The city of Kenmore has done it again! During a recent Kenmore City Council meeting the city adopted new ordinances with no written versions of the ordinances for the audience to read. Nor were they projected on the City Hall audio/video system. With some staff explanation and no debate on the merits, they voted. Even after citizens’ comments pointed out deficiencies in what they had heard in ordinances, the five council members in attendance passed all the measures. Five to zero.

More than a year ago, Councilman Allen Van Ness had requested that all new ordinances be viewed side-by-side with the old ordinance showing all the red line changes. He was ignored by Kenmore city staff. Of concern is that the new ordinance gives greater powers of eminent domain to the city with less oversight and less ability for property owners to air their grievances in court.

The city wishes to be able to take property and force improvements before residents can go to court. The city would also like to have the ability to level excessive fines when residents and businesses refuse to proceed with city-mandated “improvements.” A lack of grace time for residents and businesses to fight a mandated improvement is business as usual: business owners that will be affected by the 90 percent finished design and drawn schematics for State Route 522 have not yet seen the design work up or schematics, and have not been extended the courtesy of face-to-face meetings with the design team.

At the meeting in attendance was the owner of the Tie Ho Restaurant who spoke through an interpreter that he was willing to work with the city but needed more information. If the city takes away even one parking spot, such action will have a dramatic effect on his bottom line profit. Citizens have not been asked how the renovation of SR-522 should be drawn. It is feared, and likely, this lack of communication means redevelopment will include a wall of separation between northbound traffic and businesses north of 522.

I believe we want a city that cares to know what helps the residents and businesses already invested in Kenmore. We do not want more self-serving council members who grab the WSDOT funds now and keep City Hall running a year? Or two? I believe expert draft people and planners reside here, who themselves have invested in Kenmore and understand Kenmore’s needs. These resident designers would want to take a long-term approach, and these are the experts we should be paying. Our trust in a new plan is far more than the speed of those driving through our city. We need to hire local experts who will help the businesses and residents within Kenmore thrive, not jackhammered out of their hard-earned profits by city officials granting themselves greater, more powerful eminent domain ordnances.

Patrick E. O’Brien, Kenmore City Council candidate