan Dunlop Lecture: THOUGHT LINES

Location: Architecture Hall 147 - UW Seattle
Tuesday, April 13, 2010 @ 6:30 PM
http://www.caup.washington.edu/ImagesSite/BannerGraphic-1.jpg




"God made paper for drawing architecture on. Everything else is a misuse of paper" Alvar Aalto

Alan Dunlop will talk about on his passion for hand drawing in architecture, focusing on the inspirational drawings of great American architects and artists and presenting his own drawings. He will also describe the development of the multi award winning Hazelwood school project through his drawings and photographs, from inception to successful conclusion.

Alan Dunlop is a Fellow of the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland and was educated in London and at the Mackintosh School of Architecture in Glasgow. In partnership with Gordon Murray, his practice has won over fifty national and international awards, including Europa Nostra; Royal Institute of British Architects Awards; the Scottish Design Awards: Grand Prix for Architecture; a Special Award from the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland; a British Construction Industry: Best Practice Award; a Designshare Honor Award and two International Architecture Awards from the Chicago Athenaeum. His project for Hazelwood School was listed as one the top five schools of the 21st Century by Architectural Record.

I got a few people asking why I stopped this thread.

Mainly because no one ever commented on the articles or gave feedback. Also, I began to wonder if it was right to do this.

Here are a few interesting development articles.

Bellingham International Airport Expansion (http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2010/04/20/1394904/port-plans-bellingham-airport.html)

New Mukilteo Ferry Terminal Back Onboard (http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20100421/NEWS01/704219870#Mukilteo.ferry.terminal.back.on.drawing.board)

Lake Goodwin Growth (http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20100421/NEWS01/704219814#Fight.over.Lake.Goodwin.growth.)

275 apartments planned for Queen Anne (http://www.djc.com/news/re/12017167.html)

Proposal would allow 18-story buildings in parts of south county

Published: Monday, April 26, 2010

By Noah Haglund
The Everett Herald (http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20100426/NEWS01/704269903&news01ad=1#Proposal.would.allow.18-story.buildings.in.parts.of.south.county)

EVERETT — Buildings up to 18 stories could rise in dense, urban pockets throughout south Snohomish County with preliminary rules the County Council is scheduled to approve next month.

The new rules move the county closer to defining the future development of seven areas zoned as urban centers, including the Point Wells property near Woodway. Representatives of the property’s owners remained cautiously optimistic the rules would allow them to pursue building up to 3,500 condo units and shops on the current site of a petroleum-storage facility. The project would unfold over 15 to 20 years.

Woodway Mayor Carla Nichols said she thought a multi-layered approval process would give her town, and other neighbors, a say on projects.

“Initially, we’re feeling like the cities’ involvement is being recognized by the county,” Nichols said.

County councilmen tentatively approved the rules at a hearing Wednesday. A final vote is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. May 5.

There are six other urban centers in addition to Point Wells: Highway 99 at the Mukilteo Speedway; Highway 99 at 152nd Street SW; I-5 at 164th Street SW; I-5 at 128th Street SW; 44th Avenue W. near the Mountlake Terrace-Lynnwood city line; and the Bothell-Everett Highway at Maltby Road.

A maximum 180-foot height limit would allow for buildings in the urban centers that are slightly taller than any existing building in downtown Everett. Environmental studies and restrictions on buildings close to the edge of the centers would likely limit many buildings below the maximum.

Another key decision Wednesday was a requirement that mass transit routes be within a half-mile of each urban center development, instead of a quarter-mile.

Councilmen also outlined a process to give neighboring cities or towns input on urban centers they could one day annex. The municipalities would not have veto power.

The places are very nice!!http://sunrent.de/smileycool.ico ....... Thank you for giving the informationshttp://sunrent.de/smileyhappy.ico .....

Thank you for taking notice. :) Sadly I am no longer updating this. No one ever talked or discussed about any of it.

^^ USAPatriot, you have no idea how much many of us appreciate your posts on this thread (we discussed that few times before). Please continue it. We all read it and will post it if we feel it is necessary to say something about it.

Thank you for sharing such wonderful information posted here.

