Category: News

Below is the email sent by the PPPC that summarizes the main points presented in the September 20th meeting:

 

Dear neighbors,

Thank-you to the approximately 65 folks that attended our Community Meeting yesterday, most of you were new faces so I am glad that the word is spreading about our concerns for the Frognal development. We had some political representation there as well which was encouraging. Please see the highlights below, including how you can help at the bottom!!

To summarize our concerns:

• Storm water & surface water impacts due to the loss of 18 acres of native ecosystem, introduction of 8.7 acres of impervious surfaces, cut & fill of dirt totaling 525,000 yards relocated, use of retention wells & rain gardens in “poor infiltration” and steeply sloped area, including: erosion, slides, sediment and pollutants, directly affecting neighboring properties and native growth protection areas, as well as the wetland, creek and Puget Sound.
• Addition of 1150 vehicle trips daily to local roads. Including roads that already do not meet engineering design standards. In an area that heavily utilizes backroads, not intended for such level of service, to avoid heavy traffic at arterial roads. Roads adjacent to schools that see a significant number of children walking to school or to bus pick up, without sufficient sidewalks.
• Significant traffic impact to 60^th, leading directly to safety concerns regarding the 3 portables already within 20’ of roadway, per special permitting. This road is narrow and without sidewalks on its south side. There is currently no traffic barrier, sight barrier or sound barrier to protect the portables and students within. Should the road be widened as is needed by at least 7 ft for the addition of sidewalks, the potables will be within 15’ of the road and the new heavy traffic, including all of the construction traffic resulting from the buildout of Frognal over the next 3+ years.
• Roads within the development that do not meet county Engineering Design standards, per special deviation, for slope, curve, width or sight distance. Access to all 112 homes within the property is only via the 2 access points rather than the 5 right of way access points this property was intended to have. An emergency response nightmare.
• Long term costs associated with maintenance and damage to retaining walls, retention ponds, wells and rain gardens, 4 acres of landscaped open space, community trails, and private road, should the proposes HOA dissolve or be unable to meet the costs.
• AND Crowding in Public Schools already over capacity and using portables, results of windfall on remaining trees on property and on adjacent properties, decrease in surrounding property values, creek washout at culverts and road below the property, loss and impact to native growth, habitat and the beauty of nature in our area.What we are doing:

• Preparing for the Appeal and Hearing: Appeal due October 5^th, hearing will be rescheduled per appeal, TBD
• Contacting and talking with anyone in a governing role that can help us!
• Looking into park options and purchase of property by SnoCo Parks & RecreationHOW CAN THE COMMUNITY BE INVOLVED:

• Donate Funds to our tax Deductible Picnic Point Preservation, we are halfway to raising the $25K needed for getting through the hearing process with our attorney and professionals giving testimony. Professional and legal representation are essential to being considered by the hearing examiner.
• Donations can be made on GoFundme: https://www.gofundme.com/xb8h3bc?utm_source=internal&utm_medium=email&utm_content=campaign_link_t&utm_campaign=welcome or by sending a check (preferred) to: 6009 137^th PL SW, Edmonds 98026
• Write letters to any and all governing authorities, pick any of the topics above or any other specific concern you have and share them! Physical letters are strongly encouraged, letters/drawings from children are bonus, feel free to mention Picnic Point Preservation Committee and share our email contact: [email protected]   Snohomish County Council: Contact Council, 3000 Rockefeller Ave., M/S 609, Everett, WA 98201 or [email protected]o   City of Mukilteo: Executive and/or Planning & Community Development: 11930 Cyrus Way, Mukilteo WA 980275 or [email protected]o   Mukilteo School District:

                        o   Board of Directors:  

o   Judy Schwab, 3825 Shore Avenue Everett, WA 98203, [email protected]

o   John Gahagan, 3810 Serene Way Lynnwood, WA 98087, [email protected]

o   Michael Simmons, 12619 Sandpiper Lane Mukilteo, WA 98275, [email protected]

o   Ron Johnson, 4619 79th Pl SW Mukilteo, WA 98275, [email protected]

o   Geoffrey Thorp, 1115 128th St SW #J-104 Everett, WA 98204, [email protected]  

o   Superintendent: Marci Larsen: [email protected]

o   Transportation: Cindy Stegerwald, [email protected]

o   Communications & Public Relations: [email protected]

o   Snohomish Planning and Development Services: Attn: Mr. Ryan Countryman, 3000 Rockefeller St. M/S 604, Everett, WA  98201 or [email protected] 

o   Snohomish Parks & Recreation: Director Tom Teigen,  6705 Puget Park Dr. Snohomish, WA 98296

o   Send letters to editor for publishing in the Mukilteo Beacon or Everett Herald 

 

• Attend the hearing once it is scheduled! Please stay tuned on email and via facebook
• Tell your neighbors, get them involved
• Join the committee with any time and talent you may have, it’s going to take the whole community to preserve the property and make a park!

