More Perseverance Required

Update on rezone battle:

Sunrise September 23, 2014

Sunrise September 23, 2014

My presumed victory and end point of last week was swept away when the Four Horsemen (Councilmen) of the Shopalypse showed up this week to rescind last week’s decision. The word got out this was about to happen and I was encouraged by the public outcry in the press and a capacity crowd at the Council meeting. The last time that happened was clear back at the beginning of the process, four years ago. About 15 people gave very articulate, impassioned shame-on-you speeches—the gist of which was, “You’ve already spent a ¼ of a million dollars of our money for the benefit of one property owner’s attempt at a rezone which almost nobody wants and the City certainly does not need. STOP!” But, of course, these guys have no shame. They went into executive session for an hour, so the public could not hear what they were saying, came out and voted to rescind on the grounds that the importance of the issue demanded a Council decision, not a tie-breaker by the Mayor. Also, they needed “more information on the cost of continuing,” putting a vote off until next week when I’m sure they are hoping the crowd does not reappear. The property owner was there– an enormous guy, dressed all in black, down to his cowboy boots– but he never said a word. It seemed rather Godfather-ish, as if he were only there to make sure his minions towed the line. On the other hand, I can see why he didn’t speak—most of the people there didn’t know who he was and he was definitely in an unfriendly crowd. The back story on this whole thing is the stuff of novels where it all seems too outrageous to be true. As you can see, Tuesday morning was lovely, but it turned to rain by the time of the Council meeting. Stay tuned, it ain’t over.

 

 

Perseverance Pays Off

Update on our commercial rezone fight—WE WON!!!!!

It is the dawn of a new day in the Skykomish Valley

Dawn Of a New Day

Sunrise–September 17, 2014

As the result of our appeal, on August 26 the Growth Management Hearings Board invalidated the rezone based on the inadequacy of the Environmental Impact Study. Although we won on the EIS issue, we could not convince the Board to overrule the City on the location issue. This left the City with three options: (a) Challenge the Board’s decision in Superior Court; (b) Try to fix the EIS to the Board’s satisfaction; (c) Forget about it. Fortunately, at this last Tuesday night’s Council meeting, a Councilman who would have voted for option B was absent, and the other votes were split 3 for and 3 against. This allowed the new mayor  to cast the deciding vote–option C was approved! It took four years and a new mayor, but common sense has triumphed over cronyism.

“Shadow is the obstruction of light” Leonardo da Vinci

Great Egret Noir         Over a brambled path

 We step and pose

         Our great regrets

                Our shadow knows.

A shadow can be a ponderous friend

          When on our back until the end

Choosing what my thoughts beget

                Behind me strides a Great Egret

Gluten-free Blackberry Cobbler

Are you looking for something tasty to make out of those blackberries that are overtaking your yard?

4 cups/1 quart

4 cups/1 quart

I brought this cobbler to a potluck event recently and it got rave—“best cobbler I’ve ever had”—reviews. I followed Rachelle Himmelman’s Gluten-free Baking recipe—with the following modifications–in bold:

Prep time: 15 Minutes
Cook time: 45-55
Total time: 60 Minutes
Ingredients:

4 Cups Blackberries (fresh or frozen)
Note–The bigger the berries, the less seeds (crunch, crunch)

1/2 Cup Sugar

1 Tablespoon Gluten-free all purpose flour (jules)
I used Bob’s Red Mill All Purpose Gluten-free flour because it relies on Garbanzo and Fava bean flours. I think these provide better flavor and consistency than rice flour. I also added a couple of teaspoons of Bob’s Arrowroot Starch just because I had some and it seemed like a reasonable addition.


I also added half an organic lemon, finely chopped—thin skinned is best. This makes the cobbler a little less sweet.

Chopped Lemon

Chopped Lemon

FOR THE TOP:
1 Cup Sugar

1 Cup Gluten-free all purpose flour (jules)
Here again, I used Bob’s Gluten-free flour, but only 3/4 cup.

Then I added 1/4 cup Bob’s Amaranth flour for a little nuttier flavor.

1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
I also added a scant teaspoon of cinnamon and a dash of nutmeg.

1 Whole Egg

1/2 Cup Butter (dairy-free) Melted
I used real “salted” butter.

After butter--before baking

After butter–before baking

Cooking Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a medium sized bowl add blackberries, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon flour (and Arrowroot) stir until ingredients are combined and there is no longer any sugar or flour on the bottom of your bowl, set aside.
In another medium bowl add 1 cup sugar, 1 (3/4×1/4) cup flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg, lightly stir with a fork to combine, once combined make a well in the center of your bowl and add egg, stir until your mixture becomes small crumbs.
Place blackberry mixture in a ungreased 11x7x1.5 inch pan.
As you can see, I used an 8×8. For the potluck, I doubled the recipe and used a 10×14.

After adding blackberry mixture put on crumb topping, when you have your crumb topping evenly spread over the blackberries drizzle the melted butter on top of crumb mixture and bake for 45-55 minutes or until golden brown.

Gluten-free Blackberry cobblerDone. Get out the ice cream.

Sooner or Later, Gravity Wins

Monday morning, I had the following experience at the SeaTac disc golf course. Of course, I had to put it to rhyme:

In the dappled shade of a towering pine

    the sun I’d craved, I now declined

High above, two little birds

     embroiled in more than a war of words

A whirling, twirling, mid-air fight

WHOSE EXPECTATIONS WERE IN THE RIGHT?

If I’d been a cat, I’d have had my sup

     wrestling birds cannot stay up

I craned my neck

What kind of birds are those?

    They then crash-landed on my nose

That’s how I got my close-up view

    of not one little Nuthatch…but two

Nuthatch x 2

My Post East Monroe Rezone Reset

Hmmm, seems I haven’t posted for quite a long while. I’ve been distracted. For the past four years, I have been involved along with some of my neighbors in fighting the City of Monroe’s effort to rezone the property below me from Limited Open Space to General Commercial. This rezone would allow for a big box shopping center to intrude upon the landscape pictured in the accompanying photographs. In our 2012 appeal, the City’s hearings examiner sided with us. For 2013, the City hired a new hearings examiner who sided with them. This year, navigating the State appeals process with the Growth Management Hearings Board has consumed much of my time and energy. I was up 40 hours straight preparing the 25-page pre-hearing brief to submit before the deadline ( I don’t recommend this for anyone over 60). I really could not have done it without professor Katie, my editor who, with considerable effort, kept me from exceedingly “clever” exposition that no one but myself would understand. The actual hearing was July 17, but we don’t receive the verdict until August 26. I have to believe that commercial development on an old oxbow of the Skykomish River, situated in /100 yr floodplain, would strike anyone without a vested interest as insane—so I am feeling optimistic. At any rate, I am done with it! I can get back to more creative endeavors. Yay!!!!