[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6272866,"mediaKeyId","3009239-b4d21da43f5437b14cfae1d1124f509e","parentId",3009239,"title","Property owner, petitioners and city spar over vacating Schusman Avenue near 39194 SE Park St; council continues hearing to April 28","audioSeconds",58,"startMs",411000,"endMs",469000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3009239-b4d21da43f5437b14cfae1d1124f509e&start=411&end=469","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3009239-b4d21da43f5437b14cfae1d1124f509e/thumbnail_411000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6272866/Snoqualmie/King-County/Washington/Property-owner-petitioners-and-city-spar-over-vacating-Schusman-Avenue-near-39194-SE-Park-St-council-continues-hearing-to-April-28","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6272866-2c5339823120cd987cbd412429880ece/orig.mp4?Expires=1775998548&Signature=VvI8BaJCO-2DrZikA1CFp8NLNQvjH1zJ89VXccD2k7EhDosGWsx5dTspBuFxnB-fGdfdokNkx1rUOcWNkj-nuYKSePtMWmr9csCHmYQ5K4aWOa-hmJJbe4beH2im-I0e0Eos1a2weGyhxJravPyrZh-GdUiD93wgQgs2VyyHUyOGn-vI5dcWdy13jlkk1CU7gQhlHlSrlAtNFwiX0thFwrK0z9vE8Jm1G4sZgQGVhSUWog60ASwu4Q-zCucBmo5Iyz3N1cCLNETqeD9ObFzZ4rKMdOlJ0TVgi4a4BFuLtBPQZi0PzHk6OimNKSqISciGZjSrzt2acPhUnMeoVtD~DQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Snoqualmie Government, WA","date","2025-04-16T09:56:20.097Z","article","SNOQUALMIE, Wash. — A contentious public hearing Thursday evening over a petition to vacate public right-of-way adjacent to 39194 Southeast Park Street ended with the City Council continuing the matter to Monday, April 28 at 6 p.m. after more than an hour of testimony and council questions.

The petitioners, represented by in-house counsel Steve Deshazho and outside counsel Dean Williams speaking for NWBF LLC, asked the council to vacate a narrow strip of Schusman Avenue they say was never used for public access and to accept a dedication of other right-of-way related to Park Street. “After 87 years, it is not in the public interest and, in fact, would degrade the public’s trust in government to capitalize on the present situation and compel demolition of this home,” Williams said, asking the city to rule for a vacation or settle the quiet-title dispute rather than risk litigation.

Why it matters: Petitioners say the parcel’s market value has been depressed by the city’s stance and that prior city building permits and surveys show the structure has existed for decades. Petitioners submitted competing appraisals that put the property value in the mid-$500,000s; they said the city’s more recent appraisal (cited by petitioners as a December 2023 appraisal) valued the site at about $10,000–$40,000 before demolition costs, an outcome petitioners contend fails the Fifth Amendment’s just-compensation principle and is inconsistent with historic permit records.

City attorney and petitioner arguments: City counsel advised the council that a vacation may be granted only for a public purpose and that petitioners bear the burden to prove the right-of-way was unused in the statutory period. City attorney Kim Pratt (Madrona Law) told the council petitioners had not shown the requisite evidence that Schusman Avenue was unopened to the public between the late 19th- and early 20th-century statutory window. Pratt also said historical permits and assessor records submitted by petitioners do not clearly place the building in the Schusman right-of-way and that King County survey records show Park Street historically in multiple alignments; she recommended the council deny the vacation portion related to Schusman Avenue and rely on the city’s existing public-purpose plans for the Riverwalk and prescriptive easements for Park Street.

Public comment and owner concerns: A member of the public who identified himself as Johnny Jones (said he lives in Seattle but holds title interest through foreclosure arrangements) asked what the city intends for the property and said he had been told by city staff that the house was subject to demolition; he said petitions and communications led to confusion and claimed the property’s marketability has been affected by staff statements. Petitioners said they had found permit records (including a 1985 change-of-use permit and a 1997 survey that shows a 3.8-foot gap between the structure and boundary in one measured location) and a 1919 King County roads survey they say supports their Park Street dedications.

Council questions and next steps: Council members pressed both sides on historic plats, how nearby homes access their properties, and whether vacating the right-of-way would interfere with public access to the river. Several council members said they were concerned about abrupt changes after decades of what petitioners argued were non-problems. City attorney’s office said questions related to potential litigation could be discussed in executive session under state law, and the council set a continuation date. The public hearing record will remain open for the continuation on April 28 at 6 p.m.; the council also advised that written comments submitted by 3 p.m. the hearing date are accepted by the city clerk.

What the council did: The council closed the night’s portion of the public hearing and continued the item to the April 28 roundtable at 6 p.m. for additional testimony, rebuttals and council deliberation.

