More than 300 Issaquah residents, troubled by a proposal to build homes on the steeply-sloping Bergsma property, have formed the Save Cougar Mountain group to express their concerns about the plan.
The property, which is owned by the Rech and Bergsma families, is located north of the Talus neighborhood, above State Route 900 and Newport Way Northwest.
The current proposal was offered by Windward Real Estate Services; a previous plan proposed by the same company was turned down by the city council earlier this year. Council members said some of their reasons for opposing the development included the potential for landslides, the number of houses proposed (which would dramatically increase density), and the fact there was no affordable housing offered.
David Kappler, a member of the Save Cougar Mountain group and a resident of Issaquah, pointed out the proposed development covers 45 acres, including steep slopes, three streams, and six wetlands. He said that the home development, as proposed, would require cutting down 22 acres of trees and filling in two wetlands. Kappler is concerned about the impact these actions would have on the nearby salmon-bearing Tibbetts Creek. The group would prefer the area to be left as open space, or turned into a park.
A public hearing is likely to be held in early 2018. When this type of meeting takes place, officials can help by working with a flyer printing company to create a handout including the agenda.
