Community Vision

April 10, 2024  (SWOT Attachment)

Dear Blaine City Council and Planning Commission: 

Re: Disallowing “Early and Continuous” Public Engagement (Parking Amendment #5)

City Hall has been working in isolation for one and half years with no invitation to the Blaine community to participate in two-way conversation as stipulated in the Project Plan to develop the downtown.

Public participation, a legal requirement of the Growth Management Act, is to be “early and continuous” and involve “two-way” communication.  This violation has prevented the community from creating the critical Vision and Planning work needed at the beginning to guide decision-making for the downtown.  It has also prevented the community from ensuring proper planning discipline was being adhered to.

The Blaine community is the primary stakeholder in the development of the downtown.  Blaine’s downtown does not belong to City Hall.  Yet, City Hall’s position is: “Once the Planning Commission has generally agreed to draft text amendment language, staff will begin public outreach...” (Staff memo, February 2024). 

An appropriate question for the Blaine community is:

“Why is the community being button-holed to discuss Building Heights and Parking Code changes and not being invited to participate in the far more urgent and important, strategic discussion to develop a shared vision, plan and strategy for Blaine’s downtown?”

Before considering zoning changes, input from Blaine’s citizens is required to create a shared Vision, Goals and Plan for the downtown.  The SWOT Analysis (attached) is a key component of the planning process to accomplish this.  It helps participants identify the downtown’s strategic assets, key areas of differentiation, strategy options and opportunities to develop a prosperous downtown that generates economic growth, vibrancy and community pride.  

The Downtown Advisory Committee and CDS chose not to complete the SWOT analysis for the downtown.  The government’s abandonment of early public engagement and a proper planning process is a vast departure from Best Practices.  Pursuing a short-sighted approach side-steps the critical requirement to identify and document the potential opportunity for Blaine’s downtown.

Blaine has the opportunity to do this properly by choosing a better, proven path that enables informed decision-making.  Please include the attached SWOT Template, in Blaine’s public record and the Parking Amendment record.

Sincerely

Glen Pentland

1283 Harrison Avenue, Blaine

Downtown Advisory Committee Member


Attachment: Blaine SWOT Template


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