Reminder: Public invited to share ideas for Landmark 99 project Oct. 21

The Landmark site is located just east of Highway 99 and includes Burlington Coat Factory.

The City of Edmonds is seeking public input on the Landmark 99 property during a community conversation on Saturday, Oct. 21 from 10 a.m. to noon in the Great Hall at Edmonds-Woodway High School.

The 10-acre property located at the southern edge of Edmonds’ Highway 99 neighborhood has been proposed as a possible site for housing, parks and public and community spaces.

The meeting will include a presentation about the site, results from the community poll and potential options for the property. There will be small-group discussions regarding potential uses where attendees can provide feedback on the potential options and site access. Activities for children will be available.

For more information about Landmark 99, visit edmondswa.gov/99landmark.

Información disponible en el siguiente enlace en español edmondswa.gov/99landmark.

아래 링크에서 한국어로 제공되는 정보 edmondswa.gov/99landmark.

以下链接提供中文版信息 edmondswa.gov/99landmark.

 

  1. I got a lot of good ideas about what we could do with it but the best idea is nothing so I will hold my breath until government shoves this down my taxpaying throat. Hopefully common sense will prevail. And the poll that didn’t allow for just a no and required other chosen ideas to be given weight. Almost like no isn’t a acceptable answer crazy, crooked, compromised. Would be words to to associate with this poll and this mayor and administration.

  2. When everyone on the council is warning of budget shortfalls and the lack of funding necessary services, why are we even thinking of such an expensive endeavor without having a need or purpose for this property. Why?

  3. While I agree that this site is underutilized and it does not paint a particularly attractive image as you enter our city on SR-99, property development is not the responsibility of a municipal government and the purchase of this site to be turned over to a private party is likely a violation of the State Constitution. We should be encouraging and supporting a private developer, but any notion of our purchasing any site let alone this one at such an enormous cost should be shelved immediately!

  4. The mayor and his staff have no plan to gather a statistically valid sample of the residents opinion about purchasing and developing this site. Why should Council members be asked to vote on the most expensive undertaking the city has done without that input? The deal is structured to favor the seller, in terms of the timing, the restrictions on private use of the site, and assuming a lease with Burlington Coat Factory until Jan. 2029. The back 3 acres are a hill, which affects development costs. The front 1/2 acre can’t be built on and impair line of site to the building according to the lease terms. The State just re- laned Hwy 99 in that block and made car access more difficult. This will cost $37M for the land and about $150M for development. The seller says he has inquires from developers. Good- sell it to them when the City’s purchase option expires in Dec.

  5. Isn’t the “official” City process for proposed capital expenditures (according to State law) to have a Capital Facilities Plan drafted for public review and City Council approval as an amendment to the City’s Comprehensive Plan?

    The City Council is currently considering amendments to the City’s Capital Facilities Plan and has had public hearings – – BUT, the proposed Landmark property purchase for millions of dollars and HUGE burden on taxpayers is NOT included.

    Is there something afoul again in our current City administration?

  6. I am just wondering – will city staff actually show up at this event or will it be a repeat of some of the other recent community idea gathering events where no staff showed? The Planning Department has had so many recent resignations, I am not sure there is staff to actually man this event appropriately. Maybe it is time to back away from inappropriate purchases and esoteric re-designs to “green streets” and focus on a solid Comp Plan update.

    1. Good questions, Karen. The administration is hiring consultants now to work on the project. We may see them at the Oct. 21st open house

      1. My ideas is to forget this idea and use the money to finish installation of sidewalks and other traffic and pedestrian safety projects. For example, there is a crosswalk improvement near my home that was supposed to be complete in July. Two orange cones are as far as the City has gotten.

        1. Peggy this mayor has committed to every project good bad and indifferent, it has led to financial spending beyond normal levels and that is including federal pandemic spending. I would like to blame stupidity but the reality is deliberate. Government wants people to depend on government because then they will vote for bigger government. Ours has grown out of control, can somebody please put the lid back on the jar.

        2. I’m all for public parks and green spaces but with budget shortfalls projected i too agree that public safety concerns along our existing corridors should take precedence.

  7. It should be a simple matter for someone or some group of the Council Members to ask the C.P. to put this thing back up for discussion with another vote to be taken at the next regular Council Meeting. We need to get rid of Council Persons who think it’s their job to always kiss the Mayor and Staffs ring in whatever wild and costly endeavor they want to pursue; and the Citizens be damned if they don’t agree immediately to some pre election contrived nonsense to impress potential voters.

