Washington community rallies around hardware store

Almost 100 citizens packed the Dec. 4 city council meeting in Sammamish, Wash., to voice support for a local Ace Hardware dealer whose lease will expire this summer, according to an article in the Issaquah-Sammamish Reporter.

Forty-six community members spoke for more than two hours in an effort to convince local officials to rezone a parcel of land and agree to a land swap that would enable the store owner, Tim Koch, to build a new store. The owner of the parcel, which is zoned for limited office retail, has agreed to foot any costs associated with the design and rezoning.

Koch told the council: “I wish I had some other options but I don’t,” citing the lack of commercial property for sale in the town.

The council said it would take up the issue again at its Dec. 11 meeting.