March 26 Town Hall hears (mostly) from Orcas Islanders. Another meeting planned for Thursday, April 2.

— by Margie Doyle —

From left, Clyde Duke, Lance Evans, Ken Katz and Rick Hughes at Orcas Public Meeting, March 26

From left, Clyde Duke, Lance Evans, Ken Katz and Rick Hughes at Orcas Public Meeting, March 26

The Orcas Public — breast-feeding mothers, business owners, proud, self-identifying tree-huggers, official skeptics and impatient elders — spoke to local officials and advisors to voice their praise and criticisms for the way Eastsound has grown.

“Nature is why so many of us love Eastsound,” one newcomer said towards the end of the meeting. “We love the unpaved spaces, the dark night sky, the nearness to the woods and the waters. Once you lose your ‘soft spaces’ to walk and your view of all the stars in the night sky, it’s hard to get them back.”

The Orcas Public filled the Lundeen Room at Orcas Center beyond its capacity. Long-timer Ed Sutton said, “I’m tired of talking about [what Eastsound needs]; the leadership needs to get things done… and they need to get it finished for our [senior citizens’] benefit.” His remarks were greeted with some applause.

Another Orcas long-timer, architect and Homes for Islanders founder John Campbell, observed that the two cities he’s known NOT to have parking problems were Detroit and Oakland.

Among the comments, the Orcas public voiced concerns for the integrity of our dark nights, safety of street travel, inability to meet tourist demands on bathrooms, trash receptacles and traffic, public transportation, access to Madrona Point, low light levels, too much of a “car-friendly” attitude, crime rates, homeless people living in the woods, parking year round, empty business rentals, ‘too-large” parallel parking spaces, employee housing and affordable housing.

They praised the small scale, walkability, water views and green spaces, mixed residential and commercial uses, free community events, cultural and historic buildings, paths, new trash receptacles, parades for every occasion, free wifi at the library, two-way streets, the feeling of safety and the dark night skies of Eastsound.

They proposed:

  • complete sidewalk system on Prune Alley
  • reserve electric cars at ferry landing
  • erect a playground on the Village Green and make it less “deserted”
  • improve the sight distance from driveways such as at Island Market
  • increase residential uses
  • develop second-story housing above businesses
  • develop assisted living facilities
  • make housing more affordable to islanders who rent
  • identify year-round and local residents by car stickers
  • improve safe atmosphere by installing showers and other amenities for temporary and homeless people
  • build underground parking for new construction
  • help new businesses with regulations, permits and zoning
  • build an indoor mall similar to the one in Boulder, Colorado
  • install lighting that helps dark skies but keeps it safe to see where pedestrians are walking and visible to traffic.

Discussion of such solutions brought out that the public needs to be willing to pay more to add amenities; whether in increased taxes, if provided by the government, or increased prices, if provided by private enterprise. Other stumbling blocks in implementing solutions were:

  • The mixed, residential-commercial scenario “doesn’t figure in the cost for a single family residence”
  • A playground in the Village Green may take us space used by the Saturday Market
  •  The ability to use second floors for housing will require changing the laws regarding parking
  • Underground parking is not possible, given island topography
  • moving the WSF ferry terminal from Orcas Landing to Eastsound.

And one community member asked if, as a community, Orcas Islanders were addressing fossil fuel dependence, “because in a few years all our parking problems will be over.”

The event was organized by the Eastsound Planning Review Committee (EPRC), a county advisory committee that meets monthly to hear plans and progress on Eastsound development, including streets, sidewalks, signs, kiosks, permits, plans and procedures. EPRC Chair Clyde Duke welcomed the many guests and faciitated the agenda. The Orcas Island Chamber of Commerce Director Lance Evans moderated the conversation. EPRC member Ken Katz documented the comments, as did EPRC minutes-taker Pat Ayers.

County Senior Planner Colin Maycock and EPRC member Jobin Suthergreen provided information about affordable housing, the Eastsound Sub-area Plan (which, with the County Code regulates development in Eastsound), and other information.

Innkeeper Charles Troxell spoke at a presentation about different kinds of street lighting.

EPRC member Fred Klein spoke succinctly about improving traffic, parking and safety along Prune Alley; about a need for conversation regarding safe lighting, and regarding an articulated vision for Eastsound’s future. He also announced that County Engineer Colin Huntemer, within the next three weeks, “will go over the sketch plans for the Prune Alley Streetscape and make engineering plans for going forward.”

Klein also asked the public to become involved in a community conversation about the “Fern St connection,” the county lot across from the Village Green, originally purchased by County Public Works, and what the public sees as a priority for that lot.

Klein said, “I’ve butted heads over time with Public Works and the cooperation we’re getting now is just terrific.”

County Councilman Rick Hughes, another event organizer, listed the many opportunities Orcas Islanders have to work with the county government to bring long-awaited improvements to fruition in the near future, including:

  • addition of a Sheriff’s deputy on Orcas Island;
  • the public library expansion “will add amazing opportunities and potential;”
  • the county’s Land Bank, Park Service and Public Works are developing trail systems from the ferry landing to points of interest;
  • development of a Community Watch program to reduce crime;
  • a bill has been passed in the state House of Representatives to allow mooring buoys for Eastsound so people can row to the county dock and walk into town;
  • a cluster parking lot model at Port property on North Beach and Mt. Baker Roads;
  • a gate and simple path at the Fern St. Extension lot from Prune Alley to North Beach Road;
  • small portable bathrooms to decrease the burden on the public restrooms at the Village Green.

“We need to provide core services in Eastsound. We collect a lot of tax revenue in Eastsound, the money needs to come back here,” said Hughes.

He encouraged people to stay in touch about their concerns and vision. “The county moves slowly and I’m sorry about that,” he said, “but infrastructure needs to be done now. I need your help to give me ideas on how to help work with you. It’s important now for us to get together and work together. A lot of county time and money will be spent in Eastsound in the next five years.”

Alan Smith for Rock Island/OPALCO briefly addressed the ongoing work to identify the conduit pro-actively installed years ago that will provide separate “vaults” for fiber-optic and streetlight cabling. He acknowledged the work of County Manager Mike Thomas and Councilman Rick Hughes to use the conduit to accommodate both street lighting, power and fiber optics. The conduit  is separated into two  vaults for future street lighting. Smith said, “It is not our goal to blitzkrieg Eastsound but to communicate directly with owners when we want to do the work [of digging to determine the location of the conduit.]”

Smith announced that Rock Island has opened an office in Eastsound at Craftsman Corner, the intersection of Lovers Lane and Enchanted Forest Road

Rick Hughes pointed out that installation of the fiber optic in conduit, “will create jobs for five years, and a lot of work for our guys.”

Following a break for the public to see displays and information, the group reconvened and  former EPRC Chair Peter Fisher spoke about the 2007 Eastsound Visioning Event and the potential for a similar event in the future.

(To continue to participate in Eastsound planning, Orcas Issues encourages the public to attend another Open House hosted by the Public Works Department on Thursday, April 2 from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Orcas Senior Center: see https://theorcasonian.com/public-works-hosting-an-open-house-on-orcas-island )

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