— from Moriah Armstrong —
My neighbors, husband and I wish to thank Councilman Rick Hughes for taking the extra time to drive Dolphin Bay Road, review its current road conditions, and meet with residents who live on the 1.7 mile portion of Dolphin Bay Road that was under review. I am grateful to all the councilmen for unanimously voting “Yes” to continue with the planned chip sealing of Dolphin Bay and supporting the priority of safety for all who drive this road.
It was reassuring to attend the February 2 council meeting and hear that the Public Works Director Brian Vincent carefully reviewed the county guidelines regarding protecting our scenic roads and intends to protect the rural scenic nature of this road by simply chip sealing with no center line nor unnecessary changes in road width and character. I believe that most will not find that chip sealing detracts from the beauty of this stretch of road, but will make it possible for us to enjoy the time we drive on this road.
Further, I really appreciated participating in the process of attending a Council Meeting. There were a total of 12 residents of Orcas, including one of its younger citizens, who came and were able to speak because of the established process of allowing any and all citizens time to express their opinions during the Citizens access time.
Finally, thank you Orcas Issues for allowing the kind of community dialogue that took place online regarding Dolphin Bay Road. To my neighbors concerned about increased speeds, I have personally committed myself to watching my speedometer carefully in order to not exceed posted speed limits the entire length of Dolphin Bay especially where there is enough visibility to even be tempted to do so. It will be a good practice in restraint for me, and I want my neighbors who walk, bike, or ride their horses to feel safe also.
And, for all of those who signed the petition, do remember that a full two miles of Dolphin Bay from Beatrice Lane to White Beach Road will remain unpaved and probably will remain that way forever. Two few residents live on that portion of the road or drive it on a daily basis, and it would be extremely costly for the county to bring that portion up to standards for paving.
Thank you, Moriah, for your civil approach to this issue. It sounds as if both “sides” were heard at the Council meeting and that the Council will be working to address the concerns raised about preserving rural character (widening, dozing, etc.) in County projects.