Freeland has a plan, regulations follow soon
Published 7:20 pm Friday, April 25, 2008
It wasn’t a green light to incorporate, but with Monday’s unanimous approval of Freeland’s subarea plan, the Board of Island County Commissioners helped the prospective municipality inch closer to that goal.
The Island County Planning Commission had earlier recommended approving the plan, which contained amendments that were generally considered semantic and not substantive. The county commissioners’ decision designated Freeland a “non-municipal urban growth area,” a requirement for incorporation, but it does not mandate incorporation.
Roughly a dozen residents provided input at Monday’s special session in Freeland, and like the planning commission, suggested verbiage modifications. The county commissioners also saw room for changes.
Commissioner Phil Bakke, enjoying a familiar venue in his own stomping grounds, said he was struck by the evolution of the process and the marked attitude changes from the first committee meetings to the present. In early gatherings, it was not uncommon for 300 people to file in and voice their not insubstantial concerns.
“As I recall, it was not accepted very well at the beginning,” he said. “People had great concerns, lots of angst. There was tremendous conflict over what was happening.” Bakke helped guide the process for years as the county’s planning director.
Fifteen people testified Monday and a few dozen letters were submitted. After 74 meetings, residents seemed to be closer to climbing onboard, albeit with workable recommendations.
“People are on the same page now,” Bakke said. “We started with hundreds of people with concerns and now we’re down to a handful. That’s a testament to the people of Freeland. They haven’t given up.”
The commissioner said Monday was a historic night for Freeland, pointing out that past attempts to adopt a community plan failed.
“This was the first time a plan for Freeland has ever been adopted,” Bakke said. “This plan will serve as the foundation for greater community influence into the planning process as well as land use regulations that will become customized for the Freeland community.”
‘SHALL’ INSTEAD OF ‘SHOULD’
Residents proposed reinstating the word “shall” instead of “should” in some cases. Given the lofty goals of the subarea plan, in order for the document to serve as more than a mission statement, people thought stronger language would need to be employed to leave no room for wavering.
Commissioner John Dean recommended omitting both words and being even more direct.
“For example, instead of writing, ‘Recycling wastes and use of recycled or reused materials should be encouraged,’ write directly, ‘Recycle wastes and use recycled or reused materials.’”
The board was asked to restore the Non-Residential Design Review Committee. A major element of the subarea plan was allowing Freeland residents direct influence in the aesthetic vision and content of their area.
“The people of Freeland want and deserve the right to have a say on how their area develops and what it looks like,” said incorporation proponent Dean Enell. “Absent this opportunity, development likely will have no coordinated or consistent character . . . A design review body could lead to development proposals that are compatible with the existing town character, minimize traffic congestion, and are architecturally appropriate. We strongly urge you to include this provision.”
Dean and Bakke, who live in Freeland, in principle supported the request for some level of community non-residential design review. Commissioner Mac McDowell was undecided when pressed by Freeland business owner Steve Shapiro.
“While Island County planners and the board were not necessarily supportive of a formal design review committee, I feel confident that the plan includes enough clear language to include some form of effective design review to assure an aesthetically-pleasing future Freeland,” Dean said Tuesday.
Other issues presented last week included the suggestion that the Nichols Brothers Boat Builders site not be used for any other industrial use. The company, which recently filed for bankruptcy, has operated on the land for decades as a permitted use. An industrial-zone definition was embedded in the subarea plan.
“While we support business of the appropriate scale and character at that site, we feel it should not be opened to any industrial use,” Enell said.
CONCENTRATE DEVELOPMENT
The zoning of Freeland Hill should also be altered to restrict units per acre and avoid visual blight, meeting attendees said, although owners disagreed. In addition, the community recommended restoring the previous proposal to concentrate development north of Highway 525.
Bakke said the four primary issues that sparked concern among some residents are valid. However, each of them will get massaged and worked out as the regulations are formalized.
“There will be a lot of amendments to the comprehensive plan,” he said. “There will be opportunities to address all four issues and new issues, things we haven’t thought of yet.”
PROVIDE ‘ROAD MAP’ GUIDELINES
Commissioner Dean emphasized Tuesday that the subarea plan simply provides “road map” guidelines for what will be an ongoing process designed to be malleable as the community changes.
“The real ‘meat and potatoes’ follows with development regulations that will govern the allowed uses and intensities,” he said. “Even so, the intensity, density and land uses allowed in the plan will not be permitted until urban services, particularly sewers, exist to serve those potential land uses. It will take several years to construct the infrastructure needed to support the plan.”
Bakke said a great deal of work lies ahead before the plan is implemented. Planning Director Jeff Tate will begin the process of developing regulations in early February and will employ the assistance of several Freeland community members in completing the task.
“When regulations have been drafted there will be ample opportunities for public input through a series of workshops and public hearings,” Bakke said. “Freeland finally has a plan!”
