IEC White Paper on the Central Issaquah Plan
Introduction
The Issaquah Environment Council has generated this white paper to provide a critical eye toward future plans for the Central Issaquah Plan using an environmental point of view. It is our intent to raise awareness of the high priority that must be placed on the natural environment in the broad planning stages if we are to maintain the city's stated goals of preserving Issaquah’s treasures.
1. Water
Our water quality needs to remain a high priority when guiding future development. This includes our domestic water supply and the aquifer recharge from green open spaces and permeable surfaces, and water runoff feeding the many streams which transverse the study area including Issaquah Creeks’ main channel, East Fork and North Fork, Tibbets Creek, and Schneider Creek.
A. Redevelopment is likely to adversely affect the quality of the water in these creeks thus impacting the fish and wildlife that depend on it. This will in turn impact Lake Sammamish. Protections of our creek corridors above current code are necessary if increased building densities are proposed.
B. Redevelopment must contribute positively to the process of aquifer recharge in increased water quality and at least equal quantity.
2. Transportation
For this sub area to be successful it is imperative that public transportation other than personal cars be convenient, obvious and a required component of each redevelopment.
There are many example of how walking and transit use is discouraged currently. Shoppers cannot cross Gilman or East Lake Sammamish safely, it is dangerous to cross I-90 along the current overpasses and incredibly unpleasant. Further, pedestrians have no clear walking areas in any of the shopping center parking lots, so they drive, even to the next store. There are no linkages for walkers between shopping centers again making it far easier to jump in the car than walk. The Route 200 bus (Freebee) stops are not covered and are not supplied with time schedules, so a rider has no idea of when the bus might come.
One method of redevelopment would require the retail/business area to be clustered in a centralized area with the parking either underneath or on the outer edges. Decreasing the speed limit to 25mph on Gilman Boulevard and adding crossings would greatly facilitate pedestrian traffic and adding linked sidewalks between existing shopping centers would be a good public investment. Transit must be routed to provide good access to both parking and shopping areas within the Sub-area, and incorporate clearly marked, convenient stop locations with covered waiting areas and time schedules posted if it is to be effective in engaging riders. An alternative to posting schedules would be to increasing the frequency of the bus to every 10 minutes.
3. Visual Aesthetics
New buildings need to provide visual variety and take into consideration the angles of reflective surfaces to minimize glare. The overall effect should be to provide an open bright feeling to the public areas. Consideration must be given to protect views from the valley to the hills by designated view corridors.
4. Green Scape
Equal consideration should be provided for the green scape and canopy of the Central Area Plan and buildings. The placement of and size of trees, with a native emphasis, must meet criteria for the function, size and aesthetic of the tree.
The variety of the green scape will help provide clear sectors within this enormous area, helping to facilitate the “flavor” of the area. For example, residential homes should have street trees that will mature into trees of stature, reflecting a slower, more relaxing environment. Mixed used areas, with narrower setbacks would use narrower, more upright trees. Trees in commercial areas, especially parking lots would have a large shade and storm water retention component, focusing on conifers. The use of fruit and nut trees as are currently used along Gilman Blvd should be considered along with community gardens and passive parks.
5. Wildlife
A variety of wildlife, including fish, amphibians, birds, and mammals utilize this sub-area, predominately along the streams and wetlands. Wildlife corridors must be established that provide safe and easy movement for wildlife.
6. Others
In addition to these 5 items of concern, any new developments need to encourage a sense of community by including defined gathering places that encourage cultural and historic as well as recreational activities. We need to require zero energy / sustainable new and remodeled buildings in Central Issaquah. We should also note that there are the fundamental concerns with erosion and slides in steep areas, soil composition in general and its ability to support large structures, and earthquakes (I-90 Fault) that must be considered.
Posted: 05/28/09