King County residents should have a larger say in the final approval and construction of "mega-houses" in their neighborhoods, according to Metropolitan King County Councilmember Jane Hague. Hague introduced legislation today that would require public notification of a "mega-house" application, as well as a mandatory public comment period.

Hague introduced the legislation as controversy heated up over the construction of a 24,555 square foot home in Finn Hill, near Kirkland. The development, featuring 24 toilets, six urinals, 17 showers, and 36 sinks, will reportedly be home to one family. Many homeowners in the area, however, believe that the development will serve as a Buddhist Temple and not a single-family home. The Department of Development and Environmental Services (DDES) gave the go-ahead for construction of the home. Currently, single-family homes do not have to meet any public notification requirements.

‘Mega-houses,’ such as the one on Finn Hill, can become an environmental concern, as well as ruin the character of a neighborhood," said Hague, who represents the Kirkland area on the county council. "The public has a right to know and be involved when it pertains to massive construction projects in their neighborhood."

Hague’s proposal calls for DDES to meet several requirements when an application for a single-family home that exceeds 8,000 square feet is submitted. The proposal would:

• Require DDES to mail notices to all property owners within 500 feet of the proposed development, as well as notify the county councilmember in whose district the development falls. The public notice would include a description of the project, the location, a list of the permits included in the application, and where the application and any environmental documents or studies can be found;
  
• Require the applicant to post at least one sign on the proposed construction site within two weeks of applying for permits, to notify the public of the proposal. The sign must be in a visible location for the public; and,
  
• Require a 21-day public comment period on the proposed construction. The comment period would begin 15 days after an application for construction is completed.

"The Finn Hill project is just the latest in a series of ‘mega-houses’ which have been built throughout the county," she said. "It is time that these projects undergo a more thorough public and county review process to insure that we maintain the high quality of life we have all come to expect in this region."