1. Regarding housing codes: I believe the value of a home depends on open space, a yard to play in, views between and over houses, and trees and gardens. The quality of life in a home is more important than the maximum lot coverage a builder can shoehorn onto a lot.
Like several vociferous speakers at the Planning Commission hearing, I am concerned about my property values. Unlike them, I believe my property value is diminished when I cannot see between or over houses which are oversize. We live in community and community values are important.
2. History of the Mercer Island Greenbelt bond issue, open space and parklands.
Few current Mercer Island residents know the history of attempts to preserve green space, open space and parks on this Island. In 1953, Mercer Island had a population of slightly over 5,000 (U.S. Census 1950) but was obviously growing rapidly as the pent-up demand for housing was expressed in new construction. For example, Bassetti and Morse, architects, designed a simple one story home which was award winning and fitted the budget of many ex-GIs. In time, some became alarmed at the pace of construction and loss of open space and the degradation of the semi-rural character of the community. Yes, there was a cow grazing in the Mercerdale meadow and a farmhouse on Lucas Hill. A wetland on the west side of the Mercerdale pasture offered pollywogging to my children and a creek ran north on the course of 77th Avenue Southeast entering Lake Washington in a peat bog.
Some fled to Vashon Island to preserve the ambiance they preferred. Others sought controlled growth and looked to create a greenbelt. In the early 1970s (just as the 26th amendment gave 18 year olds the vote) a committee cochaired by Sarah Skinner and Thomas Brucker was formed to propose to buy up and preserve undeveloped land. At the time it was determined that there were about 800 unbuilt acres on the Island, of which many were on steep hillsides and in ravines. The committee decided on a bond issue to set aside 500 acres as greenbelt, publicly owned.
Estimates indicated that the cost to existing taxpayers for infrastructure for new homes would cost existing taxpayers nearly as much as the bonds to preserve the greenbelt. A committee in opposition argued, among other things, the steep slopes were not buildable and would remain open space (They underestimated the capabilities of engineers and developers. Today almost all these parcels have homes on them).
When put to a vote, the yes vote was 59 percent; 60 percent was required. The measure failed for lack of a few votes. A few years later, a similar committee put together a proposal more clearly defined as to area and location and 18 acres of the Mercerdale hillside and valley were designated as open space and greenbelt. (The parks supporters, led by Lola Deane, also established neighborhood park play areas.) Other proposals to build a retirement home adjacent to a library and community center at Mercerdale were considered and rejected.
The Mercer Island High School class of 1970 formed “The Committee to Save the Earth” and proposed a recycling center at the street end. The community enthusiastically supported this enterprise as compatible with the ecological goals of the community and compatible with the preservation of open space. The youth staffed the site and provided community service. Ultimately recycling was integrated into the waste disposal system and the site was of value as public toilets.
The wetland disappeared under a bowling alley and later the insurance company offices. The drainage is in a storm sewer under 77th Avenue Southeast.
The citizens of Mercer Island have never supported a diminution of open space or parkland when allowed to vote. The two proposals to turn Pioneer Park into an executive gold course, roundly defeated, are prime examples. Another is the history of the formation of the city of Mercer Island around the small Town of Mercer Island when a California developer maneuvered the Town incorporation and expressed the intent to annex unincorporated blocks one after another into the town so as to build apartments up and over First Hill. The incorporation of the city of Mercer Island ended that developer ploy.
Mercerdale Field has been encroached upon somewhat by the Veteran’s Memorial on the northeast corner and a toddler play area on the southeast corner by the Thrift Shop. There is also a skate park on the west border. None of these activities threaten the basic purposes of the open space in the Town Center.
Not so, the theater proposal. That is not compatible. While desirable as a facility, it should be located adjacent to community facilities such as the Community and Event Center or City Hall or Luther Burbank Park where parking and access are already present (and an underused tennis court for a site).Other venues include the high school, Stroum JCC and the community’s churches. There are several sites in the vicinity of City Hall on Southeast 36th Street.
I and others hope the City Council will reconsider the issue. Thank you to the members of the City Council and the Planning Commission for your services to the community. Please direct the Development department to consider that property tax revenue to the city is not the best nor only criterion for approval of new construction or variances or remodeling. Require the staff to read Susan Susanka’s book “The Not So Big House.”
Alfred Skinner
Mercer Island
