Sammamish Forum June 17
June 17, 2009
By Administrator
Bad time for a clock
Please don’t get me wrong: I really have nothing against clocks, per se.
Indeed, as I sit here at the South Sammamish Park and Ride waiting for my bus to Seattle, in the all-too-small (but nice) bus shelter, writing this on my laptop, I have an analog watch on my wrist, a digital clock in my cell phone, and a digital clock on my computer’s taskbar. And I just got out of my truck, which also has a clock on the dash.
On the other hand, have we fully funded the parks program, so our teens have places to go this summer? Do we have more than enough money for a free shuttle up and down 228th Avenue, so people can go shopping, to the library, churches, and parks, etc. without using their cars? Are our seniors and less fortunate all taken care of?
Anyway, I believe that we have far more important uses for our increasingly scarce tax revenues in these very tight and uncertain times.
James Jordan
Sammamish
Fields needed at Beaver Lake Park
I’m writing in response to Ed Steenman’s comments June 3 regarding options for improving Beaver Lake Park. Although his concerns about improvements impacting the peacefulness of the surrounding neighborhood are valid, I think the positive influence such upgrades will have, will far outreach any negative impact.
Sammamish is an energetic community of families raising children that are involved in activities that use parks and fields.
There is a shortage of fields available for our youth, and space is at a premium. If we have the opportunity to take existing fields that are being used for a single purpose, and upgrade them so they can be used for multi-purpose, then it should be done.
Parks are an investment in our community and our children. If Mr. Steenman can focus on the constructive effect of kids participating in athletics and using our parks, I’m sure he’ll agree.
The kids on our fields are living active, healthy lives by participating in sports. In addition to fitness, they’re learning teamwork and leadership skills, developing confidence and a work ethic. Because of their involvement, their families are joining together to socialize and connect.
These are things that will translate to our children growing up to be productive and healthy adults. So although there may be more cars in your neighborhood, or lights on in the evening, it means good things are happening!
When I see the lights on at the high school and community fields and hear the PA systems and cheering from my home, it’s a sign that kids are staying active; families are spending time together, and bonding as a community.
Yes, there are challenges in developing our parks responsibly, and the city does need to be clear about a plan for management of these facilities, especially keeping parking areas secure, but please try and be positive about impending upgrades to the park, as they will truly benefit the community as a whole.
Peggy Schmidt
Sammamish
Clean up after dogs
Walking my dog out of the west entrance to Bill Reams Park this morning, I encountered two unscooped piles of dog feces.
One of our responsibilities as dog owners is making sure dog poop isn’t left where it shouldn’t be; for example, public spaces like city parks.
Now, some dog owners might ask, “Why should I scoop it? It’s biodegradable.” Those dog owners need to remember that many park users are children, and children don’t always look where they stand, sit, or kneel.
One time having to clean someone else’s dog’s poop off your child’s pants or shoes is all it takes to make one religious about scooping your own dog’s poop (ask me how I know).
Bags to pick up poop come free wrapped around newspapers, and can often be found at park entrances.
Most pet stores sell handy containers and refill bags to keep on your dog’s leash, so you’re never without a bag. Scooping is a hassle — but not as much of a hassle as scraping dog poop off your shoes.
Owning a dog entails many responsibilities. If you can’t be responsible, do yourself and the rest of us a favor and don’t own a dog.
Catherine Rollosson Halbhuber
Sammamish
A farm? Here?
I am completely confused as to how Sammamish as a city has been awarded for its planning and permitting. I live in a residential neighborhood, and a neighbor of mine has been permitted by the city to turn their property into a mini farm.
It comes complete with barn, paddocks, manure retention container and an animal pen for their front yard measuring 80 feet by 43 feet.
The city permitted this without any site visits. As a taxpayer, I am curious as to why the impact of this project on my property value isn’t a consideration. Imagine driving home daily in your residential neighborhood and having to see an entire front yard that is taken up by an animal pen for chicken, goats and sheep.
Imagine inviting friends over to sit on your deck (in this case my friends and my deck) and looking onto those animals, currently four goats, two sheep and many chickens, and contending with not only their noise but their smell and the smell from a city approved 6-foot by 14-foot manure retention container.
Please, don’t get me wrong, farms are beautiful and my family enjoys driving through our picturesque neighboring farm communities.
However, we chose to live in a residential neighborhood. In doing so, we assumed the city would keep that fact in mind prior to allowing dozens of mature trees to come down and approving buildings and pens to be placed on a property that does not have the land to sustain them.
Kristi Calvert Lee
Sammamish
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One Response to “Sammamish Forum June 17”
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Rural farm land in Sammamish, you bet. After 8 years of planning the Sammamish town center zoning and ordinances are not complete so what we have in the town center is a large rural area with horses, chickens and goats not a vibrant mixed-use European style village with local services, offices for our business community and gathering places for our citizens.
The city’s planning commission, appointed by the city council, has made a mess of things. We have sewers, underground utilities but they go unused.
Citizens are just starting to see the results of years of poor planning and a shrinking economy.
Experience has taught residents along the lakes, along East Lake Sammamish Parkway, 244th Avenue, Town Center and other areas that you need to make noise. So get out your neighbors, speak up at city council meetings, and hold elected officials accountable.
And, get out the vote in the next election.