Weekly Update for October 12, 2004
W E E K L Y U P D A T E
Departmental Updates for October 12, 2004
BUILDING DEPARTMENT
Special Use Permits:
· Special Use Permit # SPE04-00040 has been issued to the Issaquah School District regarding resolution of traffic and pedestrian safety concerns near the Issaquah High School campus. The Issaquah School District is proposing to change the conditions of approval for the upper parking lot, originally approved under PLN03-00058, allowing the Evans Street gate to be opened for 30 minutes at the start and end of school each day. Allowing access to SE Evans Street will create a second entry/exit point for vehicular traffic, thereby alleviating congestion on 2nd Avenue SE, and will help modify the traffic flow into the main driveway and throughout the parking lot. The School District has committed to notifying SE Evans Street residents of potential access to this street.
· Special Use/Event Permit # SPE04-00039 will be issued later this week to Issaquah High School to decorate 2nd Avenue SE in celebration of their homecoming football game with Bellevue High. The decorating will begin on October 29th and will be removed after the ballgame, around 10:00 pm, the same evening. This event is being sponsored by Issaquah High School student body and administration.
Code Compliance: A political sign had barbed wire placed around it late last week by the permit holder in an attempt to prevent vandalism of his sign. The permit holder was asked to remove the barbed wire and he complied.
PARKS AND RECREATION
Community Center
2004-2005 Winter Youth Basketball: Close to 700 kindergarten - 5th grade boys and girls have registered for the 2004-2005 Winter Youth Basketball season since registration opened September 1st.
Preschool Field Trip: Community Center Preschool and Memorial Park Center Preschool classes enjoyed a field trip to the Issaquah Salmon Hatchery.
Aquatics
Welcome AAAA High School Swim Meets: Skyline High School has recently been designated a AAAA school. Because of this change from AAA status, the Skyline Girls Swim Team is hosting swim meets with five teams that have not competed in our City before. The AAAA schools are Juanita, Roosevelt, Inglemoor, Garfield, and Eastlake. Girls High School Swim meets began September 9 and are scheduled on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons through October 21. Liberty and Issaquah are also hosting six AAA swim meets at our facility during the girls season.
Parks Maintenance
Renovation of Tibbetts Valley Park Field #4: Renovation was completed last Friday, 10/1/04. The project consisted of removing the lip at the edge of the outfield where it meets the infield. Sod was removed from the edge. The lip was removed and the sub grade of the field was worked. The original perimeter of the field was restored by adding new sod. Prior to 200 yards of infield dirt being brought in, steel plates had to be set in place from the access road just east of the tennis courts across the outfield to the infield. The make-shift road worked well, causing very little damage to the turf. The final grading was contracted out to Plano Brothers Paving Co. who properly crowned and rolled the field for drainage. Infield conditioner was also purchased which will absorb moisture when it rains and reduce compaction during those hot summer days. The product has been received and will be put on the field in the spring.
Skate Park Fence Vandalism: Staff has temporarily repaired the Skate Park fence in two locations where vandals cut through the 12 foot chain link panels over Salmon Days weekend. A contractor will have to be hired to replace the sections of fence that were damaged. The same two sections of fence were replaced approximately two months ago when the same type of vandalism occurred.
Salmon Days: Parks Maintenance staff was very busy the week prior to Salmon Days assisting the Salmon Days festival staff and the Police Department in setting up for the 2004 Salmon Days festival. Staff set out and picked up over 1,700 traffic control devices for the weekend festival. In addition, staff moved bleachers, picnic tables, dug out benches, and several truck and trailer loads of additional Salmon Days necessities from the Salmon Days festival storage unit in the Rowley storage area.
Highlands Park Mowing: Staff has started to mow Central Park and Black Nugget Park in the Highlands on a weekly basis.
Parks Planning Construction
Highlands Parks: The Parks and Recreation Department celebrated the Grand Opening of Central Park and Black Nugget Park with a Ribboncutting Ceremony on September 16, 2004. Approximately 20 people, and the rain, joined Mayor Ava Frisinger and Judd Kirk from Port Blakely in the Ribboncutting. Afterwards everyone moved to the Highlands Community Center and joined other residents, Councilmembers, and guests for a variety of refreshments donated by Costco. The food was prepared and served by a number of the youth from the Issaquah Advisory Board and a few more from the Issaquah Highlands.
Central Park Pad One play area and picnic area are open to the public with the grass areas closed during the rainy season. Black Nugget facilities are open for public use.
The Parks Department will be working on the next projects for Central Park this fall/winter, which will be the Pad Two baseball fields and Central Park Tennis Courts, all expected to begin construction in the spring.
