akpointe Communities<\/a>, a Kirkland-based developer associated with Yarrow Bay. The council discussed the sale in executive session, then came back into open session to vote on the sale. No council members commented about the sale during the open meeting.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n\u201cYou can tell we\u2019re pissed,\u201d Herrick said as she and other neighbors stood on a park trail last week near 114th Avenue Southeast and Southeast 276th Street.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
It bothers the neighbors even more how the city only notified them about the sale by posting a sign two weeks ago at the park. No snail mail. No emails. No phone calls. No community meetings. Just a brief talk during the Sept. 15 vote after an executive session when nobody was in the audience.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\u201cThat was news to me,\u201d Council President Bill Boyce said in a phone interview Wednesday when a resident told the council on Tuesday they were never notified about the sale. \u201cFor some reason, notice did not go out. We missed it and learned from it. There was nothing secret about it.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is no excuse. We just dropped the ball and missed it. It was not anything on purpose. We need to do a better job next time.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Ric and Kristy Herrick live across the street from the park. They\u2019ve lived there for 35 years. King County voters in the late 1960s approved a Forward Thrust bond measure that purchased land for numerous parks countywide, including Pine Tree Park, to help preserve open space. Kent later annexed the unincorporated area and took control of the park.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\u201cThis was just a little park that people were so concerned about 40 years ago with the rapid development of the area and deterioration of the natural state of things that they passed that bond issue and this was part of it,\u201d Kristy Herrick said.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
The park features a few paved trails and open space, including numerous large pine trees. Neighbors say deer are spotted in the park.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Traci Dysart, who lives four blocks from the park, said the sale contradicts the city\u2019s 2025 vision posted on its website that includes talk of a Green Kent and to implement a plan targeting greenways to include better use of open space and trees.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\u201cWe feel that the city of Kent has violated our trust,\u201d Dysart said. \u201cSince voters approved the preservation of the park, it should remain a park. Selling the park without voter input is unfair, underhanded and against Kent\u2019s own visions.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Watling said staff identified Pine Tree Park as a piece of city property to sell for several reasons.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\u201cFactors include vehicle-access issues to the site, the park\u2019s reduced service area due to the construction of the South 277th Street transportation corridor, and a number of other development challenges related to this specific site,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Marketing of the site began in 2014, Watling said. As a condition of sale, all proceeds must be reinvested back into the Kent park system. The city has not yet decided how to spend those funds as the sale is set to close in June.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\u201cIdeally, it\u2019s a reinvestment that\u2019s very close to the (Pine Tree Park) neighborhood impacted,\u201d Watling said.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Herrick doubts how much $2 million can help the city be financially stable.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re only getting $2 million for it,\u201d she said. \u201cThat\u2019s not going to go anywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Kent city officials cut staff and programs for several years but the cutbacks ended with the 2013-14 budget. Concerns about future budget problems, including a lack of funding for park repairs, caused the city to form a Financial Sustainability Task Force last year. The city will eventually lose state money it receives for the Panther Lake annexation. That task force is to provide detailed recommendations this May to the mayor and council about the city\u2019s needs and the community\u2019s priorities as far as what services should be funded and how to pay for them.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
As far as Pine Tree Park, developer Oakpointe also bought about 4 acres from the Kent School District, east of the park for the new houses. The district had extra land next to Pine Tree Park Elementary. The school will remain open.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Oakpointe has submitted a preliminary subdivision review application to the city Planning Department. A public meeting for comment about the proposed subdivision is tentatively set for 10 a.m. on Wednesday, March 2, in the Council Chambers at City Hall.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Oakpointe is the developer building the Bridges subdivision on Auburn\u2019s Lea Hill, not far from Pine Tree Park. Home prices at Bridges range from about $350,000 to $430,000. Oakpointe also has expressed interest in buying the city\u2019s Riverbend Golf Complex par 3 property that the city put up for sale to help pay for improvements at the 18-hole course across the street.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
But the meeting on March 2 is about the subdivision, not whether or not the city should have sold the park.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s kind of tucked away,\u201d Herrick said about living next to the park. \u201cI always felt everything else could get divided up but we\u2019d still have the park.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Or at least a say about what happens to the park.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\u201cThey are legally good,\u201d Ric Herrick said about city officials selling the park. \u201cThey are ethically and morally bad.\u201d<\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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