SEARCH THE G.R.I.T. WEBSITE:

WWW ittakesgrit.org (Default)

WILD SKY UPDATE:

A June 4, 2005 article from the San Francisco Chronicle re Congressman Richard Pombo (in Word) re-election issues. Pombo is aligned with Sultan's military pro-prpoerty rights advocates. As Chairman of the House Resources Committee, Pombo has stalled the Wild Sky bill in the House over the last two years.

Also new: Sultan City Council's anti-Wild Sky resolution is mentioned in Sunday's Seattle Times' Nicole Brodeur's column But we need not fear. Wild Sky's beauty will last for a long, long time, if Councilman Jim Flower's opinion reflects a majority of the Sultan City Council's unanimous vote, and it does: Councilman Flower wants to "save" it for his grandchildren to enjoy. (No doubt as a protected haven for motor-driven, gas-guzzling bumblebee noise toys, such as mud-splattering 4x4's, ATV's, dirt bikes, snowmobiles, etc.)

COUNTY ACTIONS:

- Co.'s 10-Year Comp Plan
- Co.'s Critical Areas Update page (GRIT's CAO page)

NEWS
CURRENT & LOCAL INTEREST
SCHEDULE & EVENTS

NEWS SOURCES:
Everett Herald, Seattle-PI, Seattle Times, Sacramento Bee, Wall Street Journal, NY Times, Chicago Tribune, Wired Magazine, Associated Press, LA Times, Washington Post, Drudge Report, Yahoo, G.R.I.T. Updates

NEWS ARTICLES

New

1600-acres "saved" from development for logging by Cascade Land Conservancy, "in perpetuity" (Hmm, "in perpetuity" - does that mean "as long as the sky is blue and the grass is green"?

30 Monroe Farm acres purchased by county to save it from future development

Co. receives $500,000 to fight meth and for treatment

FINALLY...It's about bloody time someone brought this issue front and center: "Emergency" legislation is not poor planning, it is poor politics.

County's Salmon Recovery Plan approved (A Sultan council workshop on this issue will be held at 6:00 PM before the regular council meeting) LINK to Snohomish County info this subject

Taskforce Hearing on NEPA draws strong support Republican leaders of the U.S. House of Reps Resources Committee formed the task force to study the future of NEPA, but their first hearing in Spokane drew a slightly different crowd than anticipated. READ PI's Joel Connelly opinion on federal hearings at a local level.

Other related info:

Also of interest related to the Sultan-Pombo connection, are the true grass roots efforts by Sultan UGA resident Ed Hussman (including the Forests for People website,***with which he is at least closely affiliated and includes a good deal of anti-Wild Sky info). Mr. Hussman has been stumping for Pombo's efforts to block Wild Sky, as evidenced by his local contacts through ORV (off-road vehicles) and snowmobiler clubs. Among them is the Boeing Employee's Stump Thumpers 4x4/ORV club and a Washington snowmobiling club (click here for details as webpage or in Word) via newsletters and message board activity.

***Interestingly, nowhere on this website is: a phone number, an address or an owner's(s') name(s). A search for it in the Wash. St. Secty. of State Corporation's database reveals nothing.

OTHER "STUFF"

DISCUSSION, OPINION & MESSAGE FORUM


RECORDING WARS
(When the City tried to stop G.R.I.T. from recording public meetings)

FOOD BANK: Put a pre-addressed food bank envelope in your "bills to pay" folder and send a check monthly: $5, $10, whatever you can spare!
For more info, click here.



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
  • New! PROPOSED VAN WYNGARDEN ANNEXATION (i.e., Barclays North): Petition to annex 60-plus acres. If annexed, and the PUD development is approved, it will result in 199 new S.F. homes, increasing Sultan's population by a minimum of 617 people, add another 617 vehicles to rush hour and a bit over 6,000 new vehicular trips to Sultan Basin Road and Highway 2. Available Documents:
    • City's Agenda Cover Sheet from May 25, 2005 council meeting (as Acrobat file, as Word document). The council vote on whether or not to accept this petition has been delayed until the June 22nd council meeting)
    • Annexation Application (195 kb pdf) which includes a map of affected parcels, and a brief overview
    • SEPA review document (203 kb pdf file)
  • New! CITY'S ANNEXATION GOALS & PROCEDURES (with only 56% valuation of total property to be annexed, the Van Wyngarden proposal is shy the 60% valuation required)
  • Posted 6/7 - County Critial Area Ordinance Update - Summary of comments from May's public meetings/open houses, etc. (in pdf only, 197 kb file)
    New! Tonight's (Tuesday, 6/7) Planning Commission Meeting (see agenda, right) includes three topics listed as both DISCUSSION and ACTION items; items that will change Sultan forever, and the effects of which 99.9% of current Sultan residents are totally unaware of. These items are the developer-friendly Wetland Banking, increasing Sultan's current 4-lot short plat code to a nine (9) lot density, and an urban/commercial overlay zone for properties located near the Paros Trailer facility, yet another Bart Dalmasso "Special" code revision (see below "conflicts of itnerest" link). So what's my particular problem? Just for starters, there is no public information at city hall on these "needed" code changes being requested by Dalmasso & Developerss. Next, all of these codes affect Sultan's comp plan and future density and zoning, yet they have not been subjected to the process that agreed to as part of the City's settlement agreement with Fallgatter & Kirkman. Third -- and perhaps most importantly at this stage of the "process" -- the "action" agenda specifies no proposed "action" to be taken. Read by as-yet-unanswered email to the City this subject. (Lordy, lordy, we get tired of doing the same things over and over and over again. But until Mayor Tolson and Attorney Graafstra can get a handle on Rick Cisar's out-of-control actions, we will continue making this type of sloppy "governance" as public as possible.
  • New! Conflicts of interest, right here in River City, folks!
  • New! This week's council agenda includes Res. 05-13 (in Word)This resolution "legalizes" the City's public participation process mandated for future development code revisions as stipulated and agreed to in as part of the City's Settlement Agreement (Ex. E) with Fallgater/Kirkman. Once again the city is attempting to water down public participation, as well as reneging on a legal agreement.

