Subject: [Tweeters] Snohomish Habitat Alert.
Date: May 18 07:15:52 2009
From: jeff gibson - gibsondesign at msn.com


The City of Everett is having several more hearings concerning plans for the Marshlands Area. Back in December I posted about this to tweeters - that concerned the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). Now its on to the approval of the final plan.

The Marshlands Area is about 1000 acres of floodplain land just south of Everett's Rotary Park on the Snohomish River. 846 acres of it are in the Everett City limits. Currently its mostly agricultural fields which have been in various states of use or unuse over the last few decades.

There are three proposals for the area , two of which include much tidal restoration such as has gone on at Spencer Island. In fact the acrerage involved could be as many acres as Spencer Island as a whole ( Spencer is 440 acres) or more. There is also a nice tract of Sitka Spruce floodplain forest in the area which is on private property but could be preserved with conservation easements. That's a rare habitat in Puget Sound country these days.

I know many birders are bugged by the loss of walkable dikes in areas like Spencer Island, Skagit WRA, and Nisqually caused by the dike breaching activities of those gosh darn salmon recovery people ! I understand, but do support those projects. Here in the Marshlands Area however, birders and nature lovers of all sorts could have miles of new walkable dikes where currently there are none. These would loop around the various tidal marshes, freshwater marshes, and wildlife planting that are planned.

The Planning Commission is meeting tomorrow to take testimony on the proposal and make a decision that will be passed on to the City Council. The City Council will meet on Wed. June 17 at 6:30 to also take public testimony.

Written comments can be sent also, to Mary Cunningham, Department of Planning and Community Development
2930 Wetmore Suite 8A
Everett Wa 98201
or mccunningham at ci.everett.wa.us<mailto:mccunningham at ci.everett.wa.us>.

All details of the plan can be seen on the City of Everett website. Go to the planning dept page where there is a link to the Marshland Subarea Plan.

Jeff Gibson, Everett Wa