Editor, the VOICE:
Our family started Lakeside Industries 66 years ago when my Dad and Grandfather purchased a sand, gravel, and ready-mix concrete company on the east side of Lake Washington. Today, we are an award winning, Issaquah-based asphalt company with locally managed divisions throughout Washington, Northwest Oregon, and Central Idaho.
We are planning to move our existing asphalt pavement mixing facility in Covington to Maple Valley, along SR 169, where we’ll produce high-quality asphalt used for local roads, highways, schools, businesses, and residences. Our new facility will help us respond to the needs of our local customers while we protect local air and water quality using industry-leading environmental technology. When fully operational, the facility will employ 40 to 45 people with full-time, well-paying jobs.
Some community members have expressed concern over an asphalt pavement mixing facility coming to their area. We hear those concerns and we are proud that we have been good neighbors at other Lakeside pavement mixing facilities where homes and businesses are very close. There is currently a Moratorium on our permit to build the facility in Maple Valley, and it is set to expire this spring. In the meantime, we welcome conversations with the community to address concerns and answer questions about Lakeside and our plans to relocate our asphalt pavement mixing facility to Maple Valley.
This property we have purchased in Maple Valley has a long history of industrial use, dating back to 1927. We chose this site because it is zoned specifically for an asphalt pavement mixing facility. It’s also close to many of our customers in South King County. Just like asphalt roads, these facilities are everywhere. And for proper paving, hot mix asphalt must be placed while it is still pliable. Think of it this way: Getting asphalt from the facility to the paving site is like delivering a pizza. The farther you have to carry it, the cooler it gets. To deliver the asphalt before it cools, asphalt facilities must be located near the places where it will be used.
One concern I’ve heard from some local residents is whether they will smell the asphalt. We use the latest industry technology to minimize odors created during the asphalt pavement mixing process and we will include even more such systems at the Maple Valley site. We will take extra care when loading asphalt onto trucks by ensuring every single vehicle is covered, which helps to further suppress odor.
The communities in which we operate our facilities continue to thrive, and that includes increasing property values. Less than a mile away from our Monroe facility, a 250-home development is underway and it includes a planned community park, playground, and walking trails. Another proven example of how asphalt pavement mixing facilities can be collocated with growing commercial and residential areas is Lakeside’s Seattle facility in Fremont. The Fremont location is a fully functioning facility, very close to high-density residential neighborhoods and adjacent to multiple commercial properties including shopping centers and restaurants. Both locations are routinely inspected by regulatory agencies.
Lakeside also assessed potential traffic impacts as a result of building our planned facility in Maple Valley. The study conducted by industry-leading transportation experts found our new facility would not create any adverse traffic impacts. The study also showed that no additional mitigation was necessary.
In addition to a traffic study, we are currently going through the County’s State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) review process. During this process, the County looks at possible adverse environmental impacts as a result of a development project. They assess the impacts the project will have on air quality, water quality, wetlands, traffic, noise, and smell.
Our facility in Maple Valley will be highly sustainable, part of Lakeside’s decades-long commitment to protecting the environment. Studies from various regulatory agencies have verified that asphalt pavement mixing facilities do not present an environmental or public health hazard. Lakeside will meet the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency’s limits for the facility. Our technology is so advanced that our asphalt pavement mixing facility will actually produce fewer emissions over a year’s time than a typical commercial bakery produces in a month.
We would be honored to be your neighbor. Our employees live and work in the communities where we operate facilities, enabling Lakeside Industries and our team members to make positive impacts on a wide range of organizations and institutions. We have a long-earned reputation for giving back—through financial and in-kind donations, as well as employee volunteerism—as part of our commitment to supporting communities throughout the Northwest.
We are committed to being good neighbors and good stewards to the environment. Lakeside looks forward to continuing our discussions with residents as we move forward on plans to relocate our asphalt pavement mixing facility in Maple Valley. For more information, please visit www.lakesideindustries.com
Sincerely,
Mike Lee
President, Lakeside Industries
