Chevron An Obstacle To Woodway's Plan To Annex Point Wells -- Company's Plan To Sell Asphalt Plant Revives Fear That Land Will Be Developed

WOODWAY - This community of 900 residents, self-dubbed "The Quiet Place," will grow by 14 percent next year if the city annexes Point Wells.

But the owner of the area targeted for possible annexation, Chevron U.S.A., is balking at the idea. The corporation recently announced plans to relocate its light-fuels operation and is seeking a buyer for its Point Wells asphalt plant.

"We've got major business decisions we're making," said Bob Osmundson, Chevron's regional spokesman. "We don't want an annexation proceeding interrupting that process."

Woodway's not sure it wants Point Wells. Studies must be performed to compare annexation benefits, such as increased tax revenues, with the cost of providing city services.

Chevron owns about 145 acres stretching from its marine terminal on Puget Sound up to the top of the bluff. Gasoline, diesel and jet fuel are delivered via tankers at the Point Wells terminal, then distributed from storage tanks to trucks.

The upper portion of the property, an unused tank farm on the bluff, lies within city limits while the lower 92 acres are unincorporated.

No roads directly link Woodway with Point Wells, which is bordered by Woodway, Puget Sound and the King-Snohomish county line.

Many decades ago a road ran down the bluff but was abandoned due to landslides.

Woodway's interest in Point Wells dates to the 1970s, but the latest discussion was triggered by Chevron's recent announcements.

"The fear is that Chevron might sell buildable land," said Ross Wood, a city councilman and mayor-elect of Woodway. "At this point they have no intention of selling the land. But people did get nervous."

That fear is twofold, he said. Developing the lower part of the bluff could create slide hazards and might not match the character of Woodway developments.

Most Woodway homes are built on 1- and 2-acre lots, with some 5-acre properties and a cluster of homes built on one-third-acre lots. The city now comprises 648 acres.

Part of the property in question offers Sound views and is known within Chevron as "the cottage area" because long ago it was the site of several cottages inhabited by the plant manager and other employees.

Woodway already has held one public meeting on the annexation issue and plans to take more testimony on the subject Jan. 18.

Mike Jauhola, Woodway's engineering consultant, said the city's renewed interest in Point Wells relates in part to the Growth Management Act.

"The city has to designate where they anticipate expanding in the future. The Chevron property . . . is kind of an island of Snohomish County that's surrounded by Woodway and King County," he said.

"Woodway has always considered they would like to annex it and be able to know what's going on down there."

Osmundson stressed Chevron has no plans to sell the cottage area for residential development. At this point, Chevron is willing to "offer assurances" about its plans for the cottage property but not to negotiate on annexation, he said.

But the city is unlikely to take the annexation issue to the state Boundary Review Board for Snohomish County unless it reaches agreement with Chevron, Jauhola said.

"As long as Chevron and the town can come to an agreement on it, I think it's a pretty done deal," he said.

A final decision probably will be made in early spring, Jauhola said.