||| BY theORCASONIAN REPORTER WALTER ZUSTOVICH |||
On March 31, a group of Orcas island citizens calling themselves Liberate Orcas filed a suit against the county demanding that the island be free to incorporate. In a statement to the County’s Prosecuting Attorney’s office, the group noted that “ . . . over a period of years, on a number of issues from land use decisions and Eastsound development to tree removal and vacation rentals, the County has not been sensitive to the needs of local people. We appreciate that Orcas Island has its own commissioner, but that only represents one-third of decision-making power. We see what Friday Harbor has been able to do and feel it’s time for Orcas –- or at least Eastsound -– to follow the same path.”
Responding to the call for “whole island” governance, a recent memo from the Prosecuting Attorney’s office asserted that, “We are not aware of any way to create (such) governance under existing laws in Washington State . . . We have also considered whether the charter review commission could recommend to the county council that action be taken to provide a method for ‘whole island’ governance through the establishment of cities for each of the islands . . . and found it to be an ‘impossibility’ because it would include nonurban areas” as defined by the GMA.
Undeterred, Liberate Orcas vows to find a loophole and is considering another suit that removes San Juan County from the entre GMA process.
A spokesperson for the county noted that Orcas Island citizens seem to be “a bit off their rocker these days.”
For the purposes of broader community discussion of this initiative, it would be very helpful to know the names of the individuals who constitute “Liberate Orcas”.
I believe, Fred, that this astroturf effort is being pushed by special interests on Shaw Island.
While I am a proponent of asking the state for an exception that would allow for the incorporation of Orcas Island as a whole, this seems to have side-stepped any process of seeking consensus. Please do liberate your member list.
Y’all might want to check your calendars before getting your pitchforks out of the shed…
I also tend to agree with the fictitious county spokesman.
I am the leader of Liberate Orcas.
We are 500 members strong most of whom wish to remain anonymous until we reach critical mass. We are near and we demand autonomy!
Once we achieve “whole island” governance, we move on to our final goal of an independent nation status. We will secede from the United States, deny Canada our subservience and dive in to the hot mess identity that is Orcas Island.
Viva La Revolución!
April 1st it is!
Chris, are you sure your group isn’t called Liberate Qorcas?
I realize this is a joke. But I HAVE been contemplating whether we could look into an island-wide special district or zoning restriction…
April Fools Day, y’all.
Yes, now that Chris Evans raises the issue, it sort of makes sense to me to seriously consider possible incorporation. If the other islands and the overall County government are not ready to initiate serious planning for reasonable future management of vacation rentals, perhaps it is time to consider the idea of incorporation of Orcas. Of course we have to look at where the money flows. Currently a lot of tax money flows from Orcas into the County government pocket. I can personally argue loudly that the County government has not always acted fairly or wisely with this tax money. Friday Harbor, on the other hand, keeps much of their tax dollars because it is incorporated. Thanks for raising this question, Chris.
Secession is really the best path. That way you can demand passports and/or visas from any non-full time resident whenever they want to come. That would solve the VR and tourism issues because you could limit the number of visas or lengths of stay and charge whatever you wanted for them to assure that very few people ever came to visit the Garden of Eden. You could also do background checks on people wanting to get a visa and if they were “other” or “undesirable” they wouldn’t get a visa. Yet another out of the box idea to end tourism. Happy 4/1!
A lottery to limit amounts of visitors??? Like the Grand Canyon….get on a list and wait. This Island is worth waiting for!
I’m in.
Just another joke? Pecksniffian ?