McNaughton’s rural clusters back on table

The McNaughton Group’s rural cluster subdivision application will be back on the hearing examiner’s desk, again.

The order for an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) regarding developments in the Lake Goodwin area, issued by Snohomish County Hearing Examiner Barbara Dykes, has been overturned in King County Superior Court.

Granting an appeal that local community group 7-Lakes filed under the State Environmental Protection Act (SEPA), Dykes sent McNaughton’s original 49- home rural cluster application back to the county’s Planning and Development Services (PDS) for review with 11 interrelated rural clusters, requiring an EIS conducted on a total of 600 homes over 2,000 acres.

On Dec. 7, King County Judge Paris Kallas reversed the decision and called the order by Dykes illegal.

Chief Executive Mark McNaughton said it was nice to have an appeal process, but was discouraged about having to use it.

“It’s unfortunate,” said McNaughton, “in order to work your way through the process in Snohomish County, you need to go to court in King County.”

He criticized the hearing examiner for not considering decisions made by staff in the planning department working on the project.

“They are professionals,” McNaughton said. “They wouldn’t have put their stamp of approval on it if it wasn’t within the law.”

McNaughton said the group will continue to pursue the developments in the Lake Goodwin area and will seek action against the county to reclaim legal fees and holding costs.

McNaughton questioned the reason for Dykes’ order for a cumulative environmental study.

“She has consistently misapplied the law,” said McNaughton. “She may have another agenda.”

David Ridgeway, president of 7-lakes, the grassroots organization that filed the appeal of the developments, said the most recent ruling is “really a travesty.”

“It makes the entire county vulnerable to developers,” he said.

The group plans to meet after the New Year holiday to consider how to respond.

The hearing examiner’s office did not reply to a request for comment.

For now, McNaughton is waiting for the hearing examiner to make a decision on the first plat.

Each subsequent rural cluster application needs to be reviewed by county planners.

Construction for the first development is slated for the spring of 2011.

McNaughton said he has a hard time understanding certain individuals’ resistance to the project.

“We are trying to leave 1,200 acres of land as open space,” he said. “The idea is to develop a beautiful community that protects space.”

“A small group of people are making themselves sound like many,” he said.

Staff Reporter Adam Stewart: 629-8066 ext. 115 or astewart@scnews.com.