EPRC Works with County on Development

–by Margie Doyle —

Eastsound Planning Review Committee, a county advisory board of citizen volunteers

Rick Hughes reported on County Council business to the two dozen or so people gathered for the Eastsound Planning Review Committee (EPRC) monthly meeting on Thursday, April 5.

In his rapid-fire pace, Hughes ticked off some of the recent actions and accomplishments of county government:

• Lopez Hill acquisition — the County asked the Department of Natural Resources to sell us out of Trust and Land Parcel project so that the 400-acre Lopez Hill parcel can be obtained
• Trails — County Public Works Director Russ Harvey and Hughes met with homeowners for a trail from Lovers Lane along Mt. Baker Road to Blanchard; perhaps extending to  Camp Orkila. The trail would all run within the county right of way in a dense residential area. Hughes said, “If the neighborhoods want trails, then we encourage people to  meet with us and secure right of way” for them. Hughes noted later that “funding has not been determined and Council has not approved the project, but with support form the community this could be possible.”
• Orcas Road project — this summer, crews will work to remove power lines with an eye towards starting roadwork in spring 2019.
• Parking -the county is hoping to meet with Community Church administrators for an exchange of right-of-way on Madrona Street which will add parallel and angle parking along the street, and will allow for use of parking at the church parking lot in non-church hours.
• Stormwater — The first stormwater project, connecting systems across Market Street, has been allocated about $300,000. The county is considering combining its stormwater committee (established in 2007) and water resource committee into one entity, the clean water utility. There will be a public presentation to decide how to fund all the county-wide projects. for a stormwater improvement bond county-wide, to address stormwater, curb, gutter and sidewalk improvements.
• Hughes commented that these taxing measures are well-planned, and although there is “a lot of pressure on individual property owners –including me — but I do feel there are some worthwhile projects coming forward. We’ll see if the public will support them.
  “It’s valuable to manage our flow and treat our water; with what’s going on with killer whales and salmon, we’re still putting pollutants into the water.”
• Ferry landing — the Orcas Ferry landing project awaits the building permit for stonework that will “round out the embankment at the ferry dock] with an ADA walkway to where the old fuel tanks stood, and make a park there.”

EPRC co-chair Margaret Payne, questioned where San Juan county ranks in terms of property tax and commented that charge the lowest fees in the state for stormwater.

The disparity between the county’s low property tax rate but high property assessments was brought up, as was the county’s ranking as the healthiest in the State and 90-highest ranking in the country.

Hughes also commented on the impacts of the recently-approved State capital budget (although details still remain to be ironed out):

• The Lopez Island pool campaign, a private entity non-profit, was awarded about $500,000 towards a public pool, estimated to cost between $4-$5M.
• Moran State Park received $4M towards acquisition of the Jones Family Property, a square parcel near the top of Mt. Constitution near the cell towers, and towards purchase/improvement of property at Point Lawrence.

The County budget is in good shape with $1M surplus in revenue collected above the forecasted 2017 amount. The result is $3.2M ending cash balance this year, including $500,000 in cash reserves. The county budget includes $80,000 towards Eastsound Streetscape plans.

School Phase III Master Plan

Liz LeRoy, School Bond Project Manager and David Mount of Mahlum Architects presented the drawings of plans for the Phase III school bond remodel project. They have been working with various community entities including Parks and Rec, Community Land Bank, Funhouse, the County, OPAL, Orcas Center, OPALCO, EWUA and EPRC.

They held a public presentation on Feb. 1 and plan a May 14 meeting “to review the work we’re doing and future planning,” Mount said. The Campus Master Plan is being completed as part of the 2017 bond, with the most significant part being the new track and field — a rubberized track but grass field.” Plans show the reconfiguration of backstops around the former football field to exchange places with baseball/soccer practice fields. Plans also envision how yo connect to OPAL, Buck Park, and make more formalized fences for school safety.

The County Council meeting will meet on Orcas on May 8. The EPRC voiced hopes that some time may be spent to consider purchase of the Zukin property west of the Post Office as a site for parking. Already there are scheduled two public hearings that day on the solid waste plan and the ordinance for the road improvements at Madrona Point.

Development of Madrona Point raises traffic and parking concerns near the Odd Fellows Hall and the County dock

In discussing plans for roads and parking at Madrona Point, Russ Harvey clarified that the ordinance would set a pathway for future development, while assuring that future developers would pay for the improvements. He said, “The idea is to get to a standard that we can bring to developers and say, ‘This is what you need to build in the front of your property.”

Leith Templin said that development on Harrison Pt. Road is a concern for future development for two or three properties on that road, but current development on Haven Road] doesn’t have property on that road.”

EPRC co-chair Paul Kamin said that the ordinance would “establishing a standard that the neighborhood will have to adhere to in future developments.”

Jeff Otis suggested that the matter be run by the consultant for the project and asked, “Does this represent what we discussed and is EPRC comfortable with the vision this is pushing forward?”

Kamin said that the plans before them were “a conceptual vision; this is a work in progress, any piece of this is open to discussion.”

Architect/builder John Campbell who is building homes with John Miller on Haven Road said, “The issue is vastly more complicated than we’re discussing here.”

Later in the meeting the fate of Fern Street Park, which was purchased with county transportation funds, was revisited. Although some 388 respondents to the Eastsound Vision Survey have indicated that they would like to see the area remain as a park, Hughes spoke of the need to revisit all nine proposals for its development and also to engage county process in the final decision was discussed.

Payne said that after a year-long visioning process that was tested in the survey resulted in 67% of respondents wanting to close Fern Street from through traffic.

Kamin urged all to stay engaged in the project’s process in the core of Eastsound. “I was a parking thru-fare advocate, but the survey advocated for the park-like vision that the community sought.”

Payne said the intent of the visioning process was to make recommendations to the Comp Plan: “It wasn’t just an exercise, but recommendations to revision.

EPRC member Jeff Otis said, “We’re still in the process of wrapping up, this is one thing we need to make a formal recommendation on.”The EPRC determined that they would put forth a formal recommendation on the Fern St. Parcel at its May meeting.

New EPRC member

Charles Toxey was recommended to the council for appointment and approved for a position on the EPRC advisory board. He was active in the Eastsound visioning and survey work groups, and lives and runs a business (Kangaroo House B&B) in Eastsound.