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2 groups, 2 views of county's growth By
Emily Heffter Combining the reports won't require too much compromise, committee members say, because the new report will cite both conclusions. That way, as cities and counties make decisions about growth over the next decade, they can choose the growth scenario that best suits their areas. Discussion of the state- required 10-year "buildable lands" report escalated into a standoff between cities and the Snohomish County Council in August. Snohomish County Tomorrow, a group of officials from the cities and the county, disagreed with the County Council about how the report should be done. Each group sent a preliminary growth report to the state to meet a Sept. 1 deadline but can still make changes in it. An ad hoc panel of representatives from Snohomish County Tomorrow, including two County Council members, met last week to begin combining the reports to create a menu of growth possibilities. The final report will serve as a guide to justify land-use decisions in the county for the next 10 years. "This committee and cooler heads have to say, 'OK, we're going to put these things together and find common ground,' " said Paul Bilbruck, the chairman of the Granite Falls Planning Commission and a member of Snohomish County Tomorrow. At issue is whether the county has set aside enough land for dense growth over the next decade. The Snohomish County Tomorrow report indicates there is enough land around most cities to accommodate the people expected to move in. The County Council report says there is not enough land set aside for population growth. Steve Holt, the executive director in County Executive Bob Drewel's office, proposed a single report that would include both sets of findings. Then, Holt said, cities could decide which findings best applied to them. The County Council will hold a public hearing at 10:30 a.m. next Wednesday in its chambers about combining the reports. Council Chairman Gary Nelson, who attended last week's meeting of the ad hoc committee, said he hopes city leaders will come to the hearing. At the end of last week's meeting, committee members hadn't agreed what should happen next. The County Council members on the committee wanted the full council to write the combined report after its hearing, but other committee members thought the committee should have the final say. The group will meet again before the council hearing. "The important thing is right now we're talking to each other," said Edmonds City Councilman Dave Earling, a panel member. |