Earlier this month, citizens submitted nearly 40 questions for the candidates during the Sammamish City Council candidate forum Oct. 7. There was not enough time to answer every citizen question, which is why the Issaquah/Sammamish Reporter reached out to the candidates, asking them to submit their answers via email.
Due to space constraints for the print edition, the Reporter limited candidates to 50-word responses for five of the 36 questions.
However, candidates were given the option to answer more. Those questions and responses are available below.
The candidates:
Christie Malchow and Mark Cross are competing for Councilmember Nancy Whitten’s open seat in position 2.
Tom Hornish is challenging Mayor Tom Vance’s seat in position 6. This position is not for the mayorship. The city has a council-city manager form of government. The council selects its mayor, which is largely a ceremonial role.
Ramiro Valderrama-Aramayo is essentially running unopposed for Position 4. His opponent dropped out of the race in July; however, Hank Klein’s name will still appear next to Valderrama-Aramayo’s on the ballot.
Q&A:
Q: If elected or re-elected to the council, how will you approach the prioritization of the many competing issues the council faces?
Position 2
Mark Cross: My first priority will be transportation. We need to have the discussion with staff about scheduling the public meetings, hiring the design consultants, the bidding process and construction. By having this conversation early, the council and staff can understand the size of the challenge and plan to be successful.
Christie Malchow: I think it’s important to ask for citizen input. The council’s prioritization may not align with citizen desires, and their input should be given weight to how the we proceed as a city. Finances have to be part of that conversation, as well as public safety in prioritization too.
Position 4
Ramiro Valderrama-Aramayo: I would ask that all capital projects, including motorized and non-motorized transportation, parks, storm water and facilities, be included in the many projects on the city’s wish list. All projects should be on the budget, separated into needs and wants, as well as ranked and evaluated for return on investment.
Position 6
Tom Hornish: Safety must be the highest priority. After that, I’d seek input from citizens (with an open acknowledgment that many may have a bias toward a project that directly benefits them). Priority should be given to those projects addressing issues for all, or at least the greatest number, of our citizens.
Tom Vance: First coordinate with staff to complete major policies and regulations that govern city operations: the 2017-2018 budget, public works standards, and begin implementing parks and transportation plans. With those scheduled, council can take on more priorities: urban forestry plan, sports fields, open space, better transit, and sustainable energy practices.
Q: A comment was made earlier that “safe roads” are a priority for our current city representatives. However, variances that compromise road safety have been pushed through by our city planners. What would you do (if new to council) or what you commit to change (if an existing member) to end the unnecessary or unsafe variances?
Position 2
Cross: The city codes on transportation variances need to be revised and narrowed so that they cannot be used to dump traffic on neighborhoods that were never designed or planned to take that traffic. I have a background in land use planning and will work to revise this and other codes.
Malchow: I stand firm that there must be greater scrutiny of variances. Public safety is the first priority, and if you can’t meet that threshold when granting a variance, it should never be granted.
Position 4
Valderrama-Aramayo: I would ensure the city adheres to the current regulations and its spirit. Also, I would ensure that the citizens have a real voice (and potential veto) over new road projects that impact their neighborhoods via design neighborhood committees. This would also preserve the character of their neighborhoods.
Position 6
Hornish: This requires a shift in the mind-set of the city manager and staff to make safety a higher priority. Council members cannot become directly involved with the issuance of permits, but we can certainly influence the implementation of our code, which requires strong leadership and clear communication — traits I have.
Vance: I disagree with the premise. The public safety of our roads is a continuing priority and an on-going process. Most variances are about land use, not roads. In the one case this question references, the developer is suing the city because he is unhappy with the conditions of his permit.
Q: The Seattle Bike Blog says the Sammamish city development code requires that the county build a trail to American Association of State Highway and Transportation official guidelines. Yet many of the 19 conditions put on the permit violate those same guidelines. Can you comment on this discrepancy and suggest a way forward so these guidelines are respected?
Position 2
Cross: The first appeal of the permit was by council candidate Hornish. He appealed the stream protection requirements in the permit as did the County. I think the permit included 19 reasonable conditions that balanced private and public interests. The way forward is good design and balanced interests.