-------------
Handbags For You (http://betterhandbagsforyou.info/Seneca_Rising_Ella_Vest.aspx)

POSTED: Thursday, Aug. 20, 2009

Kremen says Bellingham should take more population
JARED PABEN - THE BELLINGHAM HERALD (http://www.bellinghamherald.com/102/story/1036521.html)

AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center (http://usaspatriot.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=places&action=display&thread=575)


BELLINGHAM - County Executive Pete Kremen wants the city of Bellingham to accommodate more new residents than city leaders previously said they would take.
Kremen on Wednesday, Aug. 19, released his recommendation for urban growth area updates throughout the county, a recommendation that, in all, reduces urban-zoned land by 7,815 acres.
The county is reviewing and updating growth areas to accommodate the next 20 years of growth in and around each of the seven cities, Birch Bay, Columbia Valley and Cherry Point. It's more than two years late doing the update, and a state growth board has ordered it to finish the work by Dec. 1.
Kremen proposal reduces urban-zoned land in Whatcom County
Read the proposal

Part of Kremen's proposal involved changes to the amount of growth that can occur around Bellingham.
Bellingham City Council earlier this year said the city was willing to accept at least 23,771 new residents over the next two decades, and it would accept more if the county took steps to reduce development in rural areas.
Kremen says the city should take 3,150 more residents. He also recommended cutting Geneva and Hillsdale, both in the Lake Whatcom watershed, from the city's urban growth area, so the 1,300 people who would have moved in there need to go somewhere else.
In total, he's asking the city to take an additional roughly 4,450 people over what the city requested. He's asking the city propose a way to accommodate those people as part of its update of its comprehensive plan, which is due in late 2011.
"Bellingham has been, and will continue to be, the primary population and employment center in Whatcom County," according to his recommendation. "The City of Bellingham request for no additional growth allocation can lead to increased pressure on rural and resource lands if there are not sufficient housing opportunities in that community."
If the city accommodates what Kremen is proposing, that would mean the city would grow at about 1.7 percent per year, which is still less than has happened historically. From 1990 to 2008, the city grew at a rate of roughly 2.1 percent annually.
Bellingham was the only city Kremen asked to take more people than the city had requested. Some of the smaller cities had wanted more growth than Kremen is recommending.
"The vast majority of the employment opportunities are still going to be in Bellingham," Kremen said. "While we want our smaller cities within Whatcom County to grow and flourish and to realize employment opportunities with their communities so that we don't have to have a significant increase in commuters, the reality is ... Bellingham really should accommodate more than the city wanted."
County Council member Seth Fleetwood said he hasn't had a chance to study the recommendation, but at first blush he agrees with much of it. As a current County Council member, he will decide on the urban growth update this year before moving to the Bellingham City Council next year. He's unopposed in the November election.
"If we're going to achieve this vision we all talk about of vibrant, dense cities surrounded by distinctively rural countryside, then it follows that we have to figure out a way to take more population," he said. "We can't have it both ways."
City planners just received the proposal, and they have yet to figure out what they'll recommend to the City Council, planner Greg Aucutt said.
"We could look at additional infill or adding more land to the UGA. There are a number of ways we could consider," he said, adding that the City Council also could state the city doesn't want to accommodate the extra population.
Planners probably will bring a recommendation to the City Council and ask for direction on what to do on Sept. 14, he said.


I like the county exec's idea. The smaller outlying cities growing more creates faster and more intense sprawl. Bellingham city has plenty of room to absorb more people and employment.

County OKs application for Point Wells condo development

Everett Herald (http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20110305/NEWS01/703059925) / March 5, 2011

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http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/6507/ajmpointwells.jpg

Snohomish County planners accepted a developer's application Friday to build more than 3,000 high-rise waterfront condos at Point Wells.

The decision renders largely moot ongoing attempts to stall the project, including legislation in Olympia and a zoning challenge to a state growth board. Neighbors in Woodway and Shoreline worry about its effect on traffic and their quality of life.

"What happens next is we have at least 45 days to see if we can reach an agreement with both Woodway and Shoreline," said Gary Huff, a Seattle attorney representing developer BSRE Point Wells. "We talked about getting together next week to see if it's possible."

Staff from Woodway and Shoreline joined Friday's application meeting with county planners. 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.

The energy and real estate company behind the project says its plans would transform an aging fuel-storage facility into a showpiece of cutting-edge architecture.