  8. Hey, how can we have a budget shortfall with having record property assessments, Use taxes, road taxes. Maybe we have too many departments in the city government that really are not needed. Any property east of the highway is not desirable or even considered in my mind as Edmonds. Leave this parcel to a private developer and move on.

    1. Doug,
      That area is Edmonds. From the Edmonds, WA Wikipedia entry – “The city is bordered to the west by Puget Sound and the city of Woodway, which lies south of Pine Street and west of 5th Avenue South. To the south of the county boundary at 244th Street Southwest is Shoreline in King County. The city’s southeastern border with Mountlake Terrace is defined by the Interurban Trail, while the eastern and northern borders with Lynnwood run along 76th Avenue West, Olympic View Drive, and Lund’s Gulch.”
      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edmonds,_Washington

    2. That IS Edmonds, though. Maybe that part of Edmonds would be more desirable if it got some of the same attention and $$ that is given to projects in The Bowl (Civic Playfield, Yost Pool, the Marsh, the Arts Corridor, etc).

    1. That’s a good question Rita to ask the staff presenters at the Saturday Oct. 21st “community conversation.” This is a hugely complex proposal, and the more public discussion we have, the better. Lets get everything on the table for all to see.

      Remember too there will be two or three new City Councilmembers and perhaps a new mayor involved before any further decisions are made. They will likely have different ideas on ways forward.

  9. What’s the best way to provide input if one is unable to attend the meeting? My partner and I will be out of town that day and can’t attend. Thanks!

    And thanks to Melissa for posting the city boundaries. I live east of 99 and we are very much Edmonds here.

    1. Kim, my personal opinion on how to provide input is to email/call City Council members, and make public comments at the regular city council meetings. The City Council has the vote on this: either cancel the option agreement before Dec 31st or authorize the administration to finish negotiations on the purchase agreement in 2024

  10. I can’t imagine that our CC members would vote for this move. It is so expensive with no idea what it would cost or become…So tight on money I don’t know why anyone would approve of this at all. I do know the CC members who vote yes for this idea will not get my vote this time of next time they run for office. This time we just need to say no.

  11. This is nothing new in our town. Edmonds Mayors have been holding hands with real estate developers and contractors pretty much since the town quit depending on the lumber and shingle industries for it’s existence. Our City Councils have pretty much been a rubber stamp for Administrative initiatives and big ideas all along. How our system is supposed to work and how it actually works are, more than usually, two different things. Unfortunately, too often our elected leaders don’t see us as clients to be served but more as somewhat ignorant people to be manipulated into compliance with their ideas. A few good Council people have recognized that their duty is to listen to everyone and try to do what is best for everyone; not just their interest groups and pals; but they have been few and far between unfortunately. This happens because most citizens don’t pay attention until they see their water bills skyrocket or have to write the property tax check that went up $500 to $1000 in one year.

    1. And. All of this isn’t just property owners, it is also RENTERS as the landlords pay for these prop cost increases and in some cases utilities. So, this is one reason rental costs go up and price people out. Do we have to build some yes, but we don’t have to do it all at once. Save some spaces and money for all.
      There are some CC members now who see this situation and yes, we need commerce, but Landmark is a want not a need. Too many rules and questions we don’t about with this property. There are other properties along 99 that hopefully we can purchase not as large but room for a reasonable sized community service area, a police annex and I would like to see a large retail group that ALL citizens would utilize. A large place that has about everything and different degrees of pricing. This would garner more sales tax. An example of that would be like…

  12. I got it let’s build a giant Lynnwood convention center on steroids, that’s a great idea compete with another government’s economic revenue stream. Is there enough activity to support 2 similar ventures? Or are we creating a underutilized taxpayer anchor. Somebody needs to flush this idea down the sewer that doesn’t work.

  13. Nope for me I am thinking retail mainly, but it seems many wanted a community center there and I think someone mentioned a PD annex of some sort. I am focused on revenue mainly. But I am trying to be nice about what everyone wants etc. I DO not support Landmark at all. Big old going on at Edmonds Woodway HS this Sat. Mayor Nelson will be there speaking. I am hoping to see people show up with signs and such to protest the purchase of this property (in a peaceful way of course). I guess people who want this are not thinking about the $$ ramification for all people here. In some case themselves. Hang on I say and give this city a chance to slow down on somethings that cost a lot and focus on the things that bring commerce and the infrastructure is a wanted thing by everyone. At least it should be. You shouldn’t build a house without a good foundation. It’s not just Earthquakes.

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