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

WWW ittakesgrit.org (Default)

WILD SKY- DID YOU KNOW.... Opponents quote only from the 1964 Wilderness Act to support their assertions. But were you aware that the 1964 Wilderness Act underwent significant revision during Congress' passage of the Eastern Wilderness Areas Act of 1973 which revised and changed certain key definitions that affected the 1964 version?
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

UPDATED: Seattle Times article on a planned RAVE event at Lake Bronson, and Yesterday's Herald article: A four-day RAVE AT LAKE BRONSON over the 4th of July weekend? ? (Not bloody likely. This is "old" news: Chief Walser was already on top of this and working with the Snohomish Co. Sheriff's office, thanks to a Lake Bronson adjoining property owner who gave early warning of this event.)

Bank of America leaving Sultan

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 info related to NEPA hearings:

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! RAVES.....at Lake Bronson near Sultan - 4th of July weekend (Stay tuned to this website for the most current information). AND AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT KIND OF RAVE IS DUE Councilman Derek Boyd for his actions during the 6/22 Timber Ridge CLOSED RECORD** hearing.

Councilmember Boyd obviously spent some time reviewing either the City's staff report and/or Galt's two decisions on this development proposal. Moreover, we are impressed that he continues to maintain his dedication to, and insistence on, "following the process." He was the lone dissenting (and, therefore, intelligent) voice on the council last evening, voting "no" on approving the City Staff recommendations. Cisar advocated ignoring Sultan's own codes regarding hillside development and wetland buffers, and set the standard for a new council "policy," which seems to be "Make up our own rules rather than accept a legal decision by your own professional land use guru, John Galt." A rave is due as well for Councilmember Kristina Blair, who also (obviously) read Galt's decision. Although she ultimately followed the other council sheep, casting a vote to approve the city's staff report, she displayed her intelligence and clarified some cloudy issues through her questions.) Last night was not one of Sultan's finest hours: Aside from the liability issues, the city recommendations and proponent-"promised" improvements to Sultan Basin Road (one of them is the "shaving" down of the crest of the SBR hill), were not stipulated in either Galt's decision nor the staff recommendations and, thus, simply do not exist. Thus, any such improvements will ultimately be paid by the taxpayers of Sultan (and via county, state or federal grant dollars).

**Rick Cisar has once again placed the City in harm's way: (1) by failing to provide proper noticing of this hearing to the Parties of Record (myself, Josie Fallgatter and Judy and Stan Heydrick); (2) by advising me after the council's 6/16 workshop [after I had overheard a comment indicating that Timber Ridge was going to have a council hearing last night, the first news I had received of this] that no one would be allowed to make comments or present testimony except for the TR proponents; and (3) by advising the council to violate its own codes and procedures by ignoring Galt's decision and recommendations.

A RAVE is also due Sultan's PW Director Connie Dunn and Sultan's Wastewater Treatment Manager Randy Oesch, for a terrific presentation related to cost savings/justification for purchasing a new dump truck by which improved bio-solids can be hauled. (Connie was nice enough to give me the copy of your PowerPoint presentation and we will share it with you later.)

New & Updated! COUNCIL AGENDA for 6/22 meeting (in Word, Acrobat) - The City did not distribute the electronic agenda package until yesterday afternoon, which is why we did not post it prior to this.

While there are several important issues to be addressed (i.e., Sultan's acceptance of the Salmon Recovery Plan), wiithout a doubt, THE most important issue is the council's decision on the proposed Timber Ridge development during a CLOSED RECORD HEARING. What is at stake: No less than the future of the Sultan Basin Road (no exaggeration). It is equivalent to spending millions of dollars to install a sewer line along an ESA-rated creek, then rendering much of that land useless by designating 300-foot buffers; proposed revisions to the SOUTHERN PORTION of Sultan Basin Road will write the future of growth for the Basin as a whole.

Not surprisingly, of course, the Staff Recommendation is to ignore the Hearing Examiner's concerns for development on steep slopes, as well as stream and wetland buffer concerns (this particular council should LOVE this recommendation). Something for your consideration is DOE's May 11th letter re this proposal. We ask you to keep in mind that the Hearing Examiner sent this proposal BACK because he deemed the application to BE INCOMPLETE (see our questions below).

