Green PagesArticle, Downtown Housing Rezone, May 2002

Friends of the Waterfront supports increased downtown housing. We agree there are many environmental and economic benefits. In fact, we’ve not heard a single person disagree with this.

The question is: Do we have to harm our waterfront to get housing? We think not.

The current proposal would create massive structures on and near the waterfront that would house well-off people. It would diminish the waterfront experience for the rest of the community. It would even, ironically, harm the development of future housing in the downtown.

The waterfront is the heart of our community. It should be open and inviting for everyone. All environmental groups agree that a pleasant, accessible waterfront is a strong contributor to environmental sustainability. The more people experience the waterfront, the stronger is their support of programs to keep water bodies healthy.

Process

The process being used to pass this rezone is as troubling as the rezone itself.

The rezone would represent a complete about-face on 25 years of steady progress to open up the waterfront. Certainly a change of this magnitude should be made only after an extensive community revisioning process.

But changes in the Shoreline Master Program and zoning are being slipped through as an ordinary rezone. And worse yet, the Planning Commission turned down an opportunity to have their public hearing televised on TCTV

Public Sentiment

It is no surprise that the people opposed to this rezone are broadly representative of the community: League of Women Voters, Democratic Party, Olympia Heritage Commission, neighborhood associations, and many, many individuals.

Those in support are weighted heavily toward private interest — people who hope to profit from or live in these condos — and well-intentioned planners desperate to curb spraw.

We are meeting with community groups and finding overwhelming support for our position: housing AND and healthy waterfront AND good process. In short, Sustainability.

Please Act

Please join us in urging the City Council to (1) reject this rezone proposal, and (2) initiate a community-wide revisioning process for the waterfront area. We believe the public wants and deserves MORE waterfront access, not less.

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This article was prepared by Bob Jacobs on behalf of Friends of the Waterfront and its many supporters. Bob is a long-time community activist and supporter of SPEECH. He is currently a board member of People for Puget Sound and other public-interest organizations. He is a retired public policy analyst and served seven years as Mayor of Olympia.

[Article totals 333 words exclusive of headings and bio.]