Context and outstanding questions: Key facts that remain in dispute in the record are (a) whether the relevant portion of Schusman Avenue meets statutory nonuser vacation criteria for the requisite period; (b) whether Park Street was legally dedicated and whether the city already holds a prescriptive easement for the portion in current public use; and (c) valuation discrepancies among appraisals and whether the city’s position would require demolition or eminent-domain steps. Councilors and both sides signaled interest in more documentary evidence and the council asked staff to provide available permit and survey records for the April 28 continuation.

The continuation is scheduled for April 28 at 6 p.m. in Council Chambers; if the council runs out of time again, staff said the matter could be reconvened later.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","2025-04-14 Snoqualmie City Council Roundtable and Regular Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","A contentious public hearing Thursday evening over a petition to vacate public right-of-way adjacent to 39194 Southeast Park Street ended with the Snoqualmie City Council continuing the matter to April 28 for additional evidence and questions.","taxTitle","Snoqualmie, King County, Washington","taxId",71685,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6272857,"Council awards reclaimed-water distribution contract; project bids drive a budget shortfall staff say will require loan and CIP adjustments",157,7624000,7781000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3009239-b4d21da43f5437b14cfae1d1124f509e&start=7624&end=7781","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3009239-b4d21da43f5437b14cfae1d1124f509e/thumbnail_7624000.jpg","/articles/6272857/Snoqualmie/King-County/Washington/Council-awards-reclaimed-water-distribution-contract-project-bids-drive-a-budget-shortfall-staff-say-will-require-loan-and-CIP-adjustments","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6272857-951fa7d1f21d63ec03aa6c0eb9a5c002/orig.mp4?Expires=1775998548&Signature=oIROIX9QX7tLvhYULHiNVEWDNVfZhQni4HX2nP1~AIjT8JPxaPfs4S24Bn6rrGKv3FYWq8mmXDV3p5SlOmXXpt5CoWJnjQOj5AmT-XsxGUn0SvBftPAU1eBml48rj4CsY70qGh3Ev-E2R1BRMkzYEhLTW9QhddCc2Fl-xE1WflGqhs8QOK~gVKdHjA4Mp3qR7e1~K4oxaIuxrRd72GViM3x52zrjlwRiqez8Vi~YjaOMOA5-VIcnT9mRIAEjl7VR7QBAZOPeahuqDJoNrS-XjNeNYWTICrnwwLyYgFvEc1qbqupujSDhZofqnuB9-ZLGVzvfbjqACWVJIb5yXKD8Gw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","SNOQUALMIE, Wash. — The Snoqualmie City Council on April 14 approved a construction contract for reclaimed-water distribution improvements and approved a related amendment to engineering services for the Water Reclamation Facility (WRF) Phase 3 construction oversight.

Contract award and numbers: The council adopted Resolution 17-13 awarding the reclaimed-water distribution system improvements construction contract to Prospect Construction, the low bidder, for $7,178,870 (including tax). The city’s project team said that the low bid was competitive — roughly 3% below the engineer’s estimate and 7% below the average bid — but that higher-than-expected construction costs left a project shortfall of about $427,998 plus anticipated construction management costs.

Funding and mitigation: Parks and Public Works Director Jeff Hamlin and staff explained that the project is funded primarily by a low-interest loan from the Washington State Department of Ecology (Clean Water State Revolving Fund). To address the shortfall, staff said the city requested an increase of $500,000 in the Ecology loan amount; the city also plans to seek a budget amendment during the biennial budget process to reconcile the projected gap. Staff warned that if projected costs ultimately exceed available revenues, the city will need to choose among options such as adjusting or delaying other capital projects, increasing rates, or finding other funding sources.

Engineering amendment and construction oversight: The council also approved an amendment (Amendment 4) to RH2 Engineering’s contract for additional services during construction of WRF Phase 3. The administration reported that out-of-scope items had arisen during construction and that the amendment covers necessary engineering and construction-support work.

Why it matters: The reclaimed-water improvements bring the city’s reclaimed distribution system into compliance with current state standards and support conservation by expanding reuse of treated wastewater for irrigation and other non-potable needs. The council and staff emphasized the project’s role in long-term water conservation and in providing system capacity to support anticipated development and Snoqualmie Casino Hotel expansion.

Council action and votes: Councilor Ethan Vinson moved, and Councilor Lewis Washington seconded, adoption of the award resolution; the motion passed unanimously. The amendment to RH2’s WRF Phase 3 construction services was also approved unanimously.

Next steps: Staff will return with a budget amendment to adjust project appropriations and will continue to pursue the increased Ecology loan. Construction is expected to remain on schedule to meet the state permit deadline (June 30, 2026), the administration said. The city will monitor project cash flows and may recommend shifting or delaying other CIP items if necessary to maintain fiscal balance.

