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!!!!