A huge worry for neighbors is that the only way to reach the 61-acre site in unincorporated Snohomish County is by a two-lane road through Shoreline, in King County. Opponents also say the Point Wells plans are too big for the low-density surrounding neighborhoods.

The project is the brainchild of Shraga Biran, an Israeli attorney who's a principal in Alon Group. The international energy and real-estate company, with headquarters in Israel, includes Blue Square Real Estate, the parent company for BSRE Point Wells.

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.

The 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 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.

Meanwhile, the rift that the proposal has created between Woodway and Shoreline, on one side, and county government, on the other, continues to occupy state lawmakers.

On Thursday, the state House approved a bill insisting Snohomish County allow Shoreline and Woodway to oversee some of the environmental review work. It passed 63-35 and next goes to the Senate for consideration.

Democratic Reps. Ruth Kagi of Lake Forest Park and Cindy Ryu of Shoreline drew up House Bill 1265 as a protective measure for their constituents. Ryu, a former Shoreline mayor, said concerns about the scope of the project have "caused a multi-year angst with no resolution in sight." She said she hopes this "good neighbor" bill will change the dynamic.

^^ That's great! This model remind me a bit of Hawaii with resorts.

Local chapter of American Institute of Architects backs cable-stayed bridge design for I-5 crossing in Vancouver, WA

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The Vancouver chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) is preparing to announce that it supports a cable-stayed bridge design for the Columbia River Crossing Project over the deck truss design currently favored by the Governors of Oregon and Washington.

The group plans to meet with supporting community members inside downtown Vancouver’s Al Angelo building tonight at 6:00 p.m. AIA Vancouver is also preparing a letter to governors Chris Gregoire and John Kitzhaber stating its position.

Read Article: http://www.vbjusa.com/2011/03/08/breaking-news-local-chapter-of-american-institute-of-architects-backs-cable-stayed-bridge-design/

SPOKANE: Medical school aims to be rolling before end of decade

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Despite sizable hurdles that seemingly could thwart—or at least delay—plans for a proposed four-year medical school here, unflinching backers of the school remain convinced it could be up and producing graduates as soon as 2018 . . .

Read Article: http://www.spokanejournal.com/article.php?id=6804

Spokane: Convention Center Expansion

http://www.spokanejournal.com/upload_content/import_images/6750_image.jpg

The Spokane Public Facilities District board was to receive a final detailed report this week on plans for an estimated $60 million to $70 million expansion of the Spokane Convention Center, which the district expects to put before voters next year.

The project calls for the construction of about 91,000 square feet of new floor space on the downtown convention center's "east campus," adjoining the Group Health Exhibit Hall, which was completed in 2006.

Read Article: http://www.spokanejournal.com/article.php?id=6750

LONGVIEW: Port of Longview master plan includes new berth, demolition of grain terminal

The Port of Longview should demolish an aging grain terminal and dock and build a new multi-purpose berth to handle a variety of cargo, consultants told port commissioners Tuesday.
Consulting firm HDR Engineering Inc. also warned that Millennium Bulk Logistics could cause train congestion at the port if the company expands its proposed coal export facility without rail upgrades.
Port officials applauded the recommendation to replace Berth 4, which has been virtually unused for two decades, and install a 1,000-foot "omni" terminal designed to handle bulk cargo.
"It's an eyesore. It's a dock that needs to go," Port Director Ken O'Hollaren said.
The proposed new berth was part of the first public presentation of the port's $230,000 master plan, designed by HDR Engineering Inc. of Portland.
Port officials have talked before about demolishing the grain elevator, built in 1927 and one of Longview's oldest structures. It's a more pressing topic now, O'Hollaren said, because the port is running out of storage space for bulk cargo, such as logs. Port officials say they haven't decided yet if they'll move forward with razing the elevator or how much the entire project would cost.
"It's pretty obvious this is an area of opportunity. What's not obvious is the funding," Port Commissioner Bob Bagaason said.
Kurt Reichelt, vice president of HDR, said the port has more than enough rail capacity to handle current traffic. The port is also capable of handling six trains per day to the EGT grain elevator opening this fall along with the proposed one to two trains daily at the Millennium site on Industrial Way, he said.
However, Reichelt said the port would be close to exceeding its rail capacity, leading to delays that could hamper cargo transport, if an additional three trains per day would be routed through the port. In that event, Reichelt said the port might need to add a second crossing over the Cowlitz River, along with other improvements already proposed by the Longview switching yard and Burlington Northern.
Millennium officials have discussed expanding the coal terminal to accommodate as many as four to five additional daily trains, but the company has not made a formal application for the upgrade.
HDR also recommended that the port set aside land near the current administration building for a replacement structure which would include space to hold community meetings.

