Why not build houses in vacant lots within the city?

Editor,

Regarding the potential Wright’s Crossing development on Monroe Landing Road, in the Whidbey News-Times’ March 10 article, “OH developer wants board to reconsider appeal denial,” a quote by Steve Erickson read, “We hope the City of Oak Harbor will now seriously address the questions of how come all their undeveloped land is not being used for affordable housing.”

There appear to be numerous vacant lots around Oak Harbor, but one thing I ask myself is why many of these are zoned commercial. If Oak Harbor government is truly concerned about affordable housing, why can’t these vacant lots be re-zoned residential, or high-density residential?

Instead of hundreds of houses developed on one huge plot of land, they could instead be spread throughout the city where traffic and utility issues could be more balanced.

Also, what incentives is Oak Harbor providing for development on its own vacant lots? It appears as if Oak Harbor is simply ignoring this potential and unnecessarily throwing the issue onto the county to figure out. They have a solution right in front of them.

David Coleman

Oak Harbor