1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:02,000 All 2 00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:11,519 right, good morning everyone. We do have 9:00 a.m. as you just heard. We're now 3 00:00:08,760 --> 00:00:15,839 recording. So, this hearing this hearing is now in session. My name is Carl 4 00:00:13,599 --> 00:00:19,880 Granth. Uh I am the hearing examiner for the city of Spokane and I also serve as 5 00:00:17,520 --> 00:00:25,359 the hearing examiner prom for Medical Lake. Uh my assistant is Kimberly 6 00:00:22,600 --> 00:00:29,679 McIntyre. She's going to be acting as a clerk for today's hearing. And um again, 7 00:00:28,160 --> 00:00:32,399 just to reiterate, uh the hearing is being 8 00:00:30,359 --> 00:00:37,520 recorded. For the record, today is Wednesday, May 14th, 2025. It's about 9 00:00:35,200 --> 00:00:41,520 9:00 a.m. We are located in the Medical Lake City Hall. 10 00:00:40,239 --> 00:00:45,800 The item scheduled to be heard at this time is a variance application with file 11 00:00:43,440 --> 00:00:50,879 number LU2024-032 VA by Fox Ridge Homeowners 12 00:00:48,960 --> 00:00:56,079 Association to construct a monument sign in the center medium of the North Fox 13 00:00:54,000 --> 00:01:00,320 Ridge Road rideway located at the intersection of North Graham Road and 14 00:00:57,600 --> 00:01:05,199 North Fox Ridge Road in Medical Lake, Washington in the single family 15 00:01:02,239 --> 00:01:10,159 residential zone. Uh so to start with a summary of our process, uh we're going 16 00:01:07,200 --> 00:01:14,400 to start with a staff report. um uh from the planner for the city of med medical 17 00:01:11,920 --> 00:01:18,000 lake uh Miss Eliza Rodriguez and so we'll provide an overview of the project 18 00:01:16,159 --> 00:01:22,000 and also context for further discussion and public comment and I'll be asking 19 00:01:20,000 --> 00:01:26,240 questions during that portion as well. Uh next we'll have testimony from the 20 00:01:23,680 --> 00:01:30,080 applicant uh who is Mr. Carl Mson on behalf of the Fox Ridge Homeowners 21 00:01:28,119 --> 00:01:34,560 Association uh along with any other witnesses that the applicant wants to 22 00:01:31,439 --> 00:01:38,720 call along with their presentation. Um then we'll move to our public testimony 23 00:01:36,240 --> 00:01:43,520 portion of today's hearing. Uh and when we get there, um we'll we'll go in the 24 00:01:42,000 --> 00:01:47,439 the list that everyone signed up. I prioritize people who show up in person 25 00:01:45,360 --> 00:01:51,920 and then we'll move to anyone who may be connected via Zoom. Uh I'm going to 26 00:01:50,159 --> 00:01:56,000 allow up to five minutes for each person. Uh but I will do a hard stop at 27 00:01:54,240 --> 00:01:59,920 the five minutes. I I have some discretion about how long to give for 28 00:01:57,280 --> 00:02:05,840 public comment. Um, based on the size of of the crowd, I think five minutes um is 29 00:02:03,479 --> 00:02:09,200 plenty. It usually ranges from three to five minutes. So, I'll allow you up to 30 00:02:07,439 --> 00:02:14,000 five minutes, but I will put a hard stop in your testimony at 5 31 00:02:11,000 --> 00:02:17,520 minutes. Um, following public testimony, uh, both, uh, city staff and the 32 00:02:16,000 --> 00:02:21,840 applicant will have an opportunity to provide rebuttal testimony, answer 33 00:02:19,640 --> 00:02:25,920 questions, address concerns, anything they so wish. Um, and at the conclusion 34 00:02:24,560 --> 00:02:31,520 of the meeting, as always, the final word goes to the applicant. 35 00:02:29,120 --> 00:02:34,800 So, um, a couple other preliminary matters. I did conduct a site visit this 36 00:02:33,120 --> 00:02:38,720 morning on our way, uh, here to city hall. Um, I'm generally familiar with 37 00:02:37,280 --> 00:02:42,959 the project and its surroundings. I have reviewed the file. It's on staff or that 38 00:02:41,200 --> 00:02:48,879 the staff provided uh, that's part of the record. So, I am generally familiar 39 00:02:45,519 --> 00:02:52,160 with the proposal and the project site. My decisions are in writing, so they're 40 00:02:50,560 --> 00:02:55,920 not going to be made at this hearing. Um, under the ordinance, I have 14 41 00:02:53,760 --> 00:02:58,720 calendar days on which to complete my decision. 42 00:02:58,959 --> 00:03:05,599 My decisions on variances are final unless they are appealed uh to the 43 00:03:02,879 --> 00:03:08,480 medical lake city council. A written appeal to the hearing examiner's 44 00:03:06,959 --> 00:03:13,280 decision must be filed to the city medical lake to 10 working days from the 45 00:03:10,720 --> 00:03:17,760 date of hearing um or for the date of my final decision and that information will 46 00:03:14,879 --> 00:03:23,040 be in my decision as well. So, uh looks like we have about a dozen members of 47 00:03:20,480 --> 00:03:25,920 the public here today. Um, so I'll go over some of these procedures again, but 48 00:03:24,480 --> 00:03:28,720 I'm going to have you uh state your name and address when you come up and I'll 49 00:03:27,280 --> 00:03:31,760 have you swear an oath uh before you provide 50 00:03:29,560 --> 00:03:34,560 testimony. Um, other than that, do we have any other questions or 51 00:03:32,640 --> 00:03:38,400 administrative concerns before we begin? No. 52 00:03:36,159 --> 00:03:43,560 Okay. All right. Uh, let's proceed with the over overview by the planning 53 00:03:39,920 --> 00:03:43,560 department. Mr. Rodriguez. 54 00:04:02,319 --> 00:04:08,239 Okay. So, I'm going to summarize the staff report that was re received by our 55 00:04:06,159 --> 00:04:14,799 hearings officer and there was a copy at the entrance if anyone picked it up. 56 00:04:12,280 --> 00:04:17,799 Um, sorry, is the clipper working today or 57 00:04:23,479 --> 00:04:31,120 Um, Mr. Grandmath just went over the process um, from this day forward. So, I 58 00:04:28,960 --> 00:04:36,800 will just back up a little bit. This application was submitted on December 59 00:04:33,120 --> 00:04:42,720 20th, deemed complete on January 17th. Um, the applicant asked to place a hold 60 00:04:39,680 --> 00:04:47,759 on the application at that time because he was going to be out of the country 61 00:04:44,560 --> 00:04:53,840 for a bit. So, he came back and took the the application off hold March 13th. Um, 62 00:04:51,360 --> 00:05:01,199 and then we arranged for this hearing and he mailed the notice of application 63 00:04:58,400 --> 00:05:09,120 to all property owners within 300 ft of the site, posted a sign on the site, and 64 00:05:06,639 --> 00:05:14,240 published a notice of the public hearing in the Cheney Free Press. The comments 65 00:05:12,160 --> 00:05:19,840 period closed on May 7th, last Wednesday. And here we are at the the 66 00:05:17,520 --> 00:05:19,840 public 67 00:05:25,240 --> 00:05:34,080 hearing. One of these days this thing's going to work, but not 68 00:05:29,880 --> 00:05:39,360 today. Okay. the vicinity map. Uh the red circle represents the intersection 69 00:05:36,479 --> 00:05:45,039 of North Graham Road and Fox Ridge Road, which is the first intersection for the 70 00:05:41,280 --> 00:05:51,000 Fox Ridge and Fox South subdivisions uh heading from the south from uh Highway 71 00:05:48,440 --> 00:05:57,120 902. Next, please. Um this is a zoom in on the 72 00:05:54,560 --> 00:06:03,520 site. We have this the the property lines from the scout website. We have an 73 00:05:59,280 --> 00:06:12,000 aerial where you can see the road, the street that's in question um has a grass 74 00:06:07,520 --> 00:06:17,600 median in the center and on the right is the recorded plat which is difficult to 75 00:06:14,080 --> 00:06:22,160 read at the scale. Um, and I have another slide where it's zoomed in a 76 00:06:19,919 --> 00:06:30,479 bit, but essentially we are dealing with an 80 foot ride ofway for that first 77 00:06:26,400 --> 00:06:36,000 block and the block is about 145 ft. Next slide. Uh, so this is a photo of 78 00:06:33,919 --> 00:06:42,560 the site looking straight on standing across Graham looking at North Fox 79 00:06:39,880 --> 00:06:47,680 Road. Uh, there's the median in the center. It's approximately 10 feet wide. 80 00:06:44,960 --> 00:06:51,680 We have five foot sidewalks on each side and uh the the grass and trees the 81 00:06:50,160 --> 00:06:58,840 landscaping on either side are in the public rightway. The edge of rightway is 82 00:06:55,199 --> 00:07:07,080 the fence line or essentially so on this site. Next slide. This is taken um from 83 00:07:04,479 --> 00:07:13,520 from the north looking southeast generally at the 84 00:07:09,919 --> 00:07:20,800 intersection. So you can see the median and the curb stop line. The actual um 85 00:07:17,680 --> 00:07:26,479 Graham Road is still a little further. It's out of the picture. So from the tip 86 00:07:23,759 --> 00:07:33,360 of that median to the intersection of Graham Road, it's a little over 30 feet. 87 00:07:29,840 --> 00:07:40,319 From the tip of the median to that stop bar is 12 to 15 feet. 88 00:07:37,599 --> 00:07:46,479 So the applicant is requesting a variance to allow a subdivision entrance 89 00:07:43,599 --> 00:07:52,639 monument sign to be allowed in the public right ofway. Our municipal code 90 00:07:49,599 --> 00:07:55,039 states that they should be located on private 91 00:07:55,240 --> 00:08:02,800 property. Uh if you could go back one slide please. Um, so the image on the 92 00:08:00,319 --> 00:08:08,720 right shows the Foxbridgeidge monument sign that's being proposed and on the 93 00:08:05,280 --> 00:08:15,280 left is the site plan showing the sign the monument sign in the median towards 94 00:08:12,160 --> 00:08:21,120 the west end of the median. And I want to point out at this time that the 95 00:08:18,479 --> 00:08:26,479 applicant in the proposal had two pillars on either side of the street um 96 00:08:24,560 --> 00:08:32,080 as part of the drawings. Those are not being reviewed in this because they are 97 00:08:28,560 --> 00:08:36,959 not signs. They will require a permit from our public works department to be 98 00:08:34,320 --> 00:08:42,880 built in the public right of way but our code our municipal code does not speak 99 00:08:39,919 --> 00:08:49,680 to that directly. Um so we are only looking at the sign the in the median 100 00:08:46,360 --> 00:08:55,200 today. Next slide please. So the approval criteria. Um, so I just want to 101 00:08:52,640 --> 00:09:00,399 take a moment. I know um from citizens that have come in to speak with me on 102 00:08:57,200 --> 00:09:04,279 phones that there's some contention in the neighborhood um between the 103 00:09:02,480 --> 00:09:09,279 residents and the homeowners association. And I just want it to be 104 00:09:06,880 --> 00:09:15,279 clear that this decision is based on the approval criteria that is spelled out in 105 00:09:10,959 --> 00:09:23,200 our municipal code. And it is not um a vote of the people. And 106 00:09:18,920 --> 00:09:28,240 um there if this variance is approved, it is not mandatory that this monument 107 00:09:25,279 --> 00:09:34,720 sign is built that is still up to the homeowners association. So this um 108 00:09:31,920 --> 00:09:39,360 variance if it is approved simply gives the right for um the homeowners 109 00:09:36,720 --> 00:09:46,880 association to apply for a public works permit and building permit in order to 110 00:09:42,000 --> 00:09:53,120 um construct this this site. So um the approval criteria which is 111 00:09:49,399 --> 00:09:56,640 um complete in the staff report here I've 112 00:09:54,200 --> 00:10:00,320 summarized number one the variance does not constitute the granting of a special 113 00:09:58,720 --> 00:10:05,440 privilege inconsistent with the limitations upon other 114 00:10:02,839 --> 00:10:10,560 properties. Number two strict application of the zoning code is found 115 00:10:07,880 --> 00:10:15,440 to deprive the property of rights and privileges enjoyed by other properties. 