Read Article: http://tdn.com/news/local/article_8f105a5c-4aaf-11e0-96d6-001cc4c03286.html

PIERCE COUNTY: Agencies form alliance to manage growth related to Lewis-McChord

More than a dozen local agencies are forming a regional alliance to better manage the area’s military-related growth.

The creation of the South Sound Military and Communities Partnership is the first of 46 recommendations contained in the Joint Base Lewis-McChord Growth Coordination Plan.

The plan, released in December, calls for closer collaboration between the West Coast’s largest military installation and surrounding communities. It recommends several ways to address stresses on housing, roads, schools and social services around Lewis-McChord.

Lakewood City Manager Andrew Neiditz said forming the partnership is a signal that the growth plan won’t be left on a shelf to gather dust.

“If we can work off this plan, then this region can speak with one voice, which has not been the case,” he said. Lakewood managed the federal grant that paid for the growth plan.

The partnership will work to carry out the plan’s recommendations, join with state and federal officials to secure funding and serve as the point of contact on troop deployments and other Lewis-McChord activities that affect surrounding communities.

The 14 partners include Lewis-McChord, Thurston and Pierce counties, local cities, the Clover Park School District and the United Way of Pierce County.

Virtually all the agencies had a seat on the steering committee that guided the plan’s development. The agencies are in the process of signing the agreement, which takes effect May 1.

Each agency is expected to contribute up to $2,500, or more if it wishes, this year to get the partnership started. The plan estimates expenses of between $130,000 and $170,000 a year, which includes administration and costs to hire consultants and commission studies.

The partnership’s first task will be to establish a five-year work plan to implement the growth plan’s recommendations. Recommendations include expanding access to medical care, child care and after-school programs for military families; helping local businesses secure military contracts; and improving the Lewis-McChord stretch of Interstate 5 to relieve congestion.

DuPont City Administrator Dawn Masko, whose community has many military families and retirees, said the collaboration has value because individual cities like hers can’t address the complex issues alone.

“I think there’s strength in numbers,” she said.



Read more: http://www.thenewstribune.com/2011/03/09/1577497/agencies-form-alliance-to-manage.html#ixzz1GB78GnpF

Read more: http://www.thenewstribune.com/2011/03/09/1577497/agencies-form-alliance-to-manage.html#ixzz1GB705LHK

MOSES LAKE: New Retail Center

MOSES LAKE - The ASPI Group is building a retail center on property along Aspi Boulevard, in Moses Lake, to serve an undeveloped retail area.
The ASPI Group is a major landowner near the Grant County International Airport.
It is expected the 12,000 square-foot building will be completed in mid-May or the end of May, said Kim Foster, the ASPI Group's corporate counsel, on Wednesday.
The site is located across from the Moses Lake Senior Living Community on Patton Boulevard.
It is estimated 8,000 Big Bend Community College students, Grant County International Airport employees, nearby businesses and residents would use the new stores, Foster said.
"For them, there's just not a lot of lunchtime food opportunities out there," he commented.
Foster is working with potential tenants to fill the building.
Some possibilities include a restaurant serving sandwiches or teriyaki, real estate office and dry cleaner,
The retail center offers a "great opportunity for a health-related tenant" to benefit the senior living complex, he said.
There is no emergency medical facility or state Labor and Industries testing site available in the immediate area, he said.
Such facilities could benefit the industrial workers at the airport.
Foster described the new center as "very high quality," using a textured, colored, concrete block on the exterior. Steel canopies are coordinated with the block's color.
"It will look very first-class," he said. "As the first building leases up, our intent is to add a second building of similar design. The second building presents an opportunity for a tenant to have it custom-built to their specifications."
Ever since Moses Lake Senior Living Community was built, ASPI Group has had two or three different third-party developers come to them, wanting to further develop the area.
"For whatever reason, it never materialized, so we decided to do it ourselves," Foster said. "When the SGL plant was announced, we said 'there has to be a need for services there.'"
But one of the interested developers had a stroke and decided not to proceed with the project.
A second developer, a Canadian, decided not to start any more projects in the US.
Mike Brown, project manager at the Tualatin, Ore.-based Russell Construction, the retail center's builder, said the company has completed other projects for ASPI Group.
The projects include constructing Doolittle Drive, a road going into the transit authority site and the Coca-Cola building on Patton Boulevard.
"We've had a presence in Moses Lake for awhile," Brown said.
Russell's Moses Lake-based superintendent, Michael O'Halloren, called the retail center project "a long time coming.
"Then you have the fiber plant, which will draw a lot of people," Brown said. "With the fundamental project, you have a lot of spin-off."

