Residents speak out at town council meeting

The people have spoken.

But unlike at the polls, where such voices are heard in the form of marked ballot choices, Maple Hall was filled with residents and property owners expressing views on a host of pressing issues last week.

Public comments filled about 30 minutes of the two-hour Sept. 26 La Conner Town Council hybrid meeting.

Nearly a dozen people addressed the council at the meeting’s start, covering topics ranging from zoning changes proposed by The Port of Skagit at La Conner Marina and the lingering controversy over a three-story condo project planned on Center Street to future uses of the Jenson family property the Town is purchasing and support for La Conner Hook & Ladder’s campaign to acquire a new fire boat and ladder truck.

Center Street resident Debbie Aldrich set the tone early. She reminded council that there was once an indoor public swimming pool at La Conner Marina and that Town officials should push for another aquatic facility here given the health and recreation benefits it could provide.

“We should have a swimming pool at the marina,” Aldrich said. “There used to be a pool here at the Potlatch RV Resort. It was an asset and an attraction.”

Linda Talman, the North Fifth Street resident whose exhaustive research located the 1986 contract rezone of property behind The Slider Café asked the Council to more closely assess off-street parking options in the area around the 20-unit building.

La Conner artist Maggie Wilder spoke in favor of a strong council-weak mayor form of government, with greater emphasis placed upon public input. She endorsed surveying the public on key issues and praised the strides made during the Sept. 19 town hall meeting.

“We heard a lot of great, creative ideas,” she said, suggesting the same type of energy can be tapped to decide how best to utilize the Jenson property.

“Last time,” she said, referring to development of the Hedlin’s Maple Avenue property, “I don’t think it went the way the citizens really wanted.”

Leslie Smith, another Center Street resident, suggested the Jenson property matter be made a regular Town Council meeting agenda item.

Jim Matthews, a North Third Street resident, echoed others in supporting the effectiveness of the town forum. He also asked council to consider hiring a full-time planner who lives locally, saying that approach could provide a layer of protection against rampant growth.

“It seems like there’s been a green light for developers and that’s not what the citizens want,” he said. “Yes, development needs to happen, but not what we’ve seen.”

Lifelong La Conner resident Gary Nelson, who like Talman is a past planning commission member, cautioned against allowing increased residential use in commercial buildings and supported the fire department’s bid to upgrade its equipment.

Resident Nancy Crowell joined others in thanking council communications committee members MaryLee Chamberlain and Rick Dole for shepherding the town forum. A master gardener, Crowell asked for designating space on the Jenson property for a community garden. She also said she found the Port plan for changes at the marina lacking in specifics.

Georgia Johnson, a retired La Conner Schools teacher and Center Street property owner, endorsed a strong council-weak mayor format and urged that Mayor Ramon Hayes refrain from expressing opinions on current issues. She said there are drawbacks with one person serving as both town attorney and town administrator, as is the case presently.

Joan Cross, another longtime La Conner resident who has served on local governing panels, cited advantages of employing an independent attorney.

“Back in the day,” she recalled, “we had a developer come to town who wanted to change our zoning. But we had an independent counsel with us.”

Ron Blair said Town officials find themselves at a “watershed moment” as they weigh decisions that will likely define the community for a generation.

“You have to make sure that La Conner stays true to its history and culture while also managing growth,” he said.

To do so, Blair sided with Matthews in calling for a planner who lives here – someone “who is vested in this community.”

Town leaders generally don’t respond to views shared during the public comments section of their meetings. That was the case again a week ago Tuesday, though Hayes did say he strongly supports seeking public input on uses for the Jenson property and acknowledged that the Town faces challenges – especially in terms of infrastructure costs – going forward.