    Attchment E's language, detailing the public process for development code revisions states that notice "...IS posted on City Web Site (sic), and other available sites of known interest...." However, a shiny new draft revision to this settlement agreement (proposed by Mr. "I'm-going-to-do-whatever-the-heck-I-want" Rick Cisar), suggests revising that phrase to "IF available." This is a small but significant revision which would break the City's newly-signed agreement and allow it to continue its well-established practice of non-publication of notices on its website.

    With the resignation of Councilman Jeff Everett last year, and with him, the discontinuance of his all-volunteer council website, the only place one can find current city notices (aside from the city bulletin board) is on this website. A visit to the City's website is -- as Bart Dalmasso might say -- like visiting a ghost town: one can almost hear the whistle of wind blowing through its empty spaces and the lonely rustle of tumbleweeds meandering across the screen. With little effort, this website could and should be a vibrant interactive communication center and vital city link to both current and future residents, developers and businesses. The most-recent update to the City's website was 11 months ago (July, 2004). No legal or public notices have been uploaded since then (except for one or two Centennial notices). And with the exception of a few city development forms, most links are either inactive, dead or lead to other "dead" pages.

    (This suggested revision to the City's Agreement is yet another confirmation of something of which we've been aware for at least two years: Mr. Cisar -- and by extension, the City, because of his actions -- are untrustworthy. If the City of Sultan's Administrator and City Planner continues breaking trust with the mayor's and council's direction, then a rapid change is long overdue.)

  • New! Council Meeting - Wednesday, June 8th, 7:00 PM - Agenda (in Word, Acrobat) Note: SALMON RECOVERY WORKSHOP BEGINS AT 6:00 PM (Read Herald's article this subject

  • AUDIO (MP3) of 6/1/05 Joint County PC/council Hearing Testimony by Sultan officials: Mayor Tolson, Councilman Flower, and Planning Commissioners Fallgatter and Dalmasso (Councilmember Flower, in his comments on adding Sultan's watershed to the UGA, broke the City's settlement agreement with Fallgatter/Kirkman.)

    • Question: When is being a minority a really good thing? Answer: When it leads to legal and fiscally-accountable government practices for all citizens.

      As part of the City-requested Fallgatter/Kirkman GMA appeal Settlement agreement (approved by the Sultan Council 5/25/05) an opinion that outlines the majority view of Planning Commissioners as well as one representing the minority opinion of Plng. Commissioners was granted. Here is the MAJORITY OPINION authored by Bart Dalmasso, representing the views of Planning Commissioners Ray George, Tom Green, Janie Botting and Dalmasso), and here is the MINORITY OPINION of Commissioners Fallgatter and Kirkman. (Which report, based on its content, reflects your opinion of how Sultan's future planning should occur?)

  • Recent & ongoing: Documents related to the City-requested mediation of the Fallgatter/Kirkman appeal of the City's 2005 comprehensive plan. These are all in a .pdf Acrobat format:
  • Recent & Ongoing - Hearing Examiner John Galt's decision on Timber Ridge development (85 S.F. homes planned on 25-40% critical slopes on southern hill of SBR) - Decision, Part 1 (pgs. 1-9) and Part 2 (pgs. 10-18)
  • New! The Valley Review rides, er, writes again: This paper has reappeared a bit earlier than we had anticipated, the better to influence this year's council elections (four out of seven council positions are up for grabs).

    This time around, the newspaper actually includes the name of the Valley Review's owner -- Sultan Councilman Dusty Boucher -- whose reportedly-resigned position as a Sultan High School English teacher should allow him substantial time to devote to more accurate and objective news reporting than did his predecessor, brother Brady Boucher. We have several confirmed reports that Teacher-turned-Councilman-turned-Publishing Entreprenuer Boucher will elevate his Renaissance Man image, adding real estate broker to his list of talents. If true, this will present Mr. Boucher with serious and sticky conflict of interest concerns as he tries to navigate the ethical waters as a newspaper publisher (objective reporting guidelines), a real estate broker representing his clients' interests, AND an elected official representing all Sultan citizens as a sitting councilman with approval authority over community development applications/projects.

