PACE Engineers Vice President Susan Boyd addressed Monroe Mayor Geoffrey Thomas and City Council on Tuesday, Sept. 9, during the regular business meeting of the Monroe City Council.
Boyd presented to council during the time set aside for public comments primarily to provide them with her perspective on the recent Growth Management Hearings Board decision regarding the East Monroe rezone ordinances. Boyd was the primary author on both the draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and the final EIS.
The ordinances, which rezoned the 43-acre parcel of property from Limited Open Space (LOS) to General Commercial (GC), passed in December of 2013. On Tuesday, Aug. 26, the Growth Management Hearings Board issued a determination of invalidity on the ordinances for failure to comply with two areas of the Growth Management Act (GMA).
Specifically, the board stated that the Environmental Impact Statement completed by PACE failed to comply with Washington state RCW 43.21C.030(c), which stipulates that a statement such as an EIS must consider a reasonable range of alternatives for the property in question. Additionally, the board found that the ordinances interfered with GMA Planning Goal 10, which relates to environmental concerns.
The east Monroe rezone property is located just north of U.S. 2 and east of Woods Creek. The site includes wetlands, a stream, endangered species and a steep sloping area. It is also in the 100-year flood plain.
Boyd stated that, to date, a tremendous amount of time and effort have been dedicated to the East Monroe rezone by all the parties involved. She commended her team, Monroe city staff and the property owners, Heritage Baptist Church, for their level of commitment. She shared that the EIS completed by her Kirkland firm went above and beyond what is typically required for a proposal of its nature.
"In my experience, the level of effort that was put into this document, and this process, was well beyond what one would expect from a non-project action,GÇ¥ said Boyd.
The fact that there was no contractor ready to purchase the property and move forward with development is what classified the east Monroe rezone proposal as a non-project action. Boyd explained that, typically, an EIS as comprehensive as the one done on East Monroe would be done by a contracting firm in preparation for an actual development.
In the case of the East Monroe property, the EIS was paid for by the property owner, Heritage Baptist Church, with no project pending.
"I can say, in all honesty, that the city staff was exhaustive and thorough in their review of all documentation that was prepared. I can say, in all honesty, that my team was a team of experts that is irrefutable in Snohomish County and in this area,GÇ¥ said Boyd. "I believe that the city staff recommended the right thing when they made their determination based on the SEPA documentation, and I believe the council acted appropriately in approving the rezone.GÇ¥
Boyd encouraged the city to move forward in defense of the rezone ordinances and to back the decision that was made by council in December to rezone the property.
"Again, I can say with complete confidence that from a planning, engineering and scientific standpoint the EIS is defensible on any and every level,GÇ¥ said Boyd.
According to the hearing board's documentation, the city had ten days from the mailing of the final order to make a motion to the board for reconsideration. The decision may also be appealed to Snohomish County Superior Court within thirty days of the final order.
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