116 00:10:13,040 --> 00:10:20,320 And three, granting the variance will not be detrimental to the public welfare 117 00:10:18,160 --> 00:10:22,720 or injurous to property or improvements in the 118 00:10:22,760 --> 00:10:32,000 vicinity. So to describe, we saw the photos earlier, but this sign is being 119 00:10:28,240 --> 00:10:36,240 proposed in the rightway of North Fox Ridge Road, which is the first entrance 120 00:10:34,480 --> 00:10:40,399 for the Fox Ridge and Fox Ridge South subdivisions. When arriving from the 121 00:10:37,839 --> 00:10:46,240 south, the Fox Ridge Road has an 80 foot rideway at its entrance. There's a 10 122 00:10:43,440 --> 00:10:50,160 foot wide median in the center uh 32 feet back from the intersection. The 123 00:10:48,480 --> 00:10:55,040 site is surrounded by single family houses to the southeast and north with a 124 00:10:52,720 --> 00:11:00,160 vacant property across Graham Road that is zone commercial. Um and as far as 125 00:10:58,079 --> 00:11:07,519 other subdivision entry signs in the city, we have two other um entry signs 126 00:11:03,680 --> 00:11:12,480 that are boulders with the inscription uh on them. 127 00:11:10,640 --> 00:11:18,959 Uh, and both of those are located on private property, not in the 128 00:11:14,040 --> 00:11:26,000 rightway. So, this is a closer um depiction of the recorded plat. And the 129 00:11:23,600 --> 00:11:31,360 red circles show the rightway width. So, the entry is an 80 foot rideway, 40t on 130 00:11:29,519 --> 00:11:38,320 each side from center, and the two other circles show 25 feet for each side, 131 00:11:34,720 --> 00:11:43,360 therefore 50 foot rideways. Um and that is consistent throughout this shows 132 00:11:40,640 --> 00:11:48,800 south Fox South, but it is consistent through Fox Ridge. Um there's three 133 00:11:45,680 --> 00:11:55,560 entrances, all of them are 80 ft and um the rest of the subdivision has 50 134 00:11:51,560 --> 00:11:55,560 foot rightways. 135 00:11:56,000 --> 00:12:04,399 So, something that I find unusual about this particular plat because this is a 136 00:12:00,399 --> 00:12:09,680 recorded plat is that these yellow areas um labeled on the plat say 10-ft 137 00:12:06,959 --> 00:12:15,440 landscape area. I find this unusual because um it's in the public rightway 138 00:12:13,440 --> 00:12:21,519 and I honestly haven't seen that on a plat before. uh flats often time have 139 00:12:18,639 --> 00:12:28,079 tracks uh that will be commonly owned or they will have easements on um 140 00:12:23,760 --> 00:12:34,079 individual lots for the purpose of um signage or landscaping. In this 141 00:12:30,160 --> 00:12:38,800 instance, u there are these noted landscape areas to either side, but as 142 00:12:36,560 --> 00:12:42,240 you can see in the photo on the right, what got built, um we do have the 143 00:12:40,720 --> 00:12:48,880 landscaping on the sides, but we also have the median, which I found no um 144 00:12:46,519 --> 00:12:54,079 documentation regarding this median and how it came about. So the next slide um 145 00:12:52,000 --> 00:13:02,959 this is not perfect but basically I overlide overlaid the plat and the 146 00:12:57,720 --> 00:13:08,320 aerial to show um that it's pretty close maybe not exact but pretty close the 147 00:13:05,360 --> 00:13:14,720 planting areas on either side behind the sidewalk do match pretty well the um the 148 00:13:12,480 --> 00:13:19,519 landscaping that exists and then that median in the middle um it would not 149 00:13:17,040 --> 00:13:23,440 typically be shown on a plat so it's just right away. So, I would not expect 150 00:13:21,440 --> 00:13:28,560 it to be there, but it is what got built. Next 151 00:13:25,720 --> 00:13:32,560 slide. Comments I received, uh, the Medical Lake Public Works Department 152 00:13:30,320 --> 00:13:36,120 reviewed the plans and is not concerned about the proposed location or size of 153 00:13:35,279 --> 00:13:42,000 the monument. Um, I received three written 154 00:13:39,279 --> 00:13:47,279 comments. Popsmith sent an email expressing concerns of safety when it's 155 00:13:44,399 --> 00:13:53,360 slippery, noting that um when we have snow, that intersection he considers to 156 00:13:50,800 --> 00:13:58,240 be dangerous and folks might slide towards the median. Uh Ted Adams 157 00:13:56,079 --> 00:14:03,040 expressed discontent with how the HOA is spending their money and told Ted Olsen 158 00:14:00,720 --> 00:14:08,720 submitted a petition with signatures of area residents opposing the 159 00:14:06,120 --> 00:14:14,079 sign. the findings. To summarize, you can see the complete si findings in the 160 00:14:10,800 --> 00:14:20,320 staff report, but to summarize, um the medical a municipal code allows 161 00:14:17,600 --> 00:14:23,680 any subdivision to have an entry sign as long as it's not taller than six feet 162 00:14:22,000 --> 00:14:27,600 and it's located outside of the rightway. 163 00:14:25,440 --> 00:14:33,519 Uh, in this particular instance, the ride ofway for North Fox Ridge is 30 164 00:14:30,480 --> 00:14:38,079 foot wider at the entrance and there's no private property or easements that 165 00:14:35,360 --> 00:14:42,120 were set aside for landscaping, leaving only the public right away for 166 00:14:39,760 --> 00:14:48,399 landscaping or signage. And so um doing research in the 167 00:14:45,920 --> 00:14:53,519 preliminary plat I was unable to locate the final plat file um to see if there 168 00:14:51,680 --> 00:14:58,399 is any discussion for instance of the median that was developed um but I could 169 00:14:56,480 --> 00:15:02,880 only go on what was provided in our preliminary plat file and there's very 170 00:15:01,040 --> 00:15:09,440 limited information regarding the entrance and the landscaping. It was 171 00:15:05,839 --> 00:15:13,040 noted that um there would be entrance landscaping but past that there wasn't 172 00:15:11,279 --> 00:15:19,199 any information But based on the fact that they made 173 00:15:16,000 --> 00:15:25,160 this rightway larger, I think it is possible that they did that in order to 174 00:15:21,440 --> 00:15:30,959 provide for the landscaping. And then um it would also provide for a landscape 175 00:15:28,880 --> 00:15:35,120 monument, although that was also never mentioned in any of the written 176 00:15:33,199 --> 00:15:40,320 documentation I could find in our preliminary plat file. Um and finally, 177 00:15:38,320 --> 00:15:44,959 the proposed sign being in the median quite a distance back from the 178 00:15:41,800 --> 00:15:50,399 intersection does not impede visual clearance for 179 00:15:46,760 --> 00:15:55,800 traffic. Uh the recommendation is that the variance to locate the subdivision 180 00:15:52,959 --> 00:16:04,040 entrance sign as depicted in exhibit A3 allowed be allowed in the existing 181 00:15:59,920 --> 00:16:04,040 median of North Fox. 182 00:16:05,839 --> 00:16:11,160 Okay. Thank you for your presentation. I do I do have quite a few questions for 183 00:16:09,279 --> 00:16:18,199 you. Yes. Um I guess to try to figure out the best 184 00:16:14,160 --> 00:16:21,839 way to what order to ask them in. So um can you tell me a little bit more 185 00:16:20,079 --> 00:16:26,240 about the public works permit they're going to get to locate this in the ride 186 00:16:23,519 --> 00:16:29,680 of way? Is it uh is is there going to be any sort of legal agreement that's 187 00:16:27,759 --> 00:16:35,519 executed along with that or what is the are there conditions in the permit etc. 188 00:16:32,399 --> 00:16:41,600 Right. So, I am not party to that's a public works permit. So, I'm not 189 00:16:37,839 --> 00:16:46,560 involved in the review, but um they do if there's a maintenance agreement 190 00:16:43,839 --> 00:16:52,560 needed, they would require a maintenance agreement in order to have um 191 00:16:49,920 --> 00:16:58,600 essentially a private a private construction and a public. 192 00:16:55,120 --> 00:17:03,519 Okay. So yeah, along with that, um, basically thinking about the 193 00:17:01,079 --> 00:17:07,480 scenarios because the you're not going to vacate the property, it's still going 194 00:17:04,640 --> 00:17:13,600 to be public right away. It'll be a privatelyowned sign structure in the 195 00:17:10,919 --> 00:17:18,799 median. So I'm wondering about future hypothetical situations. Say someone 196 00:17:15,520 --> 00:17:22,280 does slide and crash into it. How's the city approaching potential future 197 00:17:20,319 --> 00:17:28,000 liability? um or if the sign becomes dilapitated or 198 00:17:25,199 --> 00:17:33,280 the city wants to take the rightway back um change it how costs are aortioned if 199 00:17:31,600 --> 00:17:36,400 that is being thought of ahead of time or going to be put into an agreement. 200 00:17:34,799 --> 00:17:40,050 Uh, I believe that would be considered during the right of way agreement or 201 00:17:38,320 --> 00:17:43,319 excuse me, the right of way [Music] 202 00:17:48,200 --> 00:17:55,760 permit and you don't have to disclose attorney client um, communications, but 203 00:17:54,000 --> 00:18:02,039 did did you consult your legal department about these types of 204 00:17:57,760 --> 00:18:02,039 scenarios? We did not. 205 00:18:15,600 --> 00:18:25,840 Um, okay. So, um, I guess kind of keeping in that same vein a little 206 00:18:23,120 --> 00:18:29,120 bit. So, it does. So, okay, real quick. So, you weren't able to find your 207 00:18:27,360 --> 00:18:34,080 internal uh file for the final plat, right? Is it 208 00:18:32,000 --> 00:18:39,799 was the final plan recorded? It is recorded. Okay. Were you able to take a 209 00:18:37,520 --> 00:18:45,600 look at that and see if there was any comments or conditions or 210 00:18:42,880 --> 00:18:50,480 alterations to that? Um I'm sorry. The the plot itself was recorded. I did not 211 00:18:47,919 --> 00:18:57,520 find a decision. No. Uh, the city council minutes make 212 00:18:53,200 --> 00:18:57,520 the statement that it was voted and 213 00:18:58,120 --> 00:19:07,480 approved and the final flat is signed by the city, including the mayor. 214 00:19:09,840 --> 00:19:16,320 Right. So, you know, I I guess I I sort of agree there's some interesting 215 00:19:14,080 --> 00:19:22,880 aspects to the to the to the plat map and I guess maybe agree with your 216 00:19:18,559 --> 00:19:26,799 assessment that it's Um perhaps maybe these should have been private tracks or 217 00:19:24,880 --> 00:19:31,520 I guess we can only hypothesize at this point. 