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Local permits and Washington’s Growth Management Act Last week I wrote a citizen’s view column about the proposal for 214 Maple Avenue (the old COA) and promised that I would write more this week about the condition that is hardest to understand: (e) The proposal, through findings, satisfies the goals and policies of La Conner’s comprehensive plan and floodplain ordinance and the state Shoreline Management Act. I will address the Comp Plan only here. Long ago the Washington State Legislature passed the Growth Management Act The GMA estab...
7 Maple Street is the site of what many call the old COA restaurant. This letter is an attempt to make La Conner’s conditional use procedure process clearer. The property’s current zoning is residential. This means that residences can be located on the property. The residences can be single family or multifamily. Residences are not a conditional use. No conditional use permit would be needed to locate new residences there. Most of Maple Street is residential. Is there anything else that can go on 214 Maple Street? Yes, The code specifies a nu...
Last week I visited Coupeville for lunch. While there, I decided to ask a bunch of business owners and workers what they thought of the angled parking on their First Street because there is talk about doing that here. I started on the parking side of the street. “I hate it,” they’d say. And they’d go on to list the problems that they perceived slanted parking caused. “The vehicle bumpers hang over the sidewalk”, they said – and there wasn’t enough room for strollers and wheelchairs; it’s ugly and parking backs up really fast” I crossed t...
Dear town council, planning commission - and citizens: It has been mentioned on the council and planning commission recently that it would be a great idea (said they) to have all the traffic thru town exit on First Street along the water next to the blue building that would be removed for this to occur. They also keep toying with a one way First Street. This idea ignores some important realities: primarily, the Shoreline Master Plan. That land next to old blue (derelict blue building) and which is along the water does indeed partially belong...
The talk of the town is the proposed development in back of the old gas station (in back of Sliders) on Center Street. To set the record straight, we in the neighborhood welcome the addition to the rental housing inventory. But we don’t welcome a gigantic building that will kill the neighborhood. The proposal is three stories, the bottom level of which is short term lodging. There is tons wrong with the proposal, but this letter will not address those failings. This is letter is about vision – or the lack thereof. When the town was lookin...
Maya Masonholder has framed her involvements at school around sports. As a part of the state champion volleyball team, the varsity softball team and the varsity basketball teams, she lettered five times. The evolution of school sports during COVID-19 is a story in itself! She also volunteers to support other teams. Most recently she was the manager for the La Conner high school boys basketball team and filmed the boys and girls junior varsity teams. Little league baseball and little league...
Some people grow up looking into the heavens wondering if there is intelligent life out amongst the stars, but Dr. Kaeli Swift thought intelligence was for the birds, literally. A wildlife scientist, she studies cognitive behavior in birds, in the Corvid family. What kind of birds are in the Corvid family? Keynoting the La Conner Birding Showcase Saturday, she told the over 200 person audience that the common American crows, ravens, magpies and jays are all in the same family. Many heads nodded...
