2011 Candidate Responses

Welcome to the Cedarbrook 2011 Candidate Survey.

In an effort to help our supporters make informed choices when voting in the upcoming election, the Cedarbrook Coalition has prepared a short survey to gauge the candidate’s support for the acquisition and development of the Cedarbrook property as a Community park. This survey was sent to all the candidates for office in the Cities of Shoreline and Lake Forest Park and for all Shoreline School Board positions. Below, you will find the candidate’s responses, exactly as we received them.

As expected, 100% of respondents expressed support for our park. However, we urge you all to read carefully and judge for yourselves the level of commitment and sincerity expressed, and to especially note some of the qualifications placed upon that expressed support.

All in all, we were quite pleased with the number of responses from the candidates for city council positions. We also found it interesting that except for Richard Potter, a long time Cedarbrook supporter, not one other candidate for the School Board positions chose to reply. If a candidate chose not to respond at all, we have simply noted a “No Response”. This in itself can speak volumes.

We hope you find this both interesting and informative and urge you all to VOTE ON NOVEMBER 8, 2011.

Sincerely,
The Coalition for the Preservation of Cedarbrook
George Piano, President; Bob Farris, Vice-President, Andrew Bradner, Treasurer Board Members: Betsy Piano, Scott Mesic, Tami Johnson, Simone Farris, Anita Bradner, Jeff Sackett, Rich Osborne, LuAnn Brown

City of Lake Forest Park

Candidate for Mayor Dwight A. Thompson

206-399-9477
www.DwightForMayor.com
www.facebook.com/DwightForMayor

Do you support the acquisition and preservation of the Cedarbrook School Property as a Community Park? Please explain.: As a councilmember and as your future mayor, I support the acquisition and preservation of Cedarbrook as a community park. Neighborhood open space preservation and active park acquisition is essential with the increasing demand for higher density development in North King County. These open space and active park opportunities are now rare, especially properties such as Cedarbrook which have a key environmental preservation objective combined with a significant active park use for our community. It is essential that the City of Lake Forest Park work caooperatively with the School District and the City of Shoreline to support the preservation of Cedarbrook.
In what ways have you supported the acquisition of Cedarbrook as a park to date, and if elected, what actions will you propose and support in the future?: As a councilmember, I have supported official City of Lake Forest Park letters asking the Shoreline School District to delay any sale of the property until the City of Shoreline can develop a plan in concert with the local community and obtain funding for the property’s acquisition. I have voted to support a delegation of Lake Forest Park Councilmembers to meet with representatives of the Shoreline School District, Community members and the City of Shoreline to support and further the work of the Coalition.

I will continue to support these Lake Forest Park Council and City Administration efforts and actions to meet the mission of the Coalition for the Preservation of Cedarbrook. I believe there are workable solutions to meet the needs of all the parties so that the essential elements of Cedarbrook may be preserved and used by the future generations of Cedarbrook neighbors and the citizens of Shoreline and Lake Forest Park. You can count on my support.

Candidate for Mayor Mary Jane Goss

206-550-2376
mjgoss@gmail.com
www.maryjanegossformayor.com

Do you support the acquisition and preservation of the Cedarbrook School Property as a Community Park? Please explain.: I wholeheartedly support the acquisition and preservation of the Cedarbrook School property as a community park, and I applaud the efforts of the Cedarbrook Coalition to preserve this property for the public good.

As an active community resident as well as candidate for Lake Forest Park Mayor, I understand the importance of the Cedarbrook School property for Shoreline and Lake Forest Park residents. The field and open space have been used by many of our residents for recreation, sports, and exercise.
The Cedarbrook property is a prime site for expansion of our local parks, especially given the relative lack of availability of other sites in our community for potential public use.
In what ways have you supported the acquisition of Cedarbrook as a park to date, and if elected, what actions will you propose and support in the future?: I am a long-time supporter of the Lake Forest Park Stewardship Foundation, including its Proclamation of Support for the Preservation of Cedarbrook. In the past, my efforts helped ensure a donation of land from Prime Pacific Bank, by putting the bank representative in touch with the Lake Forest Park Stewardship Foundation representatives. I have kept abreast of the issues regarding Cedarbrook, and the efforts of citizens who have been diligently working on solutions.

