WILD SKY - Updated Friday, 7/29 Herald Editorial opinion, "Let's try a constructive approach to Wild Sky" (and for once we agree with them: Pombo needs to represent ALL of his constituents (and people of this nation, to an extent), not just a small militatn pro-property rights group. Previous article earlier this week: Wild Sky Passes Senate....AGAIN, but militant pro-property rights Congressman Richard Pombo still holds the reins to its future in the House. PLUS: THE ON-AGAIN/OFF-AGAIN Sultan Council/Congressman Rick Larsen's Staff workshop has now been rescheduled. The corrected date is: Wednesday, August 17th at 7:00 PM. This is an off-council week, so anyone who knows about this date should advise others. (Although Tolson has put this date on the city's cable channel and has promised to distribute flyers on the event.)

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

Everett man dies in Sultan River close to convergence of Skykomish River

Snohomish development boom: If this county council gets its way, the cuonty population will DOUBLE from its 1990 level. (Oh ,yes, Mr. Sax; you have certainly CURED the county's GRIDLOCK traffic, haven't you? [As promised in your 2001 election brochures].)

Snohomish Co. Councilman Dave Gossett Opinion (Seattle Times): "Finding smarter ways to cope with growth" - Correctly states that the focus needs to be on the need for supporting infrastructure (traffic, parks), but that depends upon DEVELOPMENT PAYING ITS OWN WAY, and it DOES NOT.

Wild Sky passes through the U.S. Senate. Again.

Taskforce Hearings 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:

• Main page, House Resource Committee (And guess who's chairman of that committee? None other than pro-property rights Calif. Republican Richard Pombo (the congressman who has been holding the Wild Sky bill "hostage" in the House Resource Committee)
• House Resource Committee Taskforce website
• House Resource Committee Taskforce Press Release

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.

• Firefighters/EMTs (these are lumped together as a single job function in the CP (FD #5): 1/2 FF/EMT per 1,000 population (or a total of 8.8 FF/EMTs)
• School Students (K-12) - ratio per dwelling unit: existing and future LOS (per CP) is 0.603, with the "existing supply" at 1,675. (I honestly do not know what "existing supply" means. However, luckily, there is a Sultan School District special meeting on MONDAY, 7/25 to discuss the budget, with a Board of Directors meeting following to adpt the School's 2005/2006 budget (see info on meetings at right.)
• Parks: LOS is 42.6 acres per 1,000 population. The "existing" figure in the CP states the "supply" (or existing "Parks" which includes all city-owned buildings and property, including city hall, the fire station, schools, public works facilities buildings, etc.) is 162.4 acres/7,074,144 s.f. although the LOS should be 174.7 acres/7,609,932, a deficit of 12./3 acres/535,7888 s.f. The LOS for next year looks even worse: With an estimated 4,400 population, the city should have a total of 187.4 acres of "park" (again, remember this category also includes all city-owned buildings and structures). This means the City will register a DEFICIT in this category of 25 acres, or 1,089,000 s.f. next uear. Note: These figures do not include any new "parks" being provided by the Sky Harbor development, and it is our understanding that both Stratford Place and Denali Ridge did not provide any park or recreational areas, choosing instead to pay a fee in lieu of providing an actual park or recreational area, a code that was successfully appealed by Planning Commissioners Josie Fallgatter and Jeff Kirkman earlier this year.

Also, Day of the Dead-like, an almost-demonic resurrection of the proposed Van Wyngarden/Barclays North petition to annex 60 acres into the city limits will be considered. Again. (The new updated property tax assessments have escalated the value of the Van Wyngarden property so that it now represents 86% of the valuation of the total proposed annexation area, rather than the previously-assessed 56% valuation.) Best of all, this annexation will (apparently) present no fiscal impacts whatsoever to the city's resources and infrasctructure, at least, by Mr. Cisar's planning standards. His as-yet-uncontested assertion on this annexation is that Barclays will (not "may" or "possibly," but will) build 200 homes on this previous horse-grazing pastureland. All we can say is this: Barclays deep pockets will mean deep financial impacts to the taxpayers of Sultan: $$$ for road improvements, new schools, service increases required by police, fire and EMT, and a significant bite out of Sultan's sewer and wastewater capacity will be needed and will be paid by Sultan taxpayers (and other taxpayers via county, state and federal grants).

Additionally, should this annexation be accepted by the Council, Sultan taxpayers will also be saddled with ongoing expenses to service -- drain and maintain -- the SEVERAL LARGE undergound water storage vaults needed for runoff of this wetland property. Hey, if this is developed as Cisar has stated in several recent meetings, most of the property's flat wetland area will become impervious surface. The water on this property -- which is SUBSTANTIAL -- will have to go SOMEWHERE.

