Residents visit Jensen field property

Some dozen residents, primarily community elders, responded to an open invitation to walk the former Jensen property last Thursday, April 18, ahead of tomorrow's community mingle seeking discernment on its future use.

Town of La Conner Planning Director Michael Davolio organized the tour. Also attending were Mayor Marna Hanneman, Planning Commissioners Cynthia Elliot and John Leaver and Assistant Planner Ajah Eillis for the 45 minute tour and discussion.

"We invited you here to give you a sense of what might be possible here," Davolio said. "Several ideas have been discussed. More ideas will probably (arise) next week." Former mayor Ramon Hayes has suggested a tiny home cluster. Adjacent neighbor Maggie Wilder advocates for leaving it as is, with perhaps some community vegetable garden plots.

The group walked the half-acre former horse meadow located directly west of the south end of Channel Cove and just north of Pioneer Park. The first questions asked were about boundaries. The roughly rectangle piece's long sides runs parallel to Maple Avenue and Fourth Street. It also abuts Channel Cove on the north side. The south side is the town's boundary against agriculturally zoned land owned by Jensen and Dunlap family members.

There is no road access to the property, also discussed. A 15 foot wide easement on the north end runs west to South Fourth and Sherman streets. Neighbor and property owner Bill Robinson long ago built a shed on the easement at the property boundary. Resident Jerry George opined that knocking the shed down was not a big deal but getting the easement would be.

George's observation: "That is going to constrain development." As chair of the emergency management commission, George was projecting the difficulty of firetrucks gaining access, as well as future residents' cars.

The group soon splintered into clusters of three and four holding individual discussions.

Sybil Jensen, who with her brother Tom offered the property to the town at about a third of its assessed value, provided historical context, that it had been her mother's property; they kept horses on it; years ago two horses got out, walked up to the Catholic church on Douglas Street and went into the sanctuary during a service.

"It is a challenging piece of property," Hanneman noted. Davolio said its residential zoning provides development options, including a subdivision, park and remaining open space. It is in a flood plain. Someone brought up it was under three feet of water during the December 2022 flood.

Robinson asked, rhetorically, "If they do build this up, where will the water go?"

Lack of access is an issue. An agreement would be needed with Home Trust of Skagit, the organization managing Channel Cove, to have an east side entrance. To increase the acreage, the Jensen-Dunlap property would need to be purchased and annexed, a complicated process, Davolio said. That land is also zoned rural reserve, another complication.

The Jensens sold the property to the Town of La Conner in September 2022 with the stipulation it be used for the good of the public, without defining uses. The town paid $60,000.