218 00:19:29,000 --> 00:19:36,080 Um so did you did you consider alternative measures to address this 219 00:19:34,160 --> 00:19:41,360 instead of a variance say a plat alteration? If you think a mistake was 220 00:19:37,840 --> 00:19:46,240 made then you could alter the plat or a waiver or there's other 221 00:19:44,320 --> 00:19:51,919 um avenues to approach. Do you believe a mistake was made on the plat? Um, we 222 00:19:49,840 --> 00:19:58,000 didn't consider that a mistake was made on the 223 00:19:53,640 --> 00:20:02,480 plot. We thought it more likely that there were discussions and verbal 224 00:20:00,440 --> 00:20:07,640 agreements rather than written agreements by the parties at the time. 225 00:20:08,960 --> 00:20:14,960 That's kind of just your best guess. That's our best guess. 226 00:20:13,440 --> 00:20:18,840 The people that were involved are no longer working for the city. 227 00:20:29,039 --> 00:20:35,679 And again, I know you just said this, but you 228 00:20:32,280 --> 00:20:44,720 have no record of an agreement to build a median there. That's That's correct. 229 00:20:38,880 --> 00:20:50,200 the um the homeowners association uh takes care of the landscaping in the 230 00:20:47,840 --> 00:20:56,720 the right of way including irrigation and um they have done so 231 00:20:53,360 --> 00:21:03,400 since it was constructed but I have not been able to locate any formal agreement 232 00:20:59,919 --> 00:21:03,400 regarding that. 233 00:21:04,640 --> 00:21:10,960 So then so then obviously then there's no rightaway permit or anything from 234 00:21:08,559 --> 00:21:13,960 public works. That's correct. Originally that's 235 00:21:17,039 --> 00:21:23,840 would a potential future agreement between public works and the HOA maybe 236 00:21:21,679 --> 00:21:27,840 try to resolve some of these and put to paper what's basically already existing 237 00:21:25,760 --> 00:21:30,840 on the ground? That's certainly possible. 238 00:21:43,440 --> 00:21:55,280 Okay. So, um I want to turn to the criteria of approval. Um kind of dig 239 00:21:51,120 --> 00:21:58,880 into a couple of the key terms here. So, um for granting a special 240 00:21:59,320 --> 00:22:06,320 privilege. So, we have in the code right now that you're just blanket not allowed 241 00:22:04,000 --> 00:22:10,720 to put signs in the rightway. The subdivision subdivision sign entrance 242 00:22:08,080 --> 00:22:14,159 signs. That's correct. Are there are there other ways that people can put 243 00:22:12,480 --> 00:22:18,799 signs in the public right away? Not subdivision signs like business signs or 244 00:22:17,200 --> 00:22:25,280 political political signs or something like that. There are situations, yes. 245 00:22:22,600 --> 00:22:30,400 Um certainly political signs are allowed in the public right of way, temporary 246 00:22:27,200 --> 00:22:34,080 signs, um advertising events are allowed in the right of way. How about for 247 00:22:32,400 --> 00:22:40,440 permanent signs? Does the city allow permanent signs in the public right 248 00:22:35,679 --> 00:22:40,440 away? I could not say that off. 249 00:22:58,200 --> 00:23:06,039 So again because you you basically this variance for us is basically asking to 250 00:23:03,679 --> 00:23:11,080 just not apply this one city code provision in this particular situation. 251 00:23:12,440 --> 00:23:18,960 Um, do you think that there are special circumstances here 252 00:23:16,919 --> 00:23:24,799 that trying to think about how to phrase this question? Um, I'll say frankly this 253 00:23:22,320 --> 00:23:27,520 is a little a little bit of an odd request. 254 00:23:27,880 --> 00:23:34,559 Um, because of the various portions of this, you know, HOA asking to use public 255 00:23:32,320 --> 00:23:38,200 right away and to just basically not have a single code provision apply to 256 00:23:36,880 --> 00:23:43,000 them. Um, how do you think this won't create 257 00:23:41,039 --> 00:23:48,520 uh this isn't a special privilege that other um other subdivisions might 258 00:23:46,960 --> 00:23:52,799 want to use to to put to put it or they'll say, 259 00:23:51,360 --> 00:23:58,559 "Okay, you approved it for this one. You didn't apply for provision to this 260 00:23:54,520 --> 00:24:01,360 subdivision, so we still can't do it." Or would you be comfortable with other 261 00:24:00,000 --> 00:24:06,960 subdivisions saying, "Well, you did it for this one. We should be able to 262 00:24:03,039 --> 00:24:13,279 also." Um so in this instance we're not changing the 263 00:24:09,960 --> 00:24:20,880 um the improvements at all. So the median exists. So um it's unlikely that 264 00:24:18,559 --> 00:24:27,039 another subdivision if they had the st standard 50oot rideway would be for 265 00:24:23,919 --> 00:24:32,360 instance allowed to put a median in um changing the improvements and changing 266 00:24:29,039 --> 00:24:40,840 the width of the traffic lanes. um having it on the the sides of the 267 00:24:36,640 --> 00:24:46,159 rightway adjacent to the sidewalk. Um that I really can't speak for our public 268 00:24:43,360 --> 00:24:52,559 works department on that one. Is there a public works representative here today? 269 00:24:49,520 --> 00:24:58,960 He's not. Okay. Uh well I I do see the rideway is 80 270 00:24:55,440 --> 00:24:58,960 feet wide but there are 271 00:24:59,480 --> 00:25:06,240 the hard to tell. Is it 10 foot wide landscape 272 00:25:04,120 --> 00:25:11,679 areas? It kind of looks like it might be 15 feet on one side between the fence 273 00:25:08,720 --> 00:25:18,400 and the the road roadway edge. It is approximately 10 feet on each side. The 274 00:25:14,799 --> 00:25:24,320 u the scout map is a little off the two layers. Um, but when I lined up the two, 275 00:25:22,000 --> 00:25:29,279 it it is approximately 10 feet behind the sidewalk on each side to the edge of 276 00:25:26,480 --> 00:25:34,840 the red one. Okay. And how wide is the median again? 277 00:25:31,120 --> 00:25:34,840 Approximately 10 ft. 278 00:25:36,640 --> 00:25:46,520 So 80 minus roughly 30 is about 50. So you have about 50 foot of two 25 foot 279 00:25:41,840 --> 00:25:46,520 lanes there right now essentially. Okay. 280 00:25:54,480 --> 00:26:00,960 So, if just hypothetically speaking, if they weren't granted this variance, they 281 00:25:59,120 --> 00:26:04,799 they're still the homeowner association is still allowed to put a neighborhood 282 00:26:02,480 --> 00:26:10,559 sign somewhere, right? On private property. On private property. 283 00:26:08,799 --> 00:26:14,320 Did you consider whether there was reasonable alternatives on private 284 00:26:12,080 --> 00:26:19,120 property that would require a variance request? 285 00:26:15,600 --> 00:26:19,120 Um, we did not consider other 286 00:26:28,120 --> 00:26:34,440 alternatives. Okay. So for the special circumstances, 287 00:26:34,520 --> 00:26:44,320 um your the criteria number two, uh they don't have the language in here, but 288 00:26:41,720 --> 00:26:48,080 um I'm sure you've seen different cities and different codes like unnecessary 289 00:26:45,840 --> 00:26:53,960 hardship or some sort of there's lots of different ways these 290 00:26:50,679 --> 00:26:58,400 um are worded. Um, but the language in here kind of 291 00:26:57,039 --> 00:27:03,279 goes along with that where we're typically looking at, you know, a 292 00:27:01,120 --> 00:27:07,000 homeowner owns a parcel and we're going to look at the size, shape, topography, 293 00:27:05,840 --> 00:27:11,880 location or surroundings, usually something physical 294 00:27:09,279 --> 00:27:17,919 to do with the site that's creating the hardship. Um, and that's in state law in 295 00:27:14,159 --> 00:27:22,559 case stuff too. um that if you apply, you know, the strict, you know, the 296 00:27:20,559 --> 00:27:26,159 strict uh provisions of the code to their property, then they're going to be 297 00:27:24,880 --> 00:27:29,039 deprived of being able to do something like I have a really steep slope, I have 298 00:27:27,760 --> 00:27:32,320 a rockout cropping, I'm not going to be able to build a house on here unless you 299 00:27:30,480 --> 00:27:37,039 give me a setback. So, how is this situation analogous to those more 300 00:27:34,200 --> 00:27:41,039 typical variance requests? Right. I agree. Uh that is exactly the 301 00:27:39,200 --> 00:27:45,360 description I would give an applicant if they were looking into a variance in 302 00:27:43,600 --> 00:27:51,720 this situation because it's not a private property. Um I took a little bit 303 00:27:48,480 --> 00:27:57,440 different view on that which is whatever the agreements were at the time that 304 00:27:54,720 --> 00:28:03,039 created the 80 foot ride of way. It basically eliminated the opportunity to 305 00:28:00,960 --> 00:28:08,000 put it in public or excuse me on private property. 306 00:28:04,960 --> 00:28:11,120 Um so the the restriction is in fact the unusually large 307 00:28:20,360 --> 00:28:25,360 right I don't I don't see the language in here so I guess it probably doesn't 308 00:28:24,000 --> 00:28:29,600 apply to your code but usually there's some sort of provision that's like has 309 00:28:27,360 --> 00:28:34,000 no fault of your you know the applicant can't be the one who creates the 310 00:28:31,760 --> 00:28:37,000 hardship. Yeah, that phrase is not inactive. 311 00:28:37,200 --> 00:28:45,520 So you don't think that analysis should apply? Did you consider this is you know 312 00:28:42,960 --> 00:28:50,919 this was someone's mistake a while ago? The creator of the subdivision 313 00:28:47,440 --> 00:28:56,159 essentially maybe the HOA's you know in some long-term connected ways fault so 314 00:28:53,840 --> 00:29:00,440 to speak. Yeah. Because it's not part of the criteria didn't consider it. 315 00:29:07,840 --> 00:29:15,399 And you think that not allowing them to build a sign 316 00:29:12,480 --> 00:29:20,600 in the rideways, depriving them of property, defi depriving the property, 317 00:29:18,559 --> 00:29:28,960 again, we're saying public property, but we're depriving the HOA of 318 00:29:25,520 --> 00:29:34,799 rights and privileges to to build a sign. they can still build a sign. 319 00:29:31,600 --> 00:29:39,679 Uh yeah. So that is the the tricky part and it all comes back to from the 320 00:29:37,840 --> 00:29:45,000 information that I was able to gather from the the files 321 00:29:43,320 --> 00:29:51,840 available. I think it is very possible that there 322 00:29:48,559 --> 00:30:00,080 was intention not necessarily for a sign uh but definitely for enhanced 323 00:29:55,600 --> 00:30:06,159 landscaping. Uh there was no uh for instance landscape plan like detailed 324 00:30:02,720 --> 00:30:14,240 landscape plan in any of the the files. There was um only a landscape plan that 325 00:30:11,399 --> 00:30:21,440 showed like the air the 10 foot areas essentially um but and also a long gram. 326 00:30:16,760 --> 00:30:26,399 So essentially all Long Graham and um and then the two 327 00:30:23,799 --> 00:30:30,799 entries and actually I'm sorry that was for Fox Ridge. There's they're two 328 00:30:28,240 --> 00:30:34,799 different subdivisions. So Fox Ridge, they did have a landscape plan or not a 329 00:30:32,880 --> 00:30:39,840 plan but just an area of landscaping showing all along Graham Road and the 330 00:30:37,120 --> 00:30:47,600 two other entries. Basically that first block, the first 145t or whatever one 331 00:30:42,960 --> 00:30:54,480 lot depth is for those. So based on that that whatever discussions happened in 332 00:30:50,320 --> 00:30:54,480 the past that is 333 00:30:54,840 --> 00:31:05,520 um so by not granting the variance deprivives them of 334 00:31:02,039 --> 00:31:12,320 the normal privilege of having a sign that if the subdivision had been 335 00:31:09,080 --> 00:31:17,600 designed in a way that I would consider more typical they would have the space. 