Documents related to this issue:

Hearing Examiner Galt Decisions:

  • Initial hearing decision March 3, 2005 (denied), Part 1, Part 2
  • Reconsideration of decision at the request of applicant, May 23, 2005 (denied), Part 1, Part 2

As I have stated previously on this website, there are so many things wrong with this development, I hardly know where to begin. Overall, we are astounded that this plat was ever approved by Mr. Cisar for hearing examiner review. (We had predicted/warned Mayor Tolson many months ago that this plat as proposed would most likely not make it past Galt's review.) Judging from Mr. Cisar's 99% back-seat "participation" during the various hearings on this proposed development, and the fact that the hearing examiner's decisions reflected gross inadequacies in determining plat sufficiency prior to submitting it for a PUD hearing, it was evident that Cisar must not have reviewed and/or approved it. (Paul Ingrahm of Berryman & Heniger was the "point man" for the City on this plat.)

Regardless of its prior deficiencies, the council now has an opportunity to do what Mayor Tolson and Rick Cisar have apparently not done: Review this plat from both a short-term and long-term liability perspective. The environmental issues of steep slopes, etc., are indeed long-term liability concerns (think "Califonria"). But the more worrisome short-term and long-term liabilities will result from the future accidents that will occur on the southern critical slopes of the Sultan Basin Road. Not just one, but TWO street incursions will hamper this roadway (one of only two accesses for current residents, and the many thousands of new residents, to Hwy. 2). One of these incursions is a private road approx. 100 feet from the crest of the hill that will serve a grand total of 16 homes. (Talk about, "the good of the many outweighs the good of the few....!) We argued passionately, but unsuccessfully, against this roadway during both Galt hearings, but transportation "experts" always trump first-hand experience, good common sense and wise long-term planning, as we are all painfully aware. While we have no "credentials", our track record in forecasting future problem areas in this city has, unfortunately, been astoundingly accurate. If the current Timber Ridge roadway configuration as it impacts Sultan Basin Road is allowed to stand as-is, we fervently hope we are wrong in this position (what some opponents in the past have labeled our "Chicken Little" prognostications).

  • PAGE HAS BEEN RELOCATED - Well, we had some happy news for a little while ("Sultan is Bloomin' beautiful!" but life moves on... (click here for a link to that "Bloomin'" story, on our new "Sultan Beautification of Main Street and Downtown" page, which in the future will be linked on our left-hand site list/menu under "Main Street")
  • New! Two men injured near Sultan on Highway 2 in Road Rage incident: "Published: Monday, June 20, 2005

Local Briefly: Two men hurt in roadside dispute on U.S. 2: SULTAN - Two men were injured during an apparent road rage incident early Sunday. A Ford pickup truck and Honda Accord were eastbound on U.S. 2 between Monroe and Sultan about 2:40 a.m. when both vehicles pulled off to the side of the road, according to the State Patrol. Occupants from both vehicles began fighting. The driver of the pickup, a 21-year-old Sultan man, drove off, hitting a passenger from the Honda, State Patrol reported. People in the car detained and injured the passenger in the truck. The Sultan man was taken to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, and the passenger in the truck, a 20-year-old Gold Bar man, was taken to Valley General Hospital in Monroe. Their conditions were not known Sunday night. U.S. 2 was closed for several hours while troopers investigated the incident.

  • This 10-car back-up waiting to turn westward onto Hwy. 2 from Sultan Basin Road (there were 2 cars behind me not shown in this photo) will look oh-so-tame once in-construction build-out occurs (62 homes in Sky Harbor, 15 in Denali Ridge, with several hundred more homes in the offing, as stated gleefully by City Admin/Planner Cisar. Even with the new channelization improvements progressing, and new plans for traffic signalization at SBR/Hwy. 2, not much will change, insofar as capacity on the Basin Road is concerned. HOWEVER, when asked about the need (wisdom) for the Council to adopt the old June, 1999 "Sultan Basin Road Concept Plan" ( how to address capacity-related problems caused by too-fast growth on the Basin), or even better yet, perform a NEW capacity study/EIS on this endangered roadway, Rick Cisar simply said there was no need for on. (And, Rick, could you remind me again "On what planet are you living?")