Malchow: It’s troublesome that the county used the Burke-Gilman trail, and applied those usage numbers in Sammamish, to justify a width that has taken out so many trees. We need to compromise with the county to find balance with our citizens and the environmental impacts the paving created on Section 1.
Position 4
Valderrama-Aramayo: These are “guidelines” not “required.” DOT says “Flexibility is provided through ranges in design values to encourage facilities that are sensitive to local context.” It needs to ensure sensitivity to trees, lake environment and be respectful of our citizens. As in Redmond and Issaquah, the trail width needs context sensitivity.
Position 6
Hornish: Sammamish Municipal Code (SMC 21A.30.210(3)) recommends the use of AASHTO design standards but states “cleared areas shall be the minimum necessary consistent … with the SMC.” Another SMC section says trail development should “avoid or minimize” removal of vegetation. Plus, the Shoreline Management Plan must be considered. All parties must discuss.
Vance: I’ve supported the trail for 16 years. However, AASHTO guidelines are aspirational and include a “feasibility” component for the county and city. That’s why the Issaquah trail segment varies from the guidelines. The city, county, and 2A homeowners worked to establish the permit conditions. Unfortunately, SHO was first to appeal.
Q: What is your number one priority as a councilman/woman in three words?
Position 2
Cross: Transportation Construction NOW!
Malchow: Listen to citizens.
Position 4
Valderrama-Aramayo: Maintain City Character
Position 6
Hornish: Balancing Growth/Environment
Vance: Minimize/mitigate growth.
Q: What is the one positive thing about Sammamish that you would fight for, even putting your career on the line? [It can’t be trees, roads or tax structure.]Position 2
Cross: I expect to take unpopular votes to improve water quality in our lakes and streams. Our urban living is hard on streams and includes pollutants that need to be controlled or removed. Spending time and resources on water quality will test our will to be good stewards of the environment.
Malchow: Transparency. We must do a better job of operating in a transparent manner. It’s not enough to use buzzwords in the city newsletter and call it so. The processes need to easily consumable and understood by our citizens. Transparency leads to trust, which is something that feels lost right now.
Position 4
Valderrama-Aramayo: Public Safety (Police and Fire)
Position 6
Hornish: Improved communication between the council and our citizens.
Vance: Our strong environmental protections, some of the strongest in the state, that have been challenged by some in our community in recent years; our ability to protect and add to our inventory of open space and public lands, parks and preserves; and momentum to create a new Urban Forestry program.
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Candidates had the option to respond to the remaining questions. Only Mark Cross and Tom Hornish responded. There was no word limit for these questions. All questions submitted at the Oct. 7 forum are listed below.
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Q: What is your position on removal of the barricades and how would you decide which to remove, and what mitigation would you authorize?
Position 2
Cross: Each barricade situation is unique. I voted to open the 32nd St barricade with additional street improvements. The north-end gate is not one that I consider fixable from a safety standpoint. Opening some helps police and fire as well as residents travel safely around the City and other street ends should just stay that way.
Position 6
Hornish: If it’s a question between connectivity vs safety, safety wins every time unless it’s an infinitesimal decrease in safety for a huge increase in connectivity. We need a study detailing the impact on safety and connectivity regarding the removal of the various barricades and possible mitigations re same.
Q: What can be done to increase affordability within the city to encourage and retain young professionals living in Sammamish?
Position 2
Cross: Strong regional employment is driving housing costs. Providing for accessory dwellings, working with regional affordable housing providers like ARCH and having private sector incentives in the Town Center are appropriate to balance housing types and density. Lack of regional transit makes Sammamish a difficult place for young professionals to live.
Position 6
Hornish: Work with developers to have them build affordable housing as well as the more expensive housing. We must also improve public transportation.
Q: How will you support and promote disaster preparedness for the citizens of Sammamish?
Position 2
Cross: There is a lot that the city can do to be a leader in disaster preparedness. Education for our families and school kids on disaster preparedness is key. The city should be a leader in having coordinated drills with service providers including police and fire.
The city has a television station, a city website, and currently has a monthly newsletter. We should make the effort to provide more information across all of these communication platforms. Our water and sewer districts need to be involved. We can meet and coordinate our efforts to insure speedy recovery of services after a major event.
