Parking under Silverview buildings remains disputed as engineers, planners contest aquifer, cost and design risks

A central planning question at the Silverview appeals hearing was whether the applicant must put parking under the proposed apartment buildings where feasible under the Silverdale waterfront design standards — and if so, whether that is feasible on this site.

What was argued: applicant-side witnesses and the project’s architect said structured (under-building) parking is not feasible because site-specific subsurface conditions — including a shallow, artesian aquifer in the downslope area — make deeper excavation risky and costly. The county’s staff (Jeff Smith) testified that the applicant’s feasibility analysis addressed the design standards and that staff believes the applicant has justified using surface parking rather than structured parking in the current proposal. Opponents and some independent witnesses argued that other design choices (podium parking, narrower building footprints, or alternative foundation methods) could allow under-building parking and that nearby examples in Silverdale show that one level of structured parking is feasible in the area.

Seismic, elevator…