Save DeLeo Wall
3/19/2020 Crosscut News article about DeLeo Wall and the community efforts to save it.
2/12/2020 City of Newcastle, Forterra, and Save DeLeo Wall Campaign met with the Appraisers to kick off the evaluation and share previously documented information regarding the property. The Appraisal will start soon and is expected to be completed in April. An audit / review of the appraisal is also required by a second party and will be completed in May.
1/31/2020 Appraisal Fundraising Goal. We have met our goal of $35,000 to fund the Full Appraisal of the DeLeo Wall properties. The City of Newcastle and Forterra are contracting the appraiser. The process will take about 75 days to complete. Many thanks to everyone who has helped make this possible.
1/27/2020 City of Renton Council Meeting 7 pm Renton City Hall. Thanks to everyone who showed up and spoke to the council. We counted about 20 supporters and speakers.
1/26/2020 Issaquah Alps Trails Club Hike at 10am. Licorice Fern Hike. 24 Runners enjoyed the liquid sunshine and raised $1,000 towards our goal.
1/21/2020 City of Newcastle Council Meeting 7 pm Newcastle City Hall. Thanks to everyone who came to the Newcastle Council meeting and to those who spoke about the value of saving the DeLeo Wall from getting logged! We counted 62 supporters in the audience.
1/18/2020 Fundraising Run or Hike to Save DeLeo Wall on Cougar Mountain.
~22 Runners age 18-81 participated in a liquid sunshine run from the Red Town Trailhead on a 4.7 mile loop along the DeLeo Wall. The runners raised over $1000 to support the Save DeLeo Wall fund raiser. Race overview blog: http://blewskersmiles.com/de-leo-wall-fundraising-run-hike/ (includes photos) and race results: http://ultrasignup.com/results_event.aspx?did=74926
1/11/2020 DeLeo Wall walk. Issaquah Alps Trails Club and the Save DeLeo Wall Campaign led a walk to the DeLeo Wall viewpoint. Renton City Council Member Randy Corman gave an overview on the background of the logging issues and Renton's concerns on the impacts to the May Creek Basin. Two members of the Newcastle City Council and three members of the Renton City Council participated in the walk along with 20 Save DeLeo Wall supporters. Photo.
12/17/2019 The City of Newcastle has requested community support to fund a full appraisal of the DeLeo Wall property. The appraisal will enable the requesting of additional grants and making a fair market offer for purchase of the property. Please visit the Forterra website to make a donation.
Website: https://forterra.org/subpage/deleo-wall
Donate: https://forterra.org/give-deleo-wall
12/4/2019 The Pollution Control Hearing Board has delayed the Jan 2020 appeal review review until 8/18/2020. PCHB Case P18-035 www.eluho.wa.gov/Decision/Search_Cases.
10/5-6/2019 Issaquah Salmon Days information table near Hatchery with the Issaquah Alps Trail Club. Thanks to everyone who stopped by the information table.
9/7/2019 Newcastle Days at Lake Boren Park. A great turnout in the park. Thanks to everyone who visited our information table.
8/13/2018 Pollution Control Hearing Board has delayed the appeal review review until 1/x/2020. PCHB Case P18-035 www.eluho.wa.gov/Decision/Search_Cases
7/24/2019 King County Council Meeting. This session had a public comment period. Council Member Reagan Dunn was present when the Save DeLeo Wall Campaign spoke in support of upcoming grant awards.
6/18/2019 City of Newcastle Town Hall Meeting at the Golf Club at Newcastle. A great turnout at the Newcastle Town Hall meeting! Thanks to everyone who stopped by our table.
5/31/2019 Randy Corman, City of Renton Council Member, posted a DeLeo Wall supporting article.
5/22/2019 City of Newcastle Planning Committee meeting. DeLeo Wall Campaign attended the planning meeting and gave an overview of the Newcastle City Council meeting of 5/21/2019. Follow up is planned with the Planning Committee members to provide additional information on the DeLeo Wall status.
5/21/2019 What an amazing turn out at the Newcastle City Council Meeting! What a great community we live in. This support is very inspiring. Counting heads in the photo, plus guessing as to those behind the pillar, but not guessing about those behind the photographer, we come up with 90 heads, excluding govt officials. Plus about 50 more in the hallway. Amazing.