We all need to realize that major events are not just earthquakes or snowstorms. We may experience extended drought, rain events and wind events that knock out key services. Residents need to learn how to care for their families and pets.
Position 6
Hornish: By ensuring the city runs and participates in more drills/exercises so that the administration becomes better prepared for dealing with disasters. Q: What do you think is the biggest issue facing our youth in Sammamish today? And what would you do to help with this?
Position 6
Hornish: Too much idle time that they may try to fill with drinking and other drugs. To help, we need to offer youth other activities to fill this time.
Q: The city council did not allow retail/recreational marijuana sales. Do you favor allowing it? Has your position changed?
Position 2
Cross: No, I do not think that we need pot sales in Sammamish.
Position 6
Hornish: No — I do not favor allowing retail/recreational marijuana sales, and never have.
Q: Would you support term limits for city council members?
Position 6
Hornish: I’d be open to considering term limits. Even though having experience may be helpful in some circumstances, at other times it can become an impediment to listening to new ideas and concerns. There is no corner on good ideas, and sometimes an organization such as the city may just need change.
Q: Politicians at any level tend to forget they are public servants. Are you a politician? Or a public servant? Defend your position.
Position 6
Hornish: Having never served in public office before and being in business before, I believe it’s clear that I’m not a politician. I believe my stated positions on balancing growth with the environment and improved transparency & communication with citizens, two concerns that I’ve heard over and over again from our citizens during this campaign, are indicative of me wishing to be a public servant, not a politician.
Q: Who sets the direction of the city? And how?
Position 2
Cross: Certainly, I and the rest of the candidates for council see the council as an important position to have in setting direction. As a candidate and former council member, I think there are lots of examples of individual citizens and groups that through their advocacy work set direction of the city.
Position 6
Hornish: Ultimately, it’s the citizens who set the direction of the city through the election of the council members. It’s then up to the council members to listen to, and understand, the citizens’ concerns, in making the rules/ordinances, and then make sure the city manager and staff are implementing and interpreting the rules in a way to go this direction. Q: What will you do to see that city staff enforces equally all city laws and regulations?
Position 6
Hornish: I will make sure the city manager fully oversees the staff’s implementation of the policies set by the council.
Q: Who is funding your campaign? All those signs…
Position 6
Hornish: I have many contributors to my campaign. You can see the list of contributors for any candidate at www.pdc.wa.gov. Q: Would the candidates outline the main storm water and drainage issues confronting Sammamish? What constructive measures can they suggest to address the issues? What experience or skills do they have to enable them to tackle the issues that they identify?
Position 6
Hornish: We need to keep more of the increased runoff on the site that’s being developed. There are development/building techniques, other than clear-cutting trees, that can accomplish this even if it’s more costly to the developer. My education as a chemical engineer helps me understand the technicalities of this issue.
Q: For Mark Cross – Why did you leave the council and why do you want to return? Aren’t you responsible for trees coming down in the past?
Position 2
Cross: I left the council as my kids were getting to leave high school and enter college. I felt that this was an important time to be fully engaged with their young lives and my career. Like the first time I ran for council, I think my background in urban planning and my professional experience would be a good addition to the existing council.I supported and helped adopt very strong tree retention ordinance and protections for trees on steep slopes and near wetlands and streams. There was a lot of pushback on those land use actions. I expect to take more hard votes to protect the environment and our forest canopy.
Q: Who is to answer for variances that have been granted? How long will it take to overturn and impose stricter enforcement of variances?Position 6
Hornish: This requires a shift in the mind-set of the city manager and staff in interpreting the city’s code. Council members cannot become directly involved with the issuance of permits, but we can certainly influence the implementation of our code. Once we have a council that wishes to do so in a way the citizens desire, only then will this change.
Q: What is the City of Sammamish doing now and in the future to provide improved, even “seamless” communication/connection and planning with the Sammamish Plateau Water & Sewer District which is a separate municipality? Many water & sewer projects are or should be linked to drainage and roads.
Position 6
Hornish: My understanding is that the city and the water districts are attempting to work together closely at this time, especially in connection with the issuance of permits. However, communication can always be improved, and we can certainly investigate how to improve the communication and coordination between the city and the water districts.
