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HB 2610 — if passed, Houghton Community Council to be retired

By on January 18, 2012 in Government, Neighborhood News

The Washington State Legislature has just posted HB 2610, Repealing provisions governing community municipal corporations (CMC). The bill, if passed, would mean an end to the two remaining CMC’s in the state — one in Bellevue and the other in Kirkland, commonly known as the Houghton Community Council.

The Houghton Community Council was established through legislation when Kirkland and Houghton merged over 40 years ago. The Council effectively has veto power over land use issues within their jurisdiction. Some view the Houghton Community Council as a hinderance to the Kirkland City Council’s efforts to develop land use policies in accordance with the Growth Management Act and a holdover from another era. Others view the Houghton Community Council as an elected body providing checks and balances to the sometimes overreaching City Council.

During the last session, HB 1812 would have ended the Houghton Community Council if it had passed. That bill was widely criticized for procedural reasons as many in Kirkland felt blind-sided by it. The current bill, HB 2610, is being introduced in a more open manner, which will alleviate many of the criticisms of HB 1812.

This bill is sponsored by Kirkland Representatives Springer, Eddy, and Goodman.

Read the full text of the bill.

About Rob Butcher

Editor and Scribbler of Kirkland Views.
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  • Chnelso

    So much for bringing this up for discussion and majority decision by the Kirkland voters.  It’s not hard to believe that the Kirkland City Council and its legislators want to abolish a deal made 43 years ago, as I believe they have always felt it was a thorn in their side when making decisions within the boundaries of Houghton. Having been a resident Houghtonian for 31 of those years, I always thought the checks and balances it provided was crucial in the city’s planning, especially in the heyday when there were no less than 9 cranes working on oversized developments in the downtown core.
    This from Larry Springer, just 1 week ago, asks for calls to him for your viewpoint.  Please flood his lines:
    Larry SpringerWithout rehashing the debate when this biil was introuced last session about the perception of back room deals, it is important to know that the bill was TENTATIVELY scheduled for executive session IF (and that was a big IF) the bill was referred again to the Local Government Committee.  That bill has not been rereferred to the Committee.  It remains in the Rules Committee and I will request it be sent to the X File which is where bills go to die.However, a new bill will most likely be introduced dealing with this issue in the next week or so.  Because Kirkland is now represented by 3 Legislative Districts it is important to involve all of the legislators for Kirkland in the discussion of a bill.  Any new bill will be available for public comment and hearing during the normal legislative process.  I encourage anyone interested in this issue to contact me.  My Legislative office number is 360 786-7822.

    Reply
    1 week ago 0 Like F
    Reply 1 week ago 0 Like F

  • Anonymous

    Rep Springer:
    I am confused by your reintroduction of this bill since there has been no request by the Kirkland City Council (or any discussion on tape) that the termination of the Houghton Community Council is something that the majority of them supports.  I imagine that if I listen to Bellevue’s City Council tapes there is also no discussion.

    So, are we to assume that you are doing this because you personally have a belief that these Community Councils should be abolished …even whether or not the cities that have them would like them to stay?

    How do you know they want them to be abolished?  The problem last time was lack of transparency which you addressed in your comments.  If the cities have not had transparent discussion about whether they want this – PRIOR TO YOUR DRAFT OF NEW BILL – well … on whom are you imposing your own personal will?  and power???

    By the way, there is a legal way to sunset these councils and it was identified at the time they were set up.  If you are interested in terminating these councils please follow the rules as to how to do that.  You may, as any citizen may, petition those who reside within the jurisdiction and try to get votes from them to shut down HCC.  Sidestepping “the process” is seen by me as your admission that you would be unable to get the correct number of votes doing it the RIGHT way. 

    Also you’re failure to run this by the City Councils in advance shows that you are likely concerned that they will not publically support this.  You’ve had nearly a year to ask them to dialog about this.  Where have you been?

