Revitalization a political power move

As a lifelong Valley resident (Central Valley High School, class of ’62) whose family settled here in the 1930s, I feel compelled to speak to the egregious exercise of political power titled “revitalization” which is about to be perpetrated upon the property owners in the Sprague/Appleway Corridor.

It is a “stealth,” hurried campaign, buried within the legitimate debate over a city center and the Valley arterial, characterized by goals emulating much wealthier suburbs like Seattle’s Redmond and Mill Creek, regardless of cost and economic loss.

With questionable economic principles, the plan calls for massive down-zoning of more than 1,300 properties in the corridor, often changing tax-rich commercial parcels to residential usages. Properties north of Sprague are included as well as huge chunks of land to the south. The result will mean significant loss of revenue for the city and additional burdens on our residential tax base.

Question: Why the rush to down-zone productive entities? Is it planning run amok combined with envy for more aesthetically pleasing communities and the need to be “visionary?” Or is it more about accommodations for a select few, including new car dealerships and large developers. The details are complex but a map of the changes makes it simple to see.

One example, our property: bordered by Sprague Avenue (north), Conklin Road (east) and the proposed arterial (south), is miles from the proposed city center. It is approximately eight acres, 330,000-plus square feet of commercial type zoning. In 2007, we paid more than $68,000 in property and B&O taxes.

We employ seven to eight people to benefit the local economy. Senior planner Scott Kuhta proposes to take more than 40 percent of this lucrative zoning and change it to residential, adding new, never drawn streets crisscrossing our entire property. Future changes due to catastrophic physical forces, or illness, market competition, etc., will restrict our use and the city will lose accordingly.

So, when Mr. Kuhta and others tell you: “Don’t worry, you’ll be ‘grandfathered’ in the new plan.” you should be worried. It’s all about the zoning. If you change your business, build or alter to any appreciable degree, or fail to find a like buyer, you will lose your zoning. You will become a nonconforming user with economic loss and restrictions.

Another question: Why interior streets on top of a down-zone?

Possibly because of massive poles supporting the 135,000 volt Avista main feeder lines crossing the Valley joined by Vera’s 13,000 volt lines. Not wanting eastbound arterial traffic making left turns into homes, and knowing the undesirability of huge power lines near front yards, these resourceful planners choose instead to carve up valuable property, facing homes inward, with power lines bordering backyards and play areas. Problem solved!

In conclusion, I am shocked by a lack of appreciation for the Valley property owners. Most want only to earn a living, and leave something to their children.

We all want an attractive city. However, businesses die like people. Future challenges require change. Even more outrageous is that some of these highly paid officials making these decisions do not even live in our city and have no stake in our future. This will poison our community, shift the tax burden to residential properties, and create unusable expanses of properties shunned by banks and builders.

The final irony is that this $41 million plan is unfunded – no money. It could take more than 20 years to complete. There has to be a better way.

I have worked too long and invested too much to accept the planners’ description of our community as “shabby.” I recognize that the city has the power and the right to do as they desire, but I ask that their decision consider the negative implications of their actions.