Lastly for those who weren’t able to join us or who would like to continue to support our efforts, please join us next Sunday, September 28^th we will be hosting an Ice Cream Social Fundraiser. Please come, bring kids, eat ice cream and make a donation, large or small. Meet neighbors, ask questions and do a forest walkabout. We will be hanging out in a backyard adjacent to the property on 60^th and 136^th PL SW (behind Picnic Point Elementary) from 4:30-6:30, drop by any time!C

Sincerely,

Emily Mydynski & the Picnic Point Preservation Committee

 

Save Picnic Point Forest!

The Picnic Point Preservation Committee invites YOU to an informational meeting at Mukilteo City Hall, Sunday, July 12th, at 7:00 PM

 

Help preserve this important forest of the Picnic Point Cree Watershed.  Contest the proposed Frognal (aka Horseman’s Trail) development of 112 homes on a 22-acre steeply forested hillside above Picnic Point Road.  Let’s work to give this land the opportunity to be acquired for a community part and trailhead.

Impacts of cleacutting, Massive land grading and opening 60th Ave West include:

• Landslide Risk at site and below
• Increased Traffic (estimated at 1,150 car trips per day) in the area and especially around Picnic Point Elementary as well as past Serene Lake Elementary….A neighborhood safety nightmare
• INCREASED SURFACE WATER & STORM WATER RUNOFF impacting adjacent properties and the salmon bearing creek flowing directly into Puget Sound

 

To date, our non-profit group has successfully raised over $10,000 to counter this development.  These funds paid for an environmental attorney review and response to Snohomish County as well as a professional Geo-tech report identifying the water and land use risks.  With a Hearing Examiner Review as the next step, funds are needed to provide for legal aid and professional testimony during the Hearing.  A Go Fund Me account “Picnic Point Preservation” has been set up to collect tax deductible donations:  www.gofundme.com/xb8h3bc.  Checks, too, are always welcome!

We are actively seeking volunteers, grants and funds for this venture.

More information available on Facebook and GoFundMe – Picnic Point Preservation

Picnic Point Preservation Committee  [email protected]

 

Attention: Regatta Estates Residents:

A local neighborhood group has been formed to oppose the proposed large scale development formerly known as Horseman’s Trail – now renamed as Frognal Estates – to be located between the Waste Water plant on Picnic Point Road and Picnic Point Elementary School (on 140^th St). Frognal Estates is a proposed 110 house development whose only two access roads will be 136th Pl SW and 60th Ave. Do you really want several hundreds of additional cars coming directly through 136th PL SW and 9 acres of impervious surfaces creating that much water flow directly above your development on a steep hillside? Plus heavy traffic on 136^th Pl and Picnic Point Road. 18 acres of the mature growth forest will be clearcut, disturbing natural habitat of eagles, deer and other wildlife. It is unknown what impact this development could have on housing values in your area.

Seven years ago, this same group of community opponents managed to get the proposed development tabled pending them filing an Environmental Impact Statement (now required by the State and County). The county will also be conducting a traffic survey with particular emphasis on school safety.

There is already a large growing grassroots opposition to the second incantation of this proposed project, the formal group is The Picnic Point Preservation Committee. It is in a geologically unstable area slide prone area, similar to the area that gave way at Oso.

This proposed development, we suggest, will “over-power” the local residential neighborhoods including the area behind Picnic Point Elementary School and Regatta Estates with its “state estimated” 1120 car trips/day.

Paul McCready, Project Manager at SnoCo Office of Development has told our group that he has received hundreds of letters opposing the development this time around. We have hired an attorney and a geo-tech consulting firm to file our objections as “parties of record”.

If this project is allowed to proceed as planned, it will over-run the surrounding communities, create a hazardous development (which this group will support with a formal geo-technical report), nightmare traffic problems affecting both Picnic Point Elementary and Serene Lake Elementary.

There are other areas of concern – including the over-loading of school children at both elementary schools – already at capacity, genuine concern for school safety and traffic issues.

We would very much appreciate it if you joined our neighborhood group by supporting us financially and via facebook/contact. Our facebook page “Picinic Point Preservation Committee” lets everyone know when we have the opportunity to send our concerns to the County. Having a voice at the county via community response has been vital in the past. In order to manage funding and billing we have created a non-profit corporation and we can receive checks written to the Picnic Point Preservation Committee and can be mailed or dropped off at the address below. Please consider joining our cause and the value of stopping this impact to your home.

If you have any questions, concerns or comments please don’t hesitate to contact us. Thank you so much for your attention.

Emily Mydynski, President, Picnic Point Preservation Committee;

[email protected]

6009 137^th PL SW,

Edmonds, WA 98026

 

The September REHOA Board Meeting will be held on Monday, September 29, 2014 at 7:00 pm.   The meeting will be held at:

Mukilteo Presbyterian Church, 4514 84th Street SW, Mukilteo, WA

All Homeowners are welcome to attend.  A brief period is set aside at the beginning of the meeting for a homeowner forum where homeowners can bring questions or concerns to the Board’s attention.

