HeraldNet: Wildfire risk grows

HeraldNet: Wildfire risk grows: (From April 8, 2005)

"Wildfire risk grows
5,500 live in vulnerable areas, Herald analysis shows"

We aren't in the high risk areas, but if the drought continues, we could be in the future.

HeraldNet Letters: We must stop explosive growth

HeraldNet: We must stop explosive growth:

"We must stop explosive growth

Marysville plans on adding 26,000 more residents and 14,600 new workers by 2025. As we all know from experience, no new freeway access points will be built, and there will be no meaningful traffic improvements. Assuming each new resident is part of a two-parent, two-child family, the 26,000 additional residents equals 13,000 more cars. Every new worker will most likely add a car, so the total number of new cars clogging up our already congested roads will be 27,600 !"

The letter goes on to propose that people contact the Marysville Council on this issue.

We need to write some letters of our own.

HeraldNet Letters: How can anyone be surprised?

HeraldNet: How can anyone be surprised?:

"How can anyone be surprised?

I thought I'd choke when I read the April 19 article about Snohomish County's plan for growth."

HeraldNet: County growth plan Hearings coming up in Monroe May 2

HeraldNet: County growth plan ready: "Growth workshops

What: County officials present a draft of the county's comprehensive plan, the document that will guide development over the next two decades.

Where:

May 2 in the commons at Monroe Junior High School.

When: 5-8 p.m.

We should attend if at all possible.

HeraldNet: County growth plan ready

HeraldNet: County growth plan ready: (Published April 19, 2005)

"EVERETT - Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon says the county's just-released plan for handling growth over the next 20 years is a notable departure from the county's previous growth-management plan.

'We've seen tremendous sprawl. We've seen unplanned, unmanaged growth,' Reardon said. 'We've seen growth that's turned into blight. We've seen schools become overcrowded.

'Our plan changes the direction of this county,' he said.

With growth comes challenges.

[Snip . . .]

Almost 300,000 more people are expected to live here by the year 2025, pushing the population from about 645,000 today to 930,000. The county's plan directs much of the growth to existing cities and their urban growth areas.

'We're going to grow. It's how you grow that makes a difference,' Reardon said.

Many components of the growth plan are also expected to attract interest.

[Snip . . .]

Kristin Kelly, the local spokeswoman for Futurewise, a controlled-growth group, said county policies that preserve the natural environment have been weakened.

"It is disappointing to see the policy language weakened at a time when we need stronger protections of our environment," Kelly said.

Watch for another Blog post about the upcoming hearings in Monroe on May 2.

Plant and Bake Sale changed to May 22

Note: Due to some technical difficulties, the Plant and Bake Sale has been Moved to May 22 at the Les Schwab parking lot. The poster will be revised and reposted.

Friday Night Plant Blogging

Fern by Panther Lake Road

Snohomish County, WA USGENWEB PROJECT MAIN PAGE

Snohomish County, WA USGENWEB PROJECT MAIN PAGE:
"Snohomish County, the 13th largest in Washington State, reaches from the crest of the Cascade Mountains in the east, to the Puget Sound in the west. Although the county covers more land than either Delaware or Rhode Island, most of the inhabitants live in the lowlands along Puget Sound.
Europeans first came to the Puget Sound area in 1792. Captain George Vancouver of the British Royal Navy landed in what would later be the city of Everett, laying claim in the name of King George III; he later explored other nearby areas in the Sound. The U.S. Navy mapped the area in 1841.
Snohomish County was originally part of Island County, but soon separated and was recognized on 20 January 1861. During the territorial years (1853-1889) many cities were founded, such as Snohomish, Edmonds, Mukilteo, Lowell, Stanwood, and Tulalip.
The county seat, Everett, was founded in the early 1890's and enjoyed a boom as timber and farming created the growth that was to take the county through the next century.
In Washington State Place Names James W. Phillips notes
'Snohomish County 2,100 sq mi; 13th in size; seat: Everett. Name of the Indian tribe that inhabited the Snohomish River Valley and the area now occupied by the city of Everett.'"

This is an excellent resouce page for Snohomish county research.

Three Lakes in SNOHOMISH COUNTY LOCALITIES PROJECT - Q through Z

SNOHOMISH COUNTY LOCALITIES PROJECT - Q through Z:

THREE LAKES - 3.5 miles northeast of SNOHOMISH; S3; T28N; R6E; former lumber and shingle town; named by John Lauderyon; post office established 1903, discontinued 1926; Three Lakes Lumber Company townsite plat; named for three small lakes Panther, Storm and Flowing; precinct 1910 ED 312, precinct 1920 ED 181, precinct 1926 District 3, precinct 1930 ED 31-129, precinct 1937 Commissioner District 3, precinct 2000, voting at SNOHOMISH, census designated place 2000, populated place GNIS (pmarkWA, thommap, whithis, tacpl, pnWA, pre1910, pre1920, pre1930, pre1937, pre2000, cdp2000, GNIS)

JAMISON CORNER - locality south of THREE LAKES, S3; T28N; R6E; populated place GNIS (mapdlorm, metzmap, thommap, GNIS)

Some history and information about the Three Lakes community from rootsweb.

Plant and Bake Sale

Plant and Bake Sale

(click on link for the poster)

To benefit

Three Lakes Neighbors for

Responsible Growth



Saturday May 7th UPDATE: Changed to May 22

8:30-2:30

Horizon Bank parking lot Update: Changed to Les Schwab

620 2nd

Snohomish

Skunk Cabbage in Panther Creek 

Friday night plant blogging (slightly delayed this week) 

Skykomish Makes "Most endangered rivers" list

The Skykomish River in Snohomish County has been listed as one of the Nation's 10 most endangered rivers by American Rivers, a national environmental group, according to an article in the Everett Herald. Ironically, the river is in fairly good shape right now, but is considered to be threatened because of the threat of growth in rural areas of the county.

"Washington D.C.-based American Rivers believes the river is healthy, but is in danger of being overrun by growth if Snohomish County doesn't act to save it from development in the wrong places."

Although the Three Lakes area is not in the Skykomish watershed, many of the same problems that are envisioned for that area are already present in Three Lakes. Of particular concern to members of Three Lakes Neighbors for responsible Growth is the potential for rural cluster subdivisions, which were originally envisioned to help control growth, but in fact allow urban style congestion to happen in areas that are zoned for 5 acre lots. Under current county regulations, it is acceptable and even encouraged to cram as many as 32 houses into an area that would normally hold only 21 houses, if you build them on urban style 1 acre lots.

Perhaps even that wouldn't be so bad if the county followed its rules, but there is a history of the County Council bending the rules when pressured by the Developers.

Note: I have a vested interest in this issue since I am fighting to force the county to enforce its own rules in the case of the proposed Panther Lake Ridge subdivision, which is currently in an extended Hearing process. More about that in a future post.