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| Letters in the Gateway this week point to a Mayor refusing to acknowledge gridlock traffic, schools and refuses to solve these issues before more development is allowed. |
| Letter #1 is from the Cheers and Jeers column. JEERS to the growing traffic problem on Borgen Blvd in the north Gig Harbor area. Gig Harbor City Council members and city planners have approved many very large housing developments that have been built and others which are in the process of being built, all of which will ultimately empty out of their neighborhoods and onto Borgen Blvd. The traffic situation on Borgen Blvd is already staggering at times making it very difficult to even enter the roadway, especially at the roundabouts. Letter #1A is a Cheers (sarcasm) to one of the benefits to all the development taking place: The views around Gig Harbor are getting much better without all those pesky Douglas fir trees in the way! |
Letter #2 is the Guest Commentary in the Gateway and also scheduled for Harbor Life
This letter addresses the Feb 18 Public
Hearing and possible impacts from rezoning most of Gig Harbor. These
houses are cottage type houses.These houses are a maximum of 900 Sq Foot first floor. Not many seniors want to age in place with stairs. 300 of the 900 sq feet could be an attached garage.
Perhaps more than 1 vehicle. Only 1 off street parking space is required per house.
Perhaps a young one who needs a good education and school.
4-6 houses per 1/2 acre. 6-12 houses per 1 acre.
Guest Commentary by Colene Acker
Planned growth is biggest issue facing Gig Harbor
Thursday, February 18, the Gig Harbor Planning Commission held an open
hearing for public comment. Many citizens spoke against the rampant
growth and the latest upzoning changes. Builders who were present
spoke in favor, but the majority of all in attendance agreed that there
is a need to address the city's infrastructure.
The planning commission was inviting feedback about the rezoning of
land parcels throughout the city to accommodate high density housing,
including some plots of land situated in the historic downtown area.
Small homes, as small as 900 square feet,
land situated in
the historic downtown area. Small homes, as small as 900 square feet,
would be built close together and would be required to provide parking
for only one car. Since there are very few single-car households, will a
second car be parked on the street? What about any visitors that
arrive by car and park on those same streets? Will the streets be wide
enough to allow emergency vehicles to pass around these parked cars?
Conceivably there could be six homes on a half acre parcel of land.
While I appreciate the need to provide affordable housing in
the Gig Harbor area, we need to ask at what point will our city's
infrastructure be unable to handle the continued growth and when do we
consider a moratorium on growth as we access these issues?
Anyone who has not driven up Peacock Hill and turned onto Borgen Blvd
lately is in for a shock. It looks like the area was hit by a tornado,
because a small forest has been removed in preparation for the latest
mega development. Apparently years ago, when these developments were
put into the pipeline, city planners were unable to envision the
resulting increase in traffic. An extra road leading to Costco from
Burnham Drive and a neighborhood exit onto Peacock Hill, will do little
to solve the Borgen Drive traffic gridlock and the unsafe roundabout
crossings.
The area along Judson Street, where the post office is currently
located, is another planned development. Apartments or condominiums
with shops, restaurants and the Seven Seas Brewery will take the place
of the parking lot and existing structures. Although still in the
planning stages, this development has the potential to create huge parking
issues where parking is already in short supply. The city can require
that any apartments or condos that are built in this development provide
parking for residents with multiple cars along with additional parking
for shoppers and restaurant goers. As we know, downtown street parking
is in short supply. When there is no where to park downtown and
visitors decide to go elsewhere shop or dine, how are we revitalizing
the waterfront? The trolley, while an enjoyable attraction to
the harbor, is not always practical nor available.
Schools
that are already overcrowded, with large class sizes and numerous
portable classrooms are continuing to enroll new students. (I moved
from a community where portable classrooms were a temporary solution but
here they seem to be a permanent fix.) Knowing how difficult it will
be to pass a new school(s) referendum, can't we at least think
of Gig Harbor's children and put a moratorium new growth? Or at the
very least require developers pay a very sizable financial contribution
that will go directly to the school district for new construction?
From outside observer, the planning goal for Gig Harbor seems to be to
"develop any available piece of land with as many homes as can fit on
it." The most obvious benefactors of this type of growth are the owners
of the properties and the developers. How is it that they are being
represented so well by the planning commission, the mayor, and our city
council?
Some of our current council members were not present when many of the
current developments were being planned, but they do represent us now.
It may too late to stop some of the development that is already in the
pipeline, but we can look ahead and make better plans for the future.
The Regional Staff Committee (Puget Sound Regional Council) has made
several recommendations for small cities that are inconsistent with
target growth (that's Gig Harbor!) They include, "limit densities until
appropriate timing or when infrastructure is in place." Plan for "full
cost recovery of street, park, school and infrastructure improvements
to support growth." And so very important for Gig Harbor, "development
(sic) standards appropriate to retain small town character." Runaway
growth is scraping away at the character that has made Gig Harbor a
special place to live, play, and work.