Even in the midst of difficult economic times, we must persist in finding the means to ensure the expansion and maintenance of our local parks. As Mayor, I will support holistic solutions to save the Cedarbrook property as the most logical next park to be set aside for current and future residents.

It is important to find a workable solution for acquisition and preservation that includes the fiduciary responsibilities of both cities as well as the school district. In addition, a workable solution for must take into consideration budget implications for the City of Lake Forest Park.

Realistic and practical solutions must take into consideration both current and future fiscal impacts as well as the many layers of responsibilities and impacts for the City of Lake Forest Park, the City of Shoreline, the Shoreline School Board, and the Shoreline School District. Saving Cedarbrook is especially challenging just now, when many residents are reeling from economic difficulty and funding sources are scarce. I would also be interested in discussions about a Park bond or consideration of the possibilities of a Regional Planning Commission per RCW 36.070.06 might be under consideration. The costs of maintaining parks and improvements, must also be considered.

It will be critical to engage more of our residents in the process of finding a feasible way to save this property as public space and to keep all our residents fully informed as to the process of creating and maintaining the Cedarbrook Park, including the full extent of tax obligations.

Candidate for Lake Forest Park City Council Position 2 Catherine Stanford

www.electcatherinestanford.com
Catherine@castanford.com
206-363-6022

Do you support the acquisition and preservation of the Cedarbrook School Property as a Community Park? Please explain.: I support the acquisition and preservation of the Cedarbrook School Property as a Community Park. The neighborhood itself, which is located in both Lake Forest Park and Shoreline, is clearly underserved with regard to open space and recreational opportunities.

It is a viable neighborhood that has come together and worked very hard on preserving the open space as an amenity for their neighborhood for many years. The fact that there is a well organized and committed group of citizens that speaks with one voice is definitely a benefit in working with the cities and the school district.
In what ways have you supported the acquisition of Cedarbrook as a park to date, and if elected, what actions will you propose and support in the future?: I have been actively engaged in the acquisition since early in my first term on the Council. I led the efforts to establish the Cedarbrook Task Force, a group made up of representatives from each of the cities, both elected and staff, and the Coalition for the preservation of Cedarbrook.

I provided leadership and direction for the Task Force. I garnered support of my Council colleagues, and met individually with representatives from the City of Shoreline and the School District.

If re-elected, I will continue to work on the preservation of Cedarbrook. If desired by the Task Force, I will continue to facilitate our discussions and actions. I will to look for creative ways to acquire the site and find a solution to the challenges that are jurisdictional, financial and political. Specific actions include obtaining a moratorium from the school district; supporting Shoreline’s request for grant funding with active participation by the City of Lake Forest Park; looking for opportunities for a public private partnership; assessing the real estate market to determine an accurate market value for the site.

Candidate for Lake Forest Park City Council Position 2 Brian J. Cathcart

No response.

Lake Forest Park City Council Position 4 Chuck Paulsen

crmprph@aol.com
www.chuck4lfpcouncil.com
206-365-7607

Do you support the acquisition and preservation of the Cedarbrook School Property as a Community Park? Please explain.: Absolutely, I am very concerned that should Cedarbrook fall into the hands of a developer, that the neighborhoods infrastructure would not and cannot support that much development. I am concerned that the extra population and traffic, that such development would bring will cause the surrounding neighborhood to to loose its environmental green infrastructure, causing major issues with surface water runoff, that would exacerbate our flooding issues while causing a traffic bottleneck that would destroy that serene community. I am concerned that the cities of Shoreline and Lake Forest Park would lose a cherished resource for our citizens of all ages to enjoy as a park and to walk our dogs.
In what ways have you supported the acquisition of Cedarbrook as a park to date, and if elected, what actions will you propose and support in the future?: My work as a member of the Legacy 100 yr. vision task force over the last four years has allowed the city of Lake Forest Park to implement a green infrastructure plan. This template allows our future generations to incorporate in future city budgets and obtain grant money for parks, such as Cedarbrook, green spaces, trail connections, and the tree canopy. I have also served on the Lake Forest Park Planning Commission where we as a commission supported the LFP city council to keep Cedarbrook as a park. I have actively supported our city's councilwomen Stanford's efforts to work with the city of Shoreline to value the importance of keeping Cedarbrook green. If elected I will continue to support the Legacy vision and the efforts of various commissions from both cities in order to keep Cedarbrook as a park.