• During the last PC meeting... Commissioner Dalmasso requested that the PC approve non-existent ordinances: What's more expedient than trying to slip through a zoning overlay to benefit a property you represent for sale? Why, passing ordinances onto council for disposition without even having an ordinance prepared or reviewed by the PC! It's such a time-saver. (Hey, we all know this "Follow the Process" stuff simply gets in the way of the "real" business of Sultan's PC: With its current mix of a real estate broker (Dalmasso), a past and previous developer who is married to a real estate broker (chairman Ray George), and a property owner whose property, we understand, is once again under contract to Barclays North (Tom Green), the Commission cannot be bothered with something as trivial as adhering to professional process.
  • Commissioner Dalmasso asked to move the 9-lot short plat and wetland banking ordinances -- which do not yet exist -- from the Discussion to Action agenda so they can be given to the council to act upon. His reason? "The attorney is going to write the ordinance anyway." Hel-LO???? This man is so-o-o out of control, Mr. Mayor. His removal is long overdue.
• Other things that happened during the 7/5 PC meeting:
  • Commissioner Dalmasso (and Chairman Ray George, too, to a certain extent) objected to Commissioner Fallgatter's insistence that when development regulations requiring consistency with the Comp Plan are proposed (by either the council/planner/city, a property owner or a PC member), that the legal petition process be used. (Our understanding is that a procedure has been written, but it has never published or used by the City.). In a private discussion with me following the meeting, Mr. Dalmasso argued that the process should not be followed because, "This city needs to grow. We must grow or die!" My response: "Make up your mind, Bart. One night you're arguing to the County Council that Sultan has become a ghost town, and the next week you're arguing to local corporate Bank of America folks stating they should not close the Sultan branch because of how fast it's growing."
  • Commissioner Tom Green would not recuse himself from the Binding Site Plan hearing (or discussions or the decision), when requested by me. Mr. Green and his partner own property within the Sultan Scenic Business Park, and the development implementation tool for those properties is the binding site plan. My opinion is that, as a man of honor, Mr. Green would prefer to eliminate any appearance of conflict by voluntarily removing himself from these proceedings to avoid any hint of special interests. So we're a bit confused at his reaction.
  • Former Councilman Jimmy Porter showed up, along with Dan Barmon of Barmon Lumber, to testify. Neither were aware of the requirement to financially contribute to required future infrastructure needs (i.e., the east-west-running North Wagley Connector Road). They were also unaware that residential properties contained within the Scenic Biz Park (i.e., ALL properties within the LID 97-1 area), specifically Timber Ridge and an approx. 40-50 additional acres, are NOT required to do so, because Mr. Cisar removed residential zoning from the current configuration of the Binding Site Plan. Timber Ridge has been given a free ride, while Barmon and other commercial property owners must join a "no protest" LID to pay for necessary infrastructure improvements in the LID 97-1 area, along with the Sultan taxpayers, who must pick up Timber Ridge's financial burden for this future roadway. Regardless of how many times this situation was explained to Mr. Porter, he simply did not "get it."
• Ongoing - (but no surprise) The scheduled June 22nd council meeting for the Barclays North 60-acre annexation of the Van Wyngarden property (which will include three unwilling property owners) was canceled. They could not achieve the required 60% valuation of the area being annexed. However, due to new over-the-top assessments for the Van Wyngarden property, the value of this land now comprises 86% of the proposed annexation area. This conveniently excludes the those three property owners' parcels from the equation. Their properties' assessments rose, too, but not to the unholy extent that the Barclays'-contracted parcels increased. (Am I the only one who has the smell of bad fish permeating their nostrils?)
• Ongoing - PowerPoint presentation given during the June 22nd Sultan council meeting re improvements to increase capacity to Sultan's Wastewater Treatment Plant (created and presented by Public Works Director Connie Dunn and WWTP Manager Randy Oesch) (in Acrobat)
• June 22nd Council Meeting: Councilmember Boyd obviously spent some time reviewing either the City's staff report 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.

KUDOS are 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.)

• Ongoing Issue: 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 (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)
  • CITY'S ANNEXATION GOALS & PROCEDURES
• 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 - (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.

• 
  
• 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:
  • Public Process data sheet (in Word, Acrobat)
  • Q & A fact sheet (in Word, Acrobat)
  • Support from local Sky Valley businesses (in Word, Acrobat)
• 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.

• 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
• Info and links on Hwy. 2 Signage issue: Sultan's Chap. 22, Sign Code (in Word), several links of interest re SCENIC VISTAS ACT (in Word) and the placement of signs on US 2, and a transcription of the result of Councilman Jim Flower's research on this subject (in Word), given at the 10/25 Hwy. 2 Safety Coalition meeting.
• Transcription of Public Comments, 10-20-04 Council sewer connection fee hearing, by L. Storm, R. Kistenmacher and K. George (in Word)
• The GMA, good planning for densities, and Sultan's Future: A terrific article, the one to which Jean Roberts referred in her council comments (in Word, Acrobat)
• Letter from Foster, Pepper and & Shefelman, explaining why Police Prop. 2 did not pass, despite a majority (Acrobat only)

• Revised and most recent floorplan for Sultan's VIC (Visitor Information Center). This was distributed during a progress update on the Center given by Debbie Copple. (Acrobat only)

• Budget Summary report for 2nd Quarter (4/1/04-6/30/04)
  Sept. 22, 2004 Council Meeting - Quick Update - Agenda for the 9-22-04 Sultan Council Meeting (began at 5:30 with a council budget workshop) (in Word, Acrobat)
• Ongoing - Josie Fallgatter and Jeff Kirkman file an appeal to the PSGMHB (Puget Sound Growth Management Hearings Board) of the City's recent changes to its Open Space ordinance and fees collected in lieu of open space (in Word, Acrobat). (For those who are unaware of the recent changes to Sultan's Open Space ordinance, click here for additional info.)
• 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 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 under