Implementing some of these ideas would mean that you could not rush to approve a project; it would take more time and effort to inform voters than the current process.

Kennydale Neighborhood Association
I have spoken with Kim Browne and other board members about the role of the Kennydale Neighborhood Association in getting members activated on issues that should be of concern to them; her opinion is that the KNA should be a conduit only for passing information to members. I believe the KNA must do more than that in order to get the attention of members and to spur them to act on matters that may adversely affect our neighborhood. I know from speaking with others around Coulon Park that there are concerns about the current development in Kennydale and the developments planned for both the south and north ends. Once again the challenge is to get people to take time out from work and home responsibilities to contribute their thoughts to the Civic Good.

Growing Traffic in Kennydale Area
It is clear that many Boeing employees and others use our streets for work access, even with the construction on the south end of Lake Washing Boulevard. Very few of these cars abide by the 25 mph speed limit, especially in the stretch between the mill and Kennydale Beach. Soon we will have more cars added to the neighborhood traffic load from Labrador Ventures Subdivision, Tamaron Pointe Apartments, and The Bluffs Apartments.

These 3 developments will add 413 residences to Kennydale. An apartment in the $1600/month range or a mortgage payment of $2000 will no doubt require 2 working adults; two working adults usually means 2 cars. This would mean about 800 new vehicles in Kennydale. There will be some single-occupant homes, and some people will take the bus or share the ride which will reduce this number; and some people will have teen-agers with cars which will increase this number. I estimate that there will be about 1600 more vehicles on local streets; this comes from 800 cars going to work in the morning and 800 cars returning in the evening. It is hard to imagine 1600 more vehicles on the roads in this area, not with the traffic as heavy as it already is.

Would it be possible to have a copy of the planning paperwork relating to traffic estimates for the 3 developments mentioned above: Labrador Ventures Subdivision, Tamaron Pointe Apartments, and The Bluffs Apartments? I would like to review these estimates and the traffic estimates for Southport. Nothing would please me more than to come away believing that you are making accurate estimates and great plans for the future. But right now I m very skeptical and concerned about the increased traffic in front of my home. I would like to be able to come and go without the traffic hassles that the residences of Fairwood now face. It looks like your plan is to build first and resolve transportation problems second, which brings a new motto to mind: Build it and they won t be able to come.

A recent Seattle Post-Intelligencer article (Page 1, Section C, October 29, 1999) caught my attention. The title of the article is "In Redmond, talk is of gridlock." The gist of the article concerns "the surging commercial and residential growth that has gobbled up open space and unleashed a torrent of traffic" That is exactly what is happening here in Kennydale and across the city.

Zoning in Kennydale
Do you have the statistics covering how often you have revised zoning to increase the housing density per acre to accommodate developers? My impression is that this happens quite often. Is it possible for a citizen to determine what the Comprehensive Plan said originally to what it says today I or maybe you already keep such statistics?

Lake Washington Boulevard North
I would also like to know what ideas on are the books for Lake Washington Blvd North. Speed bumps or traffic circles will be required at some point, unless you plan on widening the road, which will enable rather than discourage traffic and enable rather than discourage speeding. It is gridlock on I-405 at Exits 6 and 7. If you can come up with ideas to ease the current situation and handle the expected future increases from development in this area too, then you deserve to be re-elected.

Golf Course
I think I remember from meetings of the past that the utilities for the golf course were subsidized by the City and that the subsidy was in the neighborhood of $250,000. What is the status now? Is the golf course paying its own way from its own income?

Port Quendall
I suspect that the potential income from selling this property is driving your decision about what to do with the property. I would much rather have a park and a marina there than a token trail and huge office complex. Accommodating the traffic is my deciding factor. Voters turned down a wave pool, but this does not mean they would turn down a second Coulon Park. Have you given this option adequate consideration? What about doing a survey in the Renton Reporter and ask the voters what they want another park or Paul Allen? Could you sell the Black River property to help cover the cost of a park at Quindall? I could swallow the Southport complex if I had an assurance that the north end of the Boulevard was going to be totally recreational.

I-695
The governor s comments last night, as well as those of the County Executive, make me wonder if punishment is first on their minds, rather than a sincere, quick reaction to the Voice of the People, which clearly said last night, "Prioritize your projects and appropriate the money wisely." The majority of voters obviously believe that all levels of government will be able to find 24 cents in every $10 to economize. One thing that convinced me that elected bureaucrats were mismanaging my money was the 911 debacle last year. This is not a tacked on, secondary expense; this is, or should be, a basic service. Living within one's means works at the individual level and the family level, and it should work at every level of government too.

Closing
I thank you for this opportunity to speak and hope that what I ve said has a ring of truth for you.

Sincerely,

Inez P. Petersen
3306 Lake Wash Blvd North #2
Renton, WA 98056
425-255-5543
Webgirl@seanet.com

Postscript: None if the recipients of this letter bothered to reply, although James Shepherd, Community Services Administrator, did write on 12/03/99 to indicate that the golf course was totally self-supporting, the Port Quendall project was being handled by Economic Planning and Development, and that the sale of the Black River property to fund a public park at Quendall was not a possibility.

(Please use the back arrow to return to previous page.)

File: ltr110399.html
Posted: 06/26/00