Woodinville's Neighbors Split On Annexation

Why, wondered Eric Moothart, would anyone think his home is in Woodinville?

``I'm in the Lake Washington School District. I have a Kirkland address,'' he said. ``We don't really have any access to Woodinville.''

But Moothart's home is within tentative boundaries for a proposed city of Woodinville, so he went to a public meeting last night to tell incorporation backers that it makes no sense.

Members of the newly named Woodinville Citizens for Home Rule, which is pushing for a November vote on incorporation, said they'll refine their boundaries in the face of comments by Moothart and others.

``We had hoped that we'd be able to just tinker a bit,'' said Don Brocha, co-chairman of the pro-city group.

But tinkering wouldn't satisfy a number of residents of Hollywood Hill, who said inclusion in a city would threaten their rural area southeast of Woodinville's commercial zone.

The state Growth Management Act, enacted last year, is intended to ``force growth into cities,'' said Steven Gallagher, one of the Hollywood Hill residents. If Woodinville incorporates, ``at best our neighborhoods are going to have to battle each other to see who has to take this density.''

Gallagher said he supported previous incorporation efforts, but ``the state law has changed the game plan.''

Incorporation backers strongly disagreed.

Diane Campbell, co-chairwoman of the home-rule group, said legislators who wrote the law assured her that preserving low-density areas ``can only be done through our local control.''

The Growth Management Act, which mandates drawing of urban-growth boundaries, has been the subject of conflicting interpretations, and lawmakers are likely to amend the year-old measure.

Zita Mazzola, a Hollywood Hill resident who favors incorporation, said she doesn't care for King County's huge, distant government. ``I have dealt with the county for years,'' she said, ``and I wouldn't trust them no matter what's on the books.''

Don McChesney, who lives within the proposed city south of Cottage Lake, said city services would primarily benefit downtown Woodinville, but all residents would be taxed to pay for them. ``I see nothing that the city is going to do to improve my situation,'' he said.

Donna Stewart, who said she lives in the ``modest'' part of Woodinville east of Northeast Avondale Road, delivered an anti-incorporation petition signed by numerous neighbors. ``We cannot afford your dream, as nice as it may be,'' she said.

Owners of the Chateau Ste. Michelle winery, which is within the proposed boundaries, told incorporation backers they want to be taken out until hard information on the costs of a city government is provided.

``The citizens and businesses of Woodinville need evidence that after incorporation they will not be forced to choose between either an unacceptable level of city services, or the imposition of severe new taxes which could force companies such as ours out of the area,'' said Allen Shoup, president of the winery's parent company, in a letter read at the meeting.

Incorporation backers, who released survey results earlier this month showing support for a new city, said they were not surprised at the preponderance of negative words last night. ``The people who are in the boundaries and are happy about it are home watching TV,'' said Brocha.

After boundaries are adjusted, the home-rule group will circulate petitions to put incorporation on the November ballot. Voters narrowly rejected incorporation in 1987 and 1989.