Gig Harbor citizens have been echoing these same concerns at meetings,
in letters to the editor, and in letters to elected representatives. In
response we have been told that we have our information incorrect or
that an activist has us "riled up." My response to that is that anyone
can drive through the uptown area, or Gig Harbor North, or drive
along Harbor View Drive around 5 pm and see what is happening in this
community--but plan your trip according to the time of day or you'll
likely be sitting in a traffic jam.
Letter #3 in the Gateway was from our Mayor
Letters #1 and #2 are realistic concerns about Gig Harbor being a functioning safe community. Not sure what letter #3 is about.
Letters #1 and #2 discuss infrastructure and the need for thoughtful planning for the future of Gig Harbor.
Letters #1, #2 and #3 are talking about the same rezoning areas. The Mayor, the council and the planning commission have a very long history of not discussing the impacts of high density housing, infrastructure, schools, or traffic. Here's a perfect example:
A recent example comes to mind: Cottage Housing. When I opened my email today I had several email messages from people who had read that Gig Harbor was going to allow "high density housing" and describing the concept of cottage housing as a "zoning virus." Understandably people were upset and concerned that Gig Harbor was going to become Seattle.
Here are the true facts about Cottage housing. Is is based on the idea of "better,not bigger." Some describe it as a group of small homes that face and relate to one another around a landscaped common area. Cottage housing often appeals to empty-nest families looking for smaller houses and less yard, where floor space is traded for higher quality amenities. Such houses are often more energy efficient than larger homes. Another benefit of this type of housing is that is helps foster a sense of community, which is something we value here in Gig Harbor.
Now back to the lesson I learned years ago. By fact checking and asking questions from the sources, many concerns and rumors can be avoided.
I encourage the people who wrote to me to learn what the Planning Commission is considering by looking on the City's Website: www.cityofgigharbor.net/small-residential-dwellings/.
Jill Guernsey, Gig Harbor.
Letters #1 and #2 are realistic concerns about Gig Harbor being a functioning safe community. Not sure what letter #3 is about.
Letters #1 and #2 discuss infrastructure and the need for thoughtful planning for the future of Gig Harbor.
Letters #1, #2 and #3 are talking about the same rezoning areas. The Mayor, the council and the planning commission have a very long history of not discussing the impacts of high density housing, infrastructure, schools, or traffic. Here's a perfect example:
CHECK THE FACTS ON COTTAGE HOUSING by Jill Guernesy
I was fortunate to learn a valuable lesson in middle school: Check your facts and go to the source.A recent example comes to mind: Cottage Housing. When I opened my email today I had several email messages from people who had read that Gig Harbor was going to allow "high density housing" and describing the concept of cottage housing as a "zoning virus." Understandably people were upset and concerned that Gig Harbor was going to become Seattle.
Here are the true facts about Cottage housing. Is is based on the idea of "better,not bigger." Some describe it as a group of small homes that face and relate to one another around a landscaped common area. Cottage housing often appeals to empty-nest families looking for smaller houses and less yard, where floor space is traded for higher quality amenities. Such houses are often more energy efficient than larger homes. Another benefit of this type of housing is that is helps foster a sense of community, which is something we value here in Gig Harbor.
Now back to the lesson I learned years ago. By fact checking and asking questions from the sources, many concerns and rumors can be avoided.
I encourage the people who wrote to me to learn what the Planning Commission is considering by looking on the City's Website: www.cityofgigharbor.net/small-residential-dwellings/.
Jill Guernsey, Gig Harbor.
BELOW ARE THE FACTS COPIED AND PASTED DIRECTLY FROM THE CITY WEBSITE
POTENTIAL CODE AMENDMENTS: (The cottage housing facts the Mayor refers to.)
- Revise existing PRD to include a new section for small residential dwellings: (SRD's)
- Allowable zones – R1, R2, RB-1, RB-2.
- SRD can be used in preliminary plat and major site plan review.
- For lots of 1/2 acre or more: the density of the underlying zone may be doubled to maximum of 12 units to the acre.
- Min 10 foot separation between structures, clustering encouraged as site permits.
- New Definition “SRD” Small Residential Dwelling. (the Mayor calls them cottages)
- 1400 sf of habitable living space with max overall building footprint 900 SF, including garage if applicable.
- Maximum 300 sf for fully enclosed garages - attached or detached – no more than 3 garages may be attached together. (if there is an attached 300 sq ft garage there is only 600 sq feet of livable space on the 1st floor. 900 - 300= 600 sq ft. Probably will need a 2nd story. C4GH)
- Maximum number of Small Residential Dwellings per development – 36. (no required separation between developments. 36,36,36,36,36, etc. C4GH)
- Minimum required parking is one car per dwelling unit.
- No outdoor storage of recreational vehicles (Boats, RVs, Trailers, etc).
- Cars may also be parked in designated, open or covered micro-lots meeting all existing commercial parking lot standards.
Citizens for the Preservation of Gig Harbor encourages everyone to scroll down to the zoning map and check out R1,2 and RB 1,2.