Grand View Park: A meeting to review the preliminary design plan for Grand View Park (formerly North Park) in the Issaquah Highlands was held at the fire station on September 13th at a Special Park Board meeting. Approximately 8 residents attended this meeting to review the preliminary design for this community park and made constructive suggestions and comments. The plan will be reviewed once again at the next Park Board meeting on September 27th, 7pm in the Council Chambers. The next step will be to prepare a Site Development Permit application for submittal in October.
PLANNING DEPARTMENT
Public Comment: The Planning Department is providing an opportunity for public comment on an Administrative Adjustment of Standards application to construct a new roof at the front entry to a single family residence at 5215 229th Avenue SE within the Overdale Park neighborhood. The proposed roof over the entry will project out 12 feet from the front of the house to approximately 18 feet from the front property line. The front yard setback in the Single Family-Estates (SF-E) zone is 30 feet. Cushman Residence is located at 5215 229th Avenue SE. File No. PLN 04-00086 Staff Contact: Christopher Wright
POLICE DEPARTMENT
Armed Robbery: On October 3, 2004 at 1:07 am, Issaquah Police officers responded to an armed robbery at the AM/PM Mini Mart, 1403 NW Sammamish Road. An employee was confronted by a white male described as approximately 6’01” - 6’03”, 165 lbs, wearing a cloth mask, light colored shirt and blue jeans. The suspect displayed a handgun and demanded the cash from the register. After obtaining an undisclosed amount of money the suspect fled the store on foot, and was last observed running westbound from the store. Issaquah Police conducted a search of the area but did not locate the suspect. The case remains under investigation.
Honest Citizen!: On September 25th police took a call from a woman who lost a ring valued at approximately $20,000; on September 27th police took a call from an employee of Bank of America where a citizen found and turned in a $20,000 ring. Thanks to the honest citizen, the ring and its owner were reunited.
PUBLIC WORKS ENGINEERING
I-90 Paving Project: The contractor paved the westbound off-ramp at SR 900 on 10/7/04. When the striping is installed there will be two lanes, one to turn left and one to turn right.
SE Issaquah Bypass Project: Staff had a meeting with Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to discuss the schedule and items related to the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS). Agenda Bill #5217, which is returning from review at the Utilities Committee Meeting, is being brought forward to the full City Council at their meeting on 10/18/04 for a decision on a preferred build alignment.
Update on FEMA Floodplain Map Revision Process: The City has been working with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for several years to update the Flood Insurance Rate Maps on Issaquah Creek and East Fork Issaquah Creek. The City completed a study in 2002 that resulted in preliminary floodplain maps. Since that time, FEMA has been reviewing those maps (known as the Montgomery Water Group maps) and responding to an appeal of our submitted maps. Issuance of the final regulatory maps has been held up pending the outcome of the appeal. On September 24, the City received a letter from FEMA saying that no changes to the maps and Flood Insurance Study report are warranted at this time, thereby rejecting the appeal of our submitted maps. After a final 30-day comment period (extending until October 17) FEMA will issue a Letter of Final Determination that will establish a 6-month compliance period to allow time for the City to adopt new floodplain ordinances if necessary, that sets the date when the maps will become effective. This should result in final adoption of the revised floodplain maps by May 2005.
Major Development Review Team (MDRT):
MDRT Evaluation: Staff has begun the 2004 MDRT Evaluation process. The final report is expected in November or December.
Issaquah Highlands
· Staff attended a neighborhood meeting called by the Issaquah Highlands Homeowner’s Association on October 11th to discuss affordable housing at Issaquah Highlands.
· An appeal was filed by Microsoft Corporation for denial of their 2004/2005 Wet Weather and Temporary Erosion and Sedimentation Control plan. The appeal will go before the Hearing Examiner on Tuesday, October 19th at 10:00 a.m. in Council Chambers.
· Port Blakely Communities and Issaquah Highlands builders have the Temporary Erosion and Sedimentation Control (TESC) measures installed per Wet Weather Plans. The Highlands regional storm water treatment is being installed and will be operational by the end of the week.
TALUS: Oly/Cougar General Partnership will be finishing the last portion of the TALUS wet weather plan by this Friday. The builder’s portion of the TESC is installed per the Wet Weather Plans.
Resource Conservation Office (RCO):
Pickering Farm Community Teaching Garden: Late September and early October has been a fantastic month for the community teaching garden!
- Fence, water conservation garden and rain barrel platform completed as Eagle Scout projects.
- Straw bale shed now functioning as volunteer garden shed!
- Irrigation system nearly complete.
- Beds mulched and weeded.
- New planting beds designed and prepared for November 6th planting day.
- Rock borders underway.
- Garden display extremely well-received at Costco's corporate headquarters and also shown at Squak Mountain Nursery
None of this could have been done without the immense volunteer effort we've seen over the past month. Credit to this goes to those groups from Seattle Works / Home Depot, Microsoft, United Way of King County and Honeywell Corporation as well as the on-going involvement of several consistent volunteers.
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