Originally published Wednesday, January 2, 2008 at 12:00 AM
Maple Valley officials fear burst of growth
Maple Valley Mayor Laure Iddings says King County's plan to sell its Donut Hole property is a "manipulated" deal that's moving too fast...
Seattle Times staff reporters
Maple Valley Mayor Laure Iddings says King County's plan to sell its Donut Hole property is a "manipulated" deal that's moving too fast for the city.
The deal, which would allow YarrowBay Group to build thousands of new homes, could increase Maple Valley's population by 30 percent, but town leaders say they haven't had much say in the proposed development.
Although the Donut Hole lies in the middle of Maple Valley, the land is unincorporated, so the county controls what can be developed there.
Maple Valley's rural roads already are clogged with daily commuters who work in neighboring cities. Classrooms are filled with children from young families who flocked to the area for its relatively inexpensive houses.
City Manager Anthony Hemstad said Maple Valley should be allowed to annex the Donut Hole before it is sold. That way, the city could collect construction taxes and fees to pay for roads and other improvements needed to handle the growth.
King County and YarrowBay officials say they've met with Maple Valley officials many times and have been willing to listen.
"This is not something that's happening quietly, behind closed doors with no public input," said Rod Brandon, an aide to King County Executive Ron Sims.
Brian Ross, YarrowBay's managing partner, said Maple Valley would be better off cooperating to shape a quality development instead of fighting to spike the deal.
"I think they're really missing the point, when what they should be talking about is what they do want to have down there," Ross said.
Martin Durkan Jr., the lobbyist who helped draw up the deal and lives in Maple Valley, says much of the opposition stems from an irrational fear that apartment dwellers aren't as rooted in the community.
Maple Valley has allowed few apartment buildings since it incorporated 10 years ago.
"It's been a methodical planning method by the city not to allow affordable housing," Durkan said.
![]()
YarrowBay's pending deal with King County has included vaguely worded promises to create "affordable housing" — a phrase some Maple Valley residents have taken to mean subsidized apartments.
At a recent "emergency" town meeting about the Donut Hole, Maple Valley resident Maria Van Zanen said the city lacks support services, jobs and public transportation to serve an influx of low-income residents.
"I just know that the families I work with wouldn't make it here, they would hate it," said Van Zanen, who works with refugee families at Kent's Springwood public-housing complex.
Councilwoman Linda Johnson said her town already has accepted more than its share of population required under the state's Growth Management Act.
But the town has tried to retain some of its rural roots by favoring houses over apartments, because "homeowners are invested in the community," Johnson said.
News researcher David Turim contributed to this report.
Copyright © 2008 The Seattle Times Company
Food-safety lawyer's wish: Put me out of business
Illegal workers quietly let go
Metro won't cut bus service after all
Jerry Large: Food-bank theft turns into a gift
Bumper to Bumper: How can the city let bridges go dark?

PNW Magazine | Easy As Pie
A little friendly competition between professional pie-baker Kate McDermott and The Seatttle Times' Kathleen Triesch Saul is handled with great taste.
general classifieds
Garage & estate salesFurniture & home furnishings
Sporting goods
just listed
42" Hitachi Plasma 1080i - $500
8 Drawer Dresser with Attached Mirror - $200
8 seat pecon formal dining table and china hutch - $1500
More listings
POST A FREE LISTING
shopping
events for Monday, Nov. 23
- B-Bam! Online 10 Percent Off Sale
- Ian Black Friday 3-Day Sale
- Ravenna Holiday Arts and Crafts Sale
- Birth and Beyond Baby Closing Sale
editors' picks
- Independent video stores
- Neighborhood shopping
- Spas & beauty salons
- Phinney Ridge & Greenwood shopping
- 'The Road' takes Viggo Mortensen to Mount St. Helens and Astoria, Ore.
- Tugboat sinks at Seattle waterfront pier
- Illegal workers quietly let go
- Child-support error costs nearly $21,000
- Vikings easily beat the Seahawks
- Craigslist adoption ad: A plea by young mother-to-be? A scam?
- Chase shrugs off loss of CD investors
- Woman stabbed by stranger in North Seattle
- Snow piles up on Cascade slopes
- Denny Triangle gains skyline, but tenants slow to come
- Illegal workers quietly let go
403 - Climate change speeds up since 1997 Kyoto accord
215 - Metro won't cut bus service after all
160 - New Husky recruit: Enes Kanter
105 - Bellevue residents blast new bikini espresso stand
86 - Middleton says Huskies "plan on scoring at least 50 points'' Saturday
86 - Tattoos at Mill Creek Church pierce skin, soul
85 - Jerry Brewer: Seahawks can't lean on the Hutch Crutch now
75 - Seattle woman charged with knife attack on boyfriend's ex
75 - Senate Democrats split on health bill's fate
58
- Sprouts, raw fish on attorney's 'do not eat' list
- Tattoos at Mill Creek church pierce skin, soul
- Food-safety lawyer's wish: Put me out of business
- Illegal workers quietly let go
- Architects, chefs find 'kid' within to build Gingerbread Village
- Rediscovering Moab, 'the most beautiful place on Earth'
- It's possible to recover a life lost to hoarding
- Child-support error costs nearly $21,000
- 'The Road' takes Viggo Mortensen to Mount St. Helens and Astoria, Ore.
- Hutch gets $10M from Bezos family for immunotherapy research

