Published May 2004

Clear-cutting puts Edmonds condo project in hot water

SCBJ Staff

A condominium developer who clear-cut a steep slope that overlooks Marina Beach Park in Edmonds and allegedly violated his building permit, could face losing the permit altogether.

The city already has levied $3,000 in fines and could impose a maximum of $10,000. City officials have forwarded the issue to the city’s hearing examiner requesting a public hearing May 20. The hearing examiner would have 10 days from that date to issue a ruling in which he could recommend nothing be done, require new conditions be met or revoke the building permit altogether.

Ross Woods is executive vice president of Point Edwards LLC, the developer of the project, and Triad Development, which is managing the $65 million development of 297 condominiums in 10 buildings that would range in price from $200,000 to more than $1 million per unit.

Woods said the clear-cutting was “unfortunate” and not intentional, as has been alleged by city officials. He is now doing some replanting on the site, located on 25 acres of the former 50-acre Unocal site, and said he was submitting a plan to the city for how to address the error.

As a part of the permitting process, the company was required to submit a landscape plan. Because of the steep slope, the city required the developer to have an arborist review the site.

Arborist David Reich found that a number of the trees were infested with a type of root rot. Triad was advised to remove only the trees above the 60-foot level, where the slope wasn’t as steep. Some of the trees on the steeper slope could be thinned, but only if native vegetation were planted and allowed to grow for a year first. Any trees removed would have to be lifted by crane to protect the plantings.

In March, city officials were notified that the entire western slope — 150 or so alders and maples — had been clear-cut. The city immediately issued a stop-work order on any further clearing, said Duane Bowman, city development services director.

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