Posted on 03/29/2014 7:24:19 AM PDT by Izzy Dunne
Since the 1950s, geological reports on the hill that buckled during the weekend in Snohomish County have included pessimistic analyses and the occasional dire prediction. But no language seems more prescient than what appears in a 1999 report filed with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, warning of “the potential for a large catastrophic failure.”
(Excerpt) Read more at seattletimes.com ...
This could just as easily have been “South Hill Puyallup” sliding into the city of Puyallup.
The town of Orting is surrounded by such hills.
The entire Kent Valley, east and West, from Auburn to Lake Washington is surrounded by such hills.
Maybe, but then it shouldn't be "unforeseen" that one happened.
Local radio started broaching the blame issue this week. Lots of mention of reviewing logging permits but from that interactive map there’s a lot of what appears to be dead trees bordering that slide area. Some cutting and replanting might have helped prevent the slide.
The county is in full CYA mode. One report said houses built there were not safe and unneeded since some 50% are in foreclosure.
It is certain that eventually all of them will give way. It’s just a matter of time and weather.
That’s almost always the case in these situations.
There was a woman on TV or radio this week that said she (they) were never warned about the instability of the area and potential for a slide. She said, where’s the report? We’ve never seen the report.
One of the local radio stations has been discussing this non-stop in the 3-7 p.m. time slot all week. One of the hosts said that if there was a report then people could probably not get insurance for their houses, only the possessions inside; and, given the mud is 20+ feet deep in some areas, they’ll probably never be able to build on the land again, so essentially they’ve lost everything and have to relocate and start from scratch.
I’ve had my home loan for some time so don’t recall. Don’t loaners want folks to have insurance? Which made me think of something else, why would a bank or mortgage company loan folks money to build or purchase homes on an unstable area? Perhaps the same reason the county issued building permits - - to make money? Or, perhaps the folks and loaners never did see/hear about the report (though my dad, a retired geologist, said it’s been know for years).
I’m sure there is lots of pressure exerted by lot-owners to get permits approved for their houses.
I live in Shoreline, north of Seattle and just south of the Snohomish County line. We are, on the local scene, trying to fight a huge development that Snohomish Count wants to put it just on the other side of the count line.
Apparently the Growth Management plan for Snohomish is worse than the King County plan. Both counties are bascall dim strongholds.
This project would be in a slide zone, where mudslides have occurred every few years. It is at the base of a hill.
The problem with Washington state is the greenies ruined logging and fishing and the state likes to recklessly build stuff to recoup the tax money that they gave away for the greenie’s pipe dreams.
“...yet we’re somehow supposed to stop “global warming?”
There was a time, some 12,000 years ago, when glaciers stabilized those hills. Something like a mile and a half of ice. SUV’s caused those hills to slide. /s
Not really. You have to remember whose in control and where the money goes. Logging permits pay for lots of the Libs projects. The Stranger has a pretty good article.
As far as the fish go. It ain't the "greenies" running the show at all.
I heard on the radio coming home last night that the law was padded in 2007 (IIRC) and stated that only new permits had to include a letter about potential slides, etc. A resident was on and said he never received a call, letter, warning or anything. Apparently, since only those obtaining ‘new’ permits after 2007 had to receive the letter, only 1 person did as there was only 1 application for a permit after 2007.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.