  • Ongoing - SULTAN'S REMAINING SEWER CAPACITY: The answer is contained within a letter from Berryman & Heniger's John Wilson to the City, which helps explain that (in acrobat), which includes a more detailed summary of the remaining, and Cisar-estimated capacity, property-by-property. (summary only as webpage,, in Word or in pdf)
  • Ongoing - SEPA Determination (Code amendment to revise the Sultan Scenic Business Park site review trigger from a 4,000 s.f. to a 12,000 s.f.), in Word Uupdated: (HUH?) This proposed revision totally ignores that "Size DOES matter"; i.e., a 4,000 s.f. building may not seem very impactful on a 20-acre property, but on a 1-acre property bordering Wagley's Creek, it can have a devastating impact. This is yet another ill-advised "arbitrary and capricious" decision by the City that needs deeper review. And for those folks who may need to run to their dictionary for the definition of "arbitrary and capricious," here's an easily-understood explanation: It is yet another Fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants, Fly-by-night city decision.
  • Recent - Transcription (as web page, as Word) of Cisar Presentation to Sultan's Planning Commission May 3, 2005, on the subject of Sultan's Future Growth, which answers the following questions:
    • What is Sultan's current and future sewer capacity?
    • Why is the City organizing a contingent of city officials and private economic development interests to shout out loud to the county council that it needs to support the Cisar- and city council-recommended comp plan UGA (regardless of the appeal by Planning Commissioners Josie Fallgatter and Jeff Kirkman at the Growth Management Hearings Board currently in mediation at the City's request)?
    • Why is City Administrator/Planner Rick Cisar recommending that a Sultan sewer line expansion be tunnelled southward under the BNSF Railroad to service 20 acres in a crtical area (an action that is not included or even mentioned in either Sultan's Comp plan or CFP)?
    • Why is City Administrator/Planner Cisar engaging in detailed discussions with a property owner about annexing his land into the city limits (located in Sultan's UGA north of Pleasant View), when the comp plan and CFP has not even been approved?
    • Why is City Administrator/Planner Rick Cisar urging that another 1,200 single family homes be built in the next few years (3,240 new people, almost doubling Sultan's current population), with no financial plan on how the city can support such growth?

We will be posting a representation of the map Cisar presented during this meeting (as well as the one at the 4/30 Council Retreat), which was pock-marked with red dots showing an epidemic of proposed growth areas. Mr. Cisar identified properties and offered explanations for projects that are inside the planning pipeline already (i.e., Stratford Place, Timber Ridge, Denali Ridge, etc.), or soon will be, as he continues to let the developers run the show, rather than the other way around. Despite the poor audio quality (Rick felt obliged to use the City's noisy overhead projector to display his "measle-marked" map, despite the absence of any citizens that evening), this transcription represents our best effort at capturing Mr. Cisar's words.

SULTAN PLNG. COMMISSION ANTICS (as predicted):

The Commission discussed Bart Dalmasso's unnanounced and unnoticed action agenda additions, including the following:

With the Planning Commission meeting only once a month, and with no one looking and no agenda being either posted, noticed or sent to us or others, why, just about anything can, and WILL happen, as these Cisar-Dalmasso-Green-George-Botting-Developer-led code changes slip-slide their way through with no public oversight whatsoever. Slick as, well, you-know.... SOMETHING FOR CITIZENS TO KEEP IN MIND: It's not necessarily the lack of enforcement of the building codes that is the problem, it's the continual degradation and watering down of the codes themselves that eats away at Sultan's future quality of life. And downgrading the short plat code is a perfect example. (Although we have less problem with the GMA-mandated in-fill development like that, than with some of the infrastructure degradation that continues to occur. For instance, were you aware that the planting strip between the curb and sidewalk is only 3.5 feet? Once the soon-to-be over-sized trees planted in that teensy-tiny little strip begin stretching out their root systems, why, the sidewalks and streets will be no match for them.)

  • More on the Wild Sky issue (A Resolution stating that the citizens of Sultan OPPOSE this wilderness designation will probably be passed during the Council meeting, barring any input from its citizens to the contrary): Here's some "Fast Facts" from the National Wilderness Preservation System. Sultan's proposed resolution states that 105 million areas (roughly the size of California) has already been set aside as "wilderness" (a definition quite different than "National Park" or "National Forest Service" land).That statement is true. However, 54% of that wilderness is located (of course) in Alaska, and will be disappearing fast, no doublt, if Mankind continues its previous mindset and behavior patterns, a sort of "Me First" mentality (as opposed to "Future First"). One of the Wild Sky's opponents' most potent arguments is that a wilderness designation will eliminate the lands as recreational area, that taxpayers will not be able to use the area. Not so. Planned within the wilderness are trails (which will accommodate the disabled at the lower elevations), and hikers, horseback riders and seaplanes will still be allowed to land on the remote, virtually-inaccessible Lake Louise (as the proposal currently exists). However, the bumble-bee, screaming-engine vehicles enjoyed by many members of our younger generation especially, will be prohibited: mud-wrestling 4x4's, cars, ATVs, motorcycles, motor boats -- the gas-guzzling, pollutant-emitting toys -- will not be allowed.
  • UPDATED - . One landmark item on this agenda is a Resolution for Sultan to officially represent ALL the people of Sultan in the Wild Sky Wilderness matter, i.e., to oppose the proposed wilderness area. The slant of this resolution (in Word, Acrobat) reflects an extremist property rights' position, incorrectly stating (among other things) that if this area is made a wilderness, it will prevent recreational opportunities. This is a "scare" tactic and not true. Check out our WILD SKY page for more info. This resolution was authored, we believe, by Ed Husmann, who simply handed over a copy of this proposed resolution to the City Council during their 3/9 meeting. Mr. Husmann's actions found a ready audience, and without any pre-scrutiny of this document by the city attorney, as is ALWAYS the case when a citizen attempts to give a document/hand-out to the council during the public comment session. (Wish it was that easy to get the council's/city's ear in opposing pro-developer ordinances/znoing/issues.)

OLDER STORIES/ITEMS....