Background: The city previously completed earlier phases of the WRF project and has used Prospect Construction and RH2 on prior phases, according to staff. The reclaimed-water distribution improvements are part of the larger capital program to update wastewater and reclaimed water infrastructure.","The council approved a construction contract for reclaimed-water distribution improvements, awarding the low bid to Prospect Construction at $7.179 million; staff reported a projected budget shortfall of about $427,998 and said the city has requested a higher Department of Ecology loan to help cover increased costs.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6272861,"Council tables utility-rate ordinance, asks for written interim rate study report from consultant",1476,5701000,7177000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3009239-b4d21da43f5437b14cfae1d1124f509e&start=5701&end=7177","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3009239-b4d21da43f5437b14cfae1d1124f509e/thumbnail_5701000.jpg","/articles/6272861/Snoqualmie/King-County/Washington/Council-tables-utility-rate-ordinance-asks-for-written-interim-rate-study-report-from-consultant","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6272861-fd83d68604d20f0ed2547700b184ac66/orig.mp4?Expires=1775998548&Signature=Ak3EF0r-abtG-ET2kbu9jV~GcQKpLm3Dzsf6ajdFrevwnlQjS-f9Hevn~koWiYh4nZqVVUus1dikjjBLA~6-eO06Q4p9MB1E2injuqhO1qtBuQyHpVEqCIzg-Oi39bJtNIYSauBxLDkkwzQBS-7tM76Euc6Qsjm91E~xxnmyiSkVnrnFxHzbDh3OVMEyTaamvpf28oPUViznmPYOuNSDRXj67SvRMMLgB2HjWgy8BJnfyo~AEsjSYStHzrGbKfN7NgsHg~M53qgNUxoLxXn1rfSPDLZsHWsRoZH-QO8VpSsW9KhlpZVJJ7S7wYkh9PQ2W0AMc4XaM~U1P31LwKjwaw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","SNOQUALMIE, Wash. — The Snoqualmie City Council on April 14 voted to table the second reading of Ordinance 13-03, which would have amended utility rates for 2025–2030, and instructed staff to obtain a written interim rate study report from consultant FCS Group summarizing the rate calculations (excluding the separate general facility charge analysis) used to justify the ordinance.

What happened: Councilor Brian Holloway moved to table the ordinance until an interim written report from FCS Group is provided; Councilor Joe Johnson seconded. The motion to table passed 6–1, with Councilor Kat Cotton voting no. Council members who supported tabling said they wanted a consolidated written document that clearly shows how the rates were produced and the council-level decisions that led to the proposed numbers.

Why it matters: The rate ordinance arises from a multiyear utilities rate study intended to produce revenue sufficient to cover capital projects, operations, and debt associated with the combined water, sewer and reclaimed-water utility. Councilors and members of the public pressed staff and the consultant on project cost estimates (including a recent bid for the reclaimed-water distribution improvements that exceeded the engineer’s estimate) and asked how cost increases would be absorbed without an additional rate increase later.

Council debate and public comment: Several council members and residents asked for more explicit documentation: Councilor Joe Johnson and others said they expected a study document in hand before voting and that residents should be able to see the consultant’s calculations. Mayor Pro Tem Holloway and committee members said the work had been extensively vetted in committee meetings and council workshops, but acknowledged that a concise written report summarizing the decisions would help inform a final vote. A resident who participated in committee meetings said she remained unconvinced the ordinance distributed adequate justification for impacts on commercial and multifamily customers and announced she would vote against the ordinance if it came to a final vote without the requested material.

Next steps: Council directed staff to ask FCS Group to prepare and deliver an interim “rates-only” study binder (rates portion of the full study, separate from the GFC component) as quickly as possible. Staff indicated completing that product could take weeks and that additional scope or contract amendments to FCS might be required. The council noted the GFC (general facility charge) work is underway and will follow; the interim report is intended to document the calculations and rationales used for the rate ordinance so the public and council have a single reference document.

Background context: Finance staff and the consultant previously presented rate options across many committee and council sessions beginning in late 2024. Department and capital-project schedules (including water reclamation and reclaimed-water projects) drive revenue needs; if projects come in higher than engineers’ estimates, council members said they want an explicit plan (which projects to delay or other budget adjustments) rather than implicitly increasing rates later without a clear record.

Vote: Motion to table ordinance 13-03 until an interim report from FCS Group is provided — passed 6–1 (motion: Mayor Pro Tem Brian Holloway; second: Councilor Joe Johnson).","After extensive committee and council discussions, the Snoqualmie City Council voted 6–1 to table the second-reading ordinance amending utility rates until an interim written rate-study report (rates portion, excluding GFCs) from FCS Group is provided.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Property owner, petitioners and city spar over vacating Schusman Avenue near 39194 SE Park St; council continues hearing to April 28

Council awards reclaimed-water distribution contract; project bids drive a budget shortfall staff say will require loan and CIP adjustments

Council tables utility-rate ordinance, asks for written interim rate study report from consultant