Town leaders not giving up on securing affordable housing

Affordable housing has long been discussed in La Conner and while it has proved agonizingly elusive, officials have not given up on developing a framework that would allow those who work here to also live here.

From embracing the concept of tiny homes to reducing minimum lot sizes to increasing opportunities for accessory dwelling units to allowing greater residential access in commercial buildings, officials have sought to solve the town’s housing crunch.

Because of its desirability, La Conner is now unaffordable for many. Ironically, it was among the least expensive places to live in Skagit County into the 1970s, before its sewage treatment plant was built.

Attendees at the local growth forum last Thursday lamented that new homes built on the former Hedlin’s ballfield Maple Avenue site are priced in the $750,000-$800,000 range. Those are not starter home prices.

“The council limited the size of those houses to make them more affordable, but during that time the cost of building materials tripled,” recalled planner Michael Davolio, though the homes are 1,700 square feet with three bedrooms.

Davolio, one of the quarterly forum’s three panelists, with Town Administrator Scott Thomas and Bill Henkel of Skagit County Community Action, expressed optimism that opportunities remain for the Town to have a greater voice in promoting affordable housing.

Thomas concurred, alluding to “different options to be explored by the Town.”

Though unstated, one of those likely is the commitment Mayor Ramon Hayes made earlier this year to explore avenues for siting smaller, cottage-style housing.

“We need more housing, perhaps smaller units and more units per acre,” said Thomas, who provided an overview on how the state Growth Management Act impacts population and planning processes in La Conner.

Davolio said the Town has already relaxed requirements governing development of accessory dwelling units.

“ADUs used to require conditional use permits,” he explained. “They no longer require conditional use permits. Now it’s a quicker, less expensive process for homeowners.”

As Port of Skagit Executive Director Sara Young pointed out in the page 1 story, providing workforce housing at La Conner Marina is part of a long-range port authority redevelopment plan.

Concerns were registered with planned housing units with heights exceeding 30-feet, beyond local firefighting capabilities. The height issue has been a key point of contention regarding a three-story condominium building proposed for Center Street behind The Slider Café.

An audience question read aloud by moderator Danny Hagen raised the prospect of referring projects taller than 30-feet to a direct vote by La Conner residents.

Thomas, though, said the Town has no legal authority under state law to issue referenda to voters.

Henkel advocated for creative solutions, such as forging public-private partnerships and establishing land trusts to promote affordable housing.

“It takes thinking outside the box, doing a lot of planning, and seeking partnerships,” said Henkel, who sees in vacant office and retail space – casualties of the COVID-19 pandemic -potential re-fitted housing units.

“The point is,” Henkel stressed, “is we need to be creative to address this issue.”