Heritage Neighborhood Association

2003-October Meeting Minutes (Sifton)

Sifton Neighborhood Minutes (neighboring association)

Sifton Neighborhood Association




DATE: October 2, 2003

TIME: 7:00 PM

LOCATION: Fire Station 88



Topic: Transportation / Traffic / Birtcher Business Park



Speakers: State Representative Deb Wallace, Bart Gernhart WSDOT, Thayer Rorbaugh City of Vancouver Department of Transportation, Pete Capell Clark County Public Works, Lamont Shandlin VP Sifton Neighborhood Association and Steven Hamilton President Sifton Neighborhood Association



Steven Hamilton opened the meeting with a short history of the neighborhood associations concerns about the increase in noise and traffic with the Birtcher Business Center, Kaiser and Winco Foods coming on 4th Plain. He explained the past meetings and the outcome of each meeting prior to the present. He ended with introducing Lamont Shandlin who spoke at the City Council meeting on behalf of the Sifton Neighborhood Association. Lamont gave a brief update on a sound wall along 4th Plain. Birtcher Business Park has agreed to reimburse the Sifton Neighborhood Association up to $200,000 for a sound wall. Lamont spoke to a banker and was told they would loan the Neighborhood Association the money with a signed letter from the developer. Lamont has so far obtained one bid that is under budget. At our next meeting on November 6, 2003, the three contractors will give their presentations to the Neighborhood Association. We will then be able to vote on which wall we would like.



A question was asked: “Who pays for the wall if the developer backs out on the contact”?



Answer: Not everything is finalized yet. The money will more than likely be set up in an escrow account. Only to be used for the wall.



Pete Cappell suggested we ask for “Anti-Graffiti”. That is what the county puts on the walls for maintenance.



Steven Hamilton explained that with the neighborhood association requesting the Birtcher developer to pay for the sound wall it will subsequently save the tax payers of the county, state or city about $200,000 by doing this project.



Deb Wallace stated there are a lot of good people here to figure out solutions. We all know about growth and transportation planning.



Bart Gernhart stated with all the improvements SR 500 will have more traffic flowing East. We may have to widen 4th plain.



Pete Capell stated one of the challenges is having all three jurisdictions agree. The Birtcher project is in unincorporated city. Our neighborhood association is on the other side of the road in the county. SR 500 is in the neighborhood association. The state’s transportation business is moving traffic and safety issues. Pedestrians from 143rd ave. will want to cross 4th Plain. This is a larger concern than the access issue. Safety is the #1 priority.



Steve commented that pedestrians crossing 4th Plain at 143rd ave. into the new business park has been brought up numerous times. The neighborhood association was told the pedestrians would have cross at ward road or 137th ave.. Steve has asked the state transportation representative at that time “If it was him would he walk to Ward rd or 137th ave. to cross”. The answer was no, he would run across the street. The issue was the children and elderly crossing to walk on the walking path and shop at the stores.



Pete Capell commented that a pedestrian overpass would be to expensive. A traffic light and crosswalk would be more cost effective and solve everyone’s problems. He is very confident that the three jurisdictions can work out the juridical differences. At this time, 4th Plain is not functioning as a highway. There is talk of a county/state swap for Padden Parkway per a state proposal. Judy Stanton had stated at our last association meeting in August that she was against the swap. The three jurisdictions are working through all the issues. All three agree a light needs to be at 143rd ave. on 4th Plain. The three DOTS’ and the administrator had met & discussed this request. There will be a traffic light. It will not cost the taxpayers any money. The Birtcher people have agreed to pay for it. Deb Wallace has a letter signed by all three jurisdictions. This will work out and is a win-win situation, Deb stated. The three jurisdictions just need to work out the details.



Steve asked, “Who do we get permission from for the wall on 4th Plain?”

ANSWER: It will be from the county. The property on that side of 4th Plain is in the county. The city annexation will go to the street. There are still a lot of issues to work out. There needs to be an efficient way of providing maintenance. The city wants to take over from 117th st. eastward on 4th Plain.



Thayer Rorabaugh commented that Lamont’s approach to the city council went very well. He did an outstanding job representing the neighborhood association.



Deb Wallace then talked about the long term planning. The draft was removed from long range planning because Birtcher has done part of this in the develop plan. Birtcher will build 59th st. from 137th ave. all the way to 162nd ave. The future looks like 49th st. will be widened from 112th ave. to 122nd ave. when the need arises. 147th and 39th st. will be widened in the future. That project is at least six years out.



Question: Will there need to be more access to the area?

Answer: The remainder of Padden opened this week. SR 500 & 112th ave. is under construction. 162nd ave. is on the edge of the growth bounty. 162nd will be widened next year. This will open up access to the area.



Steve asked when is the construction on 76th st to begin?

Answer: Next year. Usually we start projects in the spring.



The new overpass at SR 500 & 112th ave. started early. They are working year round on this project.



Question: What do we look for in the future?

Answer: The WSDOT has a program that models traffic. It looks at the vacant land, what the land is zoned for, and puts cars on the road. The question is – is there enough out there to handle traffic in the future?



Comment: The city is working on widening 4th Plain by the hospital. As the city annexes more land will we need to do something else?



Question: Do you limit construction based on the current infrastructure?

Answer: No. We do not.



Question: Are we trying to find a balance?

Answer: Long range planning looks at a population and the jobs needed to support the population. Then the infrastructure is analyzed. Are there enough infrastructures to support the population growth? If the level of service is exceeded (Fire/police/schools) then the short term planning will shut down the building. Like what happened at salmon creek. Building was halted for 1 year.



In 1994 the concurrency act was passed. This is the watchdog for how much the state, city and county can stop because of the infrastructure not being able to support the growth within a period of time. The city council or legislators set the criteria and the standard we base this on. We can look at a development and say you are going to impact this roadway and you will need to build a turn lane and light, ect.





Birtcher will be making about $10 million in road improvements.



Is there a need for any additional planning for the Sifton/Orchard area? There is never enough planning done. We need to start now for our children and grandchildren’s transportation needs. South of 4th Plain there is a lot of property that will be developed in the next few years. Sifton is full. There are not a lot of options left.



Would it be appropriate for the city, county and state and C-Tran to do a sub-area plan for the south side of 4th plain? To get an initial conversation going? To have the community involved. To say you an increase in the money needed for transportation in this area. Everyone agreed. We need to have the city, county and state DOT’s as well as C-Tran and the community meeting on the future transportation needs of our community.



Next meeting SIFTON ASSOCIATION November 6, 2003 at Fire Station 88 (Corner of Ward Rd. and 4th Plain). Topics: Our Parks and the three proposals for the wall to be built on 4th Plain.