I was very disheartened to hear that the Snoqualmie Mayor and City Council ignored the Snoqualmie Planning Commission’s recommendations concerning proper setbacks on the new hotel to be built on the Ridge.

In addition, proper notification was not made to those of us who live nearby. Without notification, we did not have the ability to make our needs and concerns known in a timely manner. With our property values and our daily life quality deeply affected by this, we should have been afforded due consideration by our city leaders.

Why do we need this hotel? Will there be a convention center snuck onto the Ridge soon? Or another casino? I feel the mayor and city council want to turn our precious, beautiful city into another Bellevue: Our beauty eclipsed, bloated with overpriced housing and too many buildings with frustrating and impassable traffic. Why ruin our daily lives? Is there some other reason that untrammeled growth is being forced upon us?

There is nothing more important than transparent dialogue, which we all deserve.

We love our city. Leave us small enough so we can know each other and enjoy our lives without every last possible cent wrung from every square inch. Mayor and Snoqualmie City Council, please represent the people who live here, not special interests.

Elaine Armstrong

Snoqualmie