    Sultan Basin Road on a typical Sunday afternoon..... There was no accident, no distracting events on this day; nothing but lots and lots of typically-heavy Sunday traffic.
  • Recent : Did Jim Flower break the City's settlement agreement with Fallgatter/Kirkman when he testified at the June 1, 2005 county comp plan 10-year update hearing? This letter from Mayor Tolson pretty much puts paid to that question.
  • Recent: SEX OFFENDER ISSUE: Former Everett resident (and graduate of Snohomish High School) sex predator is now, finally, the object of national attention (Herald article) [Seattle Times' Version of this story] (As the sister-in-law of a civilly-committed sex predator, I will be sharing part of my experience and opinions on this issue shortly.)
  • Recent (6-17) - SULTAN LIBRARY BOARD PRESS RELEASES & INFO:
  • Notice of vacancy for Library Board for Student Representative (in Word, Acrobat)
  • PRESS RELEASE on Student Rep position (in Word, Acrobat)
  • Sultan Library's Quarterly Report (June, 2005), in Word, Acrobat
  • UPDATED (6-17) - BARCLAYS NORTH HAS WITHDRAWN THE PROPOSED VAN WYNGARDEN PETITION ANNEXATION to annex 60-plus acres. If annexed, it would have resulted in 199 new S.F. homes, adding 617 (min.) new people to Sultan's population. The reason for the withdrawal is because they could not achieve the additoinal 4% in property valuation required for the petition. (Our question, of course, is why was it ever brought before the council in that condition?) Don't get too excited yet, folks: BNI will simply try Door #2 or #3 to achieve their goals. Available Documents on this issue.
    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)
    Coming: The MP3 audio files for the June 8th council meeting have been uploaded, but the the council summary and links to the audio will not be posted until later today. The "highlights" of this meeting include Councilman Jim Flower's misunderstanding of Sultan's settlement agreement with Fallgatter/Kirkman, and Councilman Dusty Boucher's frothing tirade on how "ridiculous" it is for the Council to make consistent the language contained within that Agreement concerning public notice requirements (i.e., promising publication on a city website that, for all practical purposes, does not exist), and congratulating Flower for holding onto his principles in breaking the Agreement by advocating that the Sultan watershed be included in Sultan's UGA during the County Council's 6/1/05 Comp Plan Hearing. (We understand that a letter has been sent from the City of Sultan to Snohomish County, asking that Mr. Flower's comments concerning the Sultan watershed's inclusion in the Sultan UGA be disregarded. We will try to secure a copy and post it for our readers.) Note: Bart Dalmasso also advocated for the watershed inclusion, without delineating his comments as a private individual rather than as a Sultan Planning Commissioner. KUDOS TO COUNCILMAN BOYD for requesting that the Agreement's language needed to specify how city officials should represent themselves in official non-city venues on issues contained within the settlement agreement, and for his clarifying questions to Dalmasso on how the Commissioner spoke during the county hearing. When it comes to questions of whether legal process is being followed, Councilman Boyd stands heads and shoulders above all other current councilmen at this point. While other council members have voiced their concerns on this issue in the past, Derek has been a constant and consistent advocate in this regard.
    NEW 6/15/05 - In the midst of personal harassment and constant and overwhelming criticism, and without an attorney, a safety net and without any legal training or background, Josie Fallgatter and Jeff Kirkman appealed decisions made by a City without a clue.
    Fallgatter & Kirkman recent appeal of the Rick Cisar-recommended Sultan Comprehensive Plan, which was approved by council based on his advice, resulted in a City-requested settlement agreement (which Councilman Jim Flower and PC member Bart Dalmasso promptly broke). Their appeal of City ordinances 853-04 and 854-04 (park fees "in lieu of") has resulted in a Final Order and Decision by the Growth Management Hearings Board (in Word) which validates their appeal of these ordinances.
    Fallgatter/Kirkman have been subjected to extreme criticism by city officials because of the taxpayer funds expended on "attorneys' fees." To this we say, "Poppycock & Bull feathers." These were City Administrator/City Planner Cisar-recommended actions. If Fallgatter and Kirkman can represent themselves in their appeals of incorrect legal decisions by the City, why does the City need to hire an attorney to argue its case? If the original advice from Cisar was solidly supportable on legal grounds, why didn't Cisar represent the City in these appeals? (The answer to that question raises a nasty set of competency questions, as far as we're concerned.)