 

The 2014 Regatta Estates Homeowners Association dues need to be paid in full by August 1, 2014. The 2014 budget was created by the Board of Directors with the assistance of the newly hired management company.  While there was much opposition from the membership, contracts had already been signed by the Board with the management company and with a new landscaping company.  Amid much discussion, the budget was accepted at the April 30, 2014 general meeting.  In order to cover the management company and landscaping contracts, the 2014 dues were increased from $250 to $485.39.

 

In a closed meeting, the Board approved a “one-time” payment plan option.  The annual assessment may be paid in one lump sum (payable on May 15th), or it can be split into two payments.  If a homeowner chose the split payment plan, the first payment of $250.00 was due on May 15th, and a second payment of $235.39 is due by August 1, 2014.

 

Per the May 15th, 2014 letter from the management company, ”A late fee of $25.00 may be assessed if payment is not received by the fifteenth (15th).”  The letter also states “An administrative fee of $12/month may apply as it relates to review, notification, and collection of delinquent assessments.  An administrative account review fee of $12/month may apply for accounts that are referred to an attorney or to a collection agency for action.  Late fees and administrative fees may be assessed monthly on any unpaid balance.”

 

 

 

 

Along with the warm days and beautiful nights, July brings us a number of fun family events right in our backyard.  Looking at the calendars posted on the Mukilteo and Lynnwood websites, we see several offerings of Shakespeare in the Park.  In addition, Edmonds is offering Outdoor Movie Nites, a Sand Sculpting Contest, and Concerts in the Park.

 

The 7th Annual Concours d’Elegance at The Wood will be held on Saturday, July 12th, from 1pm -5pm at the Lynnwood Golf Course.  The event will feature over sixty hand-picked classic, sports and muscle cars.. Featured this year are models from the “Grass and Nickel” era.  For details, visit www.concoursatthewood.com.

 

July 10 – 12 are the dates for this year’s Arlington Fly-In.  This year’s event features a wide variety of private and vintage planes, hot air balloons, aerobatics, parachute jumps, special fly-bys, an evening jazz show, and a night pyrotechnic airshow.  Thursday is kid’s day.  Friday is Vintage Day to celebrate the golden age of aviation.  Friday evening features the hot air balloon “night glow.”  For a complete listing of events and admission costs, please visit their website at http://www.arlingtonflyin.org/.

 

Closer to home, Paul Allen’s “Flying Heritage Collection” is having one of their Fly Days on Saturday, July 12th.  Flying at noon will be the Mitsubishi Zero, the Grumman Hellcat, and the Curtis P-40.   For more information, visit the Flying Heritage Collection website at http://www.flyingheritage.com/default.aspx.

The Regatta Estates Board of Directors has scheduled a Board Meeting on June 30^th, 2014 at 7:00 p.m.  The meeting will be held at:  Mukilteo Presbyterian Church, 4514 84^th Street SW, Mukilteo, WA

All homeowners are welcome to attend.  A brief period is set aside at the beginning of the meeting for a homeowner forum, where homeowners can bring questions or concerns to the Board’s attention.

4 of July Fireworks:  Just a courtesy reminder to pick up any fireworks celebration debris from the streets and yards, and have a safe and fun 4^th of July!!

With the end of the school year, we will find children on the streets and sidewalks of our neighborhood.  As we all know, youngsters do not always “look both ways” before they dart into the street.  Please slow down and be watchful for young pedestrians.

With the arrival of summer, we also find a vast array of local activities offering fun for the entire family.  These include the Farmer’s Market (on different nights in Lynnwood and in Mukilteo), Shakepeare in the Park (in Lynnwood and in Mukilteo), Concerts in the Park (Edmonds), Waterfront Arts Festival (Mukilteo), Edmonds Outdoor Movie Nites, Sand Sculpting Contest (Edmonds), Moonlight Beach Adventure (Edmonds),  the Mukilteo Lighthouse Festival, and many more.

For a complete list of events, including dates, times, and details, please visit the websites for all three cities by clicking on the “Links” tab on the header of our homepage.

The Regatta Estates Board of Directors has scheduled a Board Meeting on June 2, 2-14 at 7:00 pm.  The meeting will be held at

Mukilteo Presbyterian Church, 4514 84^th Street SW, Mukilteo, WA

All Homeowners are welcome to attend.  A brief period is set aside at the beginning of the meeting for a homeowner forum, where homeowners can bring questions or concerns to the Board’s attention.

Over the weekend of May 9-11, two REHOA members had the emblems stolen off their vehicles while parked at their residences.  This comes immediately after a daytime break-in and robbery of a third residence in Regatta Estates.

REHOA members are asked to be on the lookout for suspicious cars and/or persons in our neighborhoods.  Please report suspicious activity to the Snohomish County Sheriff via 911.  Be sure to write down descriptions of the person and/or vehicles (make, model, color, license #, etc) and provide this when you call.

For more information on reporting suspicious activity, please review the Block Watch article to the right, or click on the News tab above and read the article dated January 29th