On Sept. 15, the Anacortes Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on amendments to streamline development permitting. The proposed changes will reduce public engagement, affecting every neighborhood in Anacortes and putting added pressure on the about 300-acre R1 Low Density Residential Zone between the city and forestlands. Residents should comment now and attend the…
Here’s a thought for the R1 Zone that borders the ACFL — what if those folks who used some of their space to plant berries, fruit trees, raise chickens, kitchen gardens which could supply our already existing farmer’s markets, thus securing a little more green border at city limits, got a “waiver” from the planning…
Is rapid small town population growth actually necessary for a community to thrive, or is the belief that “if a town stops growing, it dies” a myth? One of our council members mentioned we’ve been growing at a slow 1% annually and that if a town stops growing, it dies. Perhaps this core…
I believe internal‑combustion motorcycles should no longer be allowed in the ACFL because they pose safety risks, create harmful noise levels for wildlife and visitors, and continue to cause significant trail damage even during the limited months they’re permitted. The Forest Plan did not provide best‑available science to justify their use, nor were noise or…
The updated ACFL Forest Plan is an improvement, but it should include cost‑saving and efficiency strategies as follows: Recommend installing permanent security cameras at key parking lots and trailheads, plus expanding portable trail‑camera use. A five‑year priority list with rough cost estimates would help guide investment in security infrastructure. Permanent cameras would reduce theft, vandalism,…
Climate change and ongoing drought make wildfires in the ACFL and across Fidalgo Island increasingly likely, and limited local firefighting resources mean outside help may not arrive quickly. Because the Anacortes Fire Department is responsible for wildland fire management in the ACFL, it should lead prevention efforts, hazard‑shutdown decisions, and evacuation planning, with the Forest…
To: Anacortes Planning Department and Planning Commission From: Smart Growth Anacortes (SGA) Subject: Climate Change, Ecological Resilience, and Implementation Gaps in the Updated Gap Analysis and Consistency Review Planning Commission Members and Planning Staff: Smart Growth Anacortes believes, with excellent and independent factual cause, that the Updated Gap Analysis and Consistency Review provides a useful…
Smart Growth Anacortes supports the City’s Updated Gap Analysis as a useful starting point for the Shoreline Master Program update, but we believe it falls short of fully addressing the environmental realities Anacortes faces. Climate change, extreme weather, sea level rise, and shifting ecological conditions must be analyzed as interconnected risks—not simply listed as future…
SGA Updated GAP Analysis
Despite my best efforts, I can find no one in town who wants to see their monthly utility bill double from $200 a month to $400 a month in order to incentivize 3,000 more households to relocate to our community, but that is exactly the direction that the city is taking. City leadership has abandoned…
