Residents turned out in droves Tuesday afternoon, filing into an Island County Planning Commission public hearing to voice their disapproval of the proposal to expand Oak Harbor’s urban growth area to include 105 acres of property in proximity to an idyllic body of water.

The standing room only crowd of more than 60 people occupied every square inch of the Commissioners’ Hearing Room in Coupeville, braving the rain and choosing to spend more than three hours of their day issuing impassioned pleas to the planning commissioners.

Jeff Tate, Planning and Community Development assistant director, briefed the commission and public on the process leading up to the proposal to include 105 acres of the Fakkema Farm in the urban growth area, which could ultimately lead to development, the extent of which has remained a question mark.

Using population projections through 2025 for Oak Harbor, a land capacity analysis determined that existing land within the UGA could accommodate 106 percent of the projected population. The Comprehensive Plan Task Force later determined that 125 percent would be optimal to allow for market conditions.

The city council adopted the ordinance and forwarded it to the county to render a decision. Tate said the county found the analysis sound and the public process undertaken went above and beyond what was required.

“This is a complicated issue,” he said. “There’s technical matters at play and there’s policy matters at play.”

Tate said everything boils down to a discretionary decision by the county on how to proceed. The Oak Harbor City Council already approved expanding the UGA by a total of 180 acres, 105 of which are part of the Fakkema Farm. To eliminate public confusion, the assistant planning director emphasized that the issue on the table was from a 2005 city comprehensive plan amendment. The proposed expansion of the Fakkema land off West Beach Road was pulled from the table and could reemerge in 2007 amendments.

During a lengthy Powerpoint presentation by Jerry Homola, a member of the newly formed Swan Lake Watershed Preservation Group and a resident with a home and family that would be directly affected by the amendment, he broke down how development of the 105-acre parcel goes against comprehensive plan goals. The 125 percent is excessive, he added, and instead suggested using the initial 106 percent. The percentage can be changed in the future if needed.

He also advocated better county communication with the public and suggested employing a more proactive approach in notifying citizens of public hearings and meetings. Homola urged the county to stop deferring decisions to the city. He said he is not trying to stop growth, but would like to work with the county and other entities to find solutions, which he said definitely exist.

Several attendees echoed Homola’s disgruntlement with the county’s lack of communication.

“You don’t have the voice you need when it comes to areas dear to your heart,” said Barbara Wheeler of Oak Harbor, challenging the commission to examine their consciences before rendering a decision.

Speakers described Swantown Lake as an important part of Whidbey Island and a potential salmon recovery site.

Mike Ostrom of the preservation group said he cannot even visualize what the area proposed for development would look like in the future if all the plans go through. He implored the commissioners not to “rush to judgment.” He acknowledged that compensation for the property owner or owners is just, however, larger parcels could be sold, which would eliminate areas of wall-to-wall houses.

Although the commission set a three-minute limit for private citizens and allotted five minutes for people speaking on behalf of a specific group, Angie Homola was granted leeway due to an abundance of minutes donated by audience members in complete agreement with the local architect.

“As an architect, I have an ethical duty to work toward a responsibly built environment,” she said. “I consider not just what a specific client wants, but what is best for the community at large. I would not accept a commission to design a building that would place undue hardship on others exposed to it. Nor do I expect our planners, mayor, and commissioners to make decisions that appease the desires of a few to the detriment of many.”

Homola encouraged thoughtful island planning that preserves shorelines and rural forested landscape. She said development must promote local businesses, including light commercial industry with moderate to high wage jobs.

“It will take diligent planning to actually implement the goals of our comprehensive plans,” she said. “But, I am convinced this will yield a truly sought after quality lifestyle.”

Too many question marks loom to make a decision now, especially given the implications and impacts the expansion could bring.

“It makes absolutely no sense to allow urban growth to occur first, then to study the impacts later,” Homola said. “State law and common sense tell us we should study all the impacts before accepting a proposal … People are saying loud and clear, ‘Let’s not oversize. Fix the blighted areas and put commercial shopping areas on secondary streets. What we do not want are strip malls and urban sprawl. The potential for bike paths, greenbelts and real wildlife corridors is rapidly slipping out of reach.”

Homola, also a member of the Swan Lake Watershed Preservation Group, made a point of emphasizing that the Fakkemas were not being targeted and no disrespect was went to the family.

“We urge the Fakkemas to pursue attractive alternatives for reasonable use of their land without converting it to urban expansion and a possible 1,028 houses punctuated with manmade narrow greenbelts,” she said. “The public lands and parks proposed are not large enough to maintain wildlife migration and critical habitat viability. We are eager to assist in seeking those alternatives.”

Clearly in the minority on Tuesday, Dick and Hap Fakkema addressed the commission. They said any projects could be carried out in a controlled manner.

Tuesday’s hearing was reserved exclusively for public input. After the meeting, the commission agreed to extend the written comment period through Nov. 17. A public meeting was set for Nov. 28, at which point the commission will decide if another public hearing is necessary. Tate will respond to questions generated by public input five working days after the close of the written comment period.