Planning commission head accused of profiting from position
EVERETT — Opponents of the controversial Frognal Estates development have accused the head of the Snohomish County Planning Commission of using his position to propel the project forward to benefit his land-use consulting business.
Bill Lider and Linda Gray, longtime objectors to the plan to build 112 homes on 22 acres near Picnic Point, have said commission Chairman Merle Ash supported nixing a buffer zone requirement that stood in the way of Frognal Estates. The pair, who have for years repeatedly voiced concerns about the potential conflict of interest, filed a formal complaint with the county’s Ethics Commission on Aug. 3 after the County Council reappointed Ash last month to serve another four-year term on the planning commission.
“Mr. Ash either needs to resign his position or be removed by the County Council,” says the nine-page complaint, accompanied by 100 pages of exhibits.
Ash, who was first appointed to the commission in 2014, denied that he’s used his position at its helm for personal gain. The 2019 county code amendment, which allowed developers to grade and clear up to property lines, didn’t benefit the Frognal Estates project, he said. He and other developers expressed support for the rule change because it had the unintended consequence of creating a dangerous and unsightly “no man’s land” of unused space along the edges of newly built neighborhoods.
https://www.heraldnet.com/news/planning-commission-head-accused-of-profiting-from-position/