http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/news/article_0b1ce7f6-4c2b-11e0-953b-001cc4c002e0.html

State's small towns are getting smaller
BY JACK BROOM
THE SEATTLE TIMES
http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2011/03/19/state-s-small-towns-are-getting-smaller

ENDICOTT, Wash. -- Take the two-minute drive from one end of this wheat-country town to the other with Mayor Verne Strader, and he'll show you where Endicott once had a drugstore, hotel, tavern, jail, hardware store -- even a small clinic.

"We don't have a big draw now, not like a Walmart or anything," said Strader. "But we still have a caring community where people rely on one another."

Tucked along a railroad line between rolling hills of green and tan, Endicott has less than half the population it did nearly a century ago.

But residents say the town's story is not just about what it has lost, but what it has managed to retain; a list includes its school, post office, three churches, a county library branch open nine hours a week and a combination grocery-deli that holds two community buffet dinners a month.

Although the 2010 Census showed Washington state's population rose 14 percent in the past decade, the number of residents dropped in 71 of the state's 281 incorporated cities and towns. More than half of the shrinking cities are east of the Cascades, and more than three-quarters were small to begin with, with populations less than 5,000.

Their decline reflects a long-standing shift away from farmland and toward more densely populated urban and suburban areas.

"I think it may be just a matter of time until a lot of these small towns could just close down," said Dan Helt, 67, a wheat farmer and former teacher.

He remembers coming into town with his dad in the 1950s. "The restaurant was going. The barbershop was going. Other stores were going, too. The place was alive."

Still, he has no desire to leave. "It's quiet. It's peaceful. And when things get rough, people pitch in and help one another out."

Settled largely by German immigrants and incorporated in 1905, Endicott hit its peak population of 634 in the 1920s, and in the past decade fell from 355 residents to 289.

In a town where the size of the high-school graduating class once dropped to a single student, dealing with a declining population has triggered creative solutions, such as partnering with a nearby school district to offer combined middle and high schools, while preserving separate elementary schools to keep the youngest students close to home.

Endicott's population plight is the rule, not the exception, in Whitman County, where 13 of the county's 16 incorporated cities lost residents in the past decade. Meanwhile, the overall county population went up, due largely to a 20 percent increase in Pullman, home of Washington State University.

A half-dozen towering gray grain bins in the middle of town show Endicott still hosts a crop wholesaler, Whitgro. It also has a new well and reservoir, financed with federal help. And it has what some residents describe as a relaxed pace of life.

"One nice thing about the town is, you don't need to worry about getting run over by a car crossing the street," smiled Phillip Simon, 79, as he finished a deli sandwich at Endicott Food Center and gestured toward the empty street outside.



Losing best, brightest

Not only does Endicott have no traffic congestion, it has nary a traffic light.

There's not even a tavern -- a staple of small-town America. Customers can buy beer at Endicott Food Center, but anyone wanting a frosty one served across a counter needs to go about 15 miles north to St. John, or to LaCrosse, about the same distance southwest.

Several factors have contributed to a population decline that began generations ago.

As far back as the 1920s, increased auto ownership made it easier for folks to travel the 16 miles to shop at larger stores in Colfax or 35 miles to Pullman, eroding the market for Endicott merchants.

Modern farm equipment vastly increased the acreage a single farmer could cultivate, decreasing the number of individual farms -- and farm jobs. And more recently, some believe federal subsidies for farmers to keep land out of production for wildlife habitat and erosion control have contributed to a loss of jobs.

As Endicott's population wanes, it also ages: residents younger than 18 accounted for 36 percent of the population in 2000, but 19 percent last year.

