Dear Rick,

This is in regard to the San Juan County Orcas Road proposed realignment that runs along Carol Clark’s property from Swan Road to McNallie Lane.

Walt and Carol Clark (Susan’s parents) bought JB Farm in 1945 and have farmed it ever since. At one point the county rounded the Swan corner and encroached on the farm. They were never compensated.

Now the county wants to move part of the road between Swan Corner and McNallie Lane farther west (onto JB Farm) adding a curve west into the woods and field. We say the road placement (along the straight-away across from the Jay Fowler/Timothy Abeyti parcels) is “grandfathered” in where it is, understanding that the county then would extend the width on BOTH sides of the road.

We do not want the road to curve into the field and woods in that area because a curve will remove productive farmland. Once farmland is gone, it never comes back. If the curve were to happen much agricultural land will be lost.

Furthermore, we and our neighbors do not want any bike park on Nordstrom corner or Swan corner. It’s a flat area and not where bicyclers would be tired from climbing a hill. We do not want trespassers, litter, potties and taxpayer money for the upkeep. Also a big concern is privacy for the homeowners. We feel that our homes could be “cased out.”

It’s hard enough to keep a farm going; we see that tourism counts on our farm for much of the beauty of the island. Well then, let’s keep it that way!

Susan and John Fleischer

Orcas Island