09/12/2007: "Respnse To Guest Editorial"

To the Editor:

I write in answer to the woman intending to move here and build on Sunday Drive in Friday Harbor, and her worries about the impact of development nearby on her possible view and property value. ( "referenced Guest Editorial)

As someone ever active in trying to keep my own Friday Harbor neighborhood safe, walkable and livable, I can appreciate her concerns for her future here.

I note that the Home Trust is holding a pubic meeting Thursday evening, 9/13, at the Grange to show their tentative plans for part of that area. I also note that this property is not even actually purchased or annexed yet – so whatever plans are out there for us to look at and comment on are obviously still very tentative, even though community input is already being welcomed.

Our genuine problems here from the total lack of housing priced for island working people seem closer to at least a partial solution with this Buck property annexation. It would be a shame to focus now on non-existent problems – such as a potential for a single view loss, or the potential for a single property value loss when it is far too soon to know those details.

As a former Home Trust board member, I see the hard work and long, long process now required by the Town, the County, and many local volunteers to try and solve this housing problem I encourage all islanders to pay attention, let the process move forward and find comfort, as I do, in living in a place that is working hard to overcome a seemingly insurmountable problem that has become a plague for all ‘great place to live’ communities. Who wants stay and work in a community where you can NEVER afford to own a home? And where you cannot commute? That is our enormous problem as a community.

Let’s keep working on this. We can solve it.

Lee Sturdivant
Friday Harbor