  • More "Developing News"
  • PC AGENDA (in Word) - Although we did not attend the 1/4/05 PC meeting, during which the "relevance" of the Sultan Planning Commission was discussed, we have ordered a copy of the audio tape. The "relevance" of the Commission, the newest pet subject of Commissioner Dalmasso, is outrageous. And if you are not mad at the very concept of discontinuing this advisory body, then that is indeed part of the problem. The leadership at City hall -- both mayoral, the City Administrator and city council -- is to blame, . First, because of their silence during the harassment of Josie Fallgatter and Jeff Kirkman, and secondly due to their "encouragement" of this, and other, city government positions; indeed, public participation in general. If the city would put forth the same PR effort and encouragement of public participation as they do for, say, Sultan's Centennial, the Annual Sultan Photo, the Shindig, the numerous grants the city receives, and other "positive" City events, perhaps people who value Sultan's future quality of life would be anxious to step up to the plate and serve, rather than hide in the shadows. Or, indeed, hear of the opportunity in the first place.
  • IN THE "IF ONLY" Category: If only the city leadership would expend as much energy encouraging people to get excited about becoming involved in their government as they do on the city's "feel good" or "Aren't we the greatest?!" promotional activities, one can't help but wonder how much more taxpayer-friendly some of the City's decisions might be.
  • Copy of "Fax" read by PC Chair Pro-tem Bart Dalmasso's libel during the 10-13-04 council meeting, along with identical council speaker sign-in sheets. (Either an ESP event of epic proportions, or collusion.)
  • Updated "Developing News": Property sales (and other info) as of 12/7/04 on recent transactions on 124th St. SE (Sorry, this info available in Acrobat only.) ALSO: Reardon vetoes growth ordinance which would have allowed a subdivision to straddle a UGA line
  • PC Meeting/hearings on 11/16: Sultan's annexation policy has been passed onto council for a council hearing; the hearing on Sultan's Engineering Standards has been continued until Tuesday, Dec. 7th. Plng. Commission members had insufficient time to review this 3-inch high document, and even Ray George, who is a P. E., only got about one-third of the way through it. Detailed comments and/or suggested revisions were made by Commissioners Fallgatter and George. (Boy, was it great to hear substantial input given by a commissioner -- other than Josie and/or Jeff -- who has actually reviewed a city document in depth enough to offer meaningful comments. Kudos to Commissioner George. CORRESPONDENCE/TESTIMONY FROM BARCLAYS NORTH: 11/16/04 letter on proposed EDDS (Engineering Stds.) and on the Proposed Annexation Policy.
  • Ord. 867-04 2004 Budget Amendment (and back-up, in Acrobat, 465 kb file), and a
  • The 9-7-04 PC meeting; Criswell-requested revisions to UC code passed to council: The Criswell-requested "re-look-see" at the UC Code, which would allow yet another Main Street entrance/exit for automobiles in this pedestrian-friendly zone, was discussed and, of course, passed by the pro-development majority held by the PC. Here's the city attorney's opinion on the subject of whether or not the PC should even have been re-reviewing this issue only one month after the council had denied it.
  • Recent (& Updated 8/27 with Exhibit A, courtesy of BNI's David Toyer) - During 8-25's council meeting, a surprise action item was added to the agenda. And following an executive session, the City signed this Memorandum of Agreement with MBA (Master Builders Assn.) and BNI (Barclays North, Inc.) . This document now contains Attachment A, referred to in the Agreement (our thanks to BNI's David Toyer for sending this to us). This scene is being played and replayed throughout Snohomish County, where these two BIg Guns, using their Big Gun Bank Accounts, intimidate cash-strapped cities in which they want to develop by threatening litigation, whether on a sound legal footing or not. But, hey, BNI/MBA did accomplish one thing: They managed to get the city to "legally" agree to follow certain GMA-mandated public process statutes, something we've been attempting for years to get the city to agree to, with little success; specifically, creating and using a "master distribution list" for public hearing notices which would include "known parties of interest," Despite my endless requests to the city to adhere to this legal mandate, during Rowe's Administration the city just blew me off, and has still remained hit-and-miss during Tolson's.
  • Why do Barclays North and the Master Builders Association (MBA) have such a deep interest in Sultan's Annexation policies?
    • New! Notice of MBA's appeal to Snohoco superior court of the below decision by the Growth Mgt. Hrg. Board on whether to provide city services (sewer, water, police, fire, roads, etc.) outside city limits.
    • Here's a Central Puget Sound Hearings Board decision that explains their oversight of the Sultan Plng. Commission review of Sultan's annexation policy. The MBA appealed a City of Arlington code which essentially excluded ewer service into its UGA-designated areas (except in specific instances). Interestingly, however, MBA lost their appeal, yet submitted it with other propaganda to be considered by Sultan 's Planning Commission when reviewing/revising the city's annexation policy.
    • LEGAL NOTICE: Determination of Non-significance on Sultan's Annexation policies, which have not yet had a Planning Commission Hearing to gain input. (We agree with BNI on this point; this issue requires public input.. The City's reluctance to hold such a hearing raises nasty questions such as Jeff Kirkman's famous statement a co8uple of years ago, "What are afraid of?"
  • Why do Barclays North and the Master Builders Association (MBA) have such keen interest in Sultan's sewer rates? Below are two letters which give two reasons: (1) More money; and (2) more profit (to the developer). If the City keeps losing money on its hook-up fees, who, then, will continue to foot the bill? Yep. The Sultan Lil' Guy ratepayer.
  • Barclays North and Sultan's Annexation Policy: They want CITY SERVICES extended into UGA (County) areas:
  • BNI is Calling the Shots in East County. Just drive around, especially north of Hwy. 2 in Monroe. They changed the face of Lake Stevens (which used to be a beautiful town), and we heard last night that they're giving Stanwood fits. There are construction stops, detours and "Another Quality Project By Barclays North" signs everywhere, it seems. Also, no code seems to be lenient enough for them. They're constantly looking for holes through which they can filter more money to increase their bottom line. Can't fault them for that, I guess. Then again, why should Sultan buckle under to their pressure to write them "Cinderella Codes" ("Ill just MAKE it fit!")? Money is the driver, but Barclays' insistance on having it their way or no way will quite simply decimate the quality of life in our area. Read the letters above re annexation, then those below, to see what I mean:
    • What happens when "good" impact fees go "bad"? - Read Barclays North's May 12, 2004 letter to the City of Monroe (scroll down a bit to the "Monroe" header), which represents over $100,000 in "lost" funding for schools; Developers shill, taxpayers foot bill.
    • Barclays North Appeal of City's 5/28/04 Administrative decision on roadway standards, as applied to BNI's Sky Harbor development. This appeal will be held before John Galt, City of Sultan Hearing Examiner, on Monday, July 20th.
    • Something in common with Barclays North: They feel as we do on public participation issues; Here's their 6/15/04 letter on making the draft annexation policy available for public review BEFORE the PC discusses it. (You're humming our tune.)
  • "Asphalt by Default" - Green Space going, "Lynnwood" is coming: Two well-intentioned ordinances designed to build a fund for a large-scale recreational facility for Sultan, are up for a 2nd reading at this Wednesday's council meeting. These ordinances will eliminate all open space areas and recreational facilities in new developments, allowing developers to "buy" Sultan's green heritage that belongs to future children and families. We are joining with Derek Boyd (Yes, folks, believe it or not, right here in River City), at his request, to ask Sultan residents (and, yes, non-Sultan residents, too!) to speak against these ordinances during the public comment period of the city council meeting. You're not a good enough speaker, you say? Well, then, just say whatever's in your heart. Our primary concerns are (1) these ordinances will eliminate any recreational, green or open spaces in new developments; and (2) these fees, if not used within a six-year period, will be returned with interest earned to the developer in question, a tricky proposition for a city that has not performed or published any capital facilities plan since 1994. For your reading pleasure:
    • A compilation of applicable codes regarding impact fees (in Word, Acrobat)
    • Agenda cover sheet and proposed ordinances (in Word, Acrobat) from June 23rd meeting. (The vote: Derek Body and Jeff Everett voted nay on these issue, but Dusty Boucher, whom we understand might have voted nay, as well, was absent. Therefore, assuming everyone is present at Wednesday's meeting, only one more vote is required to kill these scary ordinances. YOUR VOICE is needed to help win that remaining vote.
    • Remember: Do nothing....get nothing.
  • Ongoing: HERE'S A March 26, 2004 letter to City Administrator Rick Cisar from the State CTED on the requirement of a CFP in Sultan's comp plan, draws a colorful, broad-stroke picture in crayon which even the most slow-witted Sultan official is able to clearly understand. I mean, really, folks: How can any city official mandated to plan under Washington State's GMA, not know this stuff? And an even more pertinent question is, how is it possible that Sultan has operated for so many years without a capital facilities plan, an issue that those "truoblemakers" Ron Kraut and Josie Fallgatter (along with Jeff Kirkman) have been pounding Rick about for months during the PC's review of the city's comp plan. The city has, in fact, operated without a legal CFP since 1995. Is it any WONDER that it's broke?
  • June 23rd: Sultan council held a hearing on three ordinances, two of which will destroy open space in new developments, the third of which will negatively affect Main Street's future by changes proposed in the "Pedestrian-friendly" UC zone (in Word), which will allow incompatible automotive uses such as car lubes, in the downtown core and will totally change the direction in which Main Street is headed. There are alsoi two other proposed ordinances by which developers will be allowed to "buy out" required open spaces (in Word) in their planned developments, as well as elminating the requirement to provide tot lots ( Rick Cisar stated last night that tot lots "just haven't worked in conventional subdivisions"). Instead, developers can "buy" open space, the funds for which can ostensibly be used later by providing bigger and better recreational facilities. That's the idea, anyway. But as we all know, "ideas are cheap and easy: it's the implemention that's the challenge. There are a few major problems with this, the most important of which is the 6-year set-aside of funds; if they haven't been expensed within six years, they must be returned to the developer. But the scary part of this process is it assumes both ethical and financially-competent leadership within city hall (a hasty assumption that, sadly, taxpayers historically have not been able to count on).
  • Durng the hearing, Plng. Commissioner Josie Fallgatter raised the concern that the City needs to factor in future commercial, industrial and retail sewage flows, in addition to the ERU's (Equivalent Residential Units) presented in the City's Study of connection fees (Scroll down for that study and other documents and details.). Here's a sample of uses, by application, that the State's DOE uses... Also, here's a list of monthly sewer flows from the City of Sultan's STP.
  • Transcription of Barclays' Donnie Belk's reading of their letter of frustration during the May 12th council meeting (in Word, Acrobat)
  • Storm comments read during 6-2-04 PC Hearing/Meeting: Re the legal process on the proposed UDC amendments (in Word, Acrobat), and abnormalities of the SEPA process in Sultan's Comp Plan caused by Cisar's issuance of his recommendations issued through his SEIS (in Word, Acrobat)
  • Notice of Determination of Non-significance on the City's I&I Reduction Program for 1st St. Sewer Improvements, Phase II (in Acrobat)
  • BUDGET AMENDMENT, ETC. - Back-up info to (not included in the Council's agenda packet for a recent hearing on a budget amendment): A letter from Barclays-North, requesting that the city sponsor a joint PC/Council "workshop" to present their PowerPoint Dog-and-Pony show (see previous (Part 1 and Part 2) -- perhaps the same -- show which was given to Sultan's PC)...Detailed budget amendment info, with proposed changes highlighted...Comment from Barclays-North to the City, and the City's response, on the city's proposed Water & Sewer Engineering Standards...And last but certainly note least, a letter from the City of Sultan reiterating its bonding requirements for developers; B-N does not seem to like it, but big kudos to the City for standing firm on that issue.
