Center Street apartment building not right fit

Regarding the proposed building construction at 306 or 310 Center Street, La Conner.

Reasonable development is not only unavoidable, it is desirable. Housing is necessary and should be affordable and available in safe communities with good schools, infrastructure and other amenities.

The location in question is a very appropriate location for housing for many reasons but the scale and scope of this project, as proposed, is ill-conceived. To place 20 housing units into a space appropriate in a residential area for four houses seems speculative and suspiciously like someone seeking to gain approval and build with an intent to spin and profit with scant consideration for the La Conner community. It seeks to capitalize on what makes a small town so desirable while at the same time eroding the small-town esthetic.

There are a number of procedural questions that need to be addressed since it appears that the checklist that lead to a finding of environmental insignificance has overlooked the fact that the property in question was for decades a fuel storage depot: It was part of the gas station on Morris Street and, as far as I know, the potential presence of contaminants associated with gasoline, diesel and heating oil transference and storage has not been addressed. There have been spillage incidents. This should have been part of the original site plan investigation but it is not mentioned.

The project drawing is misleading, having 22 parking units onsite seems to address the parking requirements but totally disregards the actual amount of space it takes to park. Drawing 20 spaces on paper doesn’t make it a reality. Having what amounts to six hotel rooms with access/egress on a residential street is entirely impractical and a gross imposition on the residents already there.

This is a partial city block with questionable zoning that is in an established residential area despite how it is defined in statute or comprehensive plan. This location is appropriate for four homes at best. It should be defined that way.

My thoughts,

Bruce Cornwall

La Conner