    • Anonymous

      Lovely questions, do let us know if you get any answers :-)

  • Ann B.

    When I wrote to Deb Eddy the last time around, I received the reply below. You decide.
    “I absolutely support the passage of this bill. Since passage of the Growth Management Act over 20 years ago, we in Kirkland have known that the existence of community councils created a conflict in law that would eventually have to be fixed. You can’t have a law allowing a small group of citizens to opt out of land use requirements for their small neighborhood when those land use requirements are imposed on all the rest of us. It’s not fair to anyone else in the city …You can throw whatever accusations that you want at Rep. Springer … but most of this is just complete nonsense. How can he pull a fast-one that’s been a topic of discussion for 20 years? How in the world would we approach this slowly … wait until the 22nd century?Your rights have not been trampled or bypassed. You may want to read some of the laws concerning annexation, land use authority and the Growth Management Act either at mrsc.org (Municipal Research Service) or at awcnet.org (Association of Washington Cities)./deb/”

    • Tia

      Saving Eddy’s condescension and sarcasm for another post, the real question is why haven’t the sponsors of the bill cited the conflict in law? Also, anyone who has been a party to these discussions for the past 20 years, please step forward.

      • Anonymous

        If there has been stress on Kirkland city staff to comply with the growth management act because HCC refused some multi-family development… couldn’t they tell us what that was?

        Is there a chance the developer who was stymied by the HCC decided to take it out on them by privately sponsoring this legislation?

        Inquiring minds want to know….

  • Ann B.

    I also questioned Sen. Rodney Tom about the logic of this last March and below a portion of his response. Does anyone recall Rep. Springer discussing the bill since he dropped it last year? Deb Eddy is very hot to push this through and said it will get done, mark her word, regardless of what her constituents think or say. I have to find that e-mail she sent me. I’d really love to know how what we do in Kirkland affects Vancouver, Yakima, Bothell, etc.

    “Thank you so much for writing to me in regards to HB 1812, which relates to the community municipal corporations such as the Houghton and Crossroads community groups. I appreciate hearing your comments very much.These are the last two groups of their kind in Washington State. Although the bill passed out of the House 97-0, the prime sponsor of the bill, Representative Larry Springer has decided not to pursue the bill this year so that citizens can have more time to discuss the ramifications of the bill. Representative Springer intends to bring the bill back next year, but wants to make sure the public didn’t think we were pulling a fast one, since many were surprised by its passage in the House and didn’t really engage in the public discussion until the bill was referred to the Senate Government Operations committee.”

  • http://www.scocon.net Marvin Scott

    I have nothing but the utmost contempt for Springer, Eddy and Nixon.  What a stab in the back by three reps, only one of which represents Houghton. I ( and my fellow Houghtonites)   will be actively working to end her legislative career.

    These three have no integrity.  What part of a deal don’t they understand.  Welchers.  Shouldn’t be surprised, they are all politicians.

    • Ann B.

      Marvin,
      It’s Springer, Eddy, & Goodman (not Nixon) and Eddy plans on retiring this coming election so she has nothing to lose. she wanted to retire last election but no one else stepped up to run.

    • http://www.scocon.net Marvin Scott

      I have been correctly corrected it is Goodman, not Nixon.  Also, Eddy is retiring.  Even worse.

  • Ann B.

    I’d sure like to know why last year’s bill, HB 1812, which is sponsored by Reps. Steve Kirby (Tacoma), Ruth Kagi (Lake Forest Park) and Jim Moeller (Vancouver), was introduced on Feb. 3 and passed the House unanimously on Feb. 26.
     
    Why would they care about what happened in Kirkland? Was there ever an investigation?

  • Anonymous

    Houghton should secede from Kirkland.  That would allay its citizens’ concerns and would allow Houghton to comply with the GMA on its own terms.