336 00:31:15,279 --> 00:31:22,799 Like for instance, if someone was doing a subdivision now, I would advise them 337 00:31:19,520 --> 00:31:27,799 to do a private tract rather than plan to put anything in the public right away 338 00:31:30,159 --> 00:31:38,640 is so in the in this in the subdivision sign part of the code. Um does it say 339 00:31:37,360 --> 00:31:42,480 anything about where it's supposed to be located? 340 00:31:40,640 --> 00:31:49,360 Not specifically. just just out of it's common for it to 341 00:31:45,360 --> 00:31:53,760 be in the main road in and out. Um but it can be located in other places too, 342 00:31:52,399 --> 00:31:59,080 right? Yeah. I mean it's called the entrance sign in our code. So entrance 343 00:32:22,480 --> 00:32:27,679 Okay, I think that's enough questions for now. Um, if I have some more, I 344 00:32:26,240 --> 00:32:32,320 might bring it back up and ask them later, but I'll I'm going to move over 345 00:32:29,120 --> 00:32:32,320 to the applicant. Thank you very 346 00:32:32,440 --> 00:32:35,440 much. All 347 00:32:37,880 --> 00:32:45,919 right. Okay. We have the uh applicants uh opportunity for their presentation or 348 00:32:43,519 --> 00:32:49,360 testimony and we have Mr. Carl Mson on behalf of the Foxridge Homeowners 349 00:32:47,519 --> 00:32:53,760 Association. Well, this is fascinating listening to 350 00:32:51,360 --> 00:32:57,600 your questions and I have to apologize to both of you. This is the first time 351 00:32:55,919 --> 00:33:02,159 of course I I wouldn't be able to anticipate what was going to be asked. 352 00:32:59,919 --> 00:33:06,480 Okay. Uh Ria, real quick, can I have you go to the podium? There's some just 353 00:33:04,240 --> 00:33:10,480 because we're being videotaped. Uh and just have you identify yourself with 354 00:33:07,840 --> 00:33:13,600 your voice for the record. MSON medical a Okay. And do you swear or affirm any 355 00:33:12,399 --> 00:33:18,080 testimony you give me the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth? 356 00:33:15,039 --> 00:33:24,840 I do. Okay. Please proceed, sir. Yesterday I went door to door with some 357 00:33:20,880 --> 00:33:28,799 handouts and um I'm going to give you one whether you need it or not. Okay. 358 00:33:27,679 --> 00:33:32,880 I'll take a look at it and then we'll enter it into the record with an exhibit 359 00:33:30,320 --> 00:33:38,760 number. And what I said when I went to the doors of the people that I talked to 360 00:33:35,279 --> 00:33:43,519 was I'm Carl Mson from Don and East Angie. Uh there have been some 361 00:33:41,279 --> 00:33:49,440 misunderstanding with regards to the proposed entry monument. I'm going door 362 00:33:46,640 --> 00:33:54,880 todoor and presenting this handout. The first page contains answers to 363 00:33:52,480 --> 00:34:01,679 frequently asked questions. The second page shows where the design concept came 364 00:33:58,240 --> 00:34:05,679 from. And the third page has the site plan and 365 00:34:03,240 --> 00:34:10,079 elevation. Uh tomorrow morning we're going to be having a meeting at city 366 00:34:07,360 --> 00:34:14,320 hall at 9:00 and you're certainly welcome to attend. And that's all I 367 00:34:11,919 --> 00:34:18,760 said. Some of the people were really interested and one of those uh well was 368 00:34:17,520 --> 00:34:24,800 actually a couple. Molly and Bob Deolt were 369 00:34:22,800 --> 00:34:32,079 actually the first president and secretary of the homeowners association. 370 00:34:28,480 --> 00:34:37,440 they invited me in and uh we got to talking about this and this is the part 371 00:34:35,200 --> 00:34:42,079 where I have to apologize to Lisa because I just didn't think of 372 00:34:38,800 --> 00:34:48,800 mentioning it. But I mentioned to them that the city uh was having a tough time 373 00:34:45,359 --> 00:34:53,679 finding all the records and Molly said, "Oh, well, I've got them." She had kept 374 00:34:51,839 --> 00:34:57,160 all the records from when they were secretary and president of the first 375 00:34:55,839 --> 00:35:02,160 homeowners association. So Bob went into the 376 00:35:00,160 --> 00:35:06,240 bedroom and he came back out with some files and we started going over them and 377 00:35:04,560 --> 00:35:13,599 you know I don't remember too much just a lot of words. But one thing that uh 378 00:35:09,440 --> 00:35:20,240 was originally proposed and not done was entry monuments at all three entrances. 379 00:35:17,000 --> 00:35:24,079 Um, I mention this because it might be relevant and I'm sorry I didn't mention 380 00:35:22,240 --> 00:35:28,320 it earlier. Okay. Are these documents you have with 381 00:35:26,240 --> 00:35:33,760 you? I'm sorry. Do you have these documents with you? No. Okay. This is 382 00:35:31,040 --> 00:35:38,320 something you could get. Yes. For us. Yes. I'll consider that at the end, but 383 00:35:36,560 --> 00:35:42,960 that's I I might leave the record open so that you can have those sent over so 384 00:35:40,640 --> 00:35:46,320 I can Well, and and Mr. Rodriguez as well, so we can review them before this 385 00:35:44,720 --> 00:35:52,880 decision, too. So, yeah, that would be good. Okay, continue. Okay. 386 00:35:50,040 --> 00:35:57,599 Uh, I I'll kind of explain how this all came about and I'll try to keep it as 387 00:35:54,480 --> 00:36:01,520 short as possible. Uh, I was a commercial real estate appraiser for 50 388 00:35:59,599 --> 00:36:07,760 years. I did my first appraisal of a subdivision in Lynen in 389 00:36:04,200 --> 00:36:14,079 1972. The value, as I recall, of the lot, sidewalks, curbs, gutters, all 390 00:36:10,920 --> 00:36:16,320 utilities, conduit, so on and so forth, was 391 00:36:16,760 --> 00:36:23,720 $3,250. That was then. The last appraisal I did was in 392 00:36:21,599 --> 00:36:32,680 Muckle Teal. That was in 2022. Same scenario, no view. And the 393 00:36:28,480 --> 00:36:32,680 estimated value was $325,000. 394 00:36:33,480 --> 00:36:40,359 $325,000. Of course, wouldn't wash in Medical Lake, uh, where you can still 395 00:36:38,000 --> 00:36:46,280 buy a house for $325,000, but that's an indication of 396 00:36:43,040 --> 00:36:52,240 what was going on over there. I then retired. Uh, I won't go get into the 397 00:36:49,520 --> 00:36:56,720 reasons why I moved to Medical Lake, but I found out about Medical Lake when US 398 00:36:54,960 --> 00:37:01,119 Bank sent me over here to do an appraisal of a proposed subdivision on 399 00:36:58,960 --> 00:37:07,920 Tulie Pond. And uh it was interesting. Uh I saw 400 00:37:05,680 --> 00:37:12,000 tremendous potential for this area. You've got West Medical Lake, Medical 401 00:37:10,480 --> 00:37:17,280 Lake, and all the other lakes. You've got multiple ponds. It's something of a 402 00:37:14,000 --> 00:37:21,359 waterland around here. Uh but the only thing that I could see at that time that 403 00:37:19,359 --> 00:37:27,839 was really of significance was the Howlet Home that was built in 1890. Not 404 00:37:24,480 --> 00:37:32,079 much had been done since then. Anyway, long story short, when Wendy and 405 00:37:30,240 --> 00:37:37,520 I decided to move over in this direction from Belleview, uh I remembered that I 406 00:37:35,760 --> 00:37:41,920 also remembered that at the time I did the appraisal, Medical Lake school 407 00:37:39,480 --> 00:37:45,920 district had the highest test scores of any school district in central and 408 00:37:43,839 --> 00:37:53,040 eastern Washington, just a little bit below Belleview, Isiqua, and Northshore. 409 00:37:50,320 --> 00:37:57,760 That was impressive. Uh spoke well for the community. So when we decided to 410 00:37:55,040 --> 00:38:05,200 move over in this direction by be because of that and because of the uh 411 00:38:01,359 --> 00:38:09,839 ambiance of the area and uh the proximity to the airport um I said why 412 00:38:08,000 --> 00:38:13,839 don't we move to medical lake so that's what we 413 00:38:10,920 --> 00:38:21,040 did now having appraised hundreds of subdivisions and having bought in uh Fox 414 00:38:17,880 --> 00:38:27,280 Hill uh I approached this is about three years ago the uh homeowners associ ation 415 00:38:24,440 --> 00:38:34,079 president and I said why don't we have an entry monument because uh entry 416 00:38:31,320 --> 00:38:43,040 monuments increase value that's not just value but also absorption rate uh I 417 00:38:37,520 --> 00:38:48,640 noticed uh in the mid to late 1980s uh when I was doing subdivision appraisals 418 00:38:45,119 --> 00:38:54,079 that uh you could take two subdivisions which were essentially the same and put 419 00:38:51,200 --> 00:39:00,000 an a nice entry monument, not you know just anything but it has to be nice and 420 00:38:56,880 --> 00:39:04,160 that would definitely enhance value. Uh the degree to which it would enhance 421 00:39:02,079 --> 00:39:10,400 value depended on the number of lots, the location and other intervening 422 00:39:06,200 --> 00:39:16,960 variables but it always did and I just kind of developed a rule of thumb of 423 00:39:12,800 --> 00:39:21,920 about 5% as far as the increase that that that it would enhance value. 