Lake Forest Park City Council Position 4 Jeff Johnson

Jeffjohnsonlfp@hotmail.com
206-364-2979

Do you support the acquisition and preservation of the Cedarbrook School Property as a Community Park? Please explain.: Yes, I do. Both of my children grew up playing soccer on that field, and I think it's an important area to maintain as undeveloped. I think it could be a win-win for both Lake Forest Park and Shoreline. For the sake of the neighborhood, I think it is better than putting high density housing in that area, which would cause congestion. It is also some of the only real sports field space in the Lake Forest Park area. (aside from the schools).
In what ways have you supported the acquisition of Cedarbrook as a park to date, and if elected, what actions will you propose and support in the future?: To date, I have consistently supported the acquisition of Cedarbrook as park space through word of mouth and proactively siding with the acquisition in conversations with friends and residents. If elected, I would treat this similarly to the other key issues facing Lake Forest Park; which is to involve members of our community by making them aware of the issue and encouraging them to participate in the conversation while being honest with them regarding my desire to maintain it as park space.

Lake Forest Park City Council Position 6 Ed Sterner

sterner@mindspring.com
206-362-0957

Do you support the acquisition and preservation of the Cedarbrook School Property as a Community Park? Please explain.: Yes. I coached my son and his soccer team at that location (One of the less focused members who will remain nameless found a huge crayfish (or crawfish) there. It looked like a wannabe lobster.). Much of the property should not be developed in any event because it is environmentally sensitive. This is a great opportunity to combine preservation of some open, environmentally important space with appropriate active use.
In what ways have you supported the acquisition of Cedarbrook as a park to date, and if elected, what actions will you propose and support in the future?: Supported the coalition; supported the formal request(s) by the city of LFP asking the school district to hold off on any sale of the property. Have had several discussions with Shoreline City council members about ways the cities could cooperate with regard to this property (since it is located, barely, in Shoreline).

We need to figure out a way to save at a minimum the lower area that has historically been and open area plus adequate access. There may be a way to even shrink the current footprint of school and paved property while allowing some limited development nearer the road where it may be appropriate. With funds being very tight, this may be a way to preserve the lion’s share of the property for a park without costing taxpayers a large amount. I think that this opportunity to preserve one of the few remaining publicly owned opens spots in/near Lake Forest Park is a key priority and we need to find a way to accomplish this.

Lake Forest Park City Council Position 6 Tom French

No response.

City of Shoreline

Shoreline City Council Position 2 Chris Eggen

chrisEggen@comcast.net
206-363-3108

Do you support the acquisition and preservation of the Cedarbrook School Property as a Community Park? Please explain.: YES. I have been a proponent of preserving all or part of the property since it was declared surplus by the School District. I have sponsored consideration of this issue in Shoreline City Council Meetings a number of times. Additionally, I have been appointed a member of the Cedarbrook Task Force by the Shoreline City Council Meetings and have been working actively to find a way to save all or part of the Cedarbrook School Site.
In what ways have you supported the acquisition of Cedarbrook as a park to date, and if elected, what actions will you propose and support in the future?: On the task force, I have been involved in considering similar solutions to that implemented at the Aldercrest School site, i.e., rezoning to allow medium-high density on part of the site in exchange for preserving the rest of the site as a park.. However, the Aldercrest solution is not directly transferable because the neighborhood around the Cedarbrook site would not favor any medium-high density development. So the task force investigated rezoning to allow a low-medium density development on the upper area already occupied by school buildings in exchange for saving the field and natural areas as a park. In the simple analysis, this did not appear to pencil out for a developer. In spite of this, a better analysis could still show it penciling out because the amount of area that could be developed as single-family homes might be very limited by wetlands in the field area. To pursue this would require a detailed analysis of the site, which would cost more money than is available. It would also require the school board to acknowledge that development on the site may be more limited than they currently think.

