by Mandi Johnson
Sounder reporter
The San Juan County Council has voted to approve many of the changes to the Eastsound Subarea Plan.
“We should be able to come up with some sort of compromise,” said councilman Rick Hughes regarding the map changes that were not adopted. “We’ll come up with a solution.”
Council approved three of the five proposed map changes following the public hearing held at the Eastsound Fire Station on Friday, Dec. 11. Originally set for Tuesday, Dec. 8, unscheduled ferry maintenance interfered with the public hearing, postponing it until Friday. The remaining changes were agreed to at a meeting on San Juan Island on Dec. 15.
Other changes were verbiage and allowed-use changes. For example, artisan activities previously prohibited are now allowed in the Eastsound Commercial zoning area.
Usage changes largely affected utilities. In the existing plan, all new utility must be underground. The change added an exclusion to that requirement regarding OPALCO’s main transmission line.
Of the five proposed map changes, the two that were not accepted included rezoning the controversial Eastsound Residential to Service Light Industrial on North Beach Road and changing seven parcels Main Street from residential to commercial.
While none of the approved map changes have any immediate effect on Eastsound, the prospect of change caused concern with some community members, as made evident by the comments made at the hearing on Dec. 11.
“The Subarea Plan has facilitated destruction of the wetlands,” said Spirit Eagle. “What of the wildlife?”
She went on to say that Eastsound has become “citified,” and she feels the general public does not understand the implications of this on our natural areas.
“Please, I am begging you to not adopt this Subarea Plan,” said Sadie Bailey, who was overcome with tears listening to Spirit Eagle’s statement. “I know you are all doing the best you can … I speak for all the people who don’t feel heard.”
Not everyone at the hearing was against the plan entirely. John Campbell said much of the Subarea plan was an, “enormous improvement,” and it provides, “clarity where we haven’t had it.”
Campbell opposed the rezoning of the port-owned area on North Beach Road. He explained why the controversial split zone area was created with split zoning.
“The intention was to make North Beach Road an attractive residential thoroughfare,” he said.
Campbell said at the time of the original zoning for that area, there was a large house on it.
Hughes hopes to revisit the Subarea Plan on an annual or bi-annual basis. He said it should always be evaluated, and constantly modified. But for now, Hughes is content with the changes suggested by the Eastsound Planning Review Committee thus far.
“I’m really happy with what the EPRC has done with these documents,” Hughes said.