424 00:39:19,839 --> 00:39:26,720 So, I mentioned this to the homeowners association president and he said that 425 00:39:24,640 --> 00:39:30,880 they had talked about it in the past, but no one would take the lead. Well, I 426 00:39:29,200 --> 00:39:37,200 brought it up. So, I said, "Well, I'll do it." And then it's become quite a an 427 00:39:34,359 --> 00:39:44,160 undertaking. First of all, I went down to Mutual Materials and asked for the 428 00:39:39,280 --> 00:39:50,400 names of five masons who would be uh good for this sort of a project. And I 429 00:39:46,240 --> 00:39:56,640 was given five names. I called all of them. Um, two of them never did return 430 00:39:53,599 --> 00:40:03,520 my calls and I can only speculate that it was because this project was just too 431 00:39:59,079 --> 00:40:09,040 small. Uh, and other two got back to me but gave me bids that were indicative 432 00:40:07,000 --> 00:40:13,280 that, you know, if we're going to pay that much money, they'll go ahead and do 433 00:40:10,800 --> 00:40:19,280 it. But that was it was too much money. But uh Marty Bland of Bland Masonry uh 434 00:40:17,040 --> 00:40:25,040 was competitive and seemed to know what he was doing. He had done a number of 435 00:40:22,800 --> 00:40:30,560 entry monuments. He showed me one where it was a gated community was really 436 00:40:27,240 --> 00:40:34,880 beautiful. So I went with him. Then there was the question of the concept 437 00:40:33,119 --> 00:40:41,800 and what I just gave you on the second page shows that. uh then uh getting the 438 00:40:38,880 --> 00:40:48,480 design done and um during that process I discovered that 439 00:40:45,200 --> 00:40:52,240 uh Mr. Bland does the masonry but he does not do the excavation. So I had to 440 00:40:50,880 --> 00:40:57,599 find somebody that would do the excavation and that took some time. Uh I 441 00:40:55,680 --> 00:41:02,200 called a number of people that were recommended to me and it wasn't until 442 00:40:59,599 --> 00:41:08,880 yesterday that I really got a firm number and uh it was uh a very happy 443 00:41:06,880 --> 00:41:14,319 moment because the cost for the excavation was significantly less than 444 00:41:11,200 --> 00:41:18,960 what I anticipated it would be. So anyway during that process we also have 445 00:41:16,880 --> 00:41:26,880 to get a variance because of what you have been discussing and 446 00:41:21,880 --> 00:41:33,839 um I think that ultimately uh based on my own experience uh this entry monument 447 00:41:30,800 --> 00:41:39,839 would enhance value significantly. We have 180 lots in uh 448 00:41:37,000 --> 00:41:45,839 Foxbridge and I'm not going to say, you know, and the 5% applies to lot value, 449 00:41:43,040 --> 00:41:52,000 not the finished home value, but it's still if you take 180 lots and I'm not 450 00:41:49,760 --> 00:41:57,200 going to say what market value is. My professional designation does not allow 451 00:41:54,160 --> 00:42:03,040 me to to speculate unless I've actually done an appraisal. But I can say that 452 00:42:00,079 --> 00:42:10,079 the assessor's value for the vast majority of lots in Fox Ridge is 453 00:42:06,440 --> 00:42:15,160 $80,000. And if you take $80,000 times 180 lots, and my memory isn't always the 454 00:42:12,480 --> 00:42:20,800 best, but I think that's about 14,400,000, 5% of that is a very high 455 00:42:18,160 --> 00:42:25,839 number. Even if you just go with 2% of that, it's way above the cost, which 456 00:42:23,119 --> 00:42:32,880 will be under $30,000 for the entry monument. So, uh I think this is a very 457 00:42:29,119 --> 00:42:38,839 feasible project. It does not preclude uh doing other things that are necessary 458 00:42:35,520 --> 00:42:44,640 within the subdivision and um it will not raise homeowners 459 00:42:41,520 --> 00:42:49,359 association fees, so on and so forth. The things that people worry about and I 460 00:42:46,720 --> 00:42:54,319 answer in this handout. Did you have any further questions for me? Uh yeah, I 461 00:42:52,160 --> 00:42:57,760 guess I just want to follow up on the documents you saw at your neighbor's 462 00:42:55,839 --> 00:43:04,240 house. Um, if you remember seeing anything in there about entry monuments. 463 00:43:00,160 --> 00:43:12,720 Yes. Do you remember what it said or? Just that they were proposed and and as 464 00:43:08,000 --> 00:43:18,240 uh is evident never done. Well, without knowing what it says, it's 465 00:43:16,400 --> 00:43:22,640 I guess I don't want to speculate too much, but it's possible it might be 466 00:43:19,760 --> 00:43:28,000 approved in those documents. So, I would really like it might be. Yeah. I forgive 467 00:43:25,280 --> 00:43:31,200 me. I I didn't realize how important that moment was. Well, I guess I'll just 468 00:43:29,920 --> 00:43:35,119 say now before we go on with the rest of the hearing that I that I am going to 469 00:43:32,800 --> 00:43:39,520 request that you get those documents uh over to us uh so we can review them. So, 470 00:43:37,760 --> 00:43:44,640 I'm going to keep the record open at the end of today's hearing um so that we can 471 00:43:42,000 --> 00:43:48,400 get those documents. Um I guess I'll just say for the record, I'm only 472 00:43:45,920 --> 00:43:51,599 keeping it open for that purpose. I may keep it open for other reasons at a 473 00:43:49,839 --> 00:43:56,480 later time, but I'm going to request that you send um Miss Rodriguez and and 474 00:43:54,960 --> 00:43:59,760 us a copy of those documents, or you can send them to her and she can forward 475 00:43:57,520 --> 00:44:02,960 them to us, whatever is easier for you. We can get you that contact information 476 00:44:01,119 --> 00:44:07,599 at the end of the hearing. I think what I'll do is ask Lisa to come with me and 477 00:44:05,200 --> 00:44:13,400 we'll we'll go out and go through them. Okay. One by one. Um I think that's a 478 00:44:09,520 --> 00:44:13,400 very good idea. Um 479 00:44:13,920 --> 00:44:18,480 so, uh I I I think that's all the questions I'm gonna have for you right 480 00:44:16,800 --> 00:44:21,680 now. I might something might come up again from the public comments and 481 00:44:19,760 --> 00:44:25,680 you'll have an opportunity to, you know, come back up and give rebuttal 482 00:44:23,280 --> 00:44:28,800 testimony, too. If I remember uh any other questions I have for you, I'll be 483 00:44:27,280 --> 00:44:32,800 sure to bring it back up and ask ask them of you. But, um, thank you for your 484 00:44:31,280 --> 00:44:37,880 for your testimony. I'm going to move us to public comment. Yeah, you're welcome. 485 00:44:34,800 --> 00:44:37,880 Thank you. 486 00:44:47,680 --> 00:44:54,480 Okay. So, uh, just to go over real quick, um, for those who signed up, um, 487 00:44:52,960 --> 00:44:56,880 I'm just going to go through the list I have, and then I'll check and see if 488 00:44:55,599 --> 00:45:00,079 there's anyone on Zoom who wants to testify. I'm going to call you in order 489 00:44:58,800 --> 00:45:03,359 you on here. I'll have you come up to the podium, state your name and address 490 00:45:01,680 --> 00:45:07,280 for the record, and then I'll have you swear uh an oath before you provide 491 00:45:05,240 --> 00:45:10,640 testimony. Uh, as I stated before, you'll have up to up to five minutes. uh 492 00:45:09,440 --> 00:45:15,200 because that's a little longer than usual, we are going to do a hard stop at 493 00:45:12,560 --> 00:45:18,319 five minutes. So, just to prepare you, if you're hitting the fiveminute mark 494 00:45:16,240 --> 00:45:22,319 and we cut you off, uh please don't be offended, but it's for the purposes of 495 00:45:20,400 --> 00:45:28,440 us keeping uh this hearing moving forward in an orderly fashion. So, first 496 00:45:24,319 --> 00:45:28,440 I have uh Ted Adams. 497 00:45:38,000 --> 00:45:45,520 Hey, state your name and address. Ted Adams. Uh address is North 1112 North. 498 00:45:44,160 --> 00:45:48,079 Okay. And do you swear or affirm any testimony you give? Be the truth, the 499 00:45:46,800 --> 00:45:52,160 whole truth, and nothing but the truth. It is, sir. All right. Please proceed. 500 00:45:49,760 --> 00:45:57,560 Um, first when this came about, I saw the sign. I approached Ted uh Ted Olsson 501 00:45:54,720 --> 00:46:02,480 with a lot of concerns about this. Um, and it's interesting that this 502 00:46:00,720 --> 00:46:07,599 showed up at my house last night um, while I was gone. As you can see, I made 503 00:46:05,040 --> 00:46:11,680 a whole bunch of notes on it. And it's great that Mr. Mson gave us whole 504 00:46:09,119 --> 00:46:16,160 history of how we ended up here. Um, I could have that whole spill last night. 505 00:46:13,520 --> 00:46:20,079 I actually had that spill ready. But when I got over to Ted Olson's house 506 00:46:17,920 --> 00:46:24,560 this morning, he said, "I can only argue about the 507 00:46:21,079 --> 00:46:27,880 variance." Well, this is all great. The one thing that hasn't been addressed is 508 00:46:26,480 --> 00:46:34,920 there hasn't been any comment, letters, anything regarding 509 00:46:30,560 --> 00:46:42,160 fire code, fire access, nothing like that. Now, there was a gentleman that 510 00:46:38,319 --> 00:46:47,359 brought up the concern about vehicles sliding into the medium. I can testify 511 00:46:45,520 --> 00:46:51,560 that a couple years ago on Christmas day I was heading to a friend's house for 512 00:46:48,560 --> 00:46:57,839 Christmas. I actually slid up onto the median because the lack of proper care 513 00:46:54,720 --> 00:47:04,240 of the roads. So that is a huge concern that has not been addressed. Now the 514 00:47:00,960 --> 00:47:11,520 city planner states that she believes that the medians were made possibly for 515 00:47:08,440 --> 00:47:17,440 that. That's speculation. I find it interesting that now all of a 516 00:47:14,480 --> 00:47:24,800 sudden once there's been push back about this proposed HOA monument that now it's 517 00:47:22,480 --> 00:47:30,880 coming to light that oh magic papers have appeared but yet if it were me I 518 00:47:28,800 --> 00:47:35,359 would have had them here to present to you 519 00:47:31,640 --> 00:47:40,079 sir just for the fact that we know that they exist they're here I understand and 520 00:47:38,079 --> 00:47:45,839 respect that you're leaving it open for you to view, but I would call into 521 00:47:42,680 --> 00:47:49,319 question if that is really the proper way that this should have been 522 00:47:47,240 --> 00:47:54,359 proceeded. Um, you know, again, I really would like 523 00:47:52,240 --> 00:48:01,520 to have argued a lot of the points on this note. Um, but 524 00:47:58,040 --> 00:48:09,680 unfortunately, I'm not going to. I do feel that this is a joke because it has 525 00:48:05,480 --> 00:48:14,560 been put the carriage before the horse. This HOA board should have voted on this 526 00:48:11,520 --> 00:48:20,240 prior to getting to this point. Thank you for your time, sir. I appreciate you 527 00:48:16,480 --> 00:48:20,240 hearing me out. Thank you, 528 00:48:29,079 --> 00:48:33,880 sir. All right, Connie Olsen. 529 00:48:45,040 --> 00:48:51,280 Connie Olsen, 810 East Colin Avenue. Okay. And do you swear or affirm any 530 00:48:50,000 --> 00:48:56,160 testimony you'll give? Be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. 