By 2-1 vote planning board rezones Hedlin’s Ballfield

Over the years, Hedlin’s Ballfield has been site of countless close games.

Another tight contest played out Dec. 15 when Town officials weighed the future status of the nearly two-acre public-use property abutting Maple Avenue during a tele-conferenced public hearing.

By a 2-1 margin, with one abstention and a recusal, the La Conner Planning Commission forwarded to the Town Council its recommendation that the ballfield be rezoned to make possible a mixed-use development of new residences and park area.

Commission Chair Liz Theaker and member Bruce Bradburn comprised the slim majority, supporting a report submitted by Town Planner Marianne Manville-Ailles.

Commissioner Linda Talman dissented, urging that the panel delay action while alternatives to the proposal are explored.

Commission member Marna Hanneman abstained so that colleague Carol Hedlin, who had recused herself, would not be forced under the doctrine of necessity to cast a tie-breaking vote.

The Town Council will vote in January on the plan, which sets aside 25 percent of the ballfield for a public park and allows sale of the remaining 60,000 square feet for housing should the Town – which in April secured for $37,000 a one-year option on the property – choose to purchase it outright.

Economics is the driving force.

To help defray costs of purchasing adjoining farmland, the Hedlin family approached the Town in 2019 – it has leased the ballfield property to it yearly for decades – about buying it at a reduced price, said Town Administrator Scott Thomas.

Neither the Hedlins nor the Town can afford to maintain the entire ballfield solely for public use, Manville-Ailles and Mayor Ramon Hayes said.

“The only solution we saw,” Hayes said after the vote, “was to purchase it and retain 25 per cent of it as a park area.”

Manville-Ailles agreed.

“If it (the property) remains public use,” she said, “the Town can’t afford to purchase it and keep (all of) it as a public area. The Town would in all likelihood not purchase it.”

The Hedlins price to the Town is $662,000, below what they would ask from developers.

“If it went to private ownership,” Manville-Ailles cautioned, “they could put a fence up and not allow anyone on the property for liability purposes.”

Another factor, Manville-Ailles noted in her staff report, is that if the Town does not lease the property as a ballfield its public use classification becomes inconsistent with La Conner’s Comprehensive Plan as surrounding parcels of land are zoned residential.

Residents stressed to commissioners that the ballfield’s value transcends mere dollars and cents, noting its open green space and generational memories.

In letters, Marilyn Johnson said the ballfield is used by persons of all ages for a variety of pursuits, and that if it is not available for youth sports it would be “a huge loss for the kids in town.” Evelyn Johnson forecast traffic and congestion problems from the added residence. She prefers a public green space to “the blight of another housing development.”

Amanda McDade questioned plans to install basketball and pickleball courts in the designated park area. “Pavement and sports courts are forever,” she warned.

Jules Riske said maintaining green space is itself an important investment, one in which municipalities are uniquely well suited, calling the ballfield an “invaluable public space.”

“A versatile public green space is one of the most important attributes we can offer to La Conner residents,” Riske said, “and people who recreate close to home should be more likely to make purchases and use services close to home.”

Fran McDade added that “it is important to have wide open places for kids.”

Taylor Swanson, who grew up in La Conner and now resides in Colorado, said he, too, does not favor the rezone proposal.

“I benefitted from Hedlin’s Ballfield,” he said. “It was the first place where I played organized sports. I want to see every option exhausted,” he said.

“I’m opposed to Hedlin’s Ballfield being used as anything other than a youth sports field.”

Commissioner Talman struck a similar chord.

“My son played baseball there,” she said. “I like the idea of it being open space, the only open space east of the hill.”

Talman said the Town has time available to further study the issue. She also expressed doubt that a residential development on Maple would adequately address the core of La Conner’s housing crunch.

“It might be housing,” she said. “But it won’t be affordable housing.”

Bradburn countered that if the Town buys the Hedlin property, a rezone could allow it to recoup purchase costs while addressing local housing and public space needs.

“The park doesn’t have to have a jungle gym or pickleball court,” Bradburn said, “but we do need affordable housing in this town.”

Thomas returned to the cost feasibility theme.

“The bottom line,” said Thomas, “is the only way of saving it (the public space), from my perspective, is purchasing the property. Not all of it would be a park, but a significant portion of it would be.”

At a special Town Council Zoom meeting Wednesday Hayes referenced the hearing: “The overarching theme was people are concerned about what the new park will be.”