City’s handling of land-use issues brings rubber chickens to mind

Like a rubber chicken, the city of Maple Valley doesn’t seem to be able to stand on its own two legs and has to rely on others to make it’s decisions.

I read a story in the Reporter that the city is again having to resupply its ranks with new Planning Commission members – partly from questions raised about some of the members’ relationships with the City Council, and probably from having the light of day shown on them. Like when you lift up a rock.

The commission needed three new members, and I am sure that they will have to be brought up to speed on the whole Four Corners mess. The city just extended the building permit moratorium for another three months for no good (read apparent) reason, and now will probably want to do it again – to be fair to the new members and bring them up to speed, (wink, wink) so to speak. Which will again push back any attempt by Kite Development to get on with building the Johnson’s new hardware store. I never saw a whole lot of discussion on the new Play More Tavern area commercial development. Makes you wonder why.

You elected these people to make decisions about how your city will be run, and not sent out to third-party tinkerers.

Who are these “un-elected” people, and what do they” want? Its not a paid position (directly), and the job description is pretty specific. Quote from the Reporter: “The desired candidates must have an interest in environmental affairs, planning, land-use, and residential and commercial development, and demonstrated through training and experience.” I almost forgot the kicker: “Mayor Laurie Iddings was expected to interview candidates and then forward her recommendations of appointments to the council.”

I don’t know about you, but that eliminates a lot of people. So who do you think the mayor would chose? Could it be people with a possible monetary interest at the end of the process? Do they actually work in a business that deals with the issues in the previous paragraph? Is this actually a part-time job for some of them? There may even be a couple of people on the commission that mean well, but you’ve probably had experiences with people that mean well – as long as it’s your money that pays for their decisions. Like the new property tax assessments for living on Lake Wilderness Golf Course.

That’s why you elected people to the council – to actually work on those issues for you, and to hear what they (the council members) personally have to say and stand for, and not farm out those hard choices to others. The way it is now, the Planning Commission can always be the one that takes the fall when things go wrong.

On your next drive on Kent-Kangley into Covington, take a look at all the new stores being built around that city. What company in its right mind would build another outlet five miles down the road?

Here’s a joke:

Why couldn’t the rubber chicken cross the road?

Because the Maple Valley City Council couldn’t determine after years of planning where this road was to actually be built.

Should the City Council be afraid that the rubber chicken may be coming home to roost at the next election? Maybe run against the mayor?

WARREN MESSER

Maple Valley

Flooding by Cedar River is serious

I enjoyed the comprehensive article on the Cedar River and families having to move (March 15, “County taking Cedar Grover over and out”). Good work.

I have lived in Renton all my life and have seen the Cedar flood many times over the years – some very severe flooding.

RON SPORTSMAN