The town's situation has a familiar ring to University of Nevada history professor Richard Davies, author of the 1998 book "Main Street Blues: The Decline of Small-town America."

Davies, who grew up in a small Ohio town, notes that many U.S. presidents are from small towns, which he believes instill a sense of responsibility, accountability and community not duplicated in suburban neighborhoods.

What's regrettable, Davies said, is not just how many people leave, but which ones.

"Invariably, towns end up losing some of their best and their brightest," he said, adding that promising young people often need to look to larger cities for successful careers.

Aileen Johnson, 86, concurs. She grew up on a farm outside Endicott and has lived in town since the late 1940s. "Young people graduate from high school or college, and whatever it is they want to do, they don't stay here."

Case in point: Endicott High School (alma mater of former Gov. Mike Lowry) had six students in its final graduating class, 1987, and not a single one still lives in town.

The previous year, the high school had one graduate, Dan Starrett, whose photo hangs in the hall as the Class of 1986.



A schooling compromise

The fact Endicott still has a school at all stems from an arrangement crafted in the late 1980s that made it a "cooperative school district" with St. John, which also is losing population.

Under this system, each town technically has its own school district, and students can attend elementary schools where they live. Once they reach middle school, they all go to Endicott, where they're the Endicott-St. John Wildcats. Then in high school, they go to St. John, becoming the St. John-Endicott Eagles.

"A school is at the center of a town's identity, part of its lifeblood," said Rick Winters, superintendent of both districts, who arrived after the system was put in place.

One of the more unusual aspects of the school pairing sounds like the start of an algebra problem: At 7:50 a.m. each school day, one bus leaves Endicott with high school students bound for St. John, while another bus leaves St. John with middle-schoolers headed for Endicott.

They meet at a gravel pit halfway between the two towns, where the two buses swap passengers, then head back to where they started. At the end of the day, the process is repeated

Even with the joint operation, the area's shrinking population creates difficulties for the schools. Winters said the combined enrollment for Endicott and St. John, now about 260, is down about 40 students from five years ago, a drop that translated into the loss of three faculty and staff positions.

Another focus of Endicott activity is the library, housed in a 1906 brick building that at various times had been a saloon, a jail and city hall.

Endicott provides the building and the Whitman County Rural Library District provides the resources and the time of librarian Caroline Morasch, who keeps the library open 1 to 6 p.m. Tuesdays and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Fridays.

Some library patrons come for the high-speed Internet access, some to borrow books or DVDs, and some for story sessions for kids, arts-and-craft classes for adults or how-to sessions on topics such as writing a résumé and looking for work.

Barbara Strader, wife of the mayor, is heading a committee seeking to raise $120,000 -- through dinners, raffles and other activities -- to fix up the old building inside and out.

A half-block away is Endicott Food Center, another gathering place for locals. Jenny Meyer, 55, has operated the store for 22 years and drives a school bus three hours a day "because it's a guaranteed paycheck."

She feels the effects of Endicott's slipping population at the cash register.

"Especially in the last few years, it's been a real challenge," she said. "I just keep plugging away and hope that tomorrow I make enough to pay yesterday's bills. That's the way it is in a small town."

YAKIMA: Empty Store Fronts In Downtown Yakima Filling Up

To an outsider, it may look like downtown Yakima is struggling. For sale and for lease signs can be seen almost everywhere.

"A lot of store fronts empty, kind of like Ellensburg downtown," said John Belford, an Ellensburg resident.

We only counted 12 empty buildings in 77 blocks. Plus, after talking to building owners and the Committee for Downtown Yakima we learned the downtown is doing better than it looks and is growing. They told us property values in the downtown are actually up by ten percent while dropping in bigger cities like Seattle.
"You may see a lot of empty business, but there's currently a lot of new stuff coming in," said Matt Klaus.
Buildings that were completely vacant two years ago, now have only two spaces left; it just shows how the number of vacant buildings are really decreasing in Yakima. But it's not happening on its own. Klaus and his crew have been working for six years keeping the downtown clean and beautiful. That includes planting more flowers and people are noticing.
"I think it looks pretty nice,” said Belford. “I think what they've done down through the town with the planters and all that I like."
But, tourists aren't the only ones, business are seeing it, too, and want to move in. Joe Mann owns eight buildings downtown including the old Pacific Hotel, vacant for the last 15 years, he recently bought it and now has three businesses running out of it.
"I think it is fun and it kind of saves our heritage for the next generation," said Mann.
The trick now is keeping the momentum, filling more empty spaces with businesses and getting more people to shop downtown.

