Everett, Wash.
Published: Monday, July 6, 2009

Project pushes green housing

Eight families receive permits to build a "deep green" development.

By Noah Haglund
Herald Writer

 BOTHELL -- A community near the Bothell-Everett Highway aims to push the boundaries of environmentally friendly development by building houses with rainwater recycling, solar panels and even roofs covered with grass instead of shingles.

The Clearwater Commons project goes beyond just the buildings. It includes restoring salmon habitat at a creek on the property. Children at an affiliated school will participate in the restoration, so they can learn to care for the land.

It's one the most ambitious development of its kind in the region.

"We're the pioneers, the early adopters," said developer Tom Campbell, who already lives at the site with his family. "It's not a speculative venture. We're not trying to develop it and sell it, we're trying to develop it and live here."

It will take an estimated two years to build the Commons. When finished, the homes should occupy less than a third of 71/2 acres. The average house should cost about $500,000.

The site sits across the street from the private Clearwater School, which emphasizes equality and allows students to learn at their own pace. When the nonprofit school moved to the spot three years ago, a group of families from the school decided to buy the land across the street. Instead of a standard subdivision, they imagined it as model for development with the lowest possible impact on the environment.

Eight families are now involved. They've toiled to win permits, fighting for narrower roads and porous materials to reduce runoff.

Campbell calls it "deep green" development. But the biggest achievement may be breaking through red tape.

They finally celebrated victory last month after spending three years getting permits from Snohomish County.

"You have to introduce a change to people who have been doing things the same way for years," said Stephanie Sarantos, Campbell's wife and a co-founder of the Clearwater School.

Campbell, a self-described "policy wonk" who helped write the state's Growth Management Act, called it "one of the most frustrating things that I've been through."

Randy Sleight, chief engineering officer with Snohomish County's planning department, said this is the first project to use the "full sweep" of low-impact techniques.

"I think there are other projects that will try this," he said. "Each one that goes through, staff becomes more familiar."



Noah Haglund: 425-339-3465, nhaglund@heraldnet.com.

On the Web

For more information, go to www.clearwatercommons.com.
© 2009The Daily Herald Co., Everett, WA