Point Wells developer wants to expedite condo project

WOODWAY — A developer seeking to build more than 3,000 condos at Point Wells has offered to pay for extra Snohomish County planning staff to expedite the project.

That has some neighbors worried about a potential conflict of interest. Their issue isn’t with Blue Square Real Estate’s offer to pay for three county staff positions as much as the wording in a draft contract.

“It needs to do all that it can to avoid the appearance of favoritism,” said Tom McCormick, a retired lawyer who lives nearby in Shoreline.

Point Wells is the largest residential development proposed in Snohomish County. It would occupy about 60 acres of unincorporated waterfront next to Woodway. The land currently has fuel tanks and an asphalt plant.

The project would take up to 20 years to complete and would include high-rise condo towers of up to 17 stories, shops and a public pier.

The main source of contention for neighbors has been limited access to the property through a two-lane road from Shoreline in King County. Both Shoreline and Woodway want to annex the area for future tax revenue and to have more control over the project’s impacts.

As for the staffing contract, some of the objections from McCormick and other neighbors center on language that would give Blue Square “first-priority right” to use the time and services of certain county employees. They also take issue with a clause in which the county would give assurances that Blue Square’s staffing payment would result in “the timely and efficient processing” of the project application.

“The county should never be saying it’s a time-sensitive matter,” McCormick said. “It should not matter to the county whether it’s processed quickly or not.”

The contract specifies a full-time planner, a half-time engineer and a half-time records specialist, employed up until the the end of 2015. No dollar amount is specified.

County Planning Director Clay White confirmed that his department was reviewing a draft.

Though White was unaware of any similar arrangements in Snohomish County, he said they were commonplace in other Washington jurisdictions.

Extra staff could speed planners’ review of Point Wells, while preventing the complicated project from holding up approval for smaller developments.

“It benefits all parties,” White said. “When it comes time to do to the review, we’ll have time to do it.”

A legal consultant for the nonprofit Municipal Research and Services Center in Seattle said that, on its face, there’s nothing concerning about the developer paying for staff costs.

“The employees aren’t answerable to the developer in any way,” Bob Meinig said. “The fact that the funds come from the developer doesn’t create any legal issue.”

Blue Square operates locally as BSRE Point Wells and is a subsidiary of Israeli holding company Alon Group. The company submitted a permit application for the development in 2011. A court battle over whether the project would have to adhere to stricter building rules, with lower density, ended in April after the state Supreme Court ruled in the developer’s favor.

Snohomish County planners aren’t likely to issue a draft environmental impact statement for the project until next year. A key component of that document will be a traffic study that Shoreline and Blue Square are working on jointly.

Noah Haglund: 425-339-3465; nhaglund@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @NWhaglund.

Point Wells: What to watch

Shoreline has filed an appeal in Superior Court opposing the Snohomish County Boundary Review Board’s unanimous ruling last month stopping the city from taking over sewer service at Point Wells. Taking over the sewer service there would strengthen any future attempt by Shoreline to annex the area. No court hearing has been scheduled.

County code requires Blue Square to have a second access road to Point Wells. The company plans to wait for the county to issue a draft environmental impact statement before deciding whether to seek a deviation from that requirement, attorney Gary Huff said. Woodway and the developer have not discussed the possibility of a second access road through the town, both sides confirmed.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

A firefighter stands in silence before a panel bearing the names of L. John Regelbrugge and Kris Regelbrugge during the ten-year remembrance of the Oso landslide on Friday, March 22, 2024, at the Oso Landslide Memorial in Oso, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
‘Flood of emotions’ as Oso Landslide Memorial opens on 10th anniversary

Friends, family and first responders held a moment of silence at 10:37 a.m. at the new 2-acre memorial off Highway 530.

Julie Petersen poses for a photo with images of her sister Christina Jefferds and Jefferds’ grand daughter Sanoah Violet Huestis next to a memorial for Sanoah at her home on March 20, 2024 in Arlington, Washington. Peterson wears her sister’s favorite color and one of her bangles. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
‘It just all came down’: An oral history of the Oso mudslide

Ten years later, The Daily Herald spoke with dozens of people — first responders, family, survivors — touched by the deadliest slide in U.S. history.

Victims of the Oso mudslide on March 22, 2014. (Courtesy photos)
Remembering the 43 lives lost in the Oso mudslide

The slide wiped out a neighborhood along Highway 530 in 2014. “Even though you feel like you’re alone in your grief, you’re really not.”

Director Lucia Schmit, right, and Deputy Director Dara Salmon inside the Snohomish County Department of Emergency Management on Friday, March 8, 2024, in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
How Oso slide changed local emergency response ‘on virtually every level’

“In a decade, we have just really, really advanced,” through hard-earned lessons applied to the pandemic, floods and opioids.

Ron and Gail Thompson at their home on Monday, March 4, 2024 in Oso, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
In shadow of scarred Oso hillside, mudslide’s wounds still feel fresh

Locals reflected on living with grief and finding meaning in the wake of a catastrophe “nothing like you can ever imagine” in 2014.

Everett mall renderings from Brixton Capital. (Photo provided by the City of Everett)
Topgolf at the Everett Mall? Mayor’s hint still unconfirmed

After Cassie Franklin’s annual address, rumors circled about what “top” entertainment tenant could be landing at Everett Mall.

Everett
Everett man sentenced to 3 years of probation for mutilating animals

In 2022, neighbors reported Blayne Perez, 35, was shooting and torturing wildlife in north Everett.

Dorothy Crossman rides up on her bike to turn in her ballot  on Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2023 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Everett leaders plan to ask voters for property tax increase

City officials will spend weeks hammering out details of a ballot measure, as Everett faces a $12.6 million deficit.

Starbucks employee Zach Gabelein outside of the Mill Creek location where he works on Friday, Feb. 23, 2024 in Mill Creek, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Mill Creek Starbucks votes 21-1 to form union

“We obviously are kind of on the high of that win,” store bargaining delegate Zach Gabelein said.

Lynnwood police respond to a collision on highway 99 at 176 street SW. (Photo provided by Lynnwood Police)
Southbound lanes on Highway 99 reopen after crash

The crash, on Highway 99 at 176th Street SW, blocked traffic for over an hour. Traffic was diverted to 168th Street SW.

The view of Mountain Loop Mine out the window of a second floor classroom at Fairmount Elementary on Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
County: Everett mining yard violated order to halt work next to school

At least 10 reports accused OMA Construction of violating a stop-work order next to Fairmount Elementary. A judge will hear the case.

Imagine Children's Museum's incoming CEO, Elizabeth "Elee" Wood. (Photo provided by Imagine Children's Museum)
Imagine Children’s Museum in Everett to welcome new CEO

Nancy Johnson, who has led Imagine Children’s Museum in Everett for 25 years, will retire in June.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.