4/22/2019 The Save DeLeo Wall Campaign spoke at the Renton City Council Meeting on Earth Day. Current status was provided and a request was asked to assist the City of Newcastle in their efforts. Renton City Council was supportive and will reach out to the City of Newcastle.
4/9/2019 The Save DeLeo Wall Campaign met with King County Councilmember Reagan Dunn's staff.
4/6/2019 King County Grant Committee met with representatives from City of Newcastle, Forterra, and the Save DeLeo Wall team on the property adjacent to the DeLeo Wall property. City of Newcastle and Forterra gave presentations to the King County Grant Committee. Save DeLeo Wall team helped answer questions as they arose. King County will make announcements regarding Grant Awards in July 2019. [photos]
3/27/2019 Newcastle Trails Annual Meeting 6:30 pm at the Newcastle Library
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Save DeLeo Wall had an information table and a speaker for the event
3/21/2019 Newcastle City Council meeting received an update on status.
1/31/2019 The Save DeLeo Wall Campaign had an information table at the Issaquah Alps Trails Club Annual Public Forum, from 630-830pm at Pickering Barn in Issaquah, WA. It was the Club's 40th anniversary Panel Discussion. Save DeLeo Wall met with Trails Club members and the Save Cougar Mt Campaign members. The Save Cougar Mt Campaign was recently successful in preserving the Bergsma property from development and being retained as green space adjacent to the Cougar Mt Regional Wildland park.
1/15/2019 Newcastle City Council meeting received an update on status.
11/30/2018 Pollution Control Hearing Board has delayed the 3/11/2019 appeal review review until 8/13/2019. Decision was based on progress being made between City of Newcastle, Forterra, and Dalpay Properties LLC. PCHB Case P18-035 www.eluho.wa.gov/Decision/Search_Cases
11/14/2018 Timber Cruise Report available. Timber Cruise (value assessment) was conducted on behalf of City of Newcastle, Forterra, and the Save DeLeo Wall campaign. The Report provides estimates for both raw timber values and logging costs to harvest. The Report will not be made publicly available while discussions are in progress.
10/6/2018 Issaquah Salmon Days booth. Sign ups for emails, poster, flyer.
9/17/2018 Issaquah Environmental Council sent a Letter of Support.
9/17/2018 Renton City Council Meeting - City Council received an update.
9/13/2018 Issaquah Alps Trails Club publishes DeLeo Wall article in their quarterly newsletter.
9/12/2018 Save Lake Sammamish sent a Letter of Support.
9/12/2018 Newcastle Community Activities Commission - Newcastle Council received an update.
9/10/2018 Renton City Council Meeting - Renton Mayor and City Council received an update.
9/8/2018 Newcastle Days at Lake Boren. DeLeo Wall information was provided at the Newcastle Trails booth.
9/7/2018: City of Newcastle and Dalpay Properties LLC have agreed to a one month extension to the "no logging" agreement. City of Newcastle notice.
9/4/2018: Status update briefing to Newcastle City Council.
8/30/2018: The lead DNR forester for the permit and a DNR hydrologist/wetland specialist visited the property for a follow-up inspection.
8/27/2018: The City of Newcastle's City Attorney, Dalpay's attorney, and Forterra met. Discussions included on going topics of: Logging suspension extension; Dalpay's proposed land use concepts; Purchase options by the City of Newcastle; and other topics. The three referenced topics are still under discussion.
8/15/2018: The Public Disclosure Request to DNR was fulfilled. Review of the communications and documentation show that DNR, other Washington State agencies, and elected officials were well aware of the public concern and feedback. (The letters to our elected officials received a lot of attention!) DNR was being very careful to abide by the rules and regulations that are in place and govern the Logging Permit process.
8/10/2018: Received a Letter of Support from the Washington Native Plant Society Conservation Committee, and the regional Central Puget Sound Chapter of the Society.
6/27/2018: The City of Newcastle has signed agreement with Dalpay, LLC that the owner and/or applicant (logging company) will not pull their permit from DNR and begin logging until September 8, 2018 at the earliest. The goal is still to acquire the property, with assistance from Forterra and, if necessary, private funding.
5/31/2018: Christie True, Director, King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks, wrote: “King County has worked hard for decades to preserve open spaces surrounding Cougar Mountain.” … We … are working hard to preserve lands with high conservation value, including ... forest lands, natural areas and trails…The DeLeo wall is an example of properties that we would like to conserve … We will continue to follow the activity with this parcel."