  • Barclays North's April 30, 2004 Letter to Sultan council on "Accusations" of appearance of fairness issues. Barclays' position is that because they've been requesting "legislative" code changes to the City that have "general applicability citywide" (as opposed to what is termed "quasi-judicial" actions, which are site-specific actions by council), that the appearance of fairness doctrine does not apply to them. If some of you out there are saying, "Well, this is just Greek to me," distilled into layman's languge, Sultan is on the verge of celebrating the arrival of a Trojan gift horse; but in this case, the recipient (Sultan) needs to scrutinize this particular gift horse's mouth; its maw will swallow Sultan's future, not "save" it....unless the city gains back the control Mr. Cisar has given away to them. (Time permitting, we will address these issues in more detail later. In the meantime, read mrsc's document on the subject of appear. of fairness. (If amy of you quasi-legal types out there want to take a swipe at locating legal challenges that have been withheld on this issue, your help would be appreciated. The case Barclays submitted was Raynes v. City of Leavenworth (Word, Acrobat)
  • While Sultan's new mayor continues to find his sea legs on legal procedural matters (such as the difference between a hearing, a workshop, regular and special council meetings, when votes can be taken, et al.), we offer this document to all, in the hope of clarifying some of these tricky questions (No public interaction or questions were allowed during last night's public workshop, which is, of course, one of the primary reasons for that venue.)
  • During April 20th's Plng. Commission meeting: City Planner and Administrator Rick Cisar distributed draft ordinances (see below) on changes to Sultan's Unified Development Code which impact its current comprehensive plan. These items appeared on the agenda as "Discussion" items, yet Mr. Cisar curtailed discussion by saying is only purpose in handing out the proposed drafts was a PC "FYI" only, not for discussion. Text of these ordinances were not made available ahead of time for either Commissioner or public review. Of greater concern is that these draft ordinances have not been approved by the Planning Commission, yet Mr. Cisar has already sent them onto CTED (Washington State's Department of Commerce, Trade and Economic Development) for their comments, an action that bears no resemblance to the legal process, as they impact RCW 36.70A. The more I follow Mr. Cisar's actions in the PC, the more I wonder why Sultan has a PC at all.
  • These ordinances follow:
    • A Barclays North-requested designer ordinance by which they can construct up to nine model homes (rather than simply building these homes once the preliminary plat has been approved, selling them to homeowners when they're no longer needed as model homes).
    • A Barclays North-requested code by which open spaces can be "purchased" by a developer and the funds deposited into a newly-created park fund by which to pay for future parks (supposedly). This leaves the new community without its open space area. This would be a great concept if it were being proposed in a city other than Sultan. Thus far, however, Sultan has a poor-to-horrible track record with this sort of financial transaction.
    • An ordinance creating a "Public Facilities" zone, supposedly by which a promised "caretaker" house could be used to "protect" Sultan's 365-acre watershed area, as recommended by Mr. Cisar and approved by the council for Sultan's new comprehensive plan. This ordinance bears no resemblance whatsover to the intent of Cisar's watershed recommendation to council. This ordinance removes any doubt whatsoever that the City has Great Expectations for this land, and that both Cisar and the city have lied to us and its taxpayers. (We do hate it when we're right.)
    • Finally, here's the PC-approved (Botting, Dalmasso, George, Green and Kirkman) revision to Sultan's UC zone, to allow a car lube direct access to Route 2 in a zone designed to maintain and enhance a pedestrian-friendly atmosphere downtown.
    • During the April 20th PC meeting, Mr. Cisar asked David Toyer, Barclays North's Government Liaison, to clarify this state's current annexation policy. G.R.I.T.'s belief is that it's entirely inappropriate for the City Planner/Administrator to be asking for advice from a developer who's gobbling up hundreds of acres on the Basin for residential development. If Mr. Cisar does not understand the state's new annexation policy, then he should be removed from oversighting this policy, a no-brainer.
    • Sadly, at this point we can only surmise that Mayor Tolson is aware of, and approving, all of Mr. Cisar's actions. After 3 1/2 months in office, we can make no other assumption.
  • The State has recommended that the City of Sultan use this Planning Guide for justifying the over-sized UGA being requested by Rick Cisar's SEIS.
  • Comments received on Rick Cisar's SEIS (Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement) for Sultan's Comprehensive Plan Update (including a petition for the watershed's inclusion into Sultan's UGA, signed by 63 people [65 signatures, but Ed Boucher and Robert Mann signed twice].
  • Washington State's CTED response to Cisar-driven Sultan Comp Plan...and Rick Cisar's transmittal to CTED of the Comp Plan update, along with a map showing proposed enlargements to Sultan's UGA which were not approved by the PC...Also, Tom Beckwith's response to an earlier CTED comment on the Comp Plan Update.
    (To support, at least partially, the assertions we make in the above Acrobat file of Cisar's letters to CTED, and the PC recommendations on properties to be included in Sultan's UGA, read our transcription of the discussion and vote taken by the PC on September 2, 2003, as webpage, Word)
  • SPINNING SULTAN WETLANDS INTO GOLD: Barclays North's PowerPoint presentation (in Acrobat, sorry; we only had a hard copy) at the 1-20-2004 Planning Commission meeting, selling more profitable densities to the City, and asking for more lenient codes. (Part 1 contains a B-N "advertisement" of their capabilities, and Part 2 deals with Sultan's buildable lands and why their "clients" can't make enough $$$$ with current codes (which were all revised just last year to compensate landowners -- such as Margaret Skogland and other 132nd St. development-hopefuls -- for non-buildable lands, such as wetlands).