The task force has also looked into parks grants for purchase of the site. The first step in the process was to get the Cedarbrook school identified as a potential park site in Shorelines Parks Plan. This has been accomplished. However, one more thing required to get such a grant is that the School district would have commit to taking the site off the market for several years, which they have not been willing to do up to now. To get the School District to move on this we need to demonstrate that either the site will not be easily developable and will not sell quickly and/or that the opportunities for the grants are very good. I'm not quite sure how to do this. Perhaps some investment into further investigations of the site and identification of potential grants. Clearly the Cedarbrook Task Force needs to continue pursuing both avenues to creating a Park.

Shoreline City Council Position 2 William Hubbel

No response.

Shoreline City Council Position 4 Doris McConnell

dorismccon@comcast.net
www.DorisMcConnell.com
206-940-1365

Do you support the acquisition and preservation of the Cedarbrook School Property as a Community Park? Please explain.: As I have stated at city council meetings many times, it is important for Shoreline, whenever possible, to preserve open spaces so that all citizens can enjoy them. They overwhelmingly showed their financially support of open spaces years ago, when they passed the Shoreline Parks Bond. The bond made the acquisition of future open spaces like Kruckeberg Gardens possible, as well as the improvements and ongoing maintenance of the parks already in our inventory.

As the majority of future open spaces currently not owned by Shoreline are owned by the Shoreline School District, it is important to have a collaborative relationship with the School District and Board so that the city has the best possibility that their surplus properties can be purchased or gifted over to the city. Since the district had indicated that there are a number of school-owned properties that have been, or are highly likely to be on their surplus list, there is a possibility in the future that a few of them will be for sale. As in the Aldercrest property, Cedarbrook is one of these properties. This is the property that has still not found a win-win outcome for the community and school district. I support the preservation of a portion of the property as a community park and hope that the committee and school district come to the city council with a solution that satisfies both parties.
In what ways have you supported the acquisition of Cedarbrook as a park to date, and if elected, what actions will you propose and support in the future?: As a member of the current Shoreline City Council, the ENTIRE council has strongly supported the ongoing discussion and efforts by the community to acquire part of Cedarbrook as a community park. Because I have over a decade of very active collaborative involvement with the school district, I have the best and longest relationship of all the city council members, with members of the administration and School Board. Because of this history, I considered that my involvement on the Cedarbrook Task Force would be forthcoming. However, council members Chris Eggen and Chris Roberts had indicated the same interest. At the end, any council member on the Task Force would have been satisfactory for me, as I believe each one of us has the collaborative skills necessary for a positive outcome. As the neighborhood knows, Eggen and Roberts have capably represented the council. All of us on the council continue to support them in their work with the Cedarbrook Task Force. The outcome that would best serve both the people and the Shoreline School Board would be similar to the Aldercrest Subarea plan that council approved this year. The recommendations from the committee and the School Board that would have my support are consensus on the future rezoning(s) for that property. Similar to Aldercrest, I believe the School Board would support gifting over a portion of that property to the city, if the actions of possible rezoning(s) met their fiduciary obligations. At this time, such an agreement has not occurred. The Task Force is still working towards a win-win solution for all parties. Again, such a solution would have my support…anything less than a combined recommendation from the Task Force and School Board would take council deliberation and then a vote. Until that time, it would be irresponsible of me as a current council member to make a statement as to how I would vote. I have confidence that the outcome would serve everyone and therefore would be embraced by all parties. I believe the community understands the fiduciary responsibilities that the School Board has to their public. The fact that this property comes with issues different from the Aldercrest property has made the Task Force’s work more difficult. However divisive actions from this committee or the school board are not in the best interest of this neighborhood and I support continued discussions and collaboration from all who are involved.

Shoreline City Council Position 4 Janet Way

janetway@yahoo.com
www.janetway4shorline.com
206-734-5545

Do you support the acquisition and preservation of the Cedarbrook School Property as a Community Park? Please explain.

I fully support the acquisition and preservation of the Cedarbrook School Property as a Community Park.

