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Residents tell Sammamish council blocked Tamarack road creates safety, access problems
Summary
Several Tamarack neighborhood residents told the Sammamish City Council the placement of concrete blocks and a fenced gate on a privately managed road has restricted access, impeded school routes and raised fire hydrant and emergency response concerns; residents asked the city to act though staff noted private-road limits.
Multiple Tamarack neighborhood residents used the public-comment period at the Sammamish City Council meeting on May 5 to urge the council to address a fenced gate and concrete blocks that currently restrict access on a privately owned neighborhood road.
Amy Macomber said the blocked road by Tamarack has interfered with her ability to reach home quickly during medical emergencies for her autistic son and said she could not "figure out why we can't have the roads open." Martin Bunat and Fonda Bunyod described repeated harassment and threats when using the route, told the council a driver chased a bicyclist at approximately 40 mph, and said some neighbors possess keys allowing selective vehicle access. Mary Wicktor told the council a metal gate and posts sit about 10.5 feet from a fire hydrant and noted Washington law generally prohibits parking within 15 feet of hydrants; she said private-road status has limited city enforcement and asked council attention to public-safety risks.
Staff and council members acknowledged that many of the roads in the Tamarack area are private and that the city's jurisdiction over private easements is constrained, but residents urged civic action to resolve access and safety problems. The council did not take formal action on the comments at the meeting; residents were told the city will accept the concerns and that private easement status complicates direct city remedies.
