Submitted by the League of Women Voters Observer Corps.
League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan organization, encourages informed participation in government. The Observer Corps attends and takes notes at government meetings to aid public understanding of public policy and decisions. The notes do not necessarily reflect the views of the League or its members.
Friday Harbor Town Council, Feb. 20
During opening public comment, a resident spoke on behalf of families living on Nash Street about over-bright streetlights shining in bedroom windows, noting a past commitment from the Town to have the same lighting level on the 700 block as is installed on the 600 block. A second citizen supported this request.
The Council briefly discussed a resolution shifting funding on the engineering and design contract for the Water System Final Plan to an earlier phase to address moving from pumps to gravity flow for individual filters to increase resiliency.
Ryan Erickson, community development director, reported on the Purple Lane planned residential development in the Finnegan Ridge neighborhood. Initially approved in 2019 for 26 units with phased development, the permit did not have conditions for individual phases. The plan requires a 20-foot fully screened buffer zone, lower intensity for internal roads than is standard for larger subdivisions and a checklist of items for final approval that must be completed within five years of plan approvals. Phase 1 is complete but only two units are occupied with conditional use permits, and Phase 2 is complete but unoccupied. Buffer zone and drainage requirements have not been met for final occupancy approval. The developer has until 2027 to meet the deadlines for units 12-24. Phase 3 foundations are underway but await the Town’s approval for roadway and parking area improvements.
Erickson said experience with this project made clear the need to amend the review and approval process for phased subdivisions to apply requirements regarding each phase.
During closing public comment, two citizens spoke about problems caused by the Purple Lane project. A resident owning an apartment building below the Purple Lane developments experienced flooding, drainage problems and blown dirt, which caused expensive damage to his properties and his neighbors. A resident of the Finnegan’s Ridge development said flooding from Purple Lane damaged the road in the Finnegan’s Ridge development, which itself was not properly landscaped, and residents had to remove invasive weeds left in place by the developer.
Council member Turnage asked to add the question of the streetlights on Nash to a future agenda.
The Town Council will meet jointly with the County Council from 9 a.m. to noon at Brickworks on March 12.
County Council regular meeting of Feb. 25
At a Feb. 19 special meeting, as requested by the organizing committee, the Council removed the proposition for a Parks District on Lopez from the April 22 ballot. On Feb. 25, the new risk and safety manager, emergency preparedness coordinator and victim advocate were introduced. During public comment, a citizen proposed the County consider using pre-approved stock plans to simplify permitting for owner-builders.
The Council did a second touch on three Land Bank items, including a sale to the National Park Service, a conservation easement to the Preservation and amending the Land Bank ordinance. The council agreed to continue exploring two options for coroner services — an interlocal agreement with Skagit and assigning the task to existing staff. For the second option, two employees will attend state training in March. The Council set an April 15 public hearing for an ordinance to add a juvenile services representative and a county health representative to the Law and Justice Council. The Council approved payment to Washington State Ferries for work at Orcas Landing.
The County Manager, Jessica Hudson, reviewed the possible impact of federal funding issues on San Juan County government services. Environmental Stewardship has a high level of funding from federal grants, and the Health Department gets about $700,000 to support WIC (the federal supplemental nutrition program for women, infants and children), senior services, child vaccination, SNAP, or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and other programs. The Emergency Management Department is small, so modest federal funds loom large in its budget. The PA’s office, the courts and noxious weed control could be impacted. The state government faces its own revenue shortfalls and is unlikely to fill the gap or address other outstanding needs. Council member Fuller will be attending the National Associations of Counties in Washington, D.C., starting this weekend.
The Public Works Director Colin Huntemer updated the Council on the McKay Harbor Road project, which is increasingly urgent. To move forward, the County must commit $2.9 million to the $5.9 total project cost and make firm commitments to do necessary wetland mitigation and acquire needed rights-of-way. This complex project is the first of several that will need to deal with failing shoreside roads as sea levels rise. The County needs to develop a policy on managed retreat for threatened roads in the comprehensive plan.
The requests for proposals for emergency passenger and barge service under the governor’s emergency fund are out and on the Engage website. Bids are due March 13. Gov. Ferguson would like to visit the county this spring, and ferry service will be a focus.
