South Lake Sammamish Association (SLSA)
Quarterly Meeting Notes

March 3, 2004

We met at 7pm, in the Sunset Elementary School Multi-Purpose Room.

About 25 residents attended, representing 7 neighborhoods (SBC, GWP, LW, TL, SC, WW, MW)

State Park

Peter Herzog, a park planner with Washington State Parks, discussed plans for Lake Sammamish State Park. Details of that plan are available on their web site: www.parks.wa.gov/plans/lksamm/

Herzog reported that park attendance has been in decline for years. Most attendance now is related to youth soccer.  Imposition of $5 parking fee caused an initial decline in attendance, but people gradually came back. If park can produce revenue in other ways, the parking fee would very likely be waived.

Parks feels attendance is down because the facilities are deteriorating and people don’t feel safe. A lot of parents would feel more comfortable if there were life guards.  Parks wants to revitalize the park to increase attendance, but funds would only be available if projects were self-supporting. The legislature has directed the parks to be a lot more self-supporting than they are now.

In the face of feedback and reality checks, some of the more controversial early ideas have been dropped from the plan.  For example, leasing a corner of the park for office park development proved unpopular and wouldn’t produce as much revenue as they had hoped.  Opposition to some aspects of the plan were based on misunderstanding.  For example, “Hans Jenson” retreat center was opposed, but “Rustic” retreat center was supported.  These are two different names for the same thing.  The retreat center proposed would be simple cabins and a meeting room that could be rented through the State Park’s existing reservation center.  Herzog reported that it would be “self-service” and low key, and no land would have to be purchased.  This would almost ensure a positive revenue stream while increasing park use and enjoyment.

Parks want to make sure they have broad support for a redevelopment plan before going forward.

A Citizen’s Advisory Task force is being chosen, and a spot is reserved for a representative from the South Lake Sammamish Association.  A varied and interesting range of groups will be represented, and will help from a plan that has broad support and is worth taking through the $1M process of creating an environmental impact statement and then implementing in phases.

Annexation

Joan Probala announced that the annexation report is final and has been presented to the City Council.

It is available on the web at www.ci.issaquah.wa.us/Page.asp?NavID=189

The City Council’s Land Use committee is now considering the proposal.  According to Joan, council members support annexation of our area and they are trying to find a solution to the budget problems identified in the study. She estimates that the issue will probably be on our ballot in 2005.  The city could also use the petition method of annexation in that time frame.  Joan reported that both David Irons and Rob McKenna have now expressed a commitment to help get needed road repairs and repaving done prior to annexation.

David Bangs reported that though the study shows that the city would lose money annexing our area, there is plenty of reason for the City to proceed with annexation quickly if they are thinking regionally and thinking long term. If we agree to help pay the city's existing bonded indebtedness and the city is able to use funds dedicated for capital improvements to offset costs currently covered with general funds, the shortfall isn’t that great and could be met with a slight tax or service adjustment spread out over the whole city.

Gary Thede reported that people may contact individual city council members through email to express support for annexation, and that we will let people know about any important meetings or hearings that the city holds through the this email list.  City Council Members: http://www.ci.issaquah.wa.us/sectionindex.asp?sectionid=22

Tour with David Irons

Several of us toured the area with Councilman David Irons in November, the day after the election, to discuss several issues.  Mr. Irons staffer working on these issues is Jeanette McKague,  (206)296-0396

Road Maintenance:   David Bangs reported that KC does come periodically and patch the worse areas of our roads, focusing on areas that have alligatored or collapsed. That leaves a sort of patch-work quilt, and the repairs don’t necessarily last long.  On a condition scale of 0 – 100, some of our roads (such as 193^rd Ave. S.E.) still have ratings of less than 10, despite the county’s patchy repairs.  Issaquah estimates it would cost about $500,000 to bring the roads up to a minimum quality of 40, which is the city (and county) standard.  David Iron’s office is still working with departments on the issue, but has no results to report yet.  Bangs encourages people to call 1-800-KC-ROADS to report road problems, and always let them know if you feel the road needs overlaying instead of just a patch. Contact: David Bangs, (425)957-9733

