The public comment period for the proposed Maple Valley Lakeside Industries Asphalt Plant was extended to March 11.
It was originally set to close at the end of January, but King County Council Member Reagan Dunn said he sent a letter to the director of the King County Permitting and Environmental Review (DPER), asking that public comment be extended.
”I extended it so more people could have a chance to say what they wanted to say,” Dunn explained.
According to Amanda Reykdal, director of real estate at Lakeside Industries, the public comment was extended because there was confusion over whether the asphalt plant was in Maple Valley or Renton.
Dunn said he hopes that with the extension of the public comment, more people will come to the King County Council with new data and their worries about the plant. That way, all the information will be laid out before making any decisions.
In November 2017, Dunn said he was able to place a six month moratorium on the proposed asphalt plant.
Dunn tried to renew the moratorium when the first one expired last year, but other King County Council Members did not approve it.
About two weeks ago, Dunn said he reintroduced placing another moratorium on the planning of the asphalt plant in hopes of delaying the process even longer.
The reality of it though, according to Dunn, is that even if a new moratorium is approved, there’s no guarantee it will do anything to delay the process of the asphalt plant because Lakeside already submitted their application to DPER in November 2018.
Residents in the area are concerned with the placement of the asphalt plant because it is right across from the Cedar River and on Highway 169.
They are concerned with pollution and traffic increase, along with too much noise.
According to a website made by residents who are opposed to the asphalt plant called “Say No to Asphalt Plant on the Cedar River,” they have a petition going to stop the building of the asphalt plant.
The petition was organized by community member Angela Flick, who has been an avid leader in the attempt to stop the plant from being built.
So far, the petition has 5,522 signatures as of Feb. 12. The goal according to the petition is to get 7,500 signatures.
