5900 36TH AVE W SEPA 015 - 034 - SOUNDVIEW BUSINESS CAMPUS - VERITAS Land Use Decision Documents 2025-04-22

pits extended only to the area indicated in Figure 9 and the overgrowth was otherwise impenetrable ' (Photo 1). Surface Survey The project location is comprised of a relatively flat, north -sloping terrace containing big leaf maple and Douglas fir; dense, closely spaced early successional red alder trees; and wetland undergrowth of red elderberry (Sambucus recemosa), salmonberry (Bubus spectabilis), and extensive invasive Himalayan ' blackberry growth. Blackberry growth exceeded 3 m (10 feet) in height over most of the area, the and completely obscured and obstructed access to ground surface (Photo 2; see Photo 1). On May 13'' and le, surface survey was conducted, but due to the dense vegetation, survey was limited to ' either side of the established walking trails on the east and south perimeters of the project area. Mechanized grubbing into the interior area on May 27`'' and 28`h offered some additional surface survey opportunity. ' The parcel has been cleared for logging at least twice in its history. One episode likely occurred during the Historic era, based on the 1936 Metsker map (see Figure 6) showing it as mill property and a notched tree stump observed after vegetation removal (Photo 3). The parcel was again logged ' and mechanically cleared of vegetation sometime around 2005, when a grading permit was obtained prior to planned development of the parcel that never actually took place (see Figures 2 and 3). Logging slash was bulldozed into centrally located piles at this time, which is noted in the Wetland Resources "Critical Area Study and Wetland Mitigation Plan for Interair Commerce Center" (2011); logging slash was also observed during the archaeological survey (Photo 4). After the 2005 clearing of the parcel, vegetation was allowed to grow back. The area is now completely covered in dense ' young alder, blackberries, and salmonberry. Vegetation was so dense that, except along existing trails, penetration for our testing purposes was impossible without the aid of mechanical removal (Photo 5; see Photos 1-4). The proponent therefore used a mechanical excavator to clear vegetation ' from a portion of the parcel on May 27t' and 28"'. A permit for this work was obtained from the City of Everett. No grading or excavating was conducted, with the exception of the soil testing discussed below. All vegetation removal and the excavation of soil test pits was observed by a Tierra ' archaeologist, with negative results. Subsurface Testing Testing consisted of the excavation of a total of 21 STPs. Testing on May 13``' and 14`' consisted of excavating STPs 1-6, along the west side of the south -north trail along the eastern perimeter, and STPs 6-14, along the north side of the east -west -ranging trail along the south portion of the site. ' This east -west trail bordered the northern perimeter of the wetland mosaic area on the southeast corner of the site connecting to the steep slope of Japanese Gulch. Along both the eastern and the southern perimeters, the sediments observed were consistent overall. A shallow forest -soil A horizon consisted of dark yellowish brown sandy loam with rooty organics and small pea -sized rounded gravels atop Alderwood-Everett series glacial till of light olive to gray sandy silt with rounded gravels and cobbles. In roughly half of the STPs a third strata was evident; it was found either between the A horizon and the glacial deposits or it replaced the forest soil entirely. This layer consisted of a brown sandy silt loam containing organics including charcoal bits, charred roots, and woody debris with cobbles and gravels (see Photos 3-5). Tierra Archaeological Report No. 2014-077 19