Keep High Density Housing out of Mercer Island's Neighborhoods

KEEP HIGH DENSITY HOUSING OUT OF FIRST HILL

• The Mercer Island City Council is proposing to surplus city property, and to build an "innovative demonstration housing project."

• This proposed project is high density "cottage housing" built on a 30,000 square foot property in the middle of the First Hill Single Family Neighborhood.

• Many different rationales have been expressed for the project (paying for emergency well, avoiding a lawsuit from an environmental group, affordable housing for our workforce, the Growth Management Act, options for people downsizing, sustainable environmental housing) although the Council has not clearly stated the primary reasons for the development.

The neighbors of First Hill and the greater Mercer Island community are concerned about spot zoning for high density housing in single-family neighborhoods. We believe this housing project will create a negative impact on our community for the following reasons:

1) It changes the charm and existing characteristics of the First Hill neighborhood.

2) It sets a precedent for further high density housing in all other Mercer Island single-family neighborhoods.

3) It is discriminatory to other neighbors who purchased homes believing they were buying in an area where houses are zoned for minimum 9600 square foot lots.

4) It will create increased density and problems to an area not adequately designed for such traffic, parking, & maintenance problems.

5) Is not an effective or sustainable method for meeting the standards of the Growth Management Act.

6) It does not address the true needs of affordable housing for our workforce, and is potentially discriminatory to potential residents that do not work on Mercer Island.

7) It is the first step toward overlaying Mercer Island's high density housing and business district with the charm and beauty of one of Mercer Island's single-family residential neighborhoods.