You know growth in North Bend would eventually happen. They have long lifted the building moratorium by acquiring substantial water rights and have started annexing land to pull that growth into the city boundaries to as they say “manage that growth”. It sounded like a good idea because North Bend doesn’t need a “Ridge”! Both communities struggle to accommodate future growth while trying to preserve the rural quality of life that is beloved out here! North Bend had no choice for over a decade while Snoqualmie slapped up thousands of homes up on the Ridge adding a retail center there also that struggles to keep tenants! Now that the flood gates have opened in North Bend, we shall see how well they do!
The city annexed what was called the Tanner addition east of the city and plans on directing new growth there. The Valley Record recently posed the question to some North Bend residents of just what should go into the new annex and I was appalled at some of their answers! One said more houses, well that is a given! Another mentioned a chicken restaurant……what does she mean a KFC? The other two were very surprising! One said a WalMart Superstore and the other said a Costo! I don’t get it! I don’t understand the reasoning of why anybody would want a WalMart in their town! Both Snoqualmie and North Bend are working with Federal grant money to upgrade and improve their downtown infrastructures North Bend has long desired to improve their downtown core! If a WalMart were to ever be approved for developement, it would decimate and put a lid on that idea! Talking about ruining your rural quality of life! There probably will be enough houses built that will erode that soon enough! As for a Costco, drive to Issaquah which is less than 15 minutes away and do you big block shopping there! When you already have the roses to stop and smell, why wish for the asphalt that will forever remove them. Wake up people!!
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