Debating the future of south Fidalgo

Residents, county at odds over planned zoning changes

By MARTA MURVOSH Staff Writer

ANACORTES — Back in 1963, when Carol Ehlers' father bought a half-acre on south Fidalgo Island , he asked the then-county assessor how much his taxes would be.

"The assessor said, ‘Out there? Who the hell wants to live out there? Twenty-five dollars will be plenty,' " said Carol Ehlers, who now owns 2 1/2 acres.

Things have changed a lot in 43 years, said Ehlers, a member of the Skagit County Planning Commission. Nowadays, 3,400 of the county's estimated 111,000 residents live in the unincorporated county south of the city.

"I don't know what it will be like 43 years from now," she said.

The future of development on south Fidalgo is up for debate. Skagit County government is looking to the unincorporated land south of Anacortes to absorb a portion of the future population growth over the next 19 years.

Around a dozen people spoke Monday at a public hearing before the Anacortes City Council about the future of development on the island. The vast majority of speakers said they wanted zoning on south Fidalgo to remain as it is. About 30 people attended the meeting.

The full Skagit County Commission, not the City Council, will decide the zoning on south Fidalgo.

A proposed sub-area plan, which would rezone south Fidalgo from one home per 10 acres to one house per 2 1/2 acres, has sparked off a firestorm of criticism. Some have cried foul and accused the county of packing its citizens' advisory committee with pro-development members.

"I'm going to stress to the council that government credibility, that county government credibility is on the line," said Ed Gastellum , who lives on Ashley Place. "They are trying to maximize the profitability by appointing people who stand to gain the most."

City Council members are keeping an eye on the proposal because of potential impacts to its water and sewer systems, as well as to the Anacortes Community Forest Lands. The city has long opposed what City Planner Ian Munce described as "creeping urbanization," and council members want to keep a distinct line between the city and the unincorporated county.

Council members have already asked the county to consider keeping the 10-acre lot zoning around the forest lands to provide a buffer between the wildlife conservation area and development.

Ehlers, who as a county planning commissioner is neutral, said that whatever decisions are made at the county level, they need to take many things into account, including the island's topography, roads and drainage.

The sub-area plan proposed by the county's advisory committee is in limbo for now and may not withstand legal scrutiny. That's because two Western Washington Growth Management Hearings Board decisions in 2005 require that rural areas must have a minimum density of 5-acre parcels.

Meanwhile, zoning can't be changed unless the county passes a sub-area plan.

The proposed plan led to the formation of a grassroots group, Save South Fidalgo Island , which opposes the blanket rezoning. Earlier Monday, the group asked the County Commission to dissolve its current advisory committee and start anew. The same group later lobbied the City Council.

"We came here asking you for help in opposing the blanket rezoning of South Fidalgo Island ," said Al Jett, vice president of Save South Fidalgo Island .

Dave Pearson, a member of the technical committee that was to work with the county's advisory committee, said that the existing zoning can accommodate the projected growth. County officials estimate that an additional 900 people in about 360 new homes will live on south Fidalgo by 2025.

But Mike Goodman, who lives on Campbell Lake , told the council that property owners should be allowed to subdivide and reap the benefits from developing their land.

In the past 20 years, the county allowed lots smaller than 10 acres. Goodman said he didn't think long-time property owners who didn't subdivide their land before 1996, when the zoning was changed, should be prevented from doing so now.

"You have people who are third generation in their 80s who want to give it to their kids, but they didn't keep up on the regulations," Goodman said.

Several speakers accused the county's advisory committee of manipulating the public process.

For instance, a technical committee was formed to help the county's advisory committee with issues, but member Jim Mecca told the council that he and other members had little input on the proposed zoning.

After he spoke publicly, Goodman told the Skagit Valley Herald that he objected to the way other speakers "bashed" members of the advisory committee. Goodman's brother, retired sheriff Ed Goodman, is the committee's chairman.

"They aren't big developers," Mike Goodman said. "They are small landowners."

Some speakers cautioned that city taxpayers would end up footing the bill for installing water pipes and sewer lines in the unincorporated area if the density were to rise.

However, Mike Pearl, who also lives on Campbell Lake , said that wasn't the case. He said he and his neighbors paid to install city water service on their properties.

For some, the debate appeared to come down to concern about the potential for crowding out the rural life they sought on south Fidalgo. Bob Bell , another member of the technical committee, said he lived in California and Portland and moved north to escape development.

"I see the same thing happening from Seattle to Vancouver . Please stop it," Bell said.

But Pearl said he lives on 2 1/2 acres, and often the reaction of visitors to his home is to compliment him on its beauty.

"People who want to subdivide are seen as a some sort of a scourge because they want to profit or sell a piece of land to their kids or retire," Pearl said.