EPRC addresses beach trail, Country Corner LAMIRD, Madrona Point access, and Town Crier at recent meeting

At their regular monthly meeting on June 4, Eastsound Planning Review Committee (EPRC) members Gulliver Rankin, Bob Connell, and Audrey Moreland discussed plans to advance the priorities the full committee has established this year.

County Senior Planner Colin Maycock, and County Councilmen for Orcas Island, Richard Fralick and Gene Knapp attended, as well as Port of Orcas Manager Bea von Tobel.

Rankin announced plans for an Open House on the Eastsound Village Green on July 2, where the EPRC will give a “Report to the People.”

The committee reviewed the Gerard Shores Short Plat Nina Lane, which proposed dividing one lot on the northwest border of the Orcas Airport into three. The project also applies for a redesignation of the zoning on one lot.

The three members of the EPRC, meeting without a quorum, discussed the project, which involves a trail easement across the beach at the north end of the airport from Seaview to North Beach Road.

Currently the property is designated Eastsound residential, allowing one unit per acre. Part of the application requests that Category 1 wetlands be changed to Category 3.

Rankin, current EPRC chair, suggested writing a letter to the owners to participate in the trail access.

Moreland said that it would be more appropriate to write a letter to the Planning Department with comments on the EPRC review of application, and request that conditions be set forth in the permit.

Senior Planner Colin Maycock said that such a letter would be part of the redesignation permit rather than the subdivision application. He said the relevant question would be, “How does it serve the health of the community by redesignating the land?”

Rankin said that he would like the EPRC to write a letter to the Planning Department, requesting two issues be considered:

1)         the path proposed on North Beach transiting the airport runway

2)         participation in hydrological studies for the Eastsound swale

Bea von Tobel, Port Manager, spoke to the EPRC, saying that the Port has already sent letters “not in support” of the Gerard Shores subdivision and redesignation. Von Tobel reasoned that “when you destroy any area of airport overlay, the whole thing falls down.”  She cited the Alder Cottages [on Lovers Lane] in Zone 4 of the airport overlay zone, and said, “We’d appreciate not having another miss.”

Von Tobel also referred to the proposed path, saying it would be about the same height as airplanes landing on their final approach. The Port expects that this October “those minimum [heights] could be lowered – we’d hate to have something happen.”

Von Tobel said there would be “definite safety concerns… and if the county grants redesignation, all three lots would be zoned residential, which is prohibited in zone 5 of the airport overlay,”[designated in 2003].

Rankin said that the EPRC would drop support of the path, but would request cooperation with the swale study — “an important part of that analysis,” said Rankin.

The EPRC next considered the LAMIRD (Limited Area of More Intense Rural Development) study of Country Corner. Maycock reviewed the four meetings that have been held to date to discuss the proposed LAMIRD and said the County Development and Planning Department (CDPD) negotiated a compromise among the viewpoints aired at those meetings,  and reduced the designation of the LAMIRD to 15 acres and seven lots.

The plan is to move ahead with development standards for the limited commercial area, Maycock said.

The committee discussed a letter sent by EPRC member Patty Miller which proposed that the EPRC support taking the commercial LAMRID out of the Eastsound Sub-area Plan,  and allow local residents to form their own development standards.

The EPRC also discussed redesignation of the “Barn” property on the south side of the proposed LAMIRD as a commercial use. Maycock said that the LAMIRD studies land uses dating back to 1990, when the Barn had commercial usage.

Maycock said, “The big issue so far is deciding on the boundary [of the proposed LAMIRD]. How it shakes out in the end will be up to the County Council.”

EPRC member Bob Connell asked if there was any further word on the Eastsound sewer district running through rural areas.

Maycock replied that state law dictates that the sewer district is not allowed to have plans outside the Urban Growth Area (UGA) boundaries.

Connell said, “Where’s the benefit for people that want sewer in there — isn’t that one of big driving forces so they can quit doing that truck?” (Later Connell said he was referring to the hauling of water, mostly from the laundromat at Country Corner, to the treatment facility at the Eastsound Sewer District.)

Maycock  replied that he could only speak to the requirements of the Uniform Development Code and state law.

The next Country Corner LAMIRD meeting will be held at the Eastsound Fire Station on June 15 from 7 to 9 p.m.

In other matters:

— Moreland was asked to write a letter to the Planning Commission requesting support of the priorities on the six-year TIP (Transportation Improvement Plan). The Commission will meet on June 19 at 8:45 a.m. at the County Legislative Building in Friday Harbor to discuss the TIP;

— Connell stated he has been working with Peter Fisher and his organization, Island Stewards, to arrange an Orcas event to promote renewed access to Madrona Point. It has been closed for the past two years by the Lummi Nation, which owns the property and had closed it to the public. Connell said a community potluck is planned later this summer to discuss the matter among the island community.

— Housing, identified by the EPRC as one of its priorities this year, will wait until the county element of the housing element of the GMA is completed and a new EPRC member assigned to housing is appointed;

— The EPRC reviewed the Orcas Island “Chamber Of Commerce plans to install directional signs to businesses, particularly those tucked back in corners. The signs would assist pedestrians in the Eastsound village area, in directing them to places off the main streets, such as Radio Shack off “A” street.

— The group also discussed the current sign ordinance which does not allow stand-allow signs except on-site of that business. Maycock stated that county ordinances can’t regulate sign content, but only its size and other design criteria

The EPRC was advised to speak to County Prosecutor Randy Gaylord regarding the rules of signage.

— Rankin asked the EPRC for approval for a “Town Crier” to solicit opinions and display information at the Farmer’s Market. Moreland replied that the group needed a quorum to make such a decision, and also cautioned the need for accurate information, focused questions and some alternatives if such a person were to be employed by the EPRC.

Rankin said that a Town Crier would be a good way to
solicit views about issues such as Madrona Point. He suggested such input could serve “as fodder to light the flames beneath the County Council.”

County Councilman Richard Fralick counseled the EPRC not to “get sidelined with issues where you can’t succeed.”

The EPRC will appear before the County Council on June 22 at 1 p.m. at a location to be determined. To comment on EPTC issues, a new email has been established at esplreco@yahoo.com