Corrupt Community Development

As an observer of Growth Management in Washington state since it was passed into law thirty-three years ago, I cannot recall a more egregious example of the intentional subversion of both the letter and spirit of the law by a city than what has transpired in Blaine. Not only did Community Development Services (CDS) fail to convene public participation--as required by law--in deciding how to go about creating a new plan for downtown, but they also predetermined the desired outcome in cahoots with developers.

Over the last six months, I have written twelve letters to Blaine City Council and CDS on Growth Management issues, with an emphasis on encouraging public participation--to no avail. In my August 10, 2023 Letter to the Editor at The Northern Light, I discussed the implosion of CDS in the aftermath of the downtown zoning fiasco and the need for public participation as required under Growth Management to get the city on track.

Having read the January 15, 2024, Key Recommendations to Blaine City Council from Glen Pentland--former member of the Downtown Advisory Committee--I am appalled at the misconduct by CDS that led to a corrupt, harmful and illegal recommendation by the Downtown Advisory Committee to the planning commission regarding parking requirements and building heights. Rather than have a public discussion about how to conduct the planning process, CDS rigged the game. 

The City of Blaine's blatant disregard for the public participation required under the Growth Management Act positions the city for liability under the law. The referenced orchestrated farce led by CDS undermines the confidence of Blaine citizens that their elected officials will uphold the law. The assumption by city hall that city-subsidized development west of Peace Portal is the most beneficial objective ignores previous reports from citizens stating the open views are an economic asset.

All the above impairs our ability to recover economically and to create a culture of inclusion needed to enrich our community, not just a few developers. As we update our comprehensive plan in Blaine in 2024, what is needed to get the public involved in planning Blaine's future is a Growth Management orientation with Q&A and facilitated discussion. This is the logical way to begin our comprehensive plan update, so citizens understand the process, the elements of a plan, and the steps leading to a new plan. 

This coming together should be done in a series of discussions at the community center that include objectives such as a Civic Center Master Plan for the public holdings around the library which are inevitably linked to a Downtown Revitalization Plan. Public investment in cultural arts—including museums and galleries—is what drives private investment seeking to capitalize on increased foot traffic and visitors drawn by these amenities.

Blaine residents who want to contribute to creating a new, inclusive vision for Blaine are a human resource that should be welcomed by city government, not treated as a nuisance. While we don't expect elected officials and city staff to have all the answers, we do expect them to seek help from its citizens who are ready, willing and able to assist them.