Traffic, crime and parks were the main topics of discussion during a Monday night town hall sponsored by three Edmonds city councilmembers at Edmonds Lutheran Church.
The session — hosted by Councilmembers Diane Buckshnis, Vivian Olson and Dave Teitzel — wasn’t an officially sanctioned city council event but rather a chance for the councilmembers to hear from the community.
“We’re hear tonight just to listen and find out what your problems are,” Buckshnis told the group of approximately 15 residents attending.
Because the meeting was held in the Highway 99 area, several of the issues raised Monday were related to specific concerns in the nearby neighborhood, and among those was crime — including public use of drugs and shoplifting. There was also a robust discussion on what happens to suspects after they are arrested and how often they are actually charged and convicted of crimes. In particular, one person noted that no one has yet been charged in the March 2020 murder of Nagendiram Kandasamy at the former 7-Eleven store on Highway 99, which has since shut down.
Councilmembers replied that the city is working to addressing the area’s crime, pointing to a recent city effort to hire more police officers specifically to address Highway 99 issues. An officer will also be stationed at the city’s satellite city hall next to the Aurora Marketplace Safeway store.
“We will try and fix what we can, but it takes time,” Buckshnis said.
Olson stressed the importance of “holding criminals accountable” for their actions, and also mentioned the council at its May 16 meeting would be considering a resolution urging the state Legislature to prohibit the public use of controlled substances.
Related to those issues, councilmembers provided an update on the work underway to clean up and decontaminate the former America’s Best Value Inn and Suites on Highway 99 in Edmonds. The site, which tested positive for methamphetamine contamination, is one of two locations purchased by Snohomish County to become a transitional housing site.
Councilmembers explained that they are committed to holding a town hall in late summer or early fall to update the community on plans for the facility, which will include wrap-around services 24/7 to start people toward permanent housing. Some of those attending Monday night’s meeting expressed frustration that drug treatment won’t be required for those receiving housing, and councilmembers said those are the types of issues that they would like to address in a town hall. The hope is that county officials — who are overseeing the facility — would also be present, Buckshnis said.
Traffic was another point of discussion Monday night. Much of the concern was focused on 84th Avenue West, which runs parallel to Highway 99 and has seen increased traffic due to drivers trying to avoid Highway 99 construction. Residents also expressed worries about the additional traffic that will be generated by the 261-unit apartment being planned for 84th Avenue West.
Teitzel noted that the council did add money to the 2023 budget for sidewalks and a crosswalk on 84th from 238th to 234th, with work beginning this year.
One town hall attendee mentioned that he lives in Edmonds’ Firdale Village area where speeding traffic has become an issue along Firdale Avenue, and said the road could use a crosswalk. Councilmembers agreed that was a good idea and encouraged him to testify at the council’s public hearing May 16 on the city’s 2024-2029 Six-Year Transportation Improvement Program, which identifies transportation projects that are planned or needed over the next six calendar years.
Finally, councilmembers raised the issue of parks usage. In particular, they asked for attendees’ thoughts on the city’s plan to purchase land off Highway 104 near Madrona K-8 School for a passive park, at a cost of $1.3 million.
The property in question involves two parcels — 9302 and 9306 232nd St. S.W. — currently in a trust with the Hurst family. There are two vacant homes, a garage and a couple of outbuildings on the 1.09-acre property. In presenting the idea to the city council in March, staff said that purchasing the property for parkland would met goals outlined in the city’s recently adopted 2022 Parks, Recreation and Open Space (PROS) Plan, including filling park system gaps in South Edmonds and the conservation of open space.
Teitzel pointed out that while the city is seeking grant funding for the property, there “are strings attached” which would restrict the land to be used as a passive park with trails. Since Madrona School is located nearby — and has an extensive green space — Teitzel asked if the city should instead be looking at developing an agreement with the school district for public use of that property.
Buckshnis noted that the city is already doing that type of agreement with the City of Mountlake Terrace to ensure Edmonds residents have easy access to the Ballinger Park property. The park is being renovated to include an accessible playground, walking trails and a boardwalk.
Related to that, councilmembers also brought up the availability of Esperance Park, which is located off 224th Street Southwest in unincorporated Esperance and is owned by Snohomish County. There was a discussion about how the city could also assist with Esperance Park improvements — including work on the dog park — if there was an agreement in place between the county and Edmonds.
Teitzel then asked for a show of hands of those attending who favored the city’s purchase of the Hurst property, and just one person indicated their support of the idea.
There was also a general discussion about parking in the city and how the downtown area in particular will be seeing increased parking demand with the opening of the new Civic Park as well as the new Main Street Commons building.
Olson noted that with the recent passage of housing bills in the state Legislature, which eliminate municipal zoning restrictions on multifamily housing, “we will have more cars than we did in the past, in all neighborhoods.”
— By Teresa Wippel