On May 8, the Woodinville City Council denied a proposal from Hilltop Center that called for the city to surrender, or vacate, some of its land in exchange for an easement onto Hilltop property that would allow the city to erect a wayfinding sign. The proposed Hilltop development is located along the Woodinville-Duvall Road east of 156th Avenue Northeast.

At that meeting, the council did not receive a map that clearly represented the land to be vacated. They wondered whether the city might have a future use for the land they were being asked to vacate. They questioned how Lake Leota might be impacted by storm runoff from the area.

Since then, the developer submitted changes to his proposal that are meant to address the council’s and the community’s concerns. The request was reduced to a total vacation of 2,178 square feet, down from some 20,000 square feet. For compensation, the developer is offering to dedicate 8,276 square feet of land to the public. This 8,276 square feet, along with adjacent un-used city land, will afford enough space to build a regional stormwater quality system.

In addition to the dedication, the developer is providing a number of benefits that will significantly improve regional water quality and increase the needed groundwater recharge system by providing improved water treatment and infiltration.

Here is what the developer offered to the city in addition to the 8,276 square feet:

• Construction of a regional pond to the applicable standards,
• Construction of a bio-filtering system within the pond to allow for ground recharge system,
• Construction of an infiltration system within the pond to allow for ground recharge system,
• Enlargement of the city’s existing offsite pond located east of the proposed new regional storm pond,
• Fencing in the new regional storm pond,
• Performing frontage improvements along the entire frontage of the proposed regional storm pond (includes curb, gutter, sidewalk),
• Providing on-site pervious surface pavement to allow for on-site infiltration system to help with the recharge of groundwater system that feeds Lake Leota.

In a phone conversation, Woodinville’s Public Works Director Mick Monken called the developer “a conscientious individual who volunteered to do a number of public improvements not required of the vacation.” Monken said the developer was very cooperative and personally took on the concerns expressed at the May 8 council meeting.

A number of community members commented on the vacation of land at the June 12 City Council meeting. John Coughlin’s Woodinville Ski Rentals would be next door to the new Hilltop development.

“Anyone that buys a piece of property, whether it be in the city or outside,” said Coughlin, “his due diligence would preclude him from wanting the municipality to give him a right of way. That should have all been taken care of in his preliminary plans (to purchase the property).”

He said the developer proposes an entrance and exit onto the Woodinville-Duvall Road. He is concerned about the traffic at 156th and the Woodinville-Duvall Road.

“ You go from three lanes to one in less than five seconds,” said Coughlin. “I just feel we should make that plaza, if it’s going to happen, a safe place for ourselves, our children and the people who drive that road.”

Norm Maddex spoke for the Lake Leota Community Club.

“As much as our group would love to see that area turned into a private park and never be developed,” said Maddex, “it’s private property and we realize the reality: It’s going to be developed. So rather than our trying to fight any development …, we only want to see that the city is aware of and works toward protecting the interests of the local neighbors in that area …. Our group is willing to work with the city in any way we can.”

The group’s major concerns are the protection of local water quality, traffic safety and the type of businesses to be built there. They’d prefer retail or office space, no bars or nightclubs.

Monken stated that the city is yet to receive a development application for this property so they did not know what was going to be built on the property.

Pati An thanked the city and the staff for its good work on the issue of future water quality for the City of Woodinville. She liked the current proposal from the developer from a water-quality standpoint and thought it should be approved, saying the land swap was a net gain for the city.

She asked that the city look closer at the curb and sidewalk design proposed. The current design, she said, doesn’t seem site specific. She wondered who would walk to this place of business. She suggested the walkways be made of pervious material, saying the location was very close to the rural area and would not look out of place and only enhance the water quality of the area.

Susan Boundy-Sanders said that the Hilltop proposal was improved. She thought the city should prohibit left turns onto the Woodinville-Duvall Road.

Council also discussed traffic safety at the intersection of 156th and Woodinville-Duvall Road. Monken said that traffic issues would be addressed once a development application was submitted. He said a traffic study would be required.

Council voted 6-1 to accept the developer’s proposed compensation for the surrender of city land and had the first reading of the ordinance to set the conditions of the vacation. Councilman Mike Roskind abstained from the vote.