531 00:48:53,040 --> 00:49:00,680 Okay. Please proceed. Um, I know this is only for a variance, but I was a school 532 00:48:58,559 --> 00:49:05,760 bus driver here in medical lake for 25 years. And in any other given time, 533 00:49:04,000 --> 00:49:09,440 there may be plenty of room to come around there. And that's if you're 534 00:49:07,359 --> 00:49:13,119 going, you know, you have to know how to get around it. You go slow. Well, not 535 00:49:11,440 --> 00:49:18,720 everybody goes slow. And then you have to account for the ice and the pileup of 536 00:49:15,680 --> 00:49:23,000 snow everywhere. and the amount of traffic going in and out of there in the 537 00:49:20,240 --> 00:49:27,640 winter, it doesn't provide um a lot of room for buses to to 538 00:49:25,920 --> 00:49:32,079 maneuver through there. You can get around there very 539 00:49:30,240 --> 00:49:38,720 slowly, but when you're talking about a huge um piece of equipment on ice, we 540 00:49:36,319 --> 00:49:45,240 all know that you don't know you're not going slow enough until you aren't, you 541 00:49:42,240 --> 00:49:49,599 know, until you hit the middle. Um, it does really concern me just 542 00:49:47,680 --> 00:49:53,680 because we've seen things go wrong there. They're talking about the way the 543 00:49:51,680 --> 00:49:58,480 buzz the way they turn and stuff and maybe know a wheel doesn't go on there, 544 00:49:56,000 --> 00:50:04,319 but when it turns the wheel is under the bus, the front part of the bus goes over 545 00:50:01,119 --> 00:50:07,680 the top of that and um my husband observed that this morning with one of 546 00:50:05,599 --> 00:50:11,200 the buses coming around the corner. Other than that, I just don't have 547 00:50:09,119 --> 00:50:16,960 anything more to say. Deans, it's only a variance, but 548 00:50:13,920 --> 00:50:24,319 I as I when I found out about this, I was totally incensed only 549 00:50:21,079 --> 00:50:29,640 because I don't want to be divided from the rest of the town and have a 550 00:50:27,079 --> 00:50:35,680 monument. Is it beautiful? Absolutely. Do Do most of the people up 551 00:50:32,079 --> 00:50:41,400 there want it? No, they don't. Um, this is a rocky area around here. We've seen 552 00:50:38,319 --> 00:50:48,000 a few monuments, if you call them that. Um, I don't want to be exclusive. We 553 00:50:44,480 --> 00:50:52,359 love our neighborhood and we just want it to be safe for everybody, but this 554 00:50:50,240 --> 00:50:57,680 was kind of all just done with nobody knowing about it except 555 00:50:55,200 --> 00:51:02,079 for the president and Mr. Mson. As far as I know, I didn't see any information 556 00:51:00,160 --> 00:51:07,400 that this was going to take place. Would we like information? Would we like to be 557 00:51:05,040 --> 00:51:13,680 involved in the picking of such signage? Um, so other than that, I 558 00:51:12,079 --> 00:51:17,960 mean, I've got a lot to say about it, but as far as the variance, I'm not 559 00:51:16,000 --> 00:51:23,319 quite sure that's a thank you for the time. Thank you. 560 00:51:28,640 --> 00:51:32,440 Okay, Wendy Mson. 561 00:51:47,839 --> 00:51:56,319 Can you hear me from here or do I need a microphone? Oh, good. Should be okay. 562 00:51:52,559 --> 00:52:01,040 Thanks. Hard to stand. Um, so you just state your name for Wendy Mson. And some 563 00:51:59,280 --> 00:52:03,680 kind of oath. Yeah. Do you swear or affirm any testimony and give me the 564 00:52:02,480 --> 00:52:09,040 truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth? Yes, I do. Okay. just 565 00:52:05,520 --> 00:52:15,040 proceed. Okay. So, um I'm I actually am a former planner uh with the uh Monroe 566 00:52:12,400 --> 00:52:20,160 County in New York uh planning commission and planning department and 567 00:52:18,160 --> 00:52:26,400 with the California coastal commission and with the uh city of Seattle. Um and 568 00:52:24,319 --> 00:52:33,520 so I have some background in planning and variances etc. Uh also, um I as I 569 00:52:30,880 --> 00:52:38,240 understand it, this is the variance is what we're here for today. This is a 570 00:52:35,839 --> 00:52:44,640 variance on a public right of way and the criteria are in comparison to other 571 00:52:42,400 --> 00:52:49,200 subdivisions, not in comparison to properties within 300 ft. It's an 572 00:52:46,960 --> 00:52:54,480 awkward situation. Where do you send the notice? you know, uh actually 573 00:52:51,520 --> 00:52:59,920 technically you might send a notice to uh any subdivisions within 300 ft of the 574 00:52:57,200 --> 00:53:06,000 boundary of this subdivision. It it's difficult to know and um it's certainly 575 00:53:03,760 --> 00:53:12,000 more interesting to the people in the subdivision, but it actually is in 576 00:53:08,640 --> 00:53:17,440 regard to what uh effect would it have in regard to other subdivisions? I is 577 00:53:14,800 --> 00:53:24,640 that correct? I I don't know. I mean that's what I understood with Alisa. And 578 00:53:20,720 --> 00:53:30,119 so um what what impact would it have in terms of perhaps future subdivisions or 579 00:53:27,680 --> 00:53:36,079 existing subdivisions in terms of your decision? And so as I think it was 580 00:53:33,200 --> 00:53:40,640 mentioned in one of your questions, how would it 581 00:53:37,000 --> 00:53:44,800 affect other right of ways? And it doesn't seem like there are any other 582 00:53:42,720 --> 00:53:50,000 cuz now when somebody would do a subdivision they would be asked where is 583 00:53:46,960 --> 00:53:53,760 your track for a common area. So that wasn't and maybe it was and that's what 584 00:53:52,480 --> 00:53:57,920 we're going to find out apparently because when my husband went around the 585 00:53:55,599 --> 00:54:02,040 other night last night probably about six o'clock I found out this really 586 00:54:00,720 --> 00:54:07,359 interesting information and um this is all part of a 587 00:54:05,359 --> 00:54:13,280 public process so it's nothing conspiratorial. Now, as far as uh the 588 00:54:10,400 --> 00:54:18,960 president Dana of the board, he's been putting this out for at least three, 589 00:54:15,280 --> 00:54:24,400 four years in the minutes of the HOA that we're thinking of a monument and in 590 00:54:21,760 --> 00:54:29,280 all of the newsletters and that's how it came up and anybody who attended those 591 00:54:26,640 --> 00:54:34,480 meetings would know about this just not part of your issue, but this is well 592 00:54:31,440 --> 00:54:39,440 known. So, that's how it he was always asking, does somebody want to research 593 00:54:36,240 --> 00:54:44,400 this? So this is not news and also all these issues which may be important are 594 00:54:41,359 --> 00:54:48,880 public works issues and those should be handled by the permit process through 595 00:54:46,800 --> 00:54:55,040 the public works department which has to happen after a variance is decided upon 596 00:54:51,760 --> 00:55:00,079 one way or another. So that's just a technicality but it's an important one. 597 00:54:57,680 --> 00:55:03,599 It's a chicken and egg thing, a horse before the cart. You have to do 598 00:55:01,359 --> 00:55:08,319 something first. Unfortunately, my husband had to spend two years of his 599 00:55:05,280 --> 00:55:11,760 life figuring all this out. But that's neither here nor there. That's a risk 600 00:55:09,760 --> 00:55:17,119 you take. But it was well known to everybody. Nothing sprung upon anybody 601 00:55:15,200 --> 00:55:22,559 if they were if they were looking at their newsletters or 602 00:55:19,559 --> 00:55:28,079 minutes. I know I'm running out of time. So, a fire code, all those are public 603 00:55:24,640 --> 00:55:36,000 works issues. Uh and uh by the way in terms of intent, why would the city why 604 00:55:30,559 --> 00:55:42,960 would the HOA pay all these years to um water and put uh uh sprinklers in on 605 00:55:40,240 --> 00:55:49,359 this particular tract if they didn't intend to have some HOA use of that 606 00:55:46,559 --> 00:55:55,680 tract and the other two that's a lot of money over the years and that's on the 607 00:55:52,480 --> 00:56:01,119 public rightway as a donation to this city has a very and they must have had 608 00:55:58,480 --> 00:56:07,440 some kind of agreement. Nobody goes out and spends that kind of money every year 609 00:56:03,920 --> 00:56:11,599 uh on these this is a variance issue. Why on earth would we be doing that if 610 00:56:09,920 --> 00:56:17,119 it weren't that we had some kind of interest in it and some kind of formal 611 00:56:13,920 --> 00:56:21,920 agreement? Uh if you look at the old CCNRs for the first part it does say as 612 00:56:19,760 --> 00:56:28,920 part of approval of this agreement we agreed to actually 613 00:56:25,280 --> 00:56:35,839 take care of the sub outside on Graham Road take care of that landscaping and 614 00:56:32,000 --> 00:56:40,480 that's not part of every CCNR because there were five different tracks and 615 00:56:38,240 --> 00:56:44,880 it's very complicated as Lisa knows she's spent her life last few months 616 00:56:42,720 --> 00:56:49,119 trying to figure this out and these papers which he did not know about no 617 00:56:47,119 --> 00:56:54,160 conspiracy here he just found out last night and it's a good thing this isn't 618 00:56:51,200 --> 00:57:00,079 public process we we didn't know Mr. girls and got concerned. He went around 619 00:56:57,000 --> 00:57:03,440 and rallied the troops. And so now we know more. And we wouldn't have known 620 00:57:01,680 --> 00:57:07,760 this if my husband hadn't gone around to try to find out what people did know or 621 00:57:05,280 --> 00:57:11,760 didn't know. So there we go. And so this is part of the public process. It's 622 00:57:09,599 --> 00:57:16,799 nothing that anybody should be concerned about. We're finding information. 623 00:57:14,880 --> 00:57:19,799 Fine. Okay. Thank you. Well, perfectly timed. 624 00:57:26,640 --> 00:57:32,359 You have any questions? Oh, no. Thank you. 625 00:57:35,040 --> 00:57:37,599 Uh, Ted 626 00:57:49,000 --> 00:57:56,319 Olsson. Morning. Ted Olsen, 810 East Colin 627 00:57:54,160 --> 00:57:59,119 Avenue, Medical Lake, Washington. Okay. And do you swear or affirm any testimony 628 00:57:58,000 --> 00:58:02,480 you'll give me? The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Very 629 00:58:00,799 --> 00:58:06,880 true. All right. Please proceed. Thank you. Good morning. Uh, and I want to 630 00:58:04,640 --> 00:58:12,400 thank you for affording me the time to uh speak on the Fox Ridge variance and 631 00:58:09,839 --> 00:58:17,359 I'm speaking for myself as an unofficial representative of the homeowners at 632 00:58:14,480 --> 00:58:22,640 Foxbridgeidge Developments. two major reasons not to approve the 633 00:58:19,520 --> 00:58:27,280 variance. Number one is the monument could be harmful harmful to the public 634 00:58:25,400 --> 00:58:31,839 welfare. I have lived in this development for 10 years. I've lived in 635 00:58:28,960 --> 00:58:35,160 the medical lake area for 32 years and been a resident of Eastern Washington my 636 00:58:33,839 --> 00:58:41,359 entire life. because of poor driving or before 637 00:58:39,359 --> 00:58:47,200 uh excuse me be uh because of poor drainage. Winter snow and ice form 638 00:58:44,079 --> 00:58:52,079 around the medium. Every winter at least one person slides into that media, me 639 00:58:49,720 --> 00:58:57,720 included. It's solid ice. There's no way for it to drain. And if we add snow to 640 00:58:54,960 --> 00:59:03,040 the problem, it makes it even more hazardous. A wheel light a wheel 641 00:59:00,480 --> 00:59:08,400 alignment cost uh is much less than a crash into a proposed monument. 642 00:59:06,799 --> 00:59:13,680 I've been a school bus driver, a substitute school bus driver for Medical 643 00:59:10,559 --> 00:59:20,160 Lake for the last nine years. In a 40-foot school bus, that corner, Graham 644 00:59:16,480 --> 00:59:25,440 Road and Fox Ridge Road, is difficult to manage in the best of conditions. 645 00:59:23,119 --> 00:59:30,480 Although I have never hit a curb of the median, the front of the bus usually 646 00:59:28,079 --> 00:59:36,280 sticks out into the median to avoid the back tires on the passenger side from 647 00:59:32,880 --> 00:59:42,680 going over the media over the curb. At this time, I'd like to read a 648 00:59:39,440 --> 00:59:48,480 short statement from uh Katherine Bivven. She operates the position of 649 00:59:46,000 --> 00:59:52,960 driver trainer and she's a longstanding member or driver in the medical lake 650 00:59:50,720 --> 00:59:56,960 school district. Having both trained drivers in Medical Lake and been 651 00:59:54,640 --> 01:00:01,680 specifically contracted to the Fox Ridge route for at least two years, I would 652 01:00:00,000 --> 01:00:06,400 like to state it is my personal opinion that having any type of monument in the 653 01:00:03,920 --> 01:00:11,599 median at the entrance to Fox Ridge could definitely be a distraction or a 654 01:00:08,720 --> 01:00:15,680 hazard to drivers. This is one of the most precarious turns I make in Medical 655 01:00:13,520 --> 01:00:19,839 Lake with a bus due to the combination of the angle you approach the street 656 01:00:17,200 --> 01:00:24,240 from Graham Road and the maneuvering you have to do onto the street without 657 01:00:21,599 --> 01:00:27,760 running into the median. This is particularly precarious in the winter 658 01:00:25,920 --> 01:00:33,440 months where there is snow on the ground. It is my belief that it is not 659 01:00:31,119 --> 01:00:38,280 an optimal location for a seemingly unnecessary and visually obstructing 660 01:00:35,520 --> 01:00:45,599 object of any sort. Thank you for your consideration. That's Katherine Bivven. 