    • Follow-up to above: City Administrator/City Planning Director Rick Cisar, when questioned whether Barclays North had paid the city's mandated $500 fee (each rezone) to request zoning changes, responded that Barclays was simply "presenting new development tools" to the city and, thus, were not charged any fees. As we have long stated, if Sultan is so strapped for funds, one "common sense" way to enhance coffers is to simply charge what's what's already on the books, rather than raising fees
  • 12/22/03 Denial of Sultan Basin Road CDBG grant (diffrence of opinion between city and county on the real low income population)
  • The Affordable Housing ordinance in Sultan: Is it being discarded so developers can charge more $ for homes? Letters from the State CTED and from 1000 Friends of Washington provide support for Ray and Kay George's long-held position that more affordable housing is needed here, not less.. What say YOU?
  • SULTAN'S APPEAL FEES WAAAAAY OUTTA WHACK: While doing research for a comparison of what other cities charge for the privilege of appealing a city action, (Sultan seems to be outrageously out of proportion: $1,000 versus other cities' fees of $100, $200 and the largest I could find, $500), I stumbled across this excellent learning tool on the City of Snohomish's website. Whether you're a "newbie" to development/politics or an Old Guard S.I.R.E., everyone will learn something from this. Guaranteed.
  • While I was "cruising" for appeal fees, I also happened to notice that the City of Snohomish's school impact fee is $5,208. Sultan's is $1, 637. (Boy, does this city desperately need a study of its fee/rate structure, or what?)
  • Matrix of 165 more acres of ecologically-sensitive areas and property ownership slated for economic development (Because the 300-plus acres in Wagley's LID 97-1 Industrial Master Plan is not enough? Some Planning Commissioners' argument is that the LID 97-1 and is "too sensitive" for development. HEL-lo.... ALSO: Comparison of Sultan growth scenarios: City's vs. County's (with maps of various alternatives)
  • Traffic Assessment (draft) for alternatives for Sultan Basin Road and Hwy. 2 intersection
    Citizen's "How To Make a Difference" Manual (in Word, in Acrobat): This manual was authored by the grass roots organization, Citizens for Shoreline. They have graciously given their permission for us to share this comprehensive document with the people of Sultan. Warning! This manual still contains many Shoreline-specific references (especially related to the review/hearing process and specific codes), so please keep that in mind when reading it. While we have made a fewcorrections, there is still much work to be done to make it Sultan-specific. For clarification of any specific information or direction given here, call Rick Cisar at city hall (360-793-2231), Loretta Storm (360-793-6683), or email us.
    Transcription of testimony from the July 1, 2003 continuation hearing on the 2003 comp plan (Word, Acrobat)
  • Signs of new developer-friendly, environmentally-devastating ordinances in the wind: Plng. Commish Dalmasso and Council Candidate Jim Flower's constant references to Wagley Creek as "The Drainage Ditch" and asking for a reduction to a 25-foot buffer...Rick Cisar's comment during 7-15-03 Plng. Commission meeting that "I think what you're going to see is there's a lot more wetlands up there [north and south of 132nd] than we had anticipated [see note below this one]...and Building Official Craig Bruner's "concern" about the "dangerous" wetlands' fire hazard that needs to be controlled (Oh, pul-eeze).
    Here's a Cinderella Story; the "I'll just make it fit!" version: The North Wagley Creek LID area's "buildable" acreage has been all over the place, beginning with 250-some acres as given by Gary Bourne in August, 2001, despite the Jones & Stokes Wetland study performed in May, 2000 indicating only 71 acres were buildable. Why didn't Rick Cisar know this? Why didn't Gary Bourne know this? Yes, Virginia, a Santa Clause really does exist that can help you sell your worthless, wet land at an obscene profit: The current City of Sultan administration's plans to build on the previous developer-friendly land ordinances passed last year. All you have to do is....ask. (By the way, this is a good time to remind folks that last year's ordinances were passed under the guise of helping the poor, beleaguered LID 97-1 landowners make better use of their property (which, before the LID was also not worth much). But that's not enough. Read the comments during the July 15th Plng. Commission by Commissioners Dalmasso, Botting, Green and City Administrator Rick Cisar on why these poor landowners need even more help. REMEMBER, FOLKS: Once a developer-friendly ordinance is passed, it never, ever gets repealed.
    A Wind through Willows Runs....How a 10-lot condominium became 108 single family homes; the council was supposedly "sold" on those S.F. homes as "affordable" housing; how those "affordable" homes morphed into "high density moderately-priced housing"; and why Valwork is still clutching Willow Run's HOA's financial records and checkbook. (Someone oughta write a book.)
  • SURFACE WATER QUALITY UTILITY? Here's the presentation, given by Don Graf, President of Berryman & Henigar,, in PowerPoint and Acrobat
  • "Designer" Ordinance: A new ADU code, which has been dragging through the Plng. Commission because of Sultan's comp plan process, has upset real estate broker and developer Kay George. Read her letter to Mayor, Council, PC and Cisar. (But during a Plng. Comm. meeting, Mrs. George said her "window of opportunity" had closed on this ADU and doesn't need it anymore.)
    What happens when a $850,000 due bill in impact fees doesn't get paid by the developer? Check this out. You won't believe it.
  • BOTTING'S SHORT PLAT (Sultan will soon be able to boast of, and celebrate, another gas station, car wash and convenience store! Just what we needed)
  • LEGAL NOTICE: Botting Short Plat, SP03-001; notice indicates this land is zoned HOD, yet assessor information for this 30 acres indicates it is zoned "Open Space Argicultural RCW 84.34" with 2003 taxes of $164.90.
  • MAGICAL BUILDING PERMITS: How can a building permit be issued AFTER the house is built? It was a simple case of confusion, according to Sultan's building official, who some say should be charged with malfeasance in office rather than being given a raise. Here's the Raney-Bruner exchange during the 12-18-02 council meeting re Gary Broughton Fir/6th Street house. (as webpage, as Word document) (City documents detailing when permits were issued and fees paid)
  • Here's an idea for an appropriate T-shirt:
    "Representation by Litigation"

