Snoqualmie’s Riverview Park could have expansion in its future as part of the city’s proposed Riverwalk.
At the April 11 Snoqualmie City Council meeting, the council authorized the mayor to sign an agreement with the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO) for a $500,000 grant to go toward a Riverview Park expansion.
The grant will be used to buy and remove two homes near Riverview Park, install a trail connection to park amenities, remove invasive plant species from the riverbank, and develop a scenic viewpoint.
Nicole Sanders, associate planner for the city of Snoqualmie, explained that the city is still in talks with the two homeowners and their renters.
First, the city must get an appraisal and offer the homeowners a fair market value price. Snoqualmie is working with the King County Acquisitions Unit to try to purchase the houses.
“You do an open call, secure an appraisal, and that appraisal is used to offer a fair market value to the homeowner,” Sanders said. “If they accept and the house is occupied by renters, we are required to offer relocation assistance.”
The city is expecting to hear back on appraisals some time in May or June. After the appraisals, the council will decide on the purchases.
The grant from RCO requires a 50 percent match, which Sanders said the city will be able to meet. She also said the city will not use eminent domain to force a homeowner to sell.
“If one of the homeowners declines then we would need to look at funding sources to ensure we will be meeting our 50 percent grant match requirement with RCO. Right now, we will spend more than that 50 percent match,” she said.
If the city is able to acquire the houses in June, designs would come in around December and construction would begin in the spring of 2017.
“I’m excited at the chance to make Riverview Park shine a little bit brighter as the beautiful resource that it is,” Sanders said.
Snoqualmie updates
Snoqualmie has several projects underway; here is an update on how they have progressed.
Riverwalk – Downtown to the falls
Phase 1 is in the design phase; design should be complete this summer, with a draft presented in the fall.
Riverview Park – Park and Newton
A renovation of Riverview Park is planned to begin next spring.
Tokul Roundabout – S.R. 202
Completion is expected in early May.
Wastewater treatment plant
Improvements to the plant are in the design phase. Improvements will include updates to the UV disinfection system and a new backup generator. Design will be finished by the end of summer and construction will begin late this year.