661 01:00:41,200 --> 01:00:49,440 I also spoke with my uh boss and this week unfortunately I had to take the 662 01:00:47,119 --> 01:00:53,440 morning off to come here. They are very short-handed and the state patrol is 663 01:00:50,960 --> 01:00:57,280 inspecting all the buses. So otherwise my boss would have been here also to 664 01:00:55,839 --> 01:01:02,400 testify the same thing that I'm testifying to. 665 01:01:00,000 --> 01:01:06,480 And as my wife pointed out this morning, I watched a bus go around the corner 666 01:01:04,000 --> 01:01:11,760 because I took some pictures at the at the bottom of the 667 01:01:07,640 --> 01:01:16,280 hill for another purpose. And I saw bus number 28 come around the corner nice 668 01:01:15,280 --> 01:01:21,359 and smoothly. And he his back tires did not 669 01:01:19,040 --> 01:01:26,799 hit the curb. His front tires did not hit the medium, but the front of the bus 670 01:01:23,680 --> 01:01:31,040 stuck over into the medium that far. it would have hit any monument that is 671 01:01:34,200 --> 01:01:41,000 there. One more item is worth mentioning. There are two utility access 672 01:01:38,880 --> 01:01:46,559 covers between the median and Graham Road. And having worked as an equipment 673 01:01:43,520 --> 01:01:52,559 operator my life for Washington State, I can tell you that the the 674 01:01:49,559 --> 01:01:56,240 median's monument would be in jeopardy if there's any digging that has to be 675 01:01:54,160 --> 01:02:01,760 done there. And I was also told by a city maintenance worker that there's 676 01:01:58,799 --> 01:02:05,160 possibly a water mane line in the proximity of where the proposed monument 677 01:02:03,680 --> 01:02:10,319 is going to be. And we all know that these things 678 01:02:07,920 --> 01:02:15,799 break once in a while. But and I also have two more pictures. Can you bring 679 01:02:12,000 --> 01:02:15,799 those pictures up, please? 680 01:02:20,880 --> 01:02:26,000 I took two pictures this morning for your 681 01:02:28,599 --> 01:02:36,079 consideration. One reason for 682 01:02:33,319 --> 01:02:42,160 please. Now the one one shows the sewer line which is just a couple of feet uh 683 01:02:39,760 --> 01:02:45,680 right in front of the media. This the other picture shows a water line which 684 01:02:43,839 --> 01:02:49,040 is further out but that's a different water line. 685 01:02:47,040 --> 01:02:55,160 If you go back to the bigger one where the sewer line is right there, you'll 686 01:02:51,280 --> 01:03:00,480 notice a crack in the in the uh asphalt just slightly behind about where 687 01:02:57,839 --> 01:03:05,119 this where this monument is proposed. And this is where the speculation lies 688 01:03:03,040 --> 01:03:09,760 and I don't know for sure yet, but they said there's probably a big main water 689 01:03:07,119 --> 01:03:14,880 line that goes underneath right there. Definitely. 690 01:03:11,680 --> 01:03:19,280 Okay. Uh I think that's all I had anyway. So that was perfect timing. 691 01:03:16,559 --> 01:03:23,240 Thank you for your time. I appreciate Thank you, sir. Thank you. 692 01:03:23,839 --> 01:03:29,760 All right. Is there anyone else uh present here who didn't sign up who 693 01:03:27,200 --> 01:03:32,079 wishes to testify? You do, 694 01:03:32,760 --> 01:03:39,359 sir. Um we'll get you to I'll get you to come up and you can set your name for 695 01:03:37,280 --> 01:03:43,760 the record. Then I'll have you sign up on here as well. 696 01:03:41,920 --> 01:03:47,920 You can you can sign it uh write your name down after you're done testifying. 697 01:03:45,440 --> 01:03:56,880 Okay. Good. Thank you. My name is Scott Quigley and um I live 698 01:03:51,680 --> 01:04:01,760 in that area on on Terra Lee Boulevard at the top of the hill. It's 1012 is the 699 01:03:59,839 --> 01:04:04,240 actual address. Okay. Do you swear or affirm any testimony to give me the 700 01:04:03,119 --> 01:04:09,039 truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth? Yes, I do. Okay. Please 701 01:04:05,839 --> 01:04:14,559 proceed. So, I had a couple of comments um that came about from other people 702 01:04:12,319 --> 01:04:23,839 making comments. One one of those comments was that 703 01:04:18,440 --> 01:04:31,000 the the signage, the monument that it was uh going to be at the primary 704 01:04:27,559 --> 01:04:39,000 entrance because of where I live on Teri. Uh I'm able to see a lot of the 705 01:04:34,559 --> 01:04:44,599 traffic uh that goes up and down that street. And uh had I known I was 706 01:04:42,400 --> 01:04:51,520 actually going to um speak today, I might have gone out 707 01:04:48,000 --> 01:04:56,880 there yesterday and counted cars. So I I don't have an official count. I just 708 01:04:53,920 --> 01:05:05,599 know it's a lot because every time they come up, the lights shine right in the 709 01:04:59,839 --> 01:05:12,480 windows of our house. Um so um there are at least what I would think three 710 01:05:08,559 --> 01:05:18,000 primary entrances and um and so we're leaving with this proposal and what's 711 01:05:15,680 --> 01:05:26,760 being talked about today. We're actually leaving two uh of those entrances out of 712 01:05:23,119 --> 01:05:26,760 the of consideration. 713 01:05:27,599 --> 01:05:38,640 And then um I I just wanted to uh say I have 714 01:05:35,359 --> 01:05:44,799 excuse me uh I have um opportunities to go to the homeowner association meetings 715 01:05:41,680 --> 01:05:51,440 and someone said oh gosh it's been on the agenda many times and and we talk 716 01:05:49,039 --> 01:05:57,520 about you know plenty of opportunity for all the homeowners to have heard that 717 01:05:54,039 --> 01:06:03,119 information. I I I disagree. I I'm a homeowner and and I and I've been to to 718 01:06:00,559 --> 01:06:08,880 some of the meetings. Not not didn't make it to every single one of them, but 719 01:06:04,799 --> 01:06:15,520 to to many of them. But I uh suspect that somewhere because there's always an 720 01:06:12,079 --> 01:06:21,039 agenda. There's a written agenda that must be a document that we could 721 01:06:17,920 --> 01:06:26,920 probably easily lay our hands on to see in fact if everybody did have as much 722 01:06:24,160 --> 01:06:35,520 opportunity as as we're uh leading ourselves to believe. So uh 723 01:06:31,680 --> 01:06:41,680 so that's all I have to say and I'll sign the yes please. Thank 724 01:06:39,160 --> 01:06:46,039 you. Is there anyone else who's present here who wishes to provide testimony? 725 01:06:54,559 --> 01:06:56,880 Do you 726 01:07:01,960 --> 01:07:10,480 have to issue more? 727 01:07:07,839 --> 01:07:14,559 But how often have we had All right. Yeah. Um I I'll circle back if he 728 01:07:12,960 --> 01:07:19,760 changes his mind before I close public comments. So I'll consider it. But is 729 01:07:17,200 --> 01:07:24,720 there anyone on Zoom who is there anyone even connected to Zoom? 730 01:07:22,559 --> 01:07:30,079 City administrator. Okay. 731 01:07:27,680 --> 01:07:33,039 All right sir. Uh so I am about to close public comment. So now will be the last 732 01:07:31,760 --> 01:07:37,280 chance if you want to give public comment. 733 01:07:35,440 --> 01:07:45,240 I just wanted to corroborate my statement that there have been 734 01:07:39,960 --> 01:07:45,240 many corroborate that statement I made. 735 01:07:46,640 --> 01:07:54,799 Let me state your name and address for the record and I'll have you sign. Dana 736 01:07:49,720 --> 01:07:57,760 D'vorak. I live at 106 Fox Ridge Road Medical Lake. Okay. Do you swear affirm 737 01:07:56,559 --> 01:08:00,640 any testimony you give to be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the 738 01:07:58,720 --> 01:08:08,000 truth? I do. uh just as per the 739 01:08:04,720 --> 01:08:13,760 uh incidents of opportunities that have been put out there, the putting in this 740 01:08:10,480 --> 01:08:19,920 uh monument has been something I I started living in the HOA in 2010. Uh I 741 01:08:17,120 --> 01:08:26,319 got involved with the HOA board in 2011 when web properties uh have been hired 742 01:08:22,480 --> 01:08:31,120 as our management company uh because I felt like I needed to be involved with 743 01:08:28,400 --> 01:08:36,319 that particular thing. Um I had never been on a board before or dealt with an 744 01:08:32,960 --> 01:08:42,560 HOA before uh in any kind of capacity but um I know that there have been many 745 01:08:40,319 --> 01:08:49,120 uh meetings when we had web properties. We did quarterly meetings uh up to the 746 01:08:45,199 --> 01:08:55,120 point uh just before COVID um when 2019 when we closed out uh the contract for 747 01:08:51,920 --> 01:09:01,839 web properties. But during several of those meetings uh over the years it had 748 01:08:58,560 --> 01:09:07,440 been brought up by homeowners suggesting that we need to look into getting a 749 01:09:04,960 --> 01:09:15,040 monument placed out there. people discussed different various types and 750 01:09:10,319 --> 01:09:20,560 you know big boulders and whatnot. Um uh in 2019 when uh we got rid of web 751 01:09:18,080 --> 01:09:26,480 properties and I started uh doing the majority myself uh Nicole Richards uh 752 01:09:24,080 --> 01:09:31,839 Glenn was on the board for a while. Ted had been on the board for a while uh 753 01:09:29,239 --> 01:09:36,640 Monica there's a number of folks in our neighborhood. 