5/23/2018: King County Executive Dow Constantine has proposed legislation to the King County Council to protect thousands of acres of forests, farmlands and shorelines. The legislation is part of an effort to save King County’s most at-risk open space before development reshapes what makes this region great.
5/21/2018: The City of Newcastle has filed an appeal of DNR's decision to allow clearcut logging of DeLeo Wall and hillside. You can read the City's appeal announcement here. A big thank you to the Council, City Manager Rob Wyman, and staff for acting quickly!
5/18/2018: The DNR has approved Dalpay LLC's logging application. You can read their ruling here (scroll to last two pages). Subsequently, those who wrote objection letters to DNR (more than 250 people/organizations) received an email with a letter from Hilary Franz, Commissioner of Public Lands. You can read the letter here. The Save DeLeo Wall Campaign will move to the next stage and support the City of Newcastle in preventing or delaying logging. An appeal is expected to be filed on Monday, 5/21.
5/15/2018: The City of Newcastle Council has taken a strong stand against timber harvest on the DeLeo Wall property. A huge thank you to all seven council members and to City Manager Rob Wyman, for standing up for trails and green spaces in Newcastle!!
The motion passed 7-0:
"I move to authorize the city attorney to file an appeal on any decision of the Department of Natural Resources to permit the requested timber harvest under the Dalpay FPA application No. 2420111, and the city manager and city attorney to take all actions necessary to continue the appeal, obtain a temporary suspension or stay of logging on the Dalpay property, and pursue options available to the city relating to the property."
Read the Council's meeting notes here.
5/12/2018: Check out this great hike review for Washington Trails Association, posted by Steve Cobert.
5/11/2018: The Save DeLeo Wall Campaign has issued a press release, which has been sent to local TV stations and newspaper. Click here to read it.
5/8/2018: The Bellevue Reporter and the Issaquah Reporter ran a story on logging DeLeo Wall. Click here to read the article.
5/7/2018: Click here for DNR's FAQ re: Dalpay's Logging Application
5/7/2018: An interdisciplinary team led by the DNR will inspect the Dalpay property. It is our understanding that a planner from the City of Newcastle and the King County Environmental Programs Managing Supervisor are invited.
5/3/2018: Steve Cobert took this awesome drone video of the DeLeo Wall hillside: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9mndGC-wZbo - It gives you an amazing birdeye's view of the property and Cougar Mountain. Check it out, and thank you Steve for sharing!!
5/3/2018: Local high school students have created a petition to prevent logging of DeLeo Wall, see https://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/509/518/815/
5/2/2018: About ten citizens spoke to the Newcastle City Council last night, all expressing concerns about the Dalpay logging application involving DeLeo Wall. A BIG THANK YOU to the council members for listening to everyone's input.
5/1/2018: City of Newcastle has filed an objection to DNR re: the Dalpay Properties, LLC Logging Application #2420111. Read the letter here. A big THANK YOU to Newcastle City Attorney Dawn Reitan, City Manager Rob Wyman, Steve Osguthorpe, and the City's staff for working so diligently to write a strong letter!
5/1/2018: King County Director of Department of Natural Resources & Parks, Christie True, sends email to citizens about the Dalpay Logging application. You can read it here.
5/1/2018: Newcastle City Council holds its bi-monthly meeting at 7pm at the Newcastle City Hall. The meeting is open to the public and you can read a brief statement to the members, if you wish. If you want the Newcastle City Council to work on an alternative solution to logging the DeLeo Wall property, this is a good chance to do so!!!
4/30/2018: Garry Kampen, President of Newcastle Trails has sent a letter to the Newcastle City Council, requesting they work on a solution to prevent logging of DeLeo Wall. Read letter here.
4/28/2018: City of Renton has filed an official response to DNR re: the Dalpay Properties, LLC Logging Application #2420111. Read the letter here. A huge THANK YOU to Renton City Council Member, Randy Corman, for bringing the issue to the attention of City officials, and for supporting the cause.
4/28/2018: WA public lands commissioner Hilary Franz is asking the Legislature for more time to review proposals from timber companies to log potentially unstable slopes, such as De Leo Wall, in wake of the Oso landslide, see article here.