It was a productive four hours during the County Council’s work session on Orcas.
Islanders voiced their opinions on everything from rabbit control to the loss of Orcas Rec funding to the proposed street vending ordinance.
Rabbit overpopulation
Sadie Bailey, a local gardener, told the council she was concerned about the rabbit population on Orcas, some of which are domestic rabbits that have been released. She and others in the audience asked for population control of the animals.
Orcas Rec
Several community members asked the council to reconsider cutting funds from Orcas Rec.
“Orcas Rec works with hundreds of kids, and to lose that service will put us, as a community, in dire straits,” Tony Ghazel said.
Kevin O’brien, a member of the Orcas Rec Advisory Board, said the program offers activities that help children who are already at risk.
Ferries
The council reported that an agreement may have been reached with the United States Coast Guard and Washington State Ferries regarding touring watches.
In the past, the Coast Guard has waived its requirement for WSF to schedule crew shifts of 12 hours or less in a 24-hour period, but last August it ruled to no longer grant that waiver. As a result, “touring watches” (back to back shifts with a sleep period in between) will no longer be possible.
WSF drafted new schedules to reflect the loss of crew members who can no longer work extended hours. The proposed fall schedule impacted San Juan Island the most, but Orcas, Lopez, and Shaw would feel the effects too.
As of last week, WSF drafted a new fall schedule that incorporated touring watches but also adhered to crew endurance and safety standards. Council members said that 90 percent of the problems are taken care of if the Coast Guard approves the schedule.
Beach access
Jean Dickerson told the council she is concerned about property owners blocking access to beaches on the island.
“Numerous road ends are being blocked off by adjoining property owners,” she said. Dickerson said that the county road crew is responsible for the some of the blockages.
Turtleback Mountain
Ruthie Dougherty of the Land Bank gave a report on Turtleback Mountain. She said considerable progress has been made in the mountain’s management plan, which includes providing for multiple uses like horseback riding and mountain biking. The Land Bank hopes to establish specific days for biking and specific days for horseback riding.
There has been very little litter on the mountain, but the biggest complaint has been unleashed dogs. Another concern is people going off the trails. She thanked the many volunteers who patrol the mountain and provide maintenance of roadways for emergency access.
The mountain’s signage is still rudimentary; as the multi-use trails are established, proper signs, benches, and bike racks will be installed.
Proposed street vendor ordinance
One of the current drafts requires vendors using public places in Eastsound to obtain a use permit from the county. A permit is $250, and a daily fee of $25 may be required to promote turn-over in the space. The maximum fine for an infraction is $250.
“Public place” includes any county-owned property within the exterior boundaries of the Eastsound Unincorporated Urban Growth Area, including public parks, streets, sidewalks and rights-of-way.
“Vendor” includes any person engaged in selling or offering for sale any goods or wares from any public place. The following persons would be exempt from license fees: newspaper carriers, peddlers and transient vendors who carry their goods door to door, charitable, religious or fraternal, nonprofit organizations, farmers, gardeners and other persons who produce and manufacture their own fruits,
vegetables, berries, eggs or any farm produce, and any person with a permit to sell goods or wares at the Eastsound Farmers’ Market or any authorized event.
Rosenfeld asked Prosecuting Attorney Randy Gaylord why the requirement of liability insurance was removed in this version of the draft.
Gaylord said it was considered a low-risk activity and that the insurance payments would be a huge burden to vendors, but he would look into whether or not it should be required.
Councilman Richard Fralick asked for a provision to be added about allowing kids to sell lemonade.
Rosenfeld said he understood the reason for the ordinance, but felt it would be abused.
“I realize there is a tradition we’re trying to preserve in this ordinance,” he said. “But in the town of Friday Harbor, it’s prohibited to use the public right of way. This ordinance will be abused, and we’ll have to limit it even more in the future.”
Patty Miller told the council she felt the $25 a day fee would be hard to administer, and advised implementing one-month payment periods.
Audrey Moreland also spoke, asking the council to set a provision that limits the square footage that vendors can use.
Gary Franco, who owns Madrona Farms on Lopez and has had a fruit stand in Eastsound since 1977, told the council, “if this is passed, it will shut down my business.”
Franco said he sold 360 containers of strawberries and 250 of cherries (both of which were grown in Chelan) over the last weekend, most of which went to locals.
“I’m meeting a need here,” he said.
He also felt the ordinance’s legal verbiage was inaccurate and should be amended.
Councilman Gene Knapp said he stood by Gaylord’s use of the language, and told Franco, “I don’t think you’re interpreting it correctly.”
Gaylord noted all the comments and will refine the draft ordinance, which will be published in the local papers as a legal notice. Then it will go before the council on July 14, and if adopted, will go into effect 10 days later.
Helen Sanders contributed to this story.