From the very beginning of this idea, I've been supportive and have met repeatedly with proponents to suggest ideas on how to move the idea forward. I did this as a councilmember and a community member.

There are many wonderful possibilities for this site. It is perfect for local recreation, pick-up and small scale team sports. It could also accomodate a small dog off-leash area which is greatly desired on the east side of town.

It also has great possibilities for restoration of important wildlife habitat, including possibilities for a small daylighting of Cedarbrook creek itself and wetland restoration.

With the right kind of sensitive design, much is possible as a neighborhood park. The fact that so many neighbors and supporters have signed on to promote this idea, is an indication of how important it is to the neighborhood.

Cedarbrook School site also has potential for valuable uses. It could house community programs on a temporary of permanant basis with the right funding.

The most important thing is for the Council and other elected officials to get on board and then lots of potential solutions can come forward. Two cities and other local governments should be able to get this done. It is what the people want and it is located in a part of town with limited open space and park resources.

In what ways have you supported the acquisition of Cedarbrook as a park to date, and if elected, what actions will you propose and support in the future?

There are many possibilities for success for the Cedarbrook project. They will all include both public and private resources.

With the support of the two cities that are adjacent on board, great things can follow.

Here are just some ideas:

First and foremost, "Friends of Cedarbrook" should be at the table as a full partner for any proposals, and included in a transparent and open process leading to a successful park for all users.
Cedarbrook Acquisition and Park creation should first be placed as a high priority on the Open Space and Parks Master Plan and CIP Budget
Stakeholder-stewardship process should be set up to work long term for a successful outcome that is inclusive and open to the public.
City should work towards it's next Parks and Open Space Bond project and this property should be a high priority
Explore ideas for a potential separate "Parks District" between two cities. Consider this possibility along with other open spaces that may become available.
Explore possible grant funding from State, County, Federal and private resource such as Trust for Public Lands, Cascade Land Conservancy, etc. There are environmental grants and recreation grants that are often available for a great property such as this.
Consider possibilities for some development of the "upper area" for this park property, that will provide funding for the lower half.

Limited development could provide many benefits including residents and "eyes" and users who will care for and protect this resource into the future.

Those are just some ideas, but not all by any means. Innovation and imagination should be foremost in the process and the cities and governments should have an open ended process to bring about the best possible outcome for a beautiful resource for this community.

Shoreline City Council Position 6 Jesse Salomon

info@jesseforShoreline.com
www.JesseforShoreline.com
206-362-2016

Do you support the acquisition and preservation of the Cedarbrook School Property as a Community Park? Please explain.: YES! I believe parks are critical to the quality of the community. I fully support the acquisition and preservation of the Cedarbrook School Property as a community park. This should be a city priority because much of the city east of 15th Ave NE feels neglected by city hall. This is a positive opportunity to address the needs of the eastern-most part of Shoreline.
In what ways have you supported the acquisition of Cedarbrook as a park to date, and if elected, what actions will you propose and support in the future?: I am running for an open seat and have not served on the City Council at this point.

The best solution is if a grant can be found to turn the entire area into a park. If needed, the City of Shoreline and Lake Forest Park could and should work together to appropriate some funds to help create a park, but it is unlikely that there will be enough revenue available for the Cities to purchase the park outright.

I will work with and try to persuade the Shoreline School District to issue two year moratorium on sale of the property to allow time to work out a way to save the area as a park. To get the School District to move on this we need to demonstrate that either the site will not be easily developable and will not sell quickly and/or that the opportunities for the grants are very good. Given that the real estate market is depressed it seems to me that the property is not in a position to sell quickly, thus helping our goals. Also, the streets near the park are narrow and won’t work for a high density development, so the fair market value may be lower than anticipated by the school district.

If a grant or sufficient appropriation cannot be found in time, then we can look at other options. For example, to acquire a park on at least part of the property, the City can use its powers upzone part of the rest of the area to a low-medium density, (possibly the part of the property currently covered in concrete). This part would be developed for housing, in exchange for the remainder to be made into an official park.

