Affordable housing in this county is not a new problem. The Housing Element of the county Comprehensive Plan, adopted in 2009, directs completion of a simple set of development code amendments to enhance incentives for construction of new units. Planning staff, the planning commission, and the local housing bank commission worked on these amendments in 2010 and 2011, but staff were redirected to other tasks and the work was not completed.

Under the current county council, these amendments remained a low priority, while they wasted their limited resources. Examples include work on greenhouse and marijuana regulations that were later tabled; conflict, investigations, and a costly lawsuit resulting from Councilman Jarman and the county manager ordering issuance of a building permit that did not meet wetland protection regulations; and most recently, at the end of 2015, councilmen Jarman and Hughes approved what staff advised was an illegal zone change.

On appeal, the Growth Management Hearings Board confirmed the staff assessment, ruled the county in violation of the Growth Management Act, and ordered the zone change be corrected. This is wasting more time and money and potentially jeopardizes grant money dependent on GMA compliance.

The proposed development code changes to support affordable housing are small in scope, revenue neutral, and would benefit employers and citizens struggling due to the lack of affordable housing.

It is time for our county council to stop wasting resources and focus on dealing with our affordable housing problem.

Shireene Hale

Friday Harbor