Mr. Mike Oakland, Editor
The Olympian
Box 1219
Olympia, Washington 98507-1967

Dear Mr. Oakland,

Community reaction to the word that height limit increases are pending for Olympia’s waterfront can be summed up in a single word: disbelief. "They’d never do that," people say.

They cannot imagine that the City Council would change zoning for five and six story condos that would block views and seriously increase congestion on the Fourth and Fifth Avenue Bridges. Yet this is the recommendation of city planners in response to the request of the Council to figure out how to get high income folks to live downtown. The study was done by a Bellevue consultant, a former Realtor. The idea that our community should offer waterfront as an amenity in order to get mixed income levels living downtown is not a good one.

Public access to a number of views would be impacted or completely blocked: the Olympics from the trestle in Heritage Park; the Capitol and Mount Rainier coming across the new Fourth Avenue Bridge, and the Capitol from the Port Tower. Tall buildings seen up close will make both the Capitol and Mount Rainier in the distance seem much, much smaller. The single most despised building in downtown is the nine story Capital Center Building because it blocks views from and to the water.

Our city as a state capital belongs to the people of the State of Washington, to the country, and to the world. We should be thinking about what we will have left to put on an official Scenic Drive some day.

This community has had a vision for the waterfront for over 25 years. We are very much at risk for having it drastically changed forever. A public hearings is scheduled for 7 p.m. May 21st at City Hall. Refuse to lose your views.

 

Sue Lean
Olympia