Corbitt Loch, Planning Director City of Snohomish 116 Union Street Snohomish, WA 98290
Re: Development of Snohomish Riverfront
Dear Mr. Loch:
This letter is written in response to the article by Reporter Debra Smith and published in the Herald on December 30,2008, entitled "Snohomish Eyes Riverfront".
In opinion, I think the City Council should postpone this ambitious plan to improve the waterfront. The residents ofthe City are hurting financially during these severe economic times. Some people have lost their jobs, savings and retirement savings have been dramatically reduced due to the virtual collapse ofwall street, and the sewer and water rates have escalated. We are just in the beginning of this economic downturn, and no one can predict how long the recovery will take.
I think the City's role should be to go back to the basics of protecting the public health, safety, and welfare of its residents, and postpone any projects that take more money from its residents for projects that are not a necessity.
The most beneficial projects in the past few years have been building the new Library and the new Senior Center. These are the types of projects that benefit many people, and that is where the City should keep its focus during these economically depressed times.
The improvement to the waterfront should be postponed now and come up for review again when our economic recovery is foreseen. The City and its residents cannot afford to go forward with development of the riverfront at this time.
I am a building and business owner in the Historic District. Planning is important step to realizing goals that build downtown economic strength, and develop a community’s future. Identifying the steps needed to achieve determined goals is worth doing. With planning in place, winning grants become a possibility; developers can see the town moving forward, and business owners can see a future of investments that will help their business grow. Community gathering spaces are extremely important to downtowns (visit http://www.pps.org/) in generating street activity, safety and upperfloor development. Our downtown lacks a safe, visible, gathering space, we even hold all events on a barricaded street; which increases costs to event planners and disrupts businesses. Most downtowns have parks where people can congregate for events. I feel it is so important to create a street level park (deck) at Klahaya for the purpose of events and community gathering. It provides a direct, right on First St., visibile connect to the river & trail for all tourists and locals. Keep supporting all the small businesses throughout Snohomish, it keeps your money in town, working towards all improvements…that retain your home values, local jobs; making your life better!
It is foolish for the City of Snohomish to think that existing businesses along the Snohomish River will orient themselves to the river. They are struggling just to keep their doors open for business. The City needs to take the lead in this process. The most effective way of doing this is to invite a lodging developer to purchase KlaHaYa Park in the center of downtown Snohomish with the mandate that they orient their business to the Snohomish River and provide a common docking facility for boats. They would be required to develop a building that is in character with the historic integrity of Snohomish and not destroy it as current new development has with inappropriate style including Bavarian balconies. This would use most of the accessible downtown riverfront property. This facility would be required to have a convention center as part of it. The first two floors would be a parking garage with access from Avenue C. The main level would have stores and access to the lodging facility. The backside overlooking the river could have balconies and restaurants. A boutique inn similar to LaConner Inn would encourage new businesses to locate in many of the empty storefronts on First Street. The main thing Snohomish needs is more overnight lodging facilities.
KlaHaYa Park could be moved to the city yard on First Street and provisions made for RV parking included in the development of a new and better usable KlaHaYa Park.
December 30, 2008
ReplyDeleteCorbitt Loch, Planning Director
City of Snohomish
116 Union Street
Snohomish, WA 98290
Re: Development of Snohomish Riverfront
Dear Mr. Loch:
This letter is written in response to the article by Reporter Debra Smith and published in the Herald on December 30,2008, entitled "Snohomish Eyes Riverfront".
In opinion, I think the City Council should postpone this ambitious plan to improve the
waterfront. The residents ofthe City are hurting financially during these severe
economic times. Some people have lost their jobs, savings and retirement savings have
been dramatically reduced due to the virtual collapse ofwall street, and the sewer and
water rates have escalated. We are just in the beginning of this economic downturn, and
no one can predict how long the recovery will take.
I think the City's role should be to go back to the basics of protecting the public health,
safety, and welfare of its residents, and postpone any projects that take more money from
its residents for projects that are not a necessity.
The most beneficial projects in the past few years have been building the new Library
and the new Senior Center. These are the types of projects that benefit many people, and
that is where the City should keep its focus during these economically depressed times.
The improvement to the waterfront should be postponed now and come up for review again when our economic recovery is foreseen. The City and its residents cannot afford to go forward with development of the riverfront at this time.
Sincerely,
Donna Harvey
I am a building and business owner in the Historic District. Planning is important step to realizing goals that build downtown economic strength, and develop a community’s future. Identifying the steps needed to achieve determined goals is worth doing. With planning in place, winning grants become a possibility; developers can see the town moving forward, and business owners can see a future of investments that will help their business grow.
ReplyDeleteCommunity gathering spaces are extremely important to downtowns (visit http://www.pps.org/) in generating street activity, safety and upperfloor development. Our downtown lacks a safe, visible, gathering space, we even hold all events on a barricaded street; which increases costs to event planners and disrupts businesses. Most downtowns have parks where people can congregate for events. I feel it is so important to create a street level park (deck) at Klahaya for the purpose of events and community gathering. It provides a direct, right on First St., visibile connect to the river & trail for all tourists and locals.
Keep supporting all the small businesses throughout Snohomish, it keeps your money in town, working towards all improvements…that retain your home values, local jobs; making your life better!
Letter received:
ReplyDeleteIt is foolish for the City of Snohomish to think that existing businesses along the Snohomish River will orient themselves to the river. They are struggling just to keep their doors open for business. The City needs to take the lead in this process. The most effective way of doing this is to invite a lodging developer to purchase KlaHaYa Park in the center of downtown Snohomish with the mandate that they orient their business to the Snohomish River and provide a common docking facility for boats. They would be required to develop a building that is in character with the historic integrity of Snohomish and not destroy it as current new development has with inappropriate style including Bavarian balconies. This would use most of the accessible downtown riverfront property. This facility would be required to have a convention center as part of it. The first two floors would be a parking garage with access from Avenue C. The main level would have stores and access to the lodging facility. The backside overlooking the river could have balconies and restaurants. A boutique inn similar to LaConner Inn would encourage new businesses to locate in many of the empty storefronts on First Street. The main thing Snohomish needs is more overnight lodging facilities.
KlaHaYa Park could be moved to the city yard on First Street and provisions made for RV parking included in the development of a new and better usable KlaHaYa Park.
Larry Countryman