    Recent - June 14, 2005 G.R.I.T. Update (in Word) re Cisar's meeting with private citizens on the proposed Barclays' 60-acre annexation at 132nd & Sultan Basin Road; county hearing on revising enforcement criteria for building permits, and other info). Receive G.R.I.T. updates automatically
    Recent - Info on yet another weapon in the developer's arsenal to decimate taxpayers' (and Nature's) quality of life and simultaneously increasing taxes along with development density: WETLAND BANKING (as presented during Sultan's June 7, 2005 PC meeting, which fulfilled "half" of the request by Commissioners to "hear both sides" of this story.)
  • LEGAL NOTICES (in .pdf):
  • Notice of Decision - Jeff White's 4th Street Short Plat
  • Hearing June 22, 2005 - A request by a property owner for the city to vacate a Hwy. 2 (60-foot) R-O-W near Sno-Country Food (formerly NextCar). Now that the Dr. Emory r-o-w vacation request has sailed through without any reimbursement for land "lost" by the city, now comes yet another street vacation request (Please check this website and the City's published agenda for what we believe will now be a "free-for-all" (quite literally) stream of such requests. (Our question: Does the City own this R-o-W, or does WSDOT?)
  • Notice of "Open House" on Sultan's Shoreline Master Plan, 6:30 - 8:30 PM, Tuesday, June 28th (This is also billed as a "Special Planning Commission meeting/open house.") Also, here is a letter of notice from Berryman & Heniger, the consultants for the Shoreline Plan
  • New posting - 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! Because Bart Dalmasso was not present, June 7th's PC meeting was berift of its three-item agenda. In response to a question by yours truly about the actions being proposed on that night's "action" agenda, Mr. Cisar said he didn't know what was being proposed, that Commissioner Dalmasso had requested that these three items be added to the Action agenda: wetland banking, 9-lot short plat and revised zoning overlay for properites near Paros Trailer. One can't help but wonder who is truly acting as the City Planner nowadays, when the officially-designated "City Planner" pleads ignorance. Methinks there might be some Conflicts of interests here.... (Remember: "Sloppy governance" means a sloppy economic development projects, whether residential, commercial, industrial or retail.)
  • Posted 6/6 - MP3 AUDIO of May 25th council meeting and summary of meeting (For the audio of previous meetings, click here.)
  • 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:
  • Thom Graafstra May 13th letter to Mediator Margery Hite, plus attachments:
    • Attach. A & B: emailed discussions re mediation
    • Attach. C & D: email re mediation (Att. C) and copy of SMC 16.134, Annual Comprehensive Plan Amendment Procedures (Att. D)
    • Attach. E: Copy of "Development Regulation Amendment Procedures and Public Hearing and Participation Process" (a "public" document that was unpublished and has never, to our knowledge, been used, despite numerous code (comp plan) amendment actions.
    • Attach. F: Index of Comp Plan Update documents
    • Attach. G: Feb. 27, 2004 CTED letter to City re comp plan
    • Attach. H thru J: various
  • Fallgatter/Kirkman Mediation Presentation (2 mb file)
  • Settlement agreement (accepted and approved May 25, 2005 by city council)
  • 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)
  • Current - 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.
  • Also, here's some new information and documentation we just obtained on Wild Sky:
  • 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.)
  • UPDATED 3-21: Transcription of Ed Hussman's comments during 3/9/05 council meeting (in Word, Acrobat)
  • 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.
  • 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 June 8, 2004 letter to the Sultan City Council (Acrobat, 75 kb), and
  • Master Builders' Association (MBA) June 9, 2004 letter to the City Council (Acrobat 103 kb)
  • Barclays North and Sultan's Annexation Policy: They want CITY SERVICES extended into UGA (County) areas:
  • Duplicate letters (except for copies sent) dated July 20 and June 15 to Planning Commissioners ("Re: Considerationa nd Potential Adoption of a New Annexation Policy")
  • May 18, 2004 Ltr. to PC ("Re: Annexation Policies")
  • February 4, 2004 Ltr. to Rick Cisar ("Re: Utility Service Conditions")
  • 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.)
  • Also, inspired by Kay George's suggestion that a development application should not be public information (this is a 653 kb audio file) because people misuse the information by which to stop or hinder a project, here's another helpful tool: AG's Guide to Open Government Handbook (Info on the Open Public Meetings Act, when and how executive sessions can be held, public information requests, and other basic governance issues.) Perhaps it's time that council and PC members have a workshop in this issue so they can learn how to better serve the public and fllow those pesky, irritating laws that we all must follow...
  • 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.