In a meeting earlier this week, the Marysville Council tabled a Scott Farms planned apartment complex for two weeks. The Redwood management company, which is proposing the complex, needs to secure an additional easement to complete the deal. We want to point out Redwood has also paid to help improve the traffic flow in the area. This isn’t always the case.
Even though the development should ultimately get approved, we agree with council’s delay so members can use the extra time to make sure that what is built will be a nice addition to the city.
In that meeting, Alan Seymour brought up the point that the deal needed to have actual signatures at the end of the additional agreement because handshake deals are a thing of the past. Seymour has been a nice addition to the council because he brings a consistent perspective with regard to expansion in that Marysville wants to have new projects locate here, but they need to benefit the community, as well as the developer.
We remember serving with Seymour on the Shade Tree Commission (now Design Review Board) and he had the same message then for Wal-Mart. The developer wanted to build with concrete block and he spoke up and asked them to consider brick. The end result was with brick as was the rest of the development. It cost the builder more, but it was a better looking building and it elevated the standard for commercial development in Marysville.
We say this because it seems like there are too many instances we have reported of other prospective housing plans coming before Design Review, Planning Commission or Council that really don’t appear to benefit the community as much as they do the owner presenting the plans. Perhaps the plans are too dense, add to congestion in an already busy area or frankly are just more of the same in a different location.
Even though local realtors feel that the city needs affordable housing in the worst way, condominiums are not always the long-term answer. As growth comes this way, which it clearly is, we urge council members to continue to take their time so when plans are submitted to them they can look back and say they made the right decision for the residents of Marysville … both those who are here today and those who will move here tomorrow.