Planning Commission hears demolition was a mess

Demolition of the old garage behind The Slider Café on a January Sunday drew plenty of attention.

What was missed, however, were conditions spelled out on the Town demolition permit allowing the structure to be torn down on property eyed as the site for a 20-unit apartment complex.

Planner Michael Davolio told the La Conner Planning Commission, during their monthly Zoom meeting two days later, on Jan. 18, that a stop work order was placed on the demolition because representatives of property owners KSA Investments had not conferred with the town’s public works department beforehand.

“A demolition permit was authorized on Dec. 17,” said Davolio. “There were conditions for the permit that the applicant ignored.”

Demolition work began at 8:30 a.m.. Sliders Café staff recounted.

Public Works Director Brian Lease later said he immediately drove to the work site. “Some concerned residents called when they saw what was happening,” he said. “I had to shut them down for a few hours because before they started; they were supposed to meet with us so we could go over safety issues and the other details of what was going on there.”

Lease said that Brandon Atkinson, a KSA Investments principal, was there and apologized for the snafu.

Lease said it is not uncommon for applicants receiving permits to not read through all the conditions that are attached.

Davolio said issuance of demolition permits is an administrative process and that the demolition site, which borders single-family residences on Center and North Fourth streets, met Town code.

“But it required a pre-demolition conference before the work started,” said Davolio. “That didn’t happen. Brian got that cleared up to the best of his ability.”

Davolio assured Commissioner Marna Hanneman, who was concerned with any mess that might be left behind, that the applicant is responsible for debris removal.

“With demolitions,” Davolio said, “there’s always a mess. If they don’t clean it up, Brian will, and he’ll bill them for it.”

Most of the 35-minute meeting was spent preparing the commission for applications for the Center Street apartment building and the housing development proposed by Greg Ellis off Whatcom and Washington streets, behind Pioneer Market. Each will require multi-tiered public hearings.

“I like that kind of public input,” he stressed.

Ellis provided information to the Town regarding his project on Jan. 18. In September Ellis had pledged to submit required details for the development for the October commission meeting.

But without agenda items, commission meetings in November and December were canceled. The sole task last week was reviewing their work from the fall – proposed municipal code changes and a Parks Element draft for the Town Comprehensive Plan.

Hanneman noted the municipal code – specifically section 2.45 – requires the Town’s Parks Commission to include a non-voting high school student, a provision that caught chair Ollie Iversen by surprise.

“Someone will have to explain that one to me. I’ve never seen it,” said Iversen, among residents logged onto the meeting.

Davolio said he would get clarification from the mayor and town administrator.

Davolio brought up updating the sign code to align it with court rulings. “I’ve been looking at the code through that lens,” he said. He said he has years of developing sign codes and suggested a committee– including members of the business community – draft a proposal.

The commission is short a member since Rick Dole was elected to the town council. Davolio is hopeful the vacancy will be filled by March. He encouraged seeking out town residents to serve.

Bruce Bradburn turned over the gavel after his year as chair. Hanneman succeeds him, as the commission's most senior member. Hanneman accepted the responsibility, if not the criteria.

“As long as it doesn’t say (I am) the senior member,” she quipped. “I don’t want to be a senior anything.”

Carol Hedlin will be vice-chair.