After quietly filing his C-1 candidacy papers with the state Public Disclosure Commission for reelection to the Sammamish City Council, John James reversed course this week and said he will not seek another term.
Kathy Huckabay, one of Sammamish’s original council members, left her seat four years ago when she decided not to seek reelection, which is the one James won, confirmed to Sammamish Comment that she will run for election to reclaim her seat.
A proposal by Issaquah to inject storm water from Issaquah Highlands into an aquifer threatens the drinking water supply for most of Sammamish residents.
This is the second assault on the aquifer, which the Sammamish Plateau Water and Sewer District relies upon. I wrote about the first one December 18, 2012. In that case, the Issaquah City Council approved a plan called Lakeside development at the Highlands that will allow a storm water injection well right above a drinking water aquifer.
I wrote at the time something seemed pretty amiss:
The Council, which ultimately approved the agreement unanimously, said it was comfortable with the safeguards and alternatives. Several said they get their drinking water from the aquifer as well and are personally motivated to protect the aquifer. (Emphasis added.)
I’m personally uneasy. Having served on Sammamish City committees and commissions for eight years, I understand the process and thinking that went into this Agreement but I’m nonetheless concerned about the affect on the aquifer.
Now, it turns out Issaquah has applied for a permit with the State Department of Ecology to resume injection of storm water into the aquifer of substantially untreated water. The problem: untreated storm water from the Issaquah Highlands has fecal coliform (ie, bird and pet poop), heavy metal contaminants and a host of other bacteria. This threatens our drinking water. The aquifer serves most of Sammamish, in addition to parts of Issaquah and all of Klahanie. (Note to Klahanie residents: You’re in the Issaquah Potential Annexation Area. Welcome to your new landlords and stewards of your environment.)
[Read more about this issue at a new Water District website devoted strictly to this.]
More alarming: Ecology is poised to grant this permit. Ecology’s pending action is a stunning turn-about from its long history of protecting water. Furthermore, Ecology has been exerting extreme pressure on the City of Sammamish to control storm water runoff into Lake Sammamish, demanding that development runoff be controlled to pre-development conditions (ie, virgin forest). This is a nearly impossible demand in an urban area. While Low Impact Development can help dramatically, it’s impossible to feasibly return to pre-development conditions. The City of Sammamish and some citizens, many represented by the Citizens for Sammamish activist group, have been arguing with the City Council for years over the new, highly restrictive regulations demanded by Ecology. Regardless, treatment and control of polluted storm water is imperative. Why in the world would Ecology be so strict with the City of Sammamish and give Issaquah a pass?
While the permit application is pending, Issaquah is diverting untreated water into the North Fork of the Issaquah River, which flows into Lake Sammamish. This water pollution can accumulate and potential affect home values of lakefront homes (who wants to live with lakefront you can’t use?). The right thing to do would have been for Issaquah to treat the water in the first place–it’s chosen not to do so.
Now Ecology is ready to permit Issaquah to inject contaminated and polluted water into the aquifer. Also keep in mind that this very same storm water injection site was shut down by Ecology in 2008 because high levels of fecal coliform were detected in monitoring wells a short distance from the District’s drinking water wells. Issaquah has been trying to restart the injection of storm water ever since. The city is tired of the Water District’s objections to protect the water supply for 54,000 customers–most of whom reside in Sammamish–so Issaquah has decided to take over the part of the District and the three prime wells inside Issaquah’s boundaries in order to shut the District up and do what it wants with the storm water–the impact to Sammamish be damned.
The Sammamish City Council and City Manager are aware of the situation but so far have not protested either to Issaquah or to Ecology. I find this to be rather perplexing, since our City Council and our City Manager represent us residents (and voters) of Sammamish.
The Sammamish City Council meets Tuesday, May 7.
Here is the Water District’s press release:
Within the last few weeks, Sammamish city officials erected a sign at what is now called Big Rock Park–fka SE 8th St. Park–saying it is not an off-leash dog park–go to Beaver Lake Park to let your dog off leash.
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The problem with this, as any dog owner knows, is that the off leash area of Beaver Lake Park is pathetically small. It’s enclosed by a chain link fence. It’s a dog prison.
Big Rock Park, on the other hand, is a doggie paradise. It’s 10 acres. It’s fenced on all four sides. The front half (or so) is wide-open field. The back half has trails and some open areas. Wetlands are seasonally wet.
Only a few blocks away is Ebright Creek Park on 212th Ave. SE, where there are trails and amenities for people wishing to walk and not be bothered by dogs. Most of Beaver Lake Park is off limits to off leash dogs. Every other park in the city is off limits to off leash dogs.
Dog owners were increasingly using Big Rock Park as an off-leash area. This park is far, far better than the puny Beaver Lake Park area, and far more convenient than driving to Marymoor Park.
I asked a city councilman why the city put the sign up. He said there was a complaint that one person had been jumped by a dog (it was unclear if this was an aggressive dog or a playful one), and that underbrush wasn’t protected from dogs.
Well, it’s not as if the latter couldn’t be accomplished. But for all the times I talk our Golden Retriever there, I’ve never seen a dog thrashing through the brush–they’ve always been on the trails.
This city has hundreds of acres of parks people can enjoy. We need a measly 10 acres for our dogs.
Since the city erected its sign banning off-leash at Big Rock Park, I have seen usage drop off. There are now few people using this park. This should tell city officials something.
Our city officials need to make Big Rock Park a dog park.
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Tom Odell yesterday announced his bid for re-election to a second term on the Sammamish City Council. He’s currently Mayor, which is selected by council members. The Mayor serves a two year term (the Deputy Mayor, also selected by peers, is a one-year term).
That leaves Don Gerend yet to announce, though his fellow council members says Gerend plans to seek another term. He was first elected in 1999 and is the only remaining original city council member.
John James, who is completing his first term as a Sammamish City Councilman, quietly filed his C1 form with the Public Disclosure Commission on April 17 for re-election.
James was deputy mayor in 2012. The position is rotated annually among council members. James hasn’t made any announcement concerning his re-election that I’m aware of.
Sammamish Comment 