Dedicated to Preserving the Rural
Character of Woodinville
10/12/22 City Council Mtg Oct 18th
10/21/19 CNW Endorsements
10/07/19 Meet the Candidates
05/09/14 CNW Celebrates Vote
03/17/14 Important City Council Vote
11/28/13 We're Thankful For
02/19/13 CNW News and Updates
01/29/13 CNW News and Updates
12/08/12 Montevallo Permit Application
09/05/12 Community Meeting 9/6
06/04/12 Updates on Important Topics
04/15/12 Protecting Our R1 Neighborhoods
04/02/12 You Make Difference!
02/28/12 Woodtrails Again!
05/09/14 CNW Celebrates Vote
06/16/11 CNW Prevails!!
07/11/10 Supreme Court Will Review
01/04/10 The Journey Continues
04/05/09 Wood Trails/Montevallo Update
03/08/08 Another Victory Celebration
02/18/08 We Won - Part II
08/13/07 Victory is Ours!
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After a long period, CNW has recently had a number of outcomes which lead us into the next segment of our effort to protect the R-1 area from overdevelopment and environmental degradation. Our neighborhood has persevered for over five years of meetings, hearings, and decisions. We believe the City of Woodinville has the right and responsibility to direct growth in a way that ensures our safety, protects our environment, and is consistent with the wishes of its residents.
CNW has continued its efforts to solidify retention of our R-1 zoning. CNW received a much anticipated but delayed response from the Court of Appeals in downtown Seattle. CNW is working hand-in-hand with the City of Woodinville’s attorney to present our case before the Washington Supreme Court if necessary.
Going to the Supreme Court is expensive but much of the costly and time-consuming ground work has been done. Please continue to support CNW in its efforts to maintain our quality of life. Other than small amounts for printing, etc. all contributions go directly toward our legal fund, no CNW member receives monetary gain. $250 pays for one hour of legal consultation.
In November CNW received a much-anticipated but delayed response from the Court of Appeals. The hearing was held in April of 2009; an opinion was expected within sixty days. Instead six months later Judge Robert Leach of the Division 1 Court of Appeals for the State of Washington handed down a decision that required the City of Woodinville to grant Phoenix Development their rezone requests. This overruled the February 2008 Land Use Petition Act (LUPA) Court decision by Judge Dean Lum which agreed with the Woodinville City Council decision in denying these residential spot rezones such as Wood Trails and Montevallo.
We were disappointed but not terribly surprised. The Court of Appeals overruled the Council and directed the City to grant the rezone rather than sending the decision back to the City Council. We believe this was improper. The State Constitution allows the cities to make land use decisions, not the courts. If allowed to stand, this decision would have statewide consequences. For this reason CNW has submitted a Motion for Reconsideration with the Court of Appeals, which is a request to re-consider their decision.
CNW also believes the Appeals Court overlooked the volumes of material provided to the City Council and to the Hearing Examiner in 2006. This large body of evidence was prepared by experts and supported the City Council’s decision to deny the rezones. We amassed thousands of pages of testimony and public comment which will support us to the State Supreme Court if necessary. Further, our City Council has not wavered in its position against these rezones. It was critical that CNW and the City take further legal action.
As a demonstration of agreement, on November 23rd the City of Woodinville joined CNW in filing Motions for Reconsideration with the Court of Appeals. These motions assert the Appeals Court decision is flawed and the Court should reconsider its decision. CNW is working hand-in-hand with the City of Woodinville’s attorney to present our case before the Washington Supreme Court.
We are awaiting a ruling on these Motions. If the motion to reconsider is denied as most such motions are then the next and final step is the City and CNW file an appeal to the State Supreme Court. We will continue to work with our attorney and the City to best address the zoning issue which has now become of importance to the entire State of Washington.
The eyes of many cities in Washington are upon us as we set the pace for growth in the state. This is a legal battle and requires an infusion of funds; preserving our rural, quiet neighborhood is in your hands. Legal counsel charges $250/hour…isn’t your way of life worth it?
We live in a wonderful neighborhood, and your financial support allows us to keep it that way. Our lawyer’s fee is $250 an hour. Any contributions are appreciated. Our attorney is being very judicious in his expenditures, and proved his worth at the hearing. Please note that our contribution records are kept confidential, 99% of our funds go to covering legal expenses, and 1% for printing and supplies. No money is paid to any of our members.
Please write your check for $250 Payable to CNW today and mail to:
$250 = one hour of legal time. Contributions are not tax-deductible.