April  2008      

Talking Points/Addresses

 

Letters to the Editor:  (see other side for addresses and emails)

Keep them short and to the point 100-200 words limit.  Focus on one or two points.

 

Letters to Council:  (see other side for addresses and emails)

Can be longer, but keep them to the point.

 

Some talking Points for Letters or testimony:

 

  1. The expansion of the UGA and subsequent development will severely impact traffic on E. Hewitt, the Hewitt Avenue Trestle and highways 9 and 2.

 

  1. According to the Buildable Lands Report, neither city needs the area. (taking population from other areas should not be an option)

 

  1. Tremendous infrastructure improvements would be needed.  Everything from water and power lines to road improvements.  With only two main roads in the area, (87th and S. Lk. Stevens Rd) Cost to taxpayers of roads and other infrastructure to support development would be excessive. This is REALLY EXPENSIVE.

 

  1. It would create more problems from surface water runoff including more valley flooding and flooding in our neighborhoods.  Past experience shows that mitigation efforts are not adequate and when flooding occurs, it’s our tax dollars that are required to fix the problems.

 

  1. There are many environmentally sensitive areas including wetlands and springs plus salmon spawning streams that would be adversely impacted by high density development. Not to mention the wildlife habitat and corridors that would be destroyed.

 

  1. It will add more crime and air pollution to our area.

 

  1. This is a rural area and residents want it to remain rural where they can raise horses, cows, chickens, ducks, goats etc.

 

  1. Rural areas between cities enhance the attractiveness of both cities both economically and aesthetically.

 

  1. People in the area do not relate to Lake Stevens.

 

  1. Residents shop, go to school and do business in Snohomish or Everett. 

 

  1. In the future, land will be needed for schools, parks and open space.  These should be a high priority before it’s all developed.

 

  1. It will not create desirable work opportunities but will simply compete with already existing commercial areas.

 

  1. Snohomish wants to ask the county to allocate 3000 more population to justify expansion of their UGA.  Lk. Stevens would be asking for many more.

 

  1. Neither Snohomish nor Lk. Stevens have fully annexed their existing UGA’s

 

  1. Even the process of studying this is costing taxpayer dollars needed elsewhere.

(over)

ADDRESSES FOR:

Snohomish County Council, Cities of Snohomish and Lake Stevens and Letters to the Editor

 

SNOHOMISH COUNTY COUNCIL:

3000 Rockefeller M/S 609

Everett, WA 98201

Phone:  425-388-3494

 

District                Councilmember

 

   1                      John Koster (R)            E-mail:  John.Koster@co.snohomish.wa.us
   2                      Brian Sullivan (D)        E-mail:  Brian.Sullivan@co.snohomish.wa.us
   3                      Mike Cooper (D)           E-mail:  Mike.Cooper@co.snohomish.wa.us

   4                      Dave Gossett (D)          E-mail:  Dave.Gossett@co.snohomish.wa.us

   5                      Dave Somers (D)          E-mail:  Dave.Somers@co.snohomish.wa.us

 

Office Hours: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm Monday through Friday (Closed Holidays)

Location: Eighth Floor, (County Administration Building East

Main Phone: 425-388-3494  Toll-Free: 1-800-562-4367 x3494  Fax: 425-388-3496

Email Address: contact.council@co.snohomish.wa.us

 

CITY OF SNOHOMISH:    Hours:  9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

City Hall – 116 Union Avenue, Snohomish, WA 98290 
(360) 568-3115   or (360) 568-9181   Fax:  (360) 568-1375

 

Mayor:                                                      Randy Hamlin  hamlin@ci.snohomish.wa.us

City Manager                                           Larry Bauman   bauman@ci.snohomish.wa.us   360-568-3115

Planning & Development  Services            Corbitt Loch     loch@ci.snohomish.wa.us  360-568-3115 ext 170

 

City Council:        Lynn Schilaty,  Karen Guzak, Melody Clemans, ‘Swede’ Johnson, Randy Hamlin,

Doug Thorndike, Dean Randall

The Council Meets on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month at 7:00PM

 

CITY OF LAKE STEVENS:.     Hours:  9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.  Monday – Friday

Lake Stevens City Hall - 1812 Main Street, P.O. Box 257, Lake Stevens, WA 98258

Phone:  (425) 334-1012   Fax:  (425) 334-0835

 

Mayor                              Vern Little                        vlittle@ci.lake-stevens.wa.us  (425) 334-1012

City Clerk                                    Norma Scott                     normas@ci.lake-stevens.wa.us           (425) 377-3225

City Administrator:           Jan Berg                          janb@ci.lake-stevens.wa.us                (425) 377-3230

Planning Director              Becky Ableman                beckya@ci.lake-stevens.wa.us            (425) 377-3229

 

LETTERS TO EDITORS:

 

The Herald – Letters – PO Box 930, Everett, WA 98206      e-mail:  letters@heraldnet.com    fax:  425-339-3458

 

Seattle Times – Letters Editor, - PO Box 70, Seattle, WA 98111      e-mail:  opinion@seattletimes.com

 

Snoh (or Everett) Tribune – PO Box 499, Snohomish, WA 98291    e-mail:  editor@snoho.com  fax:  360-568-4121

 

Lake Stevens Journal – PO Box 896, Lake Stevens, WA 98258       e-mail:  news@lakestevensjournal.com