    • myopinion

      I’m in with money and resources to secede from Kirkland if the HCC is removed with the passage of HB 1812.  
      I’m also ready and motivated to retire Representative Springer for his conspiratory advocacy of this bill.  
      He doesn’t represent me and clearly he is not to be trusted- Eddy doesn’t care because she’s a lame duck doing favors for others.  

    • Moss Babe

      Will join you! They forced us to annex with the North and now look where we are.

  • Lakeview_Central_Houghton

    City Council members and planning commissioners … Where are you?? Speak up against this or we will assume you are for it and work with all our might to throw you out!!!

  • Jim Hitter

    Come on Houghtonites, get over it.  You’ve had this ridiculous extra control all of these years but you’re really just a neighborhood of Kirkland.  How about acting like Kirklanders for a change?

    • http://www.scocon.net Marvin Scott

      I think all neighborhoods should have control of land use issues that affect them.  Usually the City Council is nothing more than a rubber stamp for the City Staff, most of whom don’t even live here.

    • Fair_Play

      So are you saying that Kirklanders propose squelching on agreements?

      A deal is a deal.

  • Anonymous

    I’m curious to know why state representatives Springer, Eddy, and Goodman are spending state money on an legislative issue which costs the state absolutely nothing. Shouldn’t they be working on more important state budgetary issues like education and transportation? Instead they are spending their time and effort and state dollars crafting legislation which does absolutely nothing to help with the state’s current budgetary crisis. sheeesh.

  • Moss Babe

    Sponsors now also include Reps. Kagi (D-32), Stanford (D-1) and Moscoso (D-1)

  • Jeff Leach

    I have to say I am extremely disappointed in our State Representatives spending any time, money or effort on this. It does not surprise me in the least the Larry Springer is up to his tricks again. I think he went to the Karl Rove school of political gamesmanship. Last time around, he was hiding from the fact that he had anything to do with this bill. At least it is in the open this time.

    That Roger Goodman would have anything to do with this basically ends any chance I would vote for him or support him in his bid for the 1st Congressional District seat. DelBene or Burner are more likely to represent us.

    I also had been thinking that perhaps Houghton should look into what it would take to separate from Kirkland. We have sales tax revenue that could potentially support services. If there are any attorneys on this blog that are interested giving some initial guidance, I have time and money that I would be interested in contributing to this.

    It’s interesting that on the cover of this weeks Kirkland Reporter, we have ‘Mayor’ McBride delivering her ‘State of the City’ address to the Greater Kirkland Chamber of Commerce, and lamenting the state considering cuts to the ASTC (Annexation Sales Tax Credit) which was to support Annexation. She is quoted as saying “A promise is a promise.” 

    We’ll, the agreement that the City of Kirkland made with Houghton to get Houghton to agree to join the city, some 43 years ago, was also a ‘promise’ or contract. Yet, I’ve personally heard McBride say she supported eliminating the Houghton Community Council. I guess she is willing to pick and choose which promises she is willing to keep and which she isn’t. 

    What this really comes down to, in my opinion, is control. Larry Springer, and his wife Penny Sweet, both do not want to honor agreements that were made years ago, because it makes it slightly more difficult to get their way. From my observation, the HCC has always been reasonable and accommodating, but still a threat to their control and desires. Guess what, a contract is a contract, and a promise is a promise. Kirkland is not their personal fiefdom.

    Boycott their wine business and oppose both Penny and Larry in the next election. 

    • John Gilday

      Jeff,
      I agree and disagree.  Let me start with the disagreement.

      There’s no logic in ‘boycotting’ any business.  We do LOTS of business with companies whose owners we have political or philosophical differences with.  Our single response to a politician that does not represent us is to defeat that politician in his/her next election.  

      I’ve had cocktails with Jim McDermott, but always support his opponent.  I think Joan McBride is a wonderful person, but I can’t stand her political actions.

      Now, onto our point of agreement.
      Houghton, Kingsgate, Juanita should ALL look into and carefully consider secession. 

