I would like to publicly acknowledge the amazing efforts of several individuals who have worked smartly and selflessly against great odds, and with little assistance from our city’s current administration, to affect improvement on the impending development out here. I have been a full time resident on Lake Sawyer since 1956. This lake is a huge part of my life and know that the main protection of our water quality has been provided through the efforts and appeals of these individuals.

Many other improvements have been brought about by the pressure they have brought to bear as well. Without their dedication and many long hours of hard work, who knows what we would have had to contend with as YarrowBay began to develop. Certainly there would have been no safe pedestrian passage over Rock Creek, despite the city and developer saying this would be a “walkable city.”

The appellants have been in the minority but have prevailed in calling attention to many “conditions of approval” and studies that were promised to protect the environment and provide for the taxpayers but were seemingly overlooked by the City as they allowed the developer to continue to move forward. The Hearing Examiner says it best: “As usual, the SEPA Appellants have succeeded in raising several issues that will make the Villages MPD more compatible with their community. The Appellants have once again invested an incredible amount of their time and resources in ensuring that all of the detailed development standards carefully put together by their elected officials are faithfully and effectively administered. Their hard work and professional effort has once again made a major difference in this proceeding.”

I just want to be among the first to say, thank you. Thousands of us have benefitted by your exertions and effort. This city will be better for decades to come because of what you did.

Betty Wheeler

Black Diamond