This may not quite achieve the fair market value for the property the school district is seeking. However, if we recognize the value of the area as a place to address stormwater flow from Whisper Creek that is currently prone to flood the Lake Forest Park shopping complex, perhaps some stormwater mitigation money can be found from the State, County, and/or Cities of Shoreline and Lake Forest Park to build stormwater infrastructure such as ponds to hold and slowly filer water after a storm. A pond can be created in a way that enhances the beauty of the park. This might be the package “deal” we can use to make it happen.

Shoreline City Council Position 6 Robin McClelland

Robin@ElectRobinForShoreline.org
206-546-1717

Do you support the acquisition and preservation of the Cedarbrook School Property as a Community Park? Please explain.: I support the effort the Coalition for the Preservation of Cedarbrook is making to find the funding to purchase the property for public use. I think it is important to engage as many people as possible from Shoreline and Lake Forest Park (Including the respective park boards) in a creative dialogue about the future use of the property. The property is within the Shoreline city limits, so I think it is imperative to clarify who will benefit most from the purchase, and who would assume responsibility for the maintenance, upkeep, and management of the active public space (parks, sports field). I fully support preserving the wetlands, creeks, and other natural features that provide habitat and respite.

My understanding is neither Shoreline nor Lake Forest Park have made plans to acquire the property or have funds available for its purchase. I think the Coalition’s move to prepare a Feasibility Study is an excellent first step toward full knowledge of the attributes of the site and the buildings.

I also understand the School District’s reasoning for wanting to sell the property. Perhaps setting aside some of the land for residential use would be a viable way to preserve a portion of the property for public use. Such an option is worth discussing.
In what ways have you supported the acquisition of Cedarbrook as a park to date, and if elected, what actions will you propose and support in the future?: I have not been involved with the Coalition or with any effort to acquire Cedarbrook. If elected, I will certainly stay informed of the Coalition’s progress and will participate as appropriate in any discussions that come before the Shoreline City Council. I also will stay tuned to the School District’s objectives regarding the sale of the surplus property.

In the spirit of multi-jurisdictional cooperation and collaboration, it is my intention to keep the channels of communication open and the entire process accessible to the public.

Candidate for Shoreline School District No 412 & School Board Director - District No. 5 Richard Potter

redptc@gmail.com
www.vote4potter.com
206-367-5477

Do you support the acquisition and preservation of the Cedarbrook School Property as a Community Park? Please explain.: Absolutely. Park land is scarce in Shoreline and even more so in Lake Forest Park. Once open land is lost to development it is virtually impossible to purchase and restore it as park land. Cedarbrook is one of the last remaining sizable open parcels. Given the many challenges of developing the parcels due to underground streams and wetlands, its "best use" is as a park.
In what ways have you supported the acquisition of Cedarbrook as a park to date, and if elected, what actions will you propose and support in the future?: I have been a supporter of the Cedarbrook Coalition's efforts to delay a School Board decision to sell the property to allow time to develop a proposal to preserve Cedarbrook as a park. (I even had a sign up in front of my house.) As a School Board Director I voted for the original moratorium and I support an extension. I have exchanged many emails and had many conversations with Cedarbrook supporters - it is no secret that I favor preserving much if not all of the land as a park.
If elected to the Shoreline School Board, will you support a two year moratorium on the sale of the Cedarbrook property to allow the City of Shoreline time to secure public grant funding to purchase the property and guarantee the City first right of refusal on any potential sale offer?: As I stated above, I am in favor of an extension to the moratorium to provide additional time to develop a plan and raise funding to secure the park. The Aldercrest model is also a potential approach, especially given the unique challenges of developing the parcels anyway due to groundwater and wetlands issues. I would like nothing better than to have the City of Shoreline purchase the property and I have discussed the feasibility of such a purchase with several City Council members. I would support giving the City of Shoreline first right of refusal in order to keep the property in public hands.

Candidate Shoreline School Board Director - District No. 1 Mike Jacobs

No response.

Candidate Shoreline School Board Director - District No. 1 Kyle Burleigh

No response.

Candidate Shoreline School Board Director - District No. 4 Richard Nicholson

No response.

Candidate Shoreline School Board Director - District No. 5 Lisa Pyper

No response.