Blackberry Park: Lake West homeowners had a meeting last month to discuss the future of the Blackberry Park, which is near the north back entrance to South Cove. This is a vacant lot with dilapidated play equipment owned as county surplus lands. Irons has encouraged the neighborhood to create a vision for the park and apply for a grant.  This lot is much smaller than Meerwood, so it isn’t envisioned as an official park.  Neighbors have already been mowing and caring for the lot for many years, and are now discussing plans that would include some landscaping changes and new play equipment funded by “passing the hat”, corporate and county grants.  Costs may be a third to one half of the budget for improving Meerwood Park.  They are discussing creating a non-profit foundation or reviving the Lake West HOA in order to qualify for grants and ensure long term success of the project.  The Meerwood HOA was successfully revived in order to make Meerwood Park possible. Contact: Scott Dahlquist, (425)401-0789

Yellow Stripes on 192^nd: Amy Higgins and others discussed the history of how the double yellow stripes on 192^nd are a historical accident that may be contributing to speeding.  Efforts to get rid of them so far have proved frustrating. Mr. Irons is aware that we would like to get the yellow stripes on 192^nd removed and his staff is working on it. People feel this is an important issue to get closure on, though removing the double lines will not in-itself solve the speeding problem. Contact:  Amy Higgins, (425)562-5111

Traffic Calming Devices: Irons mentioned that some areas of the county are getting traffic calming circles, and thinks our area might be a good candidate to receive a few on 192^nd and 188^th.  These are mini traffic circles which cars can easily navigate at 25MPH, and fire engines can drive over without slowing down.  Getting them would take several years of process, and we might be annexed to Issaquah by then. The city would probably propose a different solution, since they have no such traffic circles now.  People expressed interest in continuing to ask for these traffic circles, since timely Issaquah annexation is not assured.  Contact: Gary Thede,  (425)562-0286

Landscaping at 192^nd Entrance: The gravel lay-down area near the large Sammamish Beach Club monument is owned by the county.  Sammamish Beach Club is applying for county permit (and grant?) to landscape this area and maintain that landscaping, in order to beautify this entrance to all our neighborhoods.  SBC would be the financial entity signing any contracts, but may ask for volunteer support from other neighborhoods. Contact: Gary Thede, Home: (425)562-0286

Other Issues

South Lake Sammamish Community Day: Mary Victory (Meerwood) has proposed expanding the annual Ice Cream Social into a larger event that would become “South Lake Sammamish Community Day.”  This would involve expanded activities, and could be funded by all neighborhoods and corporate sponsorships.  Since she has a new child, and will be out of down this summer, she now proposes that we have the regular Ice Cream Social this year, and expand the scope next year.  Contact:  Mary Victory, (425)747-8860

Better Neighborhood Navigation: Doris Ong brought up the idea moving neighborhood landmarks, or creating a joint sign to allow people driving by on W Lake Sammamish Parkway a better way of finding the individual neighborhoods.  David Bangs suggested an alternative idea of having the county put up green directional street signs on the posts across from our main entrances on West Lake Samm Parkway. Such a street sign already has an indicator for “Greenwood Point”, though someone pointed out this is a geographical indicator that predates the development of the neighborhood by that name. This proposal should be further developed and discussed at a later meeting.  Contact: Doris Ong.

Roundabout Improvements: Gary Thede reported that Bellevue has relandscaped the interior of the roundabout by the freeway exit.  This had been a priority expressed by residents of that area when they were annexed to Bellevue last year.  Washington DOT has jurisdiction over the roundabout itself and is developing plans to rebuild it and the road surface around it to easier access and to avoid the constantly needed repairs.  Amazingly, rebuilding the roundabout in a year or two should not cause the new landscaping to have to be redone again!

Structure of SLSA:  How should this group be led and funded?  Does it need to become a formal organization?  All topics for the next SLSA meeting!

Next Meeting: Gary Thede will schedule the next meeting for mid-May, at Sunset.

Notes respectfully submitted by David Bangs.

More SLSA Meeting Notes