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Neighbors urge mitigation before Timbercrest Middle School field upgrades over traffic, parking and water concerns
Summary
Multiple neighborhood residents told the board that proposed Timbercrest Middle School athletic upgrades — artificial turf, rubberized track and expanded facilities — will increase traffic and parking overflow and risk stormwater runoff into private wells and Bear Creek; they asked the board to require traffic, parking and stormwater mitigation before proceeding.
Several residents living near Timbercrest Middle School urged the Northshore School District board to require comprehensive mitigation before approving planned field upgrades.
Ron Watts, who said he lives in the neighborhood surrounding Timbercrest, told the board removing lighting from the initial plan was “an important step,” but said artificial turf, a rubberized track and expanded athletic features will significantly increase facility use and bring “predictable” traffic surges from clubs and weekend tournaments. He described local streets with hills, sharp turns and no sidewalks where buses are prohibited and warned that increased volume will create safety risks.
Watts asked the board to require a traffic study, a safety plan that accounts for peak volumes on 215th, 175th and 222nd, expanded parking, and protections for stormwater and groundwater before construction proceeds.
Susan Watts, who said she lives within a quarter mile of Timbercrest, echoed traffic and parking concerns and cited frequent repairs on 215th Way Northeast. She raised health and environmental concerns about artificial turf with cork infill, saying research shows turf sheds microplastics that can leach into groundwater and into Bear Creek, an adjacent salmon habitat, and asked the board to require filtration and other protections.
Both residents asked the board to ensure that strong mitigation measures — covering traffic safety, parking overflow controls, pedestrian protections, wildlife considerations and stormwater management to safeguard downhill wells and salmon habitat — are in place before the project continues.
Their remarks came during the public comment portion of the meeting. President Sandy Hayes reminded speakers that, by law, the board cannot discuss items not on the published agenda during the working session; the board did not take action on the field proposal at this meeting.
The comments were left with the district’s recording secretary for follow-up by staff, Hayes said.
