Opinion: Eastsound Planners invite all to participate in Open House May 4

Who? Why? What? When? Where? Do I care? That’s what you may ask yourself.

Among the barrage of citizen committee acronyms, county planning notices and meetings a good citizen needs to focus and prioritize.

The Eastsound Planning And Review Committee ( EPRC) is focused, has chosen its top priorities for this year and  looks forward to your increased public participation in four ways:

• at our regular meetings (first Thursday of the month 3:00 to 4:30pm at the Senior Center)
• at our Open House (Monday,  May 4th 4:30 to 7:00pm  at the Senior Center)
• through the county web site:https://www.co.san-juan.wa.us/Council/AdvisoryCommittees.aspx?committee=7 where minutes, agendas, relevant documents and useful links will be available
• sign up for our e-mail list to receive our monthly agendas and planning updates or submit written testimony on an issue.

The EPRC is the advisory board to the Planning Department, Planning Commission and the County Council on land use and development affecting Eastsound. The Eastsound Subarea Plan is a part of the County Comprehensive Plan and provides both a vision and development requirements for the UGA and the properties from Los Arboles on the west to Ship Bay on the east.

Last year the seven-member committee chose areas of focus: Conservation, Development Standards, Economy, Housing and Community Services, Long Range Planning, Outreach, Parking, and Stormwater. From the list of priorities within each focus we selected the following to bring to the public this year:

• completion of a Streetscape plan for on street parking with curb, gutter and sidewalk elevations.
• Implementation of the development standards for sidewalks and parking with a review of the threshold at which those standards are required.
• development of Mount property (behind theVillage Green) for parking and Stormwater treatment.
• prioritize pathways for non-motorized transportation and developing a process to regain public access to Madrona Point.
• creation of a housing element for the Subarea Plan.

The other issues we are currently working on and want your input are the Street Peddling Ordinance and the Sign Ordinance expected to be passed this year. Our meetings are regularly attended by Council Liaison Gene Knapp, Senior Planner Colin Maycock and County Department heads or staff as the agenda requires.

The history of the Subarea Plan started in 1979 when a group of Eastsound business people retained Elliot Bay Associates (Jim Youngren, Paul Schell, and Tony Puma) to develop a village plan for Eastsound. In 1980 the EPRC was formed to draft a plan based heavily upon the Elliot Bay report and, with wide public input, the Subarea Plan was adopted as County Ordinance # 225-1981. Modifications have been made over the years but the  three year update, mandated by state planning guidelines, has been overshadowed since 2003 by lack of County staff time and the requirements of (or efforts to meet) GMA compliance.

County resources are prepared to tackle this on the 2010 docket and EPRC has plans this year for a good process to identify the changes needed, conveying these issues to the public and hold meetings that gather public input.

The May 5th Open House starts this with table displays staffed by all Utilities, County Departments and Organizations involved in the development and stewardship of Eastsound. This is the opportunity for direct questions and response from your government. Make your voice heard and bring your concerns to the front of the line!

Some of the goals achieved under the plan since 1981 include: Development standards that preserve Eastsound as a walking village with open spaces between buildings and promoting visual harmony, the purchase of the Village Green, Waterfront Park, Buck Park, Madrona Point dock and beach and construction of the Public Restrooms.

What goals and visions are needed to take Eastsound through the next 20 years? Are the current development standards resulting in projects that keep Eastsound as you think it should be?

On the current EPRC,  we have one open seat and three up for reappointment. Our team is looking for interested members of the community who are willing to put in 15 hrs a month to keep the vision and soul of Eastsound in the hands of its citizens; someone who answers “I care!”

Please send your letter of interest in by the end of April,  to the County Clerk and your Council Representatives.

Sincerely; Bob Connell, Brian Ehrmantraut, Mindy Kayl, Patty Miller, Audrey Moreland, Gulliver Rankin.