Planning commission roundtable hears residents

In the film “Cool Hand Luke,” actor Strother Martin, famed for his role as the sadistic warden, delivered one of Hollywood’s most iconic lines.

“What we’ve got here,” Strother’s character tells Paul Newman’s Luke, “is a failure to communicate.”

Town of La Conner officials are taking steps to avoid having those words directed at them.

Three weeks after communication strategies were addressed during a forum at the La Conner Retirement Inn, La Conner planning commissioners and Council Member MaryLee Chamberlain followed up with a 75-minute roundtable session devoted to the same topic at Maple Hall Feb. 7.

Town planner Michael Davolio reminded those attending – residents, Port of Skagit Executive Director Sara Young and Planning and Development Director Heather Rogerson and Home Trust of Skagit Executive Director Jodi Dean, that communication is among the key elements of La Conner’s comprehensive plan.

The Town wants to talk with a wide range of stakeholders concerning their priorities for the community, he and Assistant Planner Ajah Eills emphasized.

“We want to make sure everybody has a voice here,” said Davolio, “and that everyone’s concerns are taken into consideration.”

The Town’s responses in recent years include revising its comprehensive plan to accommodate more housing by reducing to 4,000 square feet the minimum lot size for residential construction. This year, the town is planning an inventory of downtown parking spaces.

An industrial zone at La Conner Marina was created in 2022. Last May the Port presented possible long-range changes to the Marina’s industrial and commercial zones.

“We have a real interest in the process,” Young said. “We want to make sure our plans are cohesive with the Town’s.”

Planning Commission Chair Marna Hanneman brought the meeting back to the subject at hand.

“Communication, communication, communication,” she repeated, stressing that the exchange of ideas is essential as La Conner braces for the future.

“Public outreach is emphasized,” Davolio insisted.

Resident Linda Talman, a former longtime planning commissioner, championed non-motorized transportation.

“It’s a greener way to be, a healthier way to be,” said Talman, who also championed preservation of open green spaces around town.

She lamented rising home costs here and the related impact on declining student enrollment at La Conner Schools. She suggested the Town communicate regularly with multiple audiences, among them students, senior citizens and the Chamber of Commerce and that it consider notifying people residing within 500 feet (as opposed to the present 300 feet) of proposed projects and developments.

“That way,” she said, “we can get more people involved. We can have our messages go out farther.”

Resident Jim Matthews lauded the town council communications committee for having last month’s forum at the Retirement Inn. He said it and Harbor Villa represent about 10% of the town’s population.

Eills handed out survey forms to attendees which in part asked them to identify their preferred means of obtaining information. She took suggestions from Talman and others that a bulleted “What’s New” entry be included on the Town website and that on-site notices of permit applications be posted on larger, more easily seen signs.

Resident Maggie Wilder requested that issues and topics of interest be publicized by the Town well in advance of meetings and hearings, perhaps with a single paragraph narrative submitted to the Weekly News in addition to an official legal notice.

Making greater use of the kiosks in town to share public service announcements was also mentioned.

Davolio noted discussions are under way between the Town, school district and other entities for the installation of a new community reader board to replace the one that was taken down at Sixth and Morris streets.

He thanked those attending for bypassing a night of televised national politics.

“It must’ve been a tough choice,” he quipped, “between us and the State of the Union. But here we are.”

The Planning Commission will meet Feb. 21 and meet with the town council Feb. 28.