Q: What is the city of Sammamish doing now and in the future to work with the school districts to ensure land and connectivity and joint planning and money happen to get needed schools built and available when required?
Position 6
Hornish: It’s all about open communication and fully understanding each others concerns. We need an overall comprehensive plan that both the city and school districts understand and can agree to.
Q: The initiative referendum is an ordinance in Sammamish. Do you favor this initiative or not and why?
Position 6
Hornish: I’m for the initiative/referendum because it gives the ultimate power for some things where I believe it belongs … in the hands of the citizens. Hopefully, if the citizens elect council members who listen to the citizens’ concerns, then the initiative/referendum process will never be necessary. Q: What will you do to restore a collaborative, respectful culture on the council, so we can address the pressing issues of our city drawing on the expertise of all seven members?
Position 2
Cross: One thing I think we can do is to make sure that our reviews and discussions happen at a pace where everybody can be heard and options considered. We also need to understand that frozen government is not necessarily a good thing either. After due discussion and deliberation there is a need to act.
Position 6
Hornish: First, each council member must be open to listening and understanding the viewpoints of all citizens and other council members, which may or may not agree with their own personal views. Only then can there be a collaborative process that tries to address as many of these concerns as possible. As CEO of a public company, I did this with my board of directors, and I believe I can help accomplish this as a new council member.
Q: When will the service organizations in this city be allowed to post their sign or logo at the entrance to the city? i.e. Rotary
Position 6
Hornish: This is something the council should look into. I’d suggest we first review what comparable cities do in this regard because these service organizations are important to our community, and we should be proud of them.
Q: What can you say about growth in Sammamish?
Position 6
Hornish: Because we are within the urban growth boundary line, growth is inevitable, but we need to better balance how it’s done with other competing interests such as the environment and the character of our city.
Q: How would you improve Sahalee Way?
Position 6
Hornish: I would prefer to improve Sahalee Way in a way that actually addresses and solves the traffic issue into and out of our city. This will require coordination with other municipalities and may require more funds than currently planned for this improvement. However, until we have a plan that actually solves the traffic issues we’re facing, I’d be in favor of addressing the safety issues we currently face now, and postpone the larger, more expensive project until we can actually solve the traffic issues.
Q: Asked by a age 10-year-old Sammamish resident: If elected, what would you do about the all the trees being cut down?
Position 6
Hornish: I would try to reduce the number of trees that are being cut down. As you know, trees are so much more than just nice to look at—they help our environment and prevent the soil from being washed away. We just need to realize that and try to keep more of them.
Q: It seems like street variations for developers have become the norm rather than the exception. Please give us your thoughts because I don’t see the reason for regulations if they’re not followed.
Position 6
Hornish: It’s all about how the regulations are interpreted and actually implemented. There are certainly times when a variance may be necessary and should be granted, but to your point, when the exception becomes the norm, then something is out of whack. We need a strong council to ensure that the city manager oversees the staff’s interpretation of the regulation in a way that our citizens wish them to be interpreted, or to adopt new, clearer regulations if the current staff interpretation is not consistent with our citizens’ views.
Q: Sahalee Way project has had only one meeting for citizen input. At last night’s council meeting John Cunningham, temporarily overseeing transportation, suggested we are past the point of citizen input that can actually be implemented. How do we slow down this project for real citizen input?
Position 6
Hornish: I’d suggest making your voice, along with others, heard by making public comment at upcoming council meetings. Plus, I’d suggest voting for council members that you feel would actually listen to you.
Q: How many hours per week can you commit to the council? (i.e. preparation, reading, committees, etc.)
Position 6
Hornish: Whatever’s necessary I will do. Who needs sleep??
Q: I would like to see the city walk it’s talk. City says interested in the environment yet developers are allowed to clear cut? City says fiscally responsible yet city money seems to shift around as convenient? (eg. Recent purchase of Mars Hill Church)
Position 6
Hornish: Agreed. We need to better balance the necessary growth with the environmental concerns and the character of the city. We also need increased transparency and communication re the city’s fiscal situation and actions.
