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12/22/2005: "Town Looking At Creative Solutions To Growth"

(Town map)

The Town of Friday Harbor is looking toward creative solutions to the expansion of the Urban Growth Area (UGA) and the controlling regulations. Under the Growth Management Act (GMA), UGAs must be reviewed for compliance with the Act, which requires that government provide for potential anticipated growth.

At a Town Planning Commission (PC) meeting, the Land Use Administrator for the Town of Friday Harbor, Mike Bertrand, reviewed a list of possible policies that the PC should look at as it considers any possible changes to town regulations:

1. Not expanding even if there is a need, by: adjusting unite per acre, setting minimum lot size, granting density bonuses, etc.
2. Expand the UGA with new standards for density and lot size
3. Consider how to maintain the village concept if UGA is expanded
4. How to pay for the infrastructure costs

Bertrand then presented to the Commission a possible change to the current regulations. Bertrand gave the Commissioners a map of Friday Harbor (above) that indicated there are 226 parcels of land in town that are vacant. His suggestion is to allow additional density to these parcels to occur, if the owner agrees to provide Open Space easements on a portion of the property.

This would have the effect of producing "new" lots, of a smaller size, without increasing the UGA boundaries of the town -and may make the lots more affordable. In response to questions from the Commission, Bertrand pointed out this proposal would be limited to only existing parcels of land that have not been developed, and would not be allowed for any new or existing subdivisions.

Some of the additional potential benefits to the Town would be an increase in Open Space that could result in the possibility for mini-parks, walking areas and trails. Commissioner Laura Arnold pointed out that by not expanding the UGA boundaries, the town could keep a "sharp edge" between the town and the county.

The Commission agreed the proposal was worth exploring, and asked Bertrand to do some projections of impacts for the Commission to review.