      Does the area in question have a commercial district that can support it’s residential areas?  Juanita does if they draw the southern border at 116th…  same with Kingsgate, assuming the hospital and Totem Lake as well as Auto Row becomes part of the new city.

      Christine Gregoire may renege on the Annexation Sales Tax Credit, but the annexed areas can back out as well.

      Worth considering…

  • http://www.tobynixon.com/ Toby Nixon

    Since my name has been mentioned in the thread (although by mistake), I should chime in.

    My position on this remains unchanged from what I stated months ago. A deal is a deal. Promises made in the course of building public support for an annexation (or merger) should be kept. That includes promises for control, for services, for facilities, for improvements, for funding, for whatever. Circumstances change, people change, laws change, but this is a matter of fundamental trust. Being, as I am, in the position of holding the city’s feet to the fire to keep commitments made to the people in the new JFK annexation area, I could not possibly in good conscience condone backing out of a commitment made to another major annexation area, and would be a hypocrite if I did.

    My overwhelming preference, and I believe that of the rest of the council (although I’m speaking only on my own behalf), is that our representatives in the legislature focus their energy and political capital on preserving the annexation sales tax credit and the city’s other stated legislative priorities, and not on peripheral issues.

  • http://www.tobynixon.com/ Toby Nixon

    The bill now has a hearing scheduled in the House Committee on Local Government, at 10AM next Tuesday, January 24.

  • Bob Sternoff

    I have publicly voiced my support for honoring the merger agreement that created the Houghton Community Council. I appreciate their input and that they provide another set of eyes when the Council considers planning issues. Until such time as there is a thorough public discussion with the HCC, their constituents and any other Kirkland resident I will continue to voice my support.  

    • Jeff Leach

      Thank you Bob. It should be acknowledged that last year, you were the first member of the KCC to, openly and publicly, state your position regarding the eliminating the Houghton Community Council, and that you SUPPORT HONORING the agreement. This what we expect from those serving and representing the people: openness, transparency, and honesty. We may not always agree, but we know can count on you to do the right things for the right reasons.

  • Lakeview_Central_Houghton

    Thank you… Mr Nixon and Mr Sternoff…
    Tick… Tick…Tick… Waiting to hear from other Council Members…

    While we’re at it, it would be helpful to hear how Ms. Eddy, Mr. Springer and Mr Goodman feel that deals may selectively be broken … especially in light of the new annexation and agreements that were made there… both with the citizens and with the state.  Is it your belief that promises should be honored or are they just “tricks of the trade?”  If so, we should find ourselves some real sea captains and abandon those who are Pirates in masquerade.  Throw them overboard !!!

  • Moss Babe

    How will Kirkland testify at the hearing in Olympia on Tuesday January 24? Interesting that the bill went onto the legislature website January 18, one day after the City Council meeting. It’s not on the City’s legislative agenda that was passed on January 3 which is an interesting omission because it was darn near certain this was coming back in one way or another this session. So how will Kirkland testify, pro or con? Or is it that they can’t testify and so does the Committee just rely on seeing the names of the sponsors and think that this must be blessed by COK?

  • Jorge

    Its time to put this in the past.

  • http://kirklandviews.com Rob Butcher

    Dear readers of Kirkland Views,
    I have been informed by that if a 4th City Councilmember enters into this discussion online, it is considered a serial meeting and would be in violation of the open public meetings act. Already, 3 council members have entered into this discussion (albeit in different threads and no more than two have commented on any one thread to date).
    THEREFORE, I rescind my call for all council members to  speak out on this issue until the time when the City Council holds a noticed public hearing on the issue of HB 2610.

    Previously I had made the following statement:

    …Regardless of where the council stands on the elimination of the Houghton Community Council, a transparent debate would be healthy and good for our city. We are best served when the Council acts in the light of day rather than behind the scenes. We are best served when our representatives help us understand the issues of the day rather than simply ignore them and look the other way…