Dear Yarrow Point Residents,
I know it is long, but please read…
Happy Spring! The days are lengthening, and Lake Washington is warming up. Neighbors are outside more, enjoying the Points Loop Trail, now that our Utility Undergrounding project is finally behind us! The grind and overlay of the underground conversion area will take place this summer…stay tuned. We still have a lot of development in Town, so please be cautious navigating around trucks in the Right of Way.
There are lots of irons in the fire in Town. Please look over this update and check our website for a deeper dive or call Town Hall for more information.
Middle Housing
The Planning Commission has been diligently working for the Town on draft code to comply with State mandated “Middle Housing” laws. The Open Houses last year gave residents an opportunity to hear firsthand how these new mandates will impact the Town. Thank you to the Planning Commission for your dedicated service. Residents may see the latest draft code at the next Town Council meeting April 8th 4:00 pm and the next Planning Commission meeting April 15th 6:00 pm. For more Middle Housing information on our website, click <https://yarrowpointwa.gov/middle-housing/>
WSDOT
The Washington State Department of Transportation WSDOT has an extremely austere budget for this and future years. This does not bode well for maintaining the 520 lids in the Points Communities even to the lower standards we have seen. Yarrow Point joined our Points neighbors for the past year+ for a collaborative, good faith negotiation, proposing legitimate solutions to the exorbitant costs of maintaining the lid softscape and hardscape. We shared our safety concerns and hosted several productive charrettes with WSDOT engineers to demonstrate possible solutions. Ultimately, we did not come to resolution and will continue these talks.
In the meantime, the growing season may see jungle-like conditions if WSDOT does not continue maintaining the three 520 lids. Given the real budget constraints, Yarrow Point (and all Points cities/towns) cannot assume the maintenance burden. WSDOT’s austerity measures and budget constraints are making funding lid maintenance difficult for them, too. We will update the Town as we make progress.
The Park Commission
The Park Commission patiently worked in the wings while Council settled the ROW dispute on the east end of Sally’s Alley. After so many residents expressed support for the project, the commission has negotiated a creative and reasonable proposal they will finalize at their next Park Commission meeting March 25th at 7:00 pm. Their first priority has been to address the safety concerns by separating pedestrians from vehicle traffic in the Town ROW. The Commission goal next week will be to emerge with confident Sally’s Alley East recommendations for Council approval at the next Council meeting April 8th.
Thank you to the Park Commission for their tenacity, ingenuity and downright elbow grease getting this project closer to the finish line. Special thanks to Park Commissioner Jim Bugbee and the Loder family for the $100,000 worth of mature native plants throughout Sally’s Alley and for the landscape rocks to be used in the proposed final plans. Check out the fern grotto, nursery, all the mature plants and rocks next time you waltz through the Alley. We anticipate the need for volunteers later this spring/summer as the project takes shape.
WNP
The Wetherill Nature Preserve Commission has been zealously working throughout the autumn and winter, preparing for the onslaught of fair-weather patrons (bipedal, canine and reptilian)! Check out the WNP site here https://www.wetherillnp.org/
Read their 2024 year-end Newsletter to learn more about completed projects and the ongoing Special Projects Campaign (donation form here).
HUGE Shout-Out to David Bergey and Bruce Jones for your unique dedication and your defiantly youthful toil throughout the Preserve! Thank you to everyone who has volunteered and to those who have already supported the Annual Giving Drive and the Special Projects Fund. The Commission is eager to ignite projects this spring. Here is an easy link to donate to the WNP (donation form here).
When you receive the agendas for monthly Council and Commission meetings, look over the items and please participate when you can. If you have questions, please contact Town Hall at 425-454-6994 and [email protected] or [email protected]
Thank you so much for supporting our Town!
Warmly,
Katy