New House Community in front of Wetland (Seattle, Bellevue: HOA, condos)

[baobeijuju]

Hi Everyone,
There are more new builders building houses around the protected land especially in Issaquah and Sammamish where they call "green belt". Some is very nice, some is really just having a protected wetland right behind the yard of the house. My husband and I are considering moving into a new community in Sammamish and we notice this new community has a large area of wetland right behind our yards, and I'm worried about several things:

1. Will there be more mosquitoes, especially over the Summer?
2. Potentially flooding for non-stop raining season

Anything else we should consider before we put in a final offer on the house? Thank you so much!

[Hemlock140]

Yes, there could very well be more mosquitos. They are not as big a problem as in some areas, but we get them, especially in early summer. The rainy season (Late September-early July) rarely results in flooding except along the rivers. Wetlands and the retention ponds can handle the runoff from our light, often misty rain. It's the snowmelt when the warm rain hits the mountains and the rare heavy downpour that causes the rivers to swell. I would be more concerned about the possibility of wetland creatures nesting in your yard, which can result in precautions such as not mowing or other activities that might disturb a nesting eagle. Also, beware of a realtor saying "no one can ever build there so you will always have a view of the wetland." Zoning can change, and variances can be granted. Some newer homes we looked at in the early 1990s were advertised as next to open space, but that open space is now a shopping center and condos.

[homesinseattle]

I think there are more mosquitoes in Seattle than people admit. I tell my clients not to buy near wetlands for that reason.

[baobeijuju]

Thank you both for the reply!

hi Hemlock, can you elaborate a little more on the concern for wetland creatures nesting in our yard?
If we have a fence between wetland and the yard, will that prevent them from nesting?


"I would be more concerned about the possibility of wetland creatures nesting in your yard, which can result in precautions such as not mowing or other activities that might disturb a nesting eagle."


I didn't realize zoning can change even for wetland as well! This is good to know.

[Hemlock140]

Yes, often a developer will do a swap, fill a wetland but create one elsewhere. I have seen cases where an eagle or other endangered bird nested in a tree on private property, and the owners were subject to the eagle protection act. It prevents anyone from any activity that could bother or agitate the eagle, and interfere with normal breeding, feeding or sheltering activity. In that case they were not allowed to mow their lawn. In our area, with the bird and small mammal activity at a wetland, there is also more activity among our predators such as coyotes and bears, which can be hazardous to cats and small dogs.

[jjinla]

65% of my lot is wetland, and while I see mosquitos...they don't seem to want to bite so I guess they are male (or is it the other way around?) I've never noticed bites, and the wetland is a whole lot prettier to look at than another house. But my house was built before they forbade individuals in a subdivision to own wetland. Now, it is deeded to the HOA. At least in Bellevue it is.

Wetlands are not easy to develop. If it's a small tract I wouldn't even worry about it as the money required to survey and have an engineer try to change it, along with legal is not worth it. If it's a large tract, check what the classification of the wetland is. And who owns it. It's nothing to be afraid of. I love living in my own slice of nature in the middle of suburbia.

[cully]

The govt will sometimes allow a wetland to be filled in but another one has to be created.

Actually, the wetland birds can take care of the insect problem to some degree so bring on the birds.

You might want to look into any possibility of a USDA Wildlife Services killing of animals...they have a lengthy list of those that can be taken and killed when an HOA board finds them to be too much. The thing is to be active in staving this off with deterrents before it gets to that point.

[Stonepa]

Originally Posted by homesinseattle

I think there are more mosquitoes in Seattle than people admit. I tell my clients not to buy near wetlands for that reason.

I'd much rather deal with the occasional mosquito and have a wetland to look at than be anywhere near a commercial district.

[seasallyttle]

If you have ever been to Mercer Slough Park in Bellevue or anywhere near it in the summer you will know that mosquitos are god-awful in wetlands. They are giant and prevalent. You may often hear we have no insects in the Seattle area but I have no idea where that comes from You could not pay me to live across the street from a wetland. But people do it.

[Cedarling]

Originally Posted by seasallyttle

If you have ever been to Mercer Slough Park in Bellevue or anywhere near it in the summer you will know that mosquitos are god-awful in wetlands. They are giant and prevalent. You may often hear we have no insects in the Seattle area but I have no idea where that comes from You could not pay me to live across the street from a wetland. But people do it.

Oh, this reminds me of a mom-tot meetup I went to in the Mercer Slough. The mom who organized it was the first to encounter the voracious mosquitos and was in sad shape after leading us into the trail for a hike. There were large swarms following us as we ran out of the Slough to escape. It was TERRIBLE!!!!