Sammamish, WA city council to study impacts of controversial housing project
Sammamish, WA housing plan sparks heated debate
A proposal to double the number of housing units planned for Sammamish's town center has ignited a fierce debate at city hall, sparking a grassroots movements and putting pressure on the city council.
SAMMAMISH, Wash. - It could be one of the most consequential projects to transform the city of Sammamish, with the city council now passing a measure to study the impacts of doubling a controversial housing project.
The backstory:
City leaders in the suburban community have been talking about building around 2,000 housing units for many years, mostly apartments and townhouses. Some of the construction can already be seen near 228th in the heart of Sammamish.
But this week, in a 6-1 vote, the Sammamish City Council passed a measure to study the impacts of going from around 2,000 housing units to building 4,000 units.
What they're saying:
The council meeting was packed with residents, the majority against doubling the project.
Innovation Realty, the developers behind the project, spoke in support, promising a vibrant living and retail town center.
"The truth is we are falling behind. Our population and prestige have grown but housing supply has not kept pace. This study is a critical opportunity to ensure future growth that reflects our values," Innovation Realty Partners Matthew Samwick said.
So many residents are against a bigger town center development that they have formed a group called Save our Sammamish. The grassroots group has posted signs all around Sammamish, working together to keep the community informed.
Many residents are concerned about overcrowded schools, lack of public transit and safety services, as well as environmental concerns for the kokanee salmon.
"The 2,100 unit target is already met, this is not about compliance, this is about developer profit," one resident said.
The common concern is traffic gridlock, with Samammish landlocked and little options to widen and make new roads leading to I-90 or 520.
"You add 4,000 units, we don’t have the infrastructure to support it. I know everybody says, ‘well, not everybody will have two or three cars,’ that’s not true," one man said.
If the initial project is doubled in size, residents are expecting major backups getting in and out of the city for the tens of thousands Sammamish residents who commute everyday.
"When you talk about public safety and talk about evacuation routes, this is absolutely insane," one woman said.
The city of Sammamish says with the latest vote, they will study the 4,000 proposed units and will come back later this year with the final environmental impact statement. The public will get to weigh in again through public comment.
The Source: Information in this story came from the City of Sammamish, Sammamish City Council and FOX 13 Seattle reporting.
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