North Bend doing the right thing

Published 1:06 am Friday, October 3, 2008

Thank you for your editorial about the city’s decision to allocate $30,000 in legal funds to appeal the rezoning changes made to south I-90 A and B parcels to the Growth Management Hearings Board. I applaud the city and its decision to stand up to King County for what was an inappropriate and unfair zoning change. As you might recall, even Ron Sims and the executive office of King County were disappointed and dismayed by this decision.

Should the city also allocate funding to fight the Cadman gravel pit? Perhaps they should, but to say that the city is supporting Forster Woods in appeal funds and giving some kind of special consideration is totally unfair and inaccurate. Forster Woods has not only petitioned King County Superior Court, but also filed its own appeal with the Washington State Growth Management Hearings Board. These two legal actions are being totally funded by the residents of Forster Woods, as well as the “Friends and Neighbors of Forster Woods.”

We have not received any funding from the city of North Bend, nor have we pressured it into filing its own appeal. What the city has done is to show a lot of political savvy by standing up for the residents of North Bend. These zoning changes directly impact the entire community. A very serious precedent was set when the County Council voted to spot zone the Zemp and Yerkes property. Do we want these kinds of decisions to take place in the future without any public input?

Likewise, the city is also setting a precedent that this community will not stand by and let this kind of unfair zoning take place. The city was courageous and I believe they did the right thing!

Susan Sellers

North Bend