THREE YEARS IN THE NORTHERN LIGHT
[My letters to the editor of The Northern Light 2023-25 serve as a snapshot of local civics.]
The Editor:
Our community would benefit from a visioning process – like we did for the new library – to gather public input on redevelopment of Blaine civic center, which includes the library, police station, skate park and old city hall site. Since these public holdings in the heart of downtown are contiguous, it’s possible to develop a master plan for the entire site.
A new library, art center, affordable apartments and a parking garage are some of the ideas. Others may emerge as we hold a public discussion about Blaine’s future. If we want that future to happen for us rather than to us, we need to talk.
Jay Taber
The Editor:
Noticing the new sign on the former Wild Bird thrift store saying future home of Christ the King church, I wondered why a nonretail use is allowed in the heart of the tourism retail area between the plazas. After years of special downtown recovery committees and consultants working with the Blaine Community Development Services (CDS) office, it is astounding that no one ever recommended making zoning consistent with Blaine’s goals and investments.
The block between the plazas was intended to be the economic generator. The zoning oversight by CDS that allowed an incompatible use there thwarts years of planning.
Jay Taber
The Editor:
Blaine is currently using reserves to cover revenue shortfalls. On course to municipal bankruptcy, I wonder if Blaine citizens will become involved in turning things around at city hall. The director of Community Development Services (CDS), who was responsible for the downtown zoning fiasco that allowed a church in the tourism retail area between the plazas, just resigned. That leaves CDS short of three key personnel, and our community without a rudder.
A major change at city hall is required if we want to prosper, and that can only come from Blaine citizens. Most cities have civic improvement groups involved with city hall to help officials from making costly mistakes. Indeed, that is why public participation is required under the Growth Management Act, so planners at city hall can solicit ideas from the community, not just paid staff and consultants.
While city hall gets an “F” for its handling of the downtown revitalization project, citizens of Blaine get an “F” for public involvement. What that tells me is there is a void of leadership, perhaps due to the lack of opportunity in Blaine, which is a symptom of an impoverished community.
The old guard is clearly not up to the task, so it’s up to the newcomers to step up. A first step is to improve communication between city hall and Blaine residents, so we know what’s happening.
Jay Taber
The Editor:
Volunteerism is a tradition in Blaine, with Blaine Food Bank, Friends of Blaine Library, and Blaine Music Festival (Pacific Arts Association) serving as shining examples. Even Blaine City Council is a volunteer position paid a small stipend for attending meetings.
To revitalize volunteerism as current volunteers age, we need to recruit new younger residents. Toward that end, I suggest holding a volunteer fair at Blaine Community Center as part of a series of public information sessions to help newcomers become acquainted with our town.
One project that holds promise is to start a Blaine civic improvement group to work with city hall on public engagement, starting with a visioning process to reimagine our civic center as a vibrant hub for cultural enrichment of residents and visitors alike, with a new library, affordable housing and arts center. To do this, we need to pull together.
Jay Taber
The Editor:
As an impoverished border town with nothing to do or see, longtime Blaine residents have apparently adopted a losing mindset, one where they are resolved to that longstanding situation. City leadership, such as it is, is no exception.
To turn this untenable situation around and set a course for prosperity requires looking at longterm public investments in attractions that draw tourists, like they did in La Conner. Tourists want to see art galleries and museums, not churches downtown.
Tourism appears to be what the city chose by default as its economic recovery plan, without any idea as to how to make that transition from a fishing economy that died two generations ago. The city could solicit fresh ideas from its citizenry, but that would take a change in mindset.
Jay Taber
The Editor:
The Washington State Growth Management Act (GMA) is a law that requires state and local governments to manage Washington’s growth by identifying and protecting critical areas and natural resource lands, designating urban growth areas, preparing comprehensive plans and implementing them through capital investments and development regulations.
The GMA was adopted because the Washington state legislature found that uncoordinated and unplanned growth posed a threat to the environment, sustainable economic development and the quality of life in Washington. The GMA establishes state goals, sets deadlines for compliance, offers direction on how to prepare local comprehensive plans and regulations, and sets forth requirements for early and continuous public participation.
GMA requires “early, continuous, and inclusive public involvement throughout the planning process.” Every eight to ten years, depending on how quickly a community grows, comprehensive plans and development regulations are reviewed, and if needed, revised to comply with GMA and changing community needs.
In a time of unprecedented growth in Blaine, the city has not held one educational workshop to involve the citizens of Blaine in planning its future. Public hearings where we are allowed to comment on a proposal already negotiated between city hall and developers is not the same thing.
Jay Taber
The Editor:
What’s up with the city selling public parking to downtown developers? Are they going to privatize 120 spaces of on-street parking? That’s the whole downtown!
Or is it a monetary contribution to go toward a municipal parking garage? If so, does that mean the new condo tenants use up all street parking leaving tourists with no parking until the municipal garage is built sometime in the distant future?
Blaine is already on the brink of bankruptcy having recently announced a 33 percent budget cut for 2024. Killing downtown recovery for a couple of condo developers will be the final nail in the coffin.
Jay Taber
The Editor:
On July 14, I was appointed by the city of Blaine to write the statement against the “reduction of city limit” initiative for the voters’ pamphlet. The official title of the city initiative is misleading. It is an “urban growth area swap” process leading to the expansion of city limits by annexing approximately 800 acres of west Blaine, while de-annexing roughly 500 acres of east Blaine. The Secretary of State should change the ballot title to reflect this.
Four other qualified “against” applicants were rejected, including a land use/environmental law attorney and the vice president of Semiahmoo Residents Association. This leaves me in the position of having to sign the voters’ pamphlet statement and rebuttals to city of Blaine attorneys without the company of other recognized community leaders, placing me at a disadvantage.
This “UGA swap” that the city estimates will cost Blaine taxpayers $32.3 million starts the process leading to city annexation of the Semiahmoo headlands, where there is a history of damage cause by development related flooding and the pollution of Birch Bay.
The average selling price of a home in West Blaine is $650,000, not affordable housing. The “UGA swap” designating a new urban growth area and urban growth reserve area would allow 1,500 new luxury homes, and raise utility bills for all Blaine residents. The proposed “UGA swap” Avista at Birch Point PUD has significant traffic, flooding and critical aquifer recharge area issues, and no environmental impact statement has been done.
Jay Taber
In The Northern Light article about the Blaine Comprehensive Plan (“City of Blaine presents comprehensive plan update,” by Grace McCarthy), it is noted that “the open house marked the city’s first official step of public engagement in the planning process, which the city planners have been working on for over a year.”
The Washington State Growth Management Act (GMA) requires “early, continuous, and inclusive public participation throughout the planning process.” Not at the end. This fact invalidates the Blaine Comprehensive Plan for violation of the cornerstone of GMA – public participation. It must be abandoned and started over.
Jay Taber
Blaine
Comments
Post a Comment