For decades, conditional uses helped Anacortes grow responsibly and democratically. Removing them now trades community voice for developer convenience — and risks turning collaborative planning into autocracy.
- Conditional uses improve projects and protect neighborhood character
- Skipping them forces neighbors into expensive legal battles
- Ignoring easements, covenants, and environmental standards just shifts costs onto residents
- Pretending development rules cover every scenario is unrealistic in a complex island ecosystem
The message is simple: Democracy takes time. Public participation matters. Don’t cut citizens out of decisions that shape their neighborhoods.
