A map of where the proposed townhome project (marked in yellow) would be placed across nearly 17 acres of open space ex-farmland on 9321 and 9509 Paradise Lake Road.
MALTBY — A proposed townhome community off of Paradise Lake Road faced a new round of neighborhood opposition last week.
Snohomish Gardens is a plan for a 196-unit subdivision on 16.91 acres located at 9321 and 9509 Paradise Lake Road, near the intersection at state Route 522.
The applicant chose to have the permits decided through a hearing examiner. The hearing was Dec. 14.
Public concerns zeroed in on traffic congestion effects on 522, and Paradise Lake Road, plus delays upon emergency responders. Placing townhomes here also is out of character for the rural area, neighbors said.
All the local roads already get backed up in the mornings and afternoons, residents said, and adding 300-plus cars will worsen that.
Traffic engineers propose a stoplight at Bostian Road 350 feet from the main intersection at 522 and Paradise Lake Road. It would only have a through lane. Eastbound drivers turning left to 91st Avenue SE (the other side of Bostian Road) would be asked to double-back onto an unnamed service road next to the Shell station to make the turn.
On Paradise Lake Road itself, the proposal adds left turn lanes into the townhouse development and flashing pedestrian crossings would be added for the safety of children attending Hidden River Middle School.
Resident James Hansen, though, pointed out the westbound approach to the turn-ins and the crosswalk is before a blind curve. He said it frightens him that people will get T-boned, and children might get hurt.
Longtime resident Kim Weers called this “an accident waiting to happen.”
A few residents also say the project jumps the cart before the horse: WSDOT has a long-range plan to change the 522-Paradise Lake Road intersection into a split-level interchange with on- and off-ramps. They say the townhouse project should be postponed until WSDOT fixes the intersection.
Bostian Road users from Woodinville and Echo Lake area drivers who rely on 522 gave concerns the added traffic would slow them down, too.
An initial plan for 360 apartments here did not move forward. That was the Paradise Lake Road Garden Apartments. Traffic factored into those concerns.
The applicant is homebuilder Lennar Northwest.
On Dec. 7, the land’s underlying ownership changed to an LLC controlled by New York City-based investment firm Kennedy Lewis Investment Management, from county land records and state corporation records which also was reported by regional real estate news website The Registry. The prior owner, The Wolff Company, focused its business on developing properties into multifamily housing.
To residents, the out-of-state ownership makes more than one feel like the developers have no reason to care about local impacts.
“We live in this community, and that should be taken into consideration,” resident Janet Smith testified to hearing examiner Peter Camp last week.
Sixteen neighbors gave spoken comments last week, and 100 submitted written comments for the hearing.
County planner Joshua Machen said this project meets the county’s planning rulebook. A series of conditions would be applied to be able to meet approval.
Hearing Examiner Camp should issue his decision on whether to approve permitting the project by early in the new year.
Any appeal of the hearing examiner’s decision would go to County Council for a ruling.
Project information is available at https://www.snohomishcountywa.gov/6198/
— This story includes material from Tribune archives