Q: As a group of 51 bike riders, while half of us live in Sammamish, we would like to give out our input on Eastlake Sammamish Trail. We support King County’s plan to remove old trees as necessary for a safe trail. That will attract more biking commutes and less car driving. The sooner it is finished, the better to the majority of Sammamish resident’s.
Position 2
Cross: I agree the East Lake Sammamish Trail needs to be completed. At the council candidate forum it seemed that all the candidates were in favor of Sammamish being more walkable and bike rideable, but only Tom Vance and myself have supported completing the ELST as the anchor for that effort.
Position 6
Hornish: I can understand this, but King County’s plans are not to remove only old trees. The county’s construction in the North end of the trail removed close to 2,000 healthy trees. In addition, I question whether the improved ELST will actually alleviate traffic because it’s to be a family trail with a 15 mph speed limit, and most serious bike commuters will still use the parkway because of this restriction. We all agree that ELST needs to be paved, and it needs to be safe, but if it’s at the cost of destroying our waters and environment, I would hope nobody is really supporting that.
Q: When will I.T.S. be implemented? Why is a council (current) allowed to stay intact when they have failed so much? I feel current council has tried to build a city to honor only themselves with no respect to residents.
Position 6
Hornish: Intelligent traffic signal has been implemented already at 228th & Issaquah Pine Lake intersection. I’m hearing that some think it’s helping the flow on 228th. With the upcoming election, if you (like many citizens that I’ve been talking with) feel that the current and past council has not been representing your interests, then vote accordingly—and tell your friends to do so as well!!
Q: 100% of financial burden for complying with environmental regulation falls on individual property owners. If the environment is a community asset and the entire community benefits, how can the financial burden be shared by the wider community?
Position 6
Hornish: While your statement that the environment is a community asset is fair, I don’t think the financial burden can or should be shared by the wider community. It’s incumbent on each individual property owner to maintain or build on their property in a way that doesn’t infringe on their neighbors’ environmental rights, and by requiring each property owner to bear their own financial burden for maintaining the environment, then the entire community does benefit. If we were to require everyone to share in such costs, then it’s likely that many would feel that it’s not fair because some owners would feel that they’d be paying disproportionately as compared to others.
Q: What is your position on acquiring ‘the notch’ and what changes would you consider making to accommodate that area?
Position 6
Hornish: We should consider annexing portions of our extended community if it makes financial sense and does not impact the quality of service for our current citizens.
Q: For Tom Hornish – How do you propose to work with King County to finish the East Lake Sammamish Trail since you have sued the city and county related to the trail?
Position 2
Cross: Good question. Twelve years ago some opponents wanted to delay the opening of the gravel trail until all legal issues are resolved. Here we are all these years later. The East Lake Sammamish Trail has been a huge asset. The most recent house on my block to be sold advertised easy access to the trail even though we are several blocks up the hill. This trail has benefited our entire community. I am convinced that with good design and by listening to the neighbors and trail users, the final section can be built in a way that observes good safety design principles while preserving privacy and access for the neighbors.
Position 6
Hornish: We look forward to sitting down with King County to discuss what we hope would be reasonable compromises on both sides to complete a safe, paved trail that everyone can enjoy. Once we determine the legal rights to the trail property that are held by the private individuals and King County, then I sincerely believe we can have productive discussions and negotiations with all parties.
Q: If over 97 percent of development is already approved under old tree ordinance, is clear cutting permitted under the old ordinance? Please tell us what best case scenario of the old tree ordinance should look like with proper enforcement?
Position 2
Cross: Surprisingly there is still a lot of land to be developed. As painful as the lessons of land use code that does not do the intended job, the more painful thing is to not make changes to that same code. I want to bring my Urban Planning training and experience back onto the Council so that we can be continually looking at how development is turning out and adjusting our codes to improve the outcomes.
Position 6
Hornish: Old tree ordinance (which was itself an emergency ordinance reacting to all the clear cutting) required retention of 25% of the trees. Many developers met this requirement by clear cutting the center of the lot and leaving the required number of trees around the perimeter. We can only hope that the developers with already approved building permits will acknowledge the city’s and its citizens’ desires to save as many trees as possible and to retain the city’s character.
