The King County Council has officially extended a letter to Lakeside Industries proposing the King County Flood District’s “collective intent” to work with the company and community to publicly acquire the company’s property on Maple Valley Road, which was originally going to be developed into an asphalt plant.
The letter, which was released publicly on Oct. 21, says that the county hopes to make the property a permanent preservation.
“We understand that, while Lakeside Industries is currently pursuing development of a warehouse on the site, Lakeside is open to a strategic acquisition by the County and Flood District,” said the letter, which was signed by King County Councilmembers Rod Dembowski and Reagan Dunn.
In response, Lakeside Industries, based out of Issaquah, released a statement, indicating that the company is “interested and open to discussions, which could result in a sale of the property.”
“However, in the absence of such an acquisition, Lakeside remains focused on securing a permit for the alternative development of a warehouse space, as announced in July,” said the rest of the statement from Lakeside Industries CEO Mike Lee.
In 2017, after Lakeside Industries had proposed to build an asphalt plant at 18825 Renton-Maple Valley Road, the company was then issued a permit in 2022 to begin construction. Local community group Save the Cedar River sued in King County Superior Court two years later in May 2024, which did not go their way.
After years of public opposition to the proposed asphalt plant so close to the Cedar River, an agreement was made in July 2025 to drop all plans at the site.
According to Dunn’s office, the Flood Control District has identified $5 million in Cedar River Strategic Acquisition funds and has ordered an appraisal of the parcel of land. The council also passed an Executive Committee motion, which would direct the Flood Control District’s executive director to “pursue a purchase strategy.”
The statement added: “Additional funding opportunities are working their way through the 2026–27 King County Budget process, as well as through other potential public funding sources.”
According to Dunn’s office, the public acquisition “would ensure that the site is permanently preserved, preventing future industrial development, protecting the Cedar River corridor and fish habitat, and connecting to nearby open spaces and trails. It would also advance the county’s regional goal to conserve its most important natural lands and urban green spaces within the next 30 years.”
