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Please Attend Oct. 18 City Council Meeting
Dear Woodinville Neighbors,
We are facing a great opportunity--or what could be the beginning of a great travesty--as our City Council deliberates next week on upcoming spending. It appears that any development of Wood Trails Park may have been left off the proposed two-year budget for 2023-2024. If this is true, it would be directly opposite of very strong—and direct—requests from the voting citizens of Woodinville to develop this park for use by all of Woodinville. And it would potentially undermine the work that Concerned Neighbors of Wellington have done since 2004.
Consider this:
- Although the Park is listed in the Comprehensive Plan, a future Council could change that…
- …and then sell the 56 acres to a developer… (which CNW already fought before all the way to WA State Supreme Court to win)
- …which would likely bring sewers into the R-1 …. and that would probably lead to our having sewers imposed on us…
- …. at today’s estimated cost of $50,000 to $100,000 per household – depending on how far it is to connect your home to sewer!!
Requested Action for you: To help ensure Wood Trails Park is established as a permanent park, we are asking you to please attend the City Council meeting Tuesday, October 18, at 7pm. Your physical presence will go a long way toward ensuring that Wood Trails is permanently established as a park (and not changed in zoning or intent by some future Council action.)
Here’s more information about how important it is for you to help preserve this park:
- Concerned Neighbors of Wellington, established EIGHTEEN years ago, has been fighting to preserve our open spaces and R-1 zoning since 2004. CNW represents over 200 households in the greater Woodinville area.
- Trails and parks have been a top request by Woodinville citizens for years and was again a top request in the most recent City survey.
- COVID has taught us the value of outdoor spaces and we need to preserve these. Woodinville residents need a close and safe place to get outside, get some exercise, do things to connect together as families, and get off our devices!
- Protecting these 56 acres is critical for maintaining open space access for all citizens. It also supports the Resolution made in 1993 to preserve this specific space as a wooded area and buffer zone from noise and other sorts of noise, light, air pollution.
- Tree canopy is an excellent carbon-dioxide absorber to help the environment. It is also a key advantage to our hot air balloons – part of Woodinville’s logo!
- Wood Trails is a well-established wildlife corridor. Twelve hundred pages of testimonial provided during the fight to preserve Wood Trails that CNW pursued for 9 years document this, and provide many other evidences of the need to preserve Wood Trails as a Park to protect endangered species, avoid landslide and erosion hazards, etc.
- The phased approach discussed in the August 2nd 2022 council meeting is a perfect start, including the required on-street parking (1x ADA space.) Beginning this project phase now will help begin the longer-term vision to connect trails further. And it will help cement the plan for Wood Trails to remain a park—not be turned into another development.
- Issaquah is already embarking on a vision like this – to extend the Burke-Gilman Trail from Redmond to Issaquah. Woodinville has a unique opportunity to develop and implement our own vision which will preserve natural spaces, enhance bike usage for recreation and/or commuting, and connect the neighborhoods in Woodinville to the downtown area.
- Wood Trails provides a destination for the future East-rail trail (via 200th ST) and will be a boost to our Warehouse district tourism.
Can’t attend in person? We all have things to do and understand that you may not be available in person. But, you can still help! Please use the bullet points above to write an email and send it before October 18 to citycouncil@ci.woodinville.wa.us.
Help Spread the News:
- Do you know someone who would benefit from being on our email list? Just reply and let us know. Or forward this to them and invite them to join by dropping us a quick note.
- Concerned Neighbors of Wellington recently celebrated 18 years since our formation! Together, as a community, we’ve accomplished a lot! But there’s more to do. We’re looking for a few volunteers to join our Board. Interested in learning more? Just reply to this mail!
Warmly,
Your Concerned Neighbors of Wellington Board
We Always Need Your Financial Support
Please send your check to:
CNW
PO Box 2968
Woodinville, WA 98072-2968