"Put down that bag of potato chips
and step away from the TV!"

In other words, unplug yourself from your TV I.V. and GET INVOLVED!

Don't be confused about everything that's happening here these days. Just take it one hearing/meeting at a time. Come to them, speak your mind and your heart and make a difference. Tell the city what you want (or don't want). NO ONE will laugh at you or what you have to say: It is important...and now is the time to tell the city what you want Sultan's future to be.

The only time your voice doesn't count
is when you don't use it...

This website is designed and maintained by non-paid volunteers for the purpose of providing news and information to taxpayers who otherwise would have no knowledge of the events going on in Sky Valley, specifically in Sultan. Let us know if you want to learn more, or if you would like to volunteer to help us sculpt our future.

From the Washington State Public Information Act:
"The people, in delegating authority, do not give their public servants the right to decide what is good for the people to know and what is not good for them to know. The people insist on remaining informed so they may maintain control over the instruments they created."
(How to make a Public Information Request)

"Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing
because he could only do a little."

"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil
is for good men to do nothing."
Both quotes attributed to Edmund Burke (1729-1797), an Irish philosopher and statesman.
Link to his bio: http://www.bartleby.com/65/bu/Burke-Ed.html
  • Ittakesgrit.org is a registered trademark and non-profit corporation. All original material is copyrighted and proprietary.
    Paid for and created by Loretta Storm and Ray Kistenmacher, Co-Founders of G.R.I.T. (Governmental Responsibility, Integrity and Truth)
    Sultan, Washington
    To contact us:
    Email: grit@direcway.com or call us 360.793.6683

IN SULTAN:

PC Mtg. Tuesday
June 7th, 7:00 PM - See the "Conflicts of interest" link, left (REVISED Agenda, in Word) This agenda includes the Dalmasso-requested changes to Sultan's Short Plat code, and the addition of a commercial overlay zone on Hwy. 2 property under a sale contract by his real estate firm (yet another designer, site-specific change), and wetland banking. All of these items are up for discussion and a vote under the ACTION AGENDA.

Council Mtg., Wednesday,
June 8th, 7:00 PM - Agenda (in Word, Acrobat)

Library Board Meeting Agenda, 10:00 a.m., Thursday, June 9th (in Word)

Thursday, June 16th, 6:30: Council Workshop on changes to Sultan's permitting codes and procedures

Wednesday, June 22nd - 60-acre Barclays annexation petition to be considered by council (during its reg. council mtg.)

Wednesday, June 29th, 6:30: Citizen workshop (a.k.a. Town Meeting) to raise questions and discuss issues of interest to them or the greater Sultan community

Wed., July 20th - 5:00 -6:30 PM: Wild Sky presentation by Congressman Rick Larsen's staff to the Sultan Council & its citizens.

IN GOLD BAR:

IN MONROE:

CITY OF SULTAN CONTACT INFORMATION:

City hall info:
City Clerk Laura Koenig (for council agenda and Public Info requests)
City hall address:
319 Main Street
PO Box 1199
Sultan, WA 98294
360-793-2231-ph
360-793-3344-fax

City Administrator & Planner:
Rick Cisar

EMAIL ADDRESS "formula" for city hall staff and officials: is
firstname, then a period, then their last name, then @ci.sultan.wa.us.
Example: Laura Koenig's address is: laura.koenig@ci.sultan.wa.us

CITY COUNCILMEMBERS:

Kristina Blair
Derek Boyd
Dustin Boucher
Bruce Champeaux
Rob Criswell
Jim Flower
John Seehuus

PLANNING COMMISSIONERS:

Janie Botting
Bart Dalmasso
Josie Falgatter
Ray George
Tom Green
Jeff Kirkman

Donna Murphy (for PC Agendas & info)