Read Article: http://www.kimatv.com/news/local/118720414.html

http://www.krem.com/news/local/Officials-celebrate-new-Wash-state-BMW-plant-128918908.html

German carmaker BMW and a European carbon manufacturing company are celebrating the opening of a new plant in Moses Lake, Wash., to produce carbon fibers for the automotive industry.

The SGL Automotive Carbon Fibers plant is a $100 million partnership of BMW and SGL Group, one of the world's leading manufacturers of carbon-based products.

Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire lobbied hard for the plant to be built in her state, where cheap hydropower from central Washington's Columbia River dams is drawing more high-tech companies and manufacturers to the region.

BMW chairman Norbert Reithofer says Washington's cheap power from renewable resources and its renewable energy incentives were factors in the decision to locate in Moses Lake.

The plant currently employs about 80 people, but expansions are planned.

I love looking over these articles, thank you for the work you do to put all this together!

Silerdale Incorporation? New City in Kitsap County?

Kitsap Sun Feb-2-2012 (http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2012/feb/02/silverdale-incorporation-effort-questioned/)

As Kitsap County planners work to adjust eight of the county's urban growth boundaries, they face a new challenge that could slow a vote on Silverdale incorporation and possibly drag Poulsbo into the dispute.

The county's renewed efforts to study growth trends and draw up new urban growth boundaries are "commendable," according to a motion filed by the group that appealed the county's 2006 comprehensive plan. But ongoing efforts to create a new city of Silverdale provide evidence that urban growth areas should be declared invalid until the work is finished, the group said.

The motion was filed by the Suquamish Tribe, Citizens for Responsible Planning and South Kitsap resident Jerry Harless, who make up the group that won a court battle against the county.

As a result of the Court of Appeals ruling, the state's Growth Management Hearings Board ordered the county to increase the density of housing in its urban growth areas. The increased density presumably will shrink the urban growth areas to accommodate the same projected population.

Since the ruling, the county has moved forward with a more precise analysis of growth trends and has begun to draw alternative urban growth boundaries. Following two workshops, the first public hearing on the alternatives will be at 7 p.m. Monday in the Kitsap County Commissioners Chambers, 619 Division St.

Until the urban growth areas are approved, Silverdale residents should not attempt to incorporate, said attorney David Bricklin, who represents Kitsap Citizens for Responsible Planning.

To avoid such problems, those involved in the incorporation effort had considered limiting the city boundaries to the urban growth area that existed before the disputed changes. But the boundaries submitted in the annexation petition include at least three residential areas added in 2006.

Kitsap County officials maintain that the 2006 revisions should not affect the Silverdale incorporation. The incorporation boundaries are significantly smaller than the 2006 UGA boundaries, noted Eric Baker, special projects manager for the county. There should be plenty of room to shrink the larger UGA boundaries without affecting the city boundaries, he said.

If the growth board invalidates the Silverdale urban growth area, then the Boundary Review Board for Kitsap County would need to decide whether the incorporation can legally go ahead. The petition for incorporation has been certified, but the Boundary Review Board has yet to schedule a hearing on Silverdale's proposed city boundaries.

It also isn't clear when the growth board will issue its decision on the invalidity question.

"I wish I had some clarity about this," Baker said, "but I don't think anybody does. This is brand-new territory."

As for Poulsbo, Shelley Kneip, deputy prosecutor for the county, argues that the city's urban growth boundaries were left unchanged by the 2006 comprehensive plan, which was appealed. The city's boundaries were altered in 2002, when nobody raised any formal objections. Nor was Poulsbo listed as an issue during the recent appeal, she said.

"Petitioners cannot now devise new arguments for issues they failed to raise in their initial appeals," Kneip wrote in a brief. "Petitioners cannot use the remand process to raise issues that were settled 10 years ago."

But Bricklin contends that the county used the same minimum density for Poulsbo as it did for the other urban growth areas — the ones found out of compliance with state law — so Poulsbo's urban area remains larger than it should be.

As stated in the petitioners' motion, failing to address Poulsbo at this time "introduces an internal consistency in the plan that is precluded by (state law)."