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06/07/2007: "Nantucket Planner In Friday Harbor On June 20 & 21"

“Is San Juan County following the same path as Nantucket, Massachusetts; where hundreds of workers, teachers, and service people commute daily, and the median home price is $1.8 million?” That is the question being asked by some; and by the County.

Councilman Alan Lichter is one of those asking the question, and with acceptance of his suggestion to the CC (County Council) that they invite John Pagini to come our from the east coast and share his experiences on Nantucket as a planner, the council hopes to find some answers to the basic questions of how best to manage and control growth in San Juan County.

Pagini will be at a workshop in Friday Harbor on June 20th and 21st (9 a.m. to 4:15 p.m for both days) to discuss the principles of “smart growth” as they relate to specific issues such as housing, tourism, managing growth, and environmental protection. Panel discussions and small group work-sessions are planned, with an opportunity for questions from the audience. The idea of the workshop is to “open a discussion of the parallels between Nantucket and the San Juan Islands”.

The program will look at what worked, and did not work, in Nantucket from 1995 to 2005. Pagini served for 10 years as Director of the Nantucket Planning and Economic Development Commission, and is now a certified land use planner in private practice. He has over 32 years of experience as a municipal and regional planner.

For further information, or to RSVP to this event (sponsored by the San Juan County Council, the Visitor’s Bureau, the Friends of the San Juans, and others) please e-mail debbiee@co.san-juan.wa.us or call 370-7401.