No one appeared before an October 11, 1999, public hearing to comment on a major development project which would turn about 17 acres of Lake Washington property into a development of apartments, condominiums, restaurants, retail businesses, offices, hotel rooms, and recreation facilities.
The proposed development is on property commonly known as the Shuffleton Steam Plant, or Southport site. It is located between Gene Coulon Memorial Beach Park on the east and Boeing manufacturing operations on the west.
SECO Development, developers of the project, is asking the Renton City Council to approve a "Planned Action Ordinance" which would, in effect, change the property from an industrial use zone to a mixed use development zone.
Approval of the ordinance would allow SECO Development to bypass several of the city's policies, environmental reviews, rezoning laws and municipal codes so the development can proceed.
[Comment: The variance allowing a lone citizen to put a carport extending to his property line is unaninymously denied by the city council, but they can pass an ordinance for a a big developer, relieving him from complying with a whole laundry list of rules and requirments. How fair is this? Dollar-signs dictate the policy of the city council, the little guy doesn't have a chance.]
Lisa Grueter, Renton's senior planner and project manager, told council members that, depending on the development alternatives, the project will have:
The buildings will range from 5-10 stories high.
An Environmental Impact Satement was completed last month and included several comments and concerns from regional and county agencies, business and community groups, and individuals. Some of the comments were concerns that the development will bring vehicle and pedestrian traffic congestion, increased usage of Gene Coulon Beach Park, and more crime to the area.
The city staff is recommending the council approve the ordinance. The council will decide whether to approve the ordinance next month.
Postscript: The council adopted the Southport Planned Action Ordinance in October 1999.
Inez Petersen was troubled over quick approval of the Southport project and wrote this letter to the mayor and council members regarding the project and several others currently underway in Kennydale. Although no one showed up at the public comment meeting for Southport, there were significant comments submitted via letter indicating potential problems with the project. Unattended meetings, rather than indicating approval, are more of an indication that voters believe what they say doesn't matter anyway.
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File: southport.html
Posted: 06/26/00