July 26, 2006

By Dennis Box

The Courier-Herald

Bonney Lake City Council members heard a second development proposal for the Washington State University Demonstration Forest at the July 19 workshop, and their reactions ranged from mixed to mad.

Wally Costello, senior vice president of Quadrant, a property development subsidiary of the Weyerhaeuser Company, spent about an hour with a couple of display maps and handouts, explaining the plan for the nearly 150-acre forest.

The proposal presented offered to give the city &#822045 contiguous acres of land,” with a 527 home development on the remaining 100 acres of the current forest.

In a letter sent to Mayor Neil Johnson, Costello pointed out the 45-acre park is &#8220greater in size than the combined area of the current city owned park/recreational properties.”

Costello said at the meeting the second proposal is intended to provide &#8220something of value to the city in trees and parks.”

In the first plan, Quadrant proposed developing 30 acres of commercial land along state Route 410 East, building 470 homes on 87 acres and deeding the city 30 acres of parks spread across the property.

The commercial part of the plan was dropped, Costello said, due to problems getting the Washington State Department of Transportation to agree to a stoplight on state Route 410 and &#8220all the statements we received that people want to see a stand of trees coming up the hill on (SR) 410.”

Councilman Phil DeLeo reacted strongly to the increased number of homes.

&#8220Why, when it's a windfall for you guys,” DeLeo asked, &#8220are you trying to put in 527 homes? Why does it have to be so many?”

Councilman Mark Hamilton agreed with DeLeo's assessment.

&#8220We need more homes like a hole in the head,” Hamilton said. &#8220I'm not voting for this.”

Costello said it was important for everyone involved to understand WSU will sell the land and the proceeds will be split with Weyerhaeuser.

&#8220That is their intent and they will do that.” Costello said. &#8220Everyone I've talked to at WSU and Weyerhaeuser feels the 45 acres dedicated to the city is a generous gift.”

For the city to receive the land, the council must rezone the property from public facility to residential. Council members were less than enthusiastic about rezoning the property.

Costello did not comment when asked if Quadrant or Weyerhaeuser would bring a lawsuit against the city if the council refused to rezone the land, but he did state the transfer of land was contingent on the rezone.

&#8220They go hand in hand,' Costello said. &#8220The dedication of the 45 acres is subject to approval of the plan.”

Costello noted a different zoning would also be required because the density of homes would be about seven per acre. Currently the city's R-1 (residential) zoning calls for four to five homes per acre.

Mayor Neil Johnson said he was &#8220not surprised the City Council was not excited about it. There are 5,000 to 8,000 homes being built right outside the city. They're concerned about too much traffic in our neighborhoods.”

Councilman Jim Rackley pointed to the problems with traffic already existing on South Prairie Road and around the area.

&#8220While the park makes my mouth water,” Rackley said. &#8220I'm balancing that against another 1,000 cars.”

Deputy Mayor Dan Swatman questioned whether the city would have sewer capacity to accommodate the development.

&#8220Our sewer plan doesn't allow for 500 more homes in that area,” Swatman said. &#8220It's been zoned public facilities.”

Costello said city officials told him sewer capacity was available when the first plan was presented to the council.

&#8220We will have to have our engineers looks at that issue,” Costello said.

The second development plan came on the heels of the university's announcement May 16 the forest would be permanently closed.

Mel Taylor, executive director of real estate from WSU, told the council and mayor at a City Council workshop the forest had extensive laminated root rot in the Douglas firs and western hemlocks, which was discovered after the Feb. 17 windstorm.

Taylor told the council the land was closed to the public and although residents had used the forest for recreation for years, it was private property and would remain closed until a plan was agreed upon.

Weyerhaeuser was the original owner of the land. The company deeded the forest to WSU in 1941 for educational purposes. The university decided to give the forest back in 2004, although the legal transfer of the deed will take place until the WSU, Quadrant and Weyerhaeuser have completed plan.

Dennis Box can be reached at dbox@courierherald.com.