Saturday, February 29, Noon to 2 p.m., Friday Harbor Grange
— from Toby Cooper for Vacation Rental Working Group —
On Saturday, February 29, the Vacation Rental Working Group (VRWG) will welcome San Juan Islanders to the Friday Harbor Grange (152 First Street North, Friday Harbor, 12:00 to 2:00 PM) to share their concerns, views, and ideas on the topic of vacation rental proliferation in San Juan County. This meeting follows a vibrant series of parallel meetings hosted by the VRWG on Orcas in July, September, and October of 2019, and on Lopez in February, 2020. In aggregate, hundreds participated.
“At our last meeting,” said Yonatan Aldort who heads the VRWG, “concerned Lopezians shared some exciting new ideas. Many raised concerns about the excessive water use that inevitably occurs, for example, when nine or more people pack into a vacation rental structure designed for four and permitted for six. On Lopez we welcomed Council Member Stevens who spoke openly and brought new meaning to the whole conversation.”
The tourism that supports our economy is morphing into detrimental over-tourism, prompting us to ask the county to impose a moratorium now in order to give ourselves the time and space needed to seek solutions. This and more will be discussed at the Grange on February 29 .
- What: A San Juan Island community conversation on vacation rentals.
- Where: The Grange, 152 First Street North, Friday Harbor.
- When: Saturday, February 29, Noon to 2 p.m..
- Who: The VRWG is an all-volunteer organization which formed in June 2019, shortly after the Eastsound and Deer Harbor Planning and Review Committees forwarded moratorium recommendations to the County Council. The VRWG has sponsored four widely-attended participatory community conversations on the vacation rental topic, including discussions of data on housing, tourism, and trends in permitting; summaries of regulatory responses in other communities; stress on water and septic infrastructure; and loss of open space and environmental quality.
- Why: The County Council has yet to act on previous proposals for a moratorium or regulatory relief.
Website: www.vacationrentalsorcas.org/.
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