Editorial: Whidbey News-Times 08/26/06               Back 2 List
Residents Speak out Against Development
by Jessie Stensland

Oak Harbor and North Whidbey residents don’t want either commercial or residential development to spread beyond city limits.

That’s the news dozens of speakers and a crowd of about 200 people gave the Oak Harbor planning commission Tuesday night. The focus of the meeting was two proposals that could lead to a large shopping center at the south end of the city or residential development on the historic Fakkema Farm.

The audience in Oak Harbor High School’s Parker Hall was less upset and unruly than the smaller crowd that sardined into the city’s public works facility meeting room last month. Yet the meeting was lively, with many speakers earning applause and cheers.

The meeting exposed some simmering irritation about how the city is growing. Several people chastised the planning commission and planners. "This committee is supposed to be the first line of defense against the seemingly endless barrage of bad planning and ugly design,” said Jerry Homola.

The six planning commission members listened, but did not make any decisions. They will discuss the issues at their next meeting, Sept. 26, and eventually forward a recommendation to the City Council.
Senior Planner Larry Cort explained that two applicants want to bring their proposals into the city’s urban growth area in order to develop them. He said city staff will do an analysis of the applications.
Of all the speakers, only four people — besides the applicants — spoke favorably of the proposals, and those four speakers commented on the Fakkema application.

Oak Harbor resident Richard Pasewark, a member of the city’s comprehensive plan task force, said he’s in favor of the Fakkema proposal to put up to 1,000 homes on 377 acres because the land will develop whether it’s immediately allowed inside the city or not.
“At least there’s going to be a framework,” he said.

A proposed shopping center Paul Pazooki, owner of Bremerton-based Global Investments, pleaded his case before the planning commission and hostile crowd. He wants to put a large shopping center, perhaps as big as 300,000 square feet, on Highway 20 south of Waterloo Road.

Pazooki said a number of retailers are missing in Oak Harbor, which leads to dollars being spend off the island. He wants to bring the stores to the city, but he said there’s no adequate commercial land within the city.

Pazooki earned some unintended applause when he pointed out that he can’t build large-scale shopping centers in Anacortes because of the city’s rules. Large retailers have to stay out of Anacortes, he said.

Pazooki was met with skepticism — even from a member of the planning commission — when he suggested that his development would not make traffic worse, but better.

"This is a fact as well as wishful thinking,” he said. “It is very possible that traffic going through town, going up north, traffic going off the island will be reduced over time.”

Traffic a major concern:

The chief concern about Pazookis proposal from the speakers, mainly residents from within the city, seemed to be the impact on traffic in the congested area of Highway 20. "No development should be allowed on the south side of the city until the traffic problems are solved,” said Jerome Scheppers.

Some residents questioned whether the normal development process, with traffic and environmental studies, will really protect the island. "A traffic study was conducted for Wal-Mart as well and look where that got us,” said Charles Niedzialkowski. The crowd applauded in agreement.

In fact, the current debate is reminiscent of the controversy over Wal-Mart coming to town a decade ago. Residents mainly spoke in opposition and the majority of City Council members fought to keep the retailer out. But the zoning issues were very different and in the end, Wal-Mart eventually won against the city in court.

Mel Vance blamed the planning commission for poor oversight that led to the traffic problems and other concerns. This is essentially another hopscotch annexation of the city of Oak Harbor,” he said.

Carole Dawes argued that the shopping center would amount to urban sprawl, bring in only low-income jobs and cause Kmart to close, and possibly Albertsons also. I can see us ending up with urban blight, she said.

Steve Erickson of the Whidbey Environmental Action Network received generous applause for his statements. He argued that the city is bound by the state Growth Management Act and must develop within city limits before growing outward. He said building on the outside edge of the city is cheaper because the costs for utilities and other expenses get passed on to residents. Developers get the profit and everyone else gets loss of quality of life, he said.

Houses on Fakkema Farm?

Dick and Hap Fakkema's proposal is more complicated than Pazooki. Last year, the planning commission and City Council agreed to allow 105 of the 377-acre farm into the city’s urban growth area as a special planning district. This year, the Fakkemas returned to the planning commission with a request to bring the entire farm into the urban growth area.

The brothers said their plan was to donate 102 acres of land to the city for use as public open space, a city park, trails or possibly even a second fire department. Hap Fakkema spoke about the history of the farm and the economic problems that forced he and his brother to close down their dairy farm. He said they plan to donate the historic farm buildings to the city and possibly set up a trust to remodel and maintain the structures.

Capt. James Griffith built the barn, two houses and other buildings 100 years ago. He used rock from France that was ballast in his ship for the foundations of the barn and other buildings, including the outside walls of one of the homes. "We believe our land is poised to meet the future land-use needs of the city of Oak Harbor," Dick Fakkema said.

Many people did not agree. About 20 members of the audience, mostly county residents who live near the Fakkema Farm, spoke against the proposal. Residents want to keep woods. One of the biggest concerns was the clear-cutting of the large woods on the south side of the Fakkema Farm, which is home to a wide-range of animals from pileated woodpecker to deer.

"It's a total wipeout of the forest," said Al Williams, "it's a total wipeout of animal habitat and it’s just about a total wipeout of all we’ve come to the island to enjoy.”

Keith Becker of Whidbey Island Audubon Society said the group was worried about the impact on Swan Lake, an extremely important habitat for birds on the edge of the farm. He said 110 species of birds, or about one-seventh of all the species in the U.S., have been spotted on the wetland.

Becker said the wetland is important to eco-tourism.
“Putting high-density housing in this area will jeopardize it...” he said. “I urge you to preserve this area, not just for wildlife, but for residents of Whidbey Island.”

Many of the speakers prefaced their remarks with the acknowledgment that they respect the Fakkemas.

Tom Gerrod, however, was the only person to lose his or her temper that night. He accused the Fakkemas of “raping this countryside.”
“I can’t believe the Fakkemas would do this to their neighbors,” he said.

Mike Fohn, an accountant who works with the Fakkemas, argued that the land will be developed into housing one way or another. He said the Fakkema’s proposal is the best plan for the community and for wildlife because it includes a large amount of open space. He added that it’s possible only 510 homes will go on the property. If the land remains in the county, about 50 homes can be built on it.

“How many other developers in the history of your town have stepped up to the plate with a gift of 120 acres?” he asked.

The chance for public input on the issues is not over. After the planning commission formulates a recommendation following a public hearing, the City Council will conduct hearings on the issues. If they decided to change the urban growth area, the result will be sent on to Island County government, where the process will basically start over again.
After county staff and the county planning commission get done with it, the county commissioners have the final say.
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