Mill Creek residents urge city action over alleged sewage failure, animal cruelty and other code violations at 13701 Thirtieth Drive SE

Several neighbors told the Mill Creek City Council about continuing public-health and safety problems at 13701 Thirtieth Drive SE, including a failed septic system and allegations of animal cruelty and possible dogfighting. They described repeated calls to county and city officials and urged faster enforcement.

Jake Amadin, a neighbor who spoke during public comment, said a Snohomish County inspection in late May 2024 deemed the on-site system “failed” and listed repair or abandonment as options. Amadin said county inspectors found a mound system failure and that sewage was discharging to the yard; he told the council he had documented complaints dating to March 2023 and a Snohomish County letter dated May 28, 2024.

The testimony grew more graphic as other speakers described welfare concerns for residents and animals. Laura Wellington, principal of Heatherwood Middle School, told the council the dogs “appear to be used for illegal dog fighting or as bait dogs” and said officers and an animal-control assistant had been involved. Wellington said neighbors had provided audio and video evidence of animals in distress and that officers had described animals kept “in cages in the back shed with no consistent access to exercise, water, or food.”

Homeowner Amanda Ladd cited multiple code violations she said affect neighbors, naming municipal code sections she said were relevant: animal control (Title 6), container/trash rules (Title 8), and discharge to storm drainage (Title 15). Ladd also described alleged criminal conduct at the property, including theft of utilities and attempts to coerce vulnerable tenants to surrender benefits, and said she had reported repeated incidents to police and county agencies.

Longtime neighbors Doug and Lisa Porter described two incidents involving vulnerable adults who, they said, were living at the address in precarious circumstances. Doug Porter said one man, found at the house in the winter, had not eaten for days and showed injuries; Lisa Porter said she had helped an elderly tenant leave the property when officers were present.

Mayor Brian Holtzclaw acknowledged receipt of residents’ emails and said staff had not had time to review some materials before the meeting. The mayor said he had conferred with Police Chief White, City Manager Martin Yamamoto and county contacts and that he had already reached out to a county health official for clarity on the health department’s handling. “We heard you,” the mayor told the speakers, and he said he had asked the city attorney, who was substituting that evening, to be prepared to advise the council at its meeting in two weeks on options under the city’s code and other authorities. He said staff would bring a report for council discussion in two weeks.

Council members and staff did not adopt an enforcement action at the meeting. Instead, the council and staff discussed next steps and requested legal advice and follow-up from county health staff. City staff said code enforcement and police had been involved and indicated that the matter may come back to the council under the city’s code enforcement provisions.

Neighbors asked the city to pursue unannounced inspections, animal-cruelty unit involvement, and more aggressive enforcement; they said they would continue to provide documentation to staff. City staff said some communications had been filtered into spam mailboxes and that they were working to ensure emails were routed to the appropriate staff.

The council’s immediate direction—requested by the mayor and recorded on the public record—was to have the city attorney advise on the available city code options and for staff to prepare a report and, if appropriate, a recommended path for the council to consider at its next meeting in two weeks.

Residents may pursue additional civil or criminal referrals with county and state authorities; council members asked staff to clarify whether the county had referred matters to the prosecutor’s office and to report that finding to council.

Ending: The council did not take enforcement action at the meeting; it asked staff and the city attorney to return with legal advice and an options report at the next regular meeting so the council can consider formal steps under Mill Creek’s code or coordinate further with Snohomish County.