An appeal was held today at the Appeal Examiner regarding the Arbor Heights Elementary Schools site. Applicant Chris Jackins contended that construction should be stopped primarily due to the hinderance of two Douglas firs along with other concerns.

Background:
Nearly five months ago the demolition project at the Arbor Heights Elementary School site took off.
However, an appeal filed in Nov. by four residents, including Chris Jackins, requested that the project be stopped. The appeal mainly concerns the fate of two Douglas firs, located at the edge of the construction site, as well as four zoning exceptions that were previously granted.
Chris Jackins’ testimony:

Applicant Chris Jackins opened the meeting saying: “Two Douglas fir trees should not be relocated,” he said. “The Duwamish tribe” should be consulted.

However, the testifier on behalf the school district said: “Development has been approved by the city. Evidence held today will show that the decisions were not erroneous but were appropriate and the appeal should be denied,” he said.

However, Jackins made a number of points including that appeals can be submitted to protect the environment. He talked about how the size of the future student body would create traffic problems. The city also did not consider the school that was already there, Westside School, would heighten the number of students.

"The cumulative impact from both schools could degrade operations,” of traffic for sizable amounts of time every school day, he said. Future charter school development was also brought into the picture.

“We ask that all departures be denied,” he concluded. “The school district will work with SDOT, but this has not been applied. This was only a very recent development,” he added.

He asked that the city provide more parking and traffic resources. 63 stalls were originally recommended, not 55. The same traffic will all be funneled on to SW 105th St, which would be “problematic”. The electronic sign is to be used for student and school messaging only. Commercial advertising should not be tolerated, but the proposal does not include such restrictions.

Tim Ausink’s testimony:

On behalf of the school district, Tim Ausink, project manager of Heering International and construction manager of the Arbor Heights construction project, talked about the construction.

He pointed out on a blue print of the construction site the basics of what would be developed.

“In the first departure we request that reduce the number of required parking spots from 71 to 55,” he said regarding previous granted departures to the plan. “The committee voted to approve that.”

Off-street parking should be made available to general public for school and after-school events.

There was not a significant impact to the surrounding neighborhood, he testified.

The request has always been for 55 parking spaces, Ausink said. He was asked to read testimony that said that 55 spaces were in fact written in plan.

“The committee recommended departures unanimously,” he said at one point.

About the reader board: “A reader board was suggested as a way to officially and effectively communicate community school events and activities to the neighborhood,” Ausink testified.

“The committee recommended that the departure should be approved conditionally,” he said. The board should only be operational when school is in session, basically.

Ausink said he had plans to contact the Duwamish, Mukilteo, Snoqualmie and Tulalip tribes before construction.

Paula Johnson’s testimony:

On behalf of the school district, Paula Johnson of Environmental Design Associates told the examiner about her work on the project.

“We considered there was a low risk for encountering cultural resources,” she said. In an inadvertent discovery program, it talks about orientations for construction crews, how communications will happen,” and other details, she said. “The school district notified the Duwamish tribe beforehand” and will notify other tribes, as well.

Scott D. Banker’s testimony

On behalf of the school district, Scott D. Banker of Tree Solutions Inc. founder and principal consultant talked about his work with the Arbor Heights proposal.

“I was on the site and we prepared an inventory report,” he said. “We visit every tree and measure them and take data on their condition, suitability, etc.”

“We found this site had a nice collection of older trees and younger trees,” he said. “We identified two exceptional trees on the site but they were removed. Interestingly, as the trees are on a right of way they cannot be considered exceptional trees.”

“We advised strongly against moving the trees so they are being retained in place,” Banker said. “The tree was in fair condition. They are not a very vigorous tree in this landscape. It was struggling along, as they normally do.

“Let’s treat the two trees as exceptional,” he continued. There are plans to plant over 100 trees on the site. “Over time this will increase on this site.

Jackins’ Rebuttal:

He elaborated on his points including: two Douglas fir trees that should not be relocated, there should be mitigation for the exceptional tree on the site, the school district should contact the tribes before the construction and the electronic board should be kept for school-use only.