754 01:09:33,159 --> 01:09:43,440 Um those items had been brought up in a number of meetings but as she said 755 01:09:40,279 --> 01:09:49,839 um a lot of times they never went anywhere because the HOA is all 756 01:09:46,920 --> 01:09:56,080 voluntary. I don't know anything about like the procedure of what he went 757 01:09:52,560 --> 01:09:59,120 through to get us to this point. The best I would have been able to do is go 758 01:09:57,600 --> 01:10:03,199 and try to get an estimate on what it would cost for the monument itself. Um 759 01:10:01,440 --> 01:10:07,679 but nobody ever picked up the project and carried it forward. So it kept 760 01:10:05,360 --> 01:10:15,120 getting mentioned here and there uh at the meetings uh since I had taken over 761 01:10:11,360 --> 01:10:20,560 and I send out uh a newsletter or brief on specific things for that particular 762 01:10:17,440 --> 01:10:27,679 quarter when I send out the quarterly uh invoices for the HOA dues to homeowners 763 01:10:24,159 --> 01:10:35,120 uh whether it be by email or uh by mail more recently. Um, and it doesn't list a 764 01:10:32,480 --> 01:10:42,800 lot of information regarding it, but it would be um, hey, we're continuing to 765 01:10:38,960 --> 01:10:47,719 look at uh, yeah, moving forward with this. We found out this uh, our annual 766 01:10:46,640 --> 01:10:52,960 meeting in 2024. Uh, Carl had come to the meeting 767 01:10:50,640 --> 01:10:59,520 to give an update on it. He had started working on it in 768 01:10:55,080 --> 01:11:04,159 20 2022 2023 time frame with uh going out and talking to people here and 769 01:11:01,280 --> 01:11:07,800 there. It wasn't like a fast-paced project that we're trying to get done 770 01:11:05,960 --> 01:11:14,159 immediately. Um but it has been put out there. Um 771 01:11:12,080 --> 01:11:20,239 invites are sent to every homeowner for the annual meeting. Uh we typically get 772 01:11:17,840 --> 01:11:24,159 about 12 people that actually show up and that probably constitute actually 773 01:11:21,920 --> 01:11:27,920 about seven homes because usually husband and wife will come. 774 01:11:28,280 --> 01:11:36,320 Um I don't know what else to say about for various portions. Um you sent me six 775 01:11:34,159 --> 01:11:42,480 messages that showed it. That's all that's all I wanted to say. I do have 776 01:11:38,400 --> 01:11:46,719 copies of like some of the uh meeting minutes that do have references on them. 777 01:11:45,120 --> 01:11:50,480 I'll take a look. I I might not admit this to the record, but I'll take a look 778 01:11:48,159 --> 01:11:57,040 and see whether I should or not. Um there's an agenda for the 2024 meeting 779 01:11:53,679 --> 01:12:04,960 in there. Um one of the newsletters that I sent out most recently in December for 780 01:11:59,840 --> 01:12:11,280 the first quarter 2025 dues. um that each of those have a mention of the 781 01:12:08,080 --> 01:12:18,800 monument project or the uh update to be given by uh Mr. Mson at the meeting for 782 01:12:15,880 --> 01:12:23,520 2024. Those types of instances I just wanted to prove. Yeah, ma'am. I'm sorry. 783 01:12:21,440 --> 01:12:27,920 Your your public comment portion is is over. Um 784 01:12:26,480 --> 01:12:30,960 yeah, I appreciate you bringing these, but I don't think I'm going to the 785 01:12:29,120 --> 01:12:33,280 record. No, no, it's okay. Thank you very much. All 786 01:12:38,880 --> 01:12:46,480 right, that is going to conclude our public comment portion of today's 787 01:12:43,400 --> 01:12:51,679 hearing. U we're going to move uh back to an opportunity for both uh Miss 788 01:12:48,800 --> 01:12:58,360 Rodriguez and Mr. Mson to provide rebuttal testimony. Mr. Rodriguez, do 789 01:12:53,920 --> 01:12:58,360 you want to uh make any comment? 790 01:13:02,080 --> 01:13:08,080 I just wanted to offer since you're intending to leave the record open that 791 01:13:05,760 --> 01:13:11,840 I could contact the school district. I hadn't gotten comment at this point, but 792 01:13:09,679 --> 01:13:17,040 I could contact them to see if they would like to make written um statement 793 01:13:14,719 --> 01:13:24,640 regarding their position on school buses. Okay. Back here. Oh, sorry. I I 794 01:13:21,520 --> 01:13:28,640 was making the offer to contact the school district to get an official 795 01:13:26,480 --> 01:13:33,199 statement on their position regarding school buses in this particular 796 01:13:30,159 --> 01:13:39,840 intersection. Okay. Yes. And actually I was going to discuss this um because we 797 01:13:36,480 --> 01:13:44,520 don't have uh we did get your uh comment I think Monday from the public works 798 01:13:45,800 --> 01:13:52,640 um fire access was brought up. So maybe a comment from the fire department would 799 01:13:50,960 --> 01:13:57,920 be appropriate as well. I can contact you also. Um so I'm going to direct you 800 01:13:55,520 --> 01:14:02,480 ask I guess um and leave the record open for you to submit comments from uh I 801 01:14:01,120 --> 01:14:06,480 guess the school district or whoever is responsible for the buses district and 802 01:14:04,000 --> 01:14:09,760 fire district 3. Yes. Okay. Um make sure we get those comments on the record and 803 01:14:07,920 --> 01:14:15,920 anyone else you might think is appropriate to have their comments on 804 01:14:11,600 --> 01:14:21,679 the record. Um please uh request comments from them. We'll do. Um, and 805 01:14:18,159 --> 01:14:24,960 then I'm also going to ask if um, you can retrieve for the record a copy of 806 01:14:23,280 --> 01:14:27,679 the final plat and any documents that were recorded with it. So, we can have 807 01:14:26,159 --> 01:14:32,320 that on file and I can take a look at that and maybe compare it to whatever 808 01:14:29,600 --> 01:14:36,800 we're able to get from the applicant or one of the one of the neighbors. Um, so 809 01:14:35,199 --> 01:14:42,320 I can take a look and see if there's any differences in the the final plat as 810 01:14:38,800 --> 01:14:46,320 well. So, anything else from you? No. Thank you. Okay. I'll go over this at 811 01:14:44,239 --> 01:14:50,880 the end to to make it official about what I'm leaving leaving the record open 812 01:14:47,840 --> 01:14:50,880 for. So, thank 813 01:14:51,000 --> 01:14:56,719 you. Uh, Mr. Mson, any rebuttal testimony? And then I I think you're 814 01:14:55,360 --> 01:15:00,000 going to get the last word also. So, we'll make this your opportunity to 815 01:14:58,159 --> 01:15:05,800 provide for further further testimony and then you can have a final word on 816 01:15:02,560 --> 01:15:13,440 your application. Uh as far as placement of the proposed 817 01:15:10,280 --> 01:15:19,280 um entry monument, we took into consideration that there might be some 818 01:15:16,560 --> 01:15:25,480 problem with overlap. The distance between the edge of the front of the 819 01:15:21,920 --> 01:15:32,320 entry monument, excuse me, the center island and the entry monument is 14 ft. 820 01:15:30,480 --> 01:15:38,960 So, we really shouldn't have too much trouble there as far as unless you know 821 01:15:34,719 --> 01:15:43,520 somebody just plows into it. Uh, with regards to 822 01:15:40,360 --> 01:15:47,320 utilities, obviously we would check with a vist to make sure that we weren't 823 01:15:45,280 --> 01:15:52,880 disrupting anything. 824 01:15:49,719 --> 01:15:59,920 Um, I will say what the the the statement was made that everybody is 825 01:15:55,840 --> 01:16:06,080 opposed to this. I took yesterday north of Tara Lee. They were all very very 826 01:16:02,560 --> 01:16:10,800 much in favor of it. So, and that I'm I kind of understand the reason for that, 827 01:16:08,239 --> 01:16:16,400 but I won't get into that now. Thank you. Okay. Um, and just real quick, have 828 01:16:13,520 --> 01:16:20,159 you stay up here? Um, so I am going to uh request that you I know I already 829 01:16:18,480 --> 01:16:24,080 said this, but just to have it official on a record, I'm going to request that 830 01:16:21,679 --> 01:16:29,199 you try to achieve uh whatever documents it is. Is it is it possibly a final 831 01:16:26,400 --> 01:16:32,480 approval decision for the final plat or is it do you remember off the top of 832 01:16:30,719 --> 01:16:37,760 your head what what the I don't remember off the top of my head but that's very 833 01:16:34,560 --> 01:16:42,239 probable. She had a lot of stuff. Okay. Um I guess I'll ask you to be over 834 01:16:40,400 --> 01:16:45,120 inclusive. If it turns out it's not really relevant to me. That's fine. 835 01:16:43,520 --> 01:16:50,400 We'll just make it part of the record. So, whatever you can get that is part of 836 01:16:47,360 --> 01:16:55,679 the final plat final plat decision, any associated agreements, um please uh make 837 01:16:54,080 --> 01:17:00,400 sure you get those and and we'll get those into the record and I will review 838 01:16:57,280 --> 01:17:05,440 them. Sure, I will do that. Okay. And then one final question. I know this is 839 01:17:02,000 --> 01:17:09,600 probably more at permit time, but can you say for the record where you're 840 01:17:06,800 --> 01:17:13,679 intending along the median to put the the monument sign if it were approved? 841 01:17:12,159 --> 01:17:18,560 at the front, at the back, in the middle. 14 feet from the front. 14 ft 842 01:17:17,280 --> 01:17:25,760 from the front of the start of the median. Yeah. And the uh I know that if 843 01:17:22,239 --> 01:17:32,040 you took out the 3 and 1/2 ft uh depth of the median, there'd be about 85 ft 844 01:17:29,440 --> 01:17:36,880 left in the center island. Okay. So again, that's if if 845 01:17:35,199 --> 01:17:41,199 approved, that's something that probably would be addressed in that process. 846 01:17:38,960 --> 01:17:46,840 Okay. All right. Any final word on your application? No. Okay. All right. Thank 847 01:17:43,840 --> 01:17:46,840 you. 848 01:17:51,120 --> 01:17:57,840 All right. Thank you all for coming today and testifying. 849 01:17:54,920 --> 01:18:00,960 Um, as I stated before, but uh, just for, you know, my own legal purposes, I 850 01:17:59,760 --> 01:18:05,760 want to make sure this is really clear in the record. Um, I'm I'm leaving the 851 01:18:03,520 --> 01:18:09,840 record open only for the specific purposes I've outlined before. I'll 852 01:18:07,199 --> 01:18:13,199 state them again. Um, but this is not an There will be no other opportunity for 853 01:18:11,199 --> 01:18:17,520 public comment or submitt of comments. Uh I am only leaving it open for the two 854 01:18:15,199 --> 01:18:21,920 for the things I requested uh from the city which are some comments from 855 01:18:19,600 --> 01:18:26,080 possibly affected departments. Uh make sure we have their written comments on 856 01:18:23,679 --> 01:18:32,000 the record at least at this time. Uh fire fire department and school district 857 01:18:28,320 --> 01:18:39,120 and any anyone else. Miss Rodriguez um reason reasonably determines uh should 858 01:18:34,400 --> 01:18:42,239 should be um contacted um as well as I've directed her to get a copy of the 859 01:18:40,880 --> 01:18:46,560 final plat and any other recorded documents that may shed some light on 860 01:18:44,400 --> 01:18:52,800 this. And then as well as I've directed the applicant um to submit any of the 861 01:18:49,520 --> 01:18:55,920 records he um says he located yesterday that have to do with approval of the 862 01:18:54,000 --> 01:19:00,800 final plat. Other than no specific items, uh no other no other documents or 863 01:18:58,320 --> 01:19:04,719 comments will be admitted to the record. So for the rest of the record, uh it's 864 01:19:02,960 --> 01:19:10,159 closed remaining open for those limited purposes. And staff presentation. Uh 865 01:19:08,000 --> 01:19:13,120 yes. And also thank you uh for the administrative matter. So the staff 866 01:19:11,520 --> 01:19:18,080 presentation will also be made a part of the record. Uh so it is uh open until 867 01:19:16,239 --> 01:19:22,640 for that item as well until we receive it. Um other than that, any other 868 01:19:20,480 --> 01:19:27,600 administrative matters? No. Uh anything else from the city? No. 869 01:19:24,840 --> 01:19:32,560 Okay. All right. Thank you. With that, um, I'm going to close, uh, the hearing 870 01:19:29,840 --> 